<div align="center"> Phiadelphia 76ers (11-14) @ Portland Trail Blazers (13-12) Date: December 27th, 2004 10:00 pm (local time) TV:NBALP, CSN Last Games Blazers 104, Bucks 95 (W) Sixers 102, Pacers 90 (W) </div> As a interim head coach in the 200-01 season Jim O'Brien led the Celtics for 48 games to a .500 record (24-24). During his time in Boston Jim O'Brien led the Boston Celtics to the Eastern Conference finals, and a eventual lose in six games to the New Jersey nets. Last season O'Brien abruptly left the Celticsmid way through there season after the trade of his two favorite players Eric Williams and Tony Battie. The Sixers had also at the time lost there own coachLarry Brown at the time to the Detroit Pistons after a six game lose to the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the playoffs. They tried to have Randy Ayers as there replacement, but to no avail as he would be fired before all star break. The job would then fall to interm head coach Ford who's problems with star Allen Iverson and old school coaching style cost much contriversy in a some what hopeless losing season. Then the Sixers search lead them to home town native Jin O'Brien. JO has tryed many different lineups as head coach of the 76ers so far this season the only constant of the five starters being Allen Iverson and Andre Igoudala. We can not say that he has lived up to expectations as coach so far this year, but he is getting there. They have come off a couple clos egames, and nice wins lately they are only two games out of the lead in the Atlantic division <div align="center"> Sammy Dalembert -PPG 5.3 RPG 6.80 APG .6 Kenny Thomas- PPG 9.0 RPG 6.5 APG 1.3 Andre Iguodala- PPG 8.4 RPG 5.2 APG 2.4 Willie Green- PPG 8.0 RPG 2.5 APG 2.0 Allen Iverson- PPG 28.7 RPG 3.9 APG 7.2</div> <div align="center"> Kyle Korver- PPG 11.4 RPG 3.8 APG 2.1</div> Sammy Dalembert has not been incredable the last three games, and he looks to slowly be working his way back into JO's dog house his minutes have been on a steady decline. On the 18th he played 37 minutes, then 29 on the 20th, and only 18 last game. His numbers on both end of the court have been going down as well esepcially on the offensive end of the court he has failed to reach double digit scoring the last three games, and only reached double digit rebounding (15 rebounds) once in the last three games. We will need a big game out of him to be successful against the Blazers. they have a very talented defensive center in Theo. I would expect this game to be dominated by both of these players defenses there offensive games are nothing spectacular, both average mediocre offensive numbers for a NBA player these days. Kenny Thomas who has had a lower back injury he has had to play through injuries the last couple of games. I expect him to come out and be ready to perform in this game coming off five days rest since the 76ers last game was on the 22nd of December and this game will take place on December 27th. He is a average double double guy make no mistake about it his numbers make you think different. The only down side for Kenny in his matchup is his size he will be over powered and over sized by Randolph so the perinnel all star may be able to exploit his game even more this night. I think our best hope in this matchup is to have a mix of Corliss Williamson, and maybe I do not see this happen often, but to go big in the front court have Marc Jackson at power forward, and Sammy at Center on the floor at the same time. Andre Igouodala has been very impressive for us so far this year in rookie standards. He had a good game against the Pacers in all areas of the game. He scored 8 points and had 5 assists and 3 steals. As far as steals go he is one of the best in the league he as a rookie averages 1.72 steals a game which is good enough for 11th in the NBA. he also ranks 9th in the NBA in total steals, 13th in the NBA in steals per 48 minutes and 8th in steals per turnover. Willie Green is or was last season prejected to be the 76ers rising leader of the future as a second round pick little was expected from Willie in the NBA, but last season when AI went down with the injury he took the most of his oppurtunity to play.During rookie season (2003-04), had three 20-point games including a career-high 26 points at Atlanta (4/6/04), the most points scored by a Sixers rookie since Tim Thomas (27 points, 2/14/98 vs. NJ). So far this season he has yet to score over seventeen points and has not scored double digits the last three games as well as only reaching double digit scoring eight times in the Sixers first 25 games not counting the pre season where he scored double digits five times. They will need a big game from Willie Green to have a winning night in this game.He is averaging as many points as Iggy is averaging this year, and both are known to have big scoring nights on random occassions so I would not be surprised to see either bust out for a 20 point game in this game. Finally, team captin Allen Iverson he is averaging 45 points in the last three contests he has scored 51-54- and 40 points. He has also taken the lead from Kobe Bryant and is leading the NBA in point per game. He has also shot high 40% to low 50% these last few games. He has lifted his field goal percentage to 42% the highest percentage he has shot in the last five years the las ttime he averaged 42% shooting from the field was in his MVP season in 2001. Besides being ranked 1st in the NBA in points per game AI, The Answer is ranked 4th in steals per game the duo of him and Iggy on defense are a horror to the offensive players. Theyw ill look to take advantage of the Blazers in this game, and get out on the break to run there "run and gun" offense more often. I cant wait to see if it works.Iverson is also ranked 5th in the league in asssits per game he will be looking to get his teammates involved in this game which is something we will need. Then our sixth man off the bench Kyle Korver. He is ranked currently second in the NBA in three point field goals made, 2nd in three point field goals made per 48 minutes, and fifth in three point field goals attempted. I think it is good that unlike Walker he attempts threes and makes them I think it may hurt us and him in the long run he is enough of a offensive player to be at least a option on offense to take the pressure off of AI, but he often has some games where his shot is not on, and he does not produce he needs to add a mid range jumper to his game it would give him a whole new demention to his game, and us a whole new offensive threat for defenders. <div align="center"> </div> Former Philadelphia 76ers great Maurice Cheeks has done the best possible coaching job with the team he has been given in Portland the 76ers tried as hard as they could a couple of seasons ago to try to get permission to speak with Cheeks to try and make him the new Philadelphia coach when Larry Brown left, but they where never granted permission by the Blazers orginization. The Blazers new they had a great coach, and did not want to lsoe him this game should be good just to see two Philadelphia native coaches go head to head. Cheeks has a lot of talent on his roster in the point guard posiiton trouble is there are so many egos he has to deal with NVE's constant retirement promises, Stoudamire jsut being Stoudamire, and how to develope young Sebastian Telfier into a future good point guard all these things, and they still have a decent record. They have a very deep front court as we will see this game though I think if the Bulls can match up well with this team we can as well. <div align="center"> Theo Ratliff -PPG 4.7 RPG 5.6 APG .5 Zach Randolph- PPG 20.7 RPG 10.8 APG 2.2 Shareef Abdual Raheem-PPG 15.3 RPG 7.8 APG 1.3 Derek Anderson- PPG 11.9 RPG 3.5 APG 3.4 Nick Van Exel-PPG 8.8 RPG 2.1 APG 2.8</div> <div align="center"> Damon Stoudamire-PPG 10.8 RPG 3.5 APG 5.6</div> Nick Van Exel earned the starting point guard spot a few game sago with the blazers and has performed relativly well. He has said though that he will probably retire at the end of the year (like we have not heard that one before) so he is still causing contriversy for the team. It may lead to a trade with some team though looking for cap releaf when he retires if it is true. Derek Anderson over the years has been said to be one of the guys on the worst NBA team to fit his attitude. Players who play with Portland are said known to have run ins with the laws, but Anderson has kept his nose clean his entire time in Portland probably one of the reasons he is still there after Portlands "cleaning up ther eidentity moves". By trading Wells, Sheed, and others. The only ones who has caused problems for the team before still on the team are Stoudamire who's contract ends soon, and Patterson. Reef has been said to be on the block for a while now, and is or at least was unhappy in Portland. the Blazers have tried to trade him in trades involving the Sixers, Raptors, and Nets, but he is still a Blazer a quarter way into the season so who knows the Blazers second leading scorer may be a Blazer for a while since they will not want to just let him walk when he hits free agency they will try to resign him. Theo seems like he has below average numbers, but when you look at his blocking average 2.66 a game you see why he starts for the Blazers, and what he does for them he anchores there defense, and keeps people out of the paint with fear of being rejected he is the Blazers version of what Charles Oakly was for the Knicks there enforcer in the paint. So I want to see who has a bigger defensive game him or SD. It will be one of the matchups of the night imo. There sixth man/ benched starter Damon Stoudamire is also a very talented player, but has had somethings throw him out of favor with the coaching staff at times. He will be looking to make a big impression off the bench for the Blazers he is no scrub that is for sure and not someone to be taken lightly by the 76ers I think this is a area we will suffer AI will eventually get tired playing post of the game chasing these two tlaented point guards around, and he will start missing shots due to fatigue. <div align="center"></div> * The last three games the 76ers offense has run like this. Give AI the ball and get the **** out of his way. This game they can not do that imo. If they do that it Allen Iverson will get tired quickly, and shoot a very bad percentage this game which will hurt us down the stretch of this gameAllen Iverosn will not have enough power or speed to get buckets to the end if he is tired from all the running he will do this game, and we will lose if this happpens. * Get someone to step up besides AI. The last three games Allen Iverson roughly half the Sixers points usually only having maybe one or two other guys in double figure scoring. That is what I think a lot of times is the problem of this team not everyone produces like there suppost to. On the Lakers lineup they do not have a great record, but are over .500 because every starter averages double digit scoring. We need that on our team. * Manage turnovers the 76ers had 19 turnovers last game I believe, sveen of those coming from Allen Iverson they need to limit that for the team to be successful against the blazers. Most of there points at times come from the fast break so there is no excuse to have a lot of turnovers. There just is no excuse that simple I think if we limit the turnovers to 12 or 13 at most we can win. * Have Kyle Korver having a good shooting night. If KK goes 0 for his first 5 three pointers and keeps shooting we need to have someone talk to him. Or sit him down,because a couple games he has done that, and JO has just let him shoot games where we where down only one or two points the fell behind big or games where we where up three or five points and lost the lead. <div align="center"></div> I think that this game will start off Sixer pace with us taking a early lead in the first finishing the first with I will say a five point lead. The seocnd quarter will be more of Blazers game though they will be able to take advantage of us in the half court game and us there size I think one of our main guys probably KT will get into foul trouble this quarter. I think we will be down by three at half time. When we come out of the third I think we will get off to a slow start and fall behind by eight points, but be able to tie it going into the fourth. in the fourth I see another down to the wire game, but the Sixers pull it out 98-95.
