Well, here's another unexpected scenario. While the question has been
around for a couple weeks whether the Sixers could move up to 6 to
avoid Detroit or Boston in the first round, now they're only half a
game out of 5, where they would play Cleveland--a team they would
seemingly match up even better against than Orlando. If Iguodala and
Young could manage to roughly neutralize James, the rest of the
matchups would be alright. Miller and Williams should be able to
outclass the likes of Delonte West, Daniel Gibson, and Alexander
Pavlovic, while Dalembert/Evans would actually not be giving up much
against Ilgauskas/Wallace. Likely it would come down to the ability
of Young, Williams, and Carney to score off the bench and break the
games into an open court affair.
And here's the longshot scenario, but something which at this point
may not be that far-fetched: the Sixers are only 4 games behind
Cleveland for seed 4, and home court. They also play two games
against each other before the end of the season. If Philadelphia were
to win both and generally keep up their recent play (say, win 8 of
final 11 games), there's a chance if Cleveland continues its own
recent mediocre play. Here's the remaining schedules:
Cleveland: New Orleans, @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Philadelphia, @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Chicago,
Orlando, New Jersey, @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Miami, @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Philadelphia, Detroit.
--now, say they lose both games to Philadelphia and Detroit, as well
as the New Orleans, Orlando, and one of the Chicago games.
That leaves them 4-7 the rest of the way.
Philadelphia: Chicago, Phoenix, @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Jersey, @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Detroit, Indiana, @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cleveland, @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
they obviously have to win both Cleveland games. Say they
lose the tough games to Phoenix and Detroit (though both are at
home). Then they can lose either the Wa****ngton game or one of the
Atlanta games and if they beat the rest of the teams (all with losing
records) that would leave them 8-3. If Cleveland were to only manage
a 4-7 mark, they would then be tied and Philadelphia would win the
tiebreak having swept the series (they won their only matchup earlier
this year).
Obviously this is all speculative, but there's at least a reasonable
shot. Which of course is still really weird.
--IK
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