<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks questioned his team's effort. Allen Iverson questioned what he needs to do in what he called probably his most frustrating season. This was the fallout after a 28-point loss, 104-76, to the Washington Wizards Monday afternoon at the MCI Center. It dropped the Sixers to 18-19. "It was a two-point game at halftime and they outworked us from there on in," said a clearly unhappy Cheeks. "We just got no effort from everybody that pretty much stepped out on the floor. "I don't mind losing a game, but the way we got beat was kind of ridiculous. Just the effort. After halftime, there was no effort. It's not just rebounding, there was no effort. "It makes me angry. I put some guys out on the floor that I thought were going to give a little bit more effort. We've got to do something a little different. We can't continue to win one game, lose one game." The Sixers trailed 47-45 at the half, but were outscored 57-31 in the second half, including a 17-3 run to start the third quarter. Iverson sounded as if he wasn't sure what direction the team was headed, but also didn't disagree with Cheeks' assessment. "This probably is my most frustrating season, honestly," Iverson said. "We're kind of in a struggle with how I need to play, how we need to play as a team, what we need from me, what we don't need from me. It's tough, because I always know my identity on a team, since I've been here, I always knew what I had to do to make us a better team, right now I really don't know what I need to do to make us better.</div> <div align="center">Source</div>
ill tell you what this team lacks, heart, will, and the detirmination to win. i cant tell you enough on how many times ive just seen this team give up (excluding AI). if you look at this team's roster, you'll see that we've got tons of talent. from the beginning of the season, im sure we've all thought that we would be a contending team in the east. now, it doesnt seem like we will until things change. i hope this team steps up their game soon, and ASP.
Contending in the East? You gotta be kidding me. I believed we had a shot at a 50-win season, but that doesn't mean we're contenders. Nobody, with the exception of possibly Miami, is going to beat the Pistons. This team is still a far way from contending in the East.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Contending in the East? You gotta be kidding me. I believed we had a shot at a 50-win season, but that doesn't mean we're contenders. Nobody, with the exception of possibly Miami, is going to beat the Pistons. This team is still a far way from contending in the East.</div> The way I see it, NJ, Phil, Cle and maybe Mil could beat the Heat the way they look right now. Shaq is out of shape, they still have chemistry problems and this team really lacks mobility, speed and athleticism. So with god play from those teams I mentioned above and maybe just a little luck, it's possible. And with that said you can find yourself in the Eastern Conference Finals and that would be competing if you ask me. But I see what you're saying however. Either way there is no getting through the Pistons. As for this thread, this team does lack "effort". The way I see it, guys like Iverson of course, Iguodala and Korver gives the most effort. The lackadaisical guys on the court are Webber(when not in crunch time) and Dalembert. That's 3 on 2, but the reason why they seem so effortless is because you need to have everyone clicking on the same page to make it seem like it. In addition the two odd balls are the guys that?s suppose to be defending the paint so that just makes it worst. In order to see better effort?guys like Webber and Dalembert needs to pick up the slack. They need to get aggressive and have a "I don't give a damn? attitude. It's all about effort. And while King and Cheeks says another played wouldn't solve that problem, I think it would. If they had somebody like Antoine Walker(I'm not saying I want him) as far as being a vocal leader and motivating the guys around him I think we would have probably won an additional 3-4 games. Aaron McKie is also a good motivator and to think we had him and waived him kills me inside. Last year in the Playoffs Webber the 13 year veteran came out of the blue during a press conference and just start talking about the importance of having a veteran guy like McKie in the locker room. So that just goes to show you the type of impact low key guys like McKie have. You won't see it in the stats, but he brings good karma and gets everyone on the same page. Again, this was Webber saying that and he is a veteran so imagine how much it was probably impacting the younger guys.
The Wizards games was on of the worst games the 76ers have played these past few seasons. If effort is the problem with this team, then I am very worried. You can't coach effort, so the 76ers might need to pull some determination within themselves and give 100% like professional athletes should.
I don't think it's effort, if it was truly effort, then AI would set a great example each and every night thus far this season. But somehow it did not come down like that, which means 1 of 2 things are to blame for the 76ers struggles. 1:They simply put have the inability to win games 2:Coaching is ill-consistant, they get worse every game, even if the Final score's not worse.
