<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">A 2-0 run straight up and against the spread with star power forward Chris Webber sidelined with a strained back has the Philadelphia 76ers back in the final playoff spot in the East. The Sacramento Kings, for one, aren?t surprised. Webber was injured for much of the 2003-04 season, his last full year in Sacramento. The Kings went 33-25-1 against the spread with him out of the lineup, only to finish 7-15-1 once he returned. Last season, the Webber-less Kings went 4-2-1 against the spread before he was traded to Philly. The Sixers went 3-4 without Webber in the lineup. The 2-0 run has moved the Sixers to 4-1 against the spread this season when Webber is injured, opposed to 31-40-1 when he is in the lineup. The wins also come in an unexpected spot for Philadelphia, which had covered just twice in its previous 10 games, despite trying to hold on to the final playoff spot in the East. ?When it comes to NBA, these guys are all professionals. There are so many guys on these teams that can play, and often guys will really step it up when a star player is out,? says a linesmaker at 5Dimes.com. ?As for what the public thinks on a line like that, they?ll probably bet against the Sixers, so we?ll usually shade the line around half a point, but only because that?s what the public thinks.? With Webber out, the Sixers now turn to 5-year veteran Steven Hunter. The 24-year old is averaging 15 points, nine rebounds and shooting 63 percent from the floor the last two games. ?If you look at the box score numbers from the Sixers? games, they are a much better team when (Allen) Iverson shares the ball,? says Covers Expert Ted Sevransky. ?When Webber and Iverson are in the lineup together either one or the other is shooting.? Iverson had 15 assists and four players had at least 12 shot attempts in Monday?s 105-97 win over Washington as 2 ?-point favorites. The Sixers other win with Webber out came in Chicago, 89-75, as 6-point underdogs. ?The teams they?ve beat (without Webber) haven?t been very impressive,? says Sevransky. ?To say with or without Chris Webber this is a better team is unfair. Philadelphia stinks with or without Chris Webber.? The Sixers travel to play the New Jersey Nets tonight. The Nets are 7-point favorites. The total has not yet been released. </div> link: http://www.covers.com/articles/articles.as...rt=76018&tid=25 hmmmmm.......interesting. very interesting..........
No they are not. Chris Webber is a stud, he is not a cancer as many people like to point out. His knees are shaky, but he's proving a lot of people he still has game. I love Webber, one of the greatest talents of alltime..
He is a solid player, but I honestly believe that the Sixers would be a better team without him... not because he isn't talented, but because he hinders so much of what we could be doing.
