On to the second round: the Sixers??!?

It may need an asterisk but a number 8 seed knocking off a number 1 seed is always a tremendous accomplishment.  The Sixers pulled off that task after beating the Bulls on Thursday and winning their first round series, 4-2.

Fittingly, the hero for the Sixers was Andre Iguodala, who has taken a ton of heat over the years for not stepping up in the clutch and hitting the big shots.  After the Bulls foolishly tried to add to their 1 point lead in the final seconds of the game, Iguodala grabbed a rebound and took the ball coast-to-coast and got fouled with 2 seconds left.  Iguodala had ice in his veins, hitting both free throws to give the Sixers a series win.

The Sixers now await the winner of the Celtics/Hawks series, which will likely be Boston.  Don't expect a Celtics/Sixers series to be pretty but also don't expect the Celtics to simply walk all over the Sixers.  It's been a long, long time since the Sixers got to the second round of the playoffs and they deserve a ton of credit for getting there.  While their path was easier due to injuries, the Sixers still deserve a ton of credit for knocking off one of the elite teams in the league.
(Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

Derrick Rose out for the playoffs

The Sixers may suddenly have a chance: it is being reported that point guard Derrick Rose tore his ACL and will be lost for the remainder of the playoffs.  Rose suffered the injury in Game 1 against the Sixers and that will certainly put a damper on any championship run the Bulls thought they were making.

Why Rose was in a blowout game with just over a minute to play is beyond me but you can bet the Bulls regret not taking him out.  Expect the Bulls to take care of the Sixers, though it may take an extra game or two than it should have.
(AP PHOTO)

Yes, the Sixers are for real

Are you convinced now, NBA?  After the Sixers coasted to one of the best records in the league, NBA experts warned that the team wasn't all it was cracked up to be and their record was simply the product of a cupcake schedule.  Well, after wins against the Magic, Bulls, Hawks and Lakers in the last week, it is fair to say the Sixers are for real.

Their latest win came on Monday night against the Lakers, where a packed house watched the hometown Sixers "BEAT LA" thanks to Lou Williams and his 14 4th quarter points.  The win was the Sixers 6th in their last 7 and gives them a 4 game lead over the Celtics in the Atlantic Division.

The Sixers are proving that, at least in this shortened season, having tremendous depth trumps having stars on the roster.  Night in and night out the Sixers are getting contributions from any number of players, including the eight that had at least 8 points for the Sixers against the Lakers.  While not having any stars will likely come back to haunt them in the playoffs, the Sixers are ridiculously fun to watch and are putting together their best regular season since 2003. 

The proving grounds continue for the Sixers on Wednesday and Friday when the Spurs and Clippers come to town.  Hopefully by then those so-called experts will finally be on board.

New Sixers ownership group includes Will Smith, Ed Stefanski is out

There is so much Sixers news today you'd think basketball was actually happening this year.  The Sixers sale finally went through and the new ownership group, led by billionaire Joshua Harris, was introduced to the media.  Among those owners is Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, so that should be fun.

The new owners also announced that Ed Stefanski is leaving the organization and that Rod Thorn will take over as GM.  Given the many mistakes that Stefanski has made over the years, I'm sure fans won't be too upset over that.  Thorn has a great basketball mind and should be solid in the role.

Adam Aron will be the new CEO of the Sixers.

Among the other announcements, ticket prices will be slashed up to 50% for Sixers games and owners also promised a much better in-game experience.  If only there will be an NBA season this year.

Sixers release 2011/12 schedule

Even though the chances that the 2011/12 NBA season starts on time (or even starts at all) are slim, the Sixers released their schedule today. The schedule includes a handful of nationally televised games, including 3 on ESPN and 2 on TNT. There aren't many surprises but here are a few key dates:

Season Opener: November 2nd, at Toronto
Home Opener: November 4th, vs. Timberwolves
Thanksgiving Game: November 24th, at Atlanta
New Years Day Game: January 1st, at Lakers
All-Star Break: February 23rd-27th
Last Game: April 18th, at Miami

Click here for the complete schedule

Comcast-Spectacor has sold the Sixers

The long awaited deal is finally done! No, not the NFL or NBA lockouts; Comcast-Spectacor has finally completed their sale of the Sixers, for 280 million, to a group of investors led by billionaire Joshua Harris. The new ownership group will own 90% of the team with Comcast retaining 10%.

On the surface, not much will change for the Sixers; they will still play in the Wells Fargo Center, though they will now be tenants. It isn't known at this time if any front office changes will be made, though given all of the changes over the last few years, the new owners might want some continuity. Let's hope this new group of owners is more interested in the on-court product and less interested in making a profit.

This deal has nothing to do with the Flyers, who Comcast-Spectacor also owns. Don't count on them being sold off as long as Ed Snider is alive.

It could be a while before we see the Sixers again

Aren't professional sports great? Now, not only is the NFL locked out, but, as of midnight on July 1st, the NBA is also locked out. Unfortunately, things look pretty grim for a full NBA season for next year, so the Sixers might not take the floor again for quite a while.

Given how great the NBA was this year and how many fans tuned in just to see the Heat lose, the league is really shooting itself in the foot at the wrong time. Look for the NHL to gain major ground in the US if the NBA has a prolonged lockout.

The experts grade the Sixers 2011 draft

The 2011 NBA Draft is in the books and the Sixers accomplished what they set out to do in drafting the best big man available to them. According to most reports, the Sixers had targeted Nikola Vucevic from the start and were happy to see him there for the taking at pick 16. While the Sixers got who they wanted, the draft experts were less than excited with the selection. Here is a sampling of what some experts are saying about the Sixers draft:

Chad Ford, ESPN: C
The Sixers needed size and so they took the biggest guy on the board, but this was a case of drafting need over talent. I think better players were on the board, even if they weren't 7-footers. Vucevic will be solid in the NBA, but he's far from being a potential star. Allen doesn't exactly get you excited after a lackluster four years at Temple.

Tom Ziller, SB Nation: C-
Most mocks had Vucevic here for the past couple weeks; even SBNation.com's pathetic mock drafter, Tom Ziller, got it right! But that doesn't make it a good pick. Not at all.

You've gotta beware these workout wonders. Before the NBA Draft Combine, where Vucevic measured as the biggest player in the draft, he was a borderline first-round pick. He played at USC for three years. He's a well-known entity by the people who play closest attention, and he was a borderline first-round pick until everyone realized he was tall. That's not good!

Fit has to be balanced with talent. The Sixers needed a big man and can probably give Vucevic more early minutes than they could a wing. But guys like Chris Singleton looked like such better prospects, it's hard to cheer such an uninspiring punt.

Mike Misek, NBADraft.net: B
Philadelphia wanted to go big, and they came away with the safest NCAA big man selection in the draft. Nikola Vucevic is a skilled scorer inside and out, makes good decisions with the basketball, and given the snail's pace of USC did not receive the proper appreciation for being a solid rebounder. Additionally, having played for Kevin O'Neill and Tim Floyd, he is a step ahead in terms of defensive preparation. While Vucevic is not going to be Dwight Howard, he has learned to be committed on that end, and has three years of former NBA coaches drilling man-to-man defensive principles into him. In the second round, the Sixers took a local kid in Temple’s Lavoy Allen. He won over Philadelphia in his two predraft workouts with the team, and worked his way to having the right to compete for a roster spot.

CBSSports.com: C+
The Sixers needed size. They would have taken any big that was available here and Vucevic was the best available at 6-10. Taking Motiejunas would have been a bigger gamble and at least Vucevic has work ethic. He has no athleticism, none to speak of, and is, in a lot of ways, Spencer Hawes. But there's no point in creating a logjam for yourself just to avoid drafting for need. The Sixers could have done worse for how their roster is constructed. Lavoy Allen will not be joining us next year.

Chris Mannix, SI.com:
There wasn't much size in the draft, and Vucevic can provide that and much more for a team that was relying on Spencer Hawes at the center spot. Vucevic is a physical and solid player who measured out as the biggest prospect of this class. His improved post game and mid-range game played a big part in his rise, too.

For more on my thoughts of the Vucevic selection, read my piece from yesterday.

Sixers draft PF/C Nikola Vucevic

As we all suspected, with the 16th overall pick in the NBA Draft, the Sixers went with a big man: 7 footer Nikola Vucevic.

Originally born in Switzerland and raised in Belgium, Vucevic was a three year player at USC and figures to be a PF/C in the NBA. He's known as a decent rebounder and a good shooter for a big man. He isn't the most athletic guy and has drawn comparisons to Mehmet Okur, which is good thing for shooting ability but not exactly a ringing endorsement as an inside presence. How he will fit in with a Sixers team that likes to get up and down the floor is questionable but you can't blame the team for trying to upgrade their very thin frontcourt. Still, it's hard to get too excited about Vucevic, who doesn't appear to have a ton of upside.

The Sixers still have one more pick in the second round. I would expect them to not target any specific position, rather get the best player available. Second round picks don't have a strong track record with the Sixers, so I wouldn't hold your breath for anything special.

2011 NBA Mock Draft Round-up: Who will the Sixers draft?

With the NBA Draft coming Thursday, it's time to take a closer look at who the Sixers might pick with the 16th overall selection in the first round. While there isn't as much to get excited about as last year when they had the number 2 overall pick, there should still be some interesting talent available to the Sixers. While they could make a trade and move up, I'm guessing they stand pat and take the best big man available.

Here is a round-up of some various mock drafts from around the internet to get a good idea of who the Sixers might select with their first round pick:

Sam Amick, SI.com:
Jordan Hamilton, SF, Texas
For weeks, the Sixers told rival teams that they were going big with their pick. But now comes word that Hamilton is a strong possibility, a change that could be taken as a sign that Philadelphia officials are confident they can find a worthy taker for small forward Andre Iguodala sometime soon. Otherwise, Markieff Morris and Motiejunas would be seen as the most likely big men to be taken here.

Hoopshype.com:
Bismack Biyombo, PF, Spain
The Sixers would like to add a beast inside to do the dirtywork and Biyombo fits the bill. Bismack's lack of offensive skills were readily apparent in his workout in Treviso. How much offensive game he can develop is debatable as is his true age. A tremendous shot blocker using his quick reflexes, length (7-foot-7 wingspan) and explosiveness to protect the rim. Nikola Vucevic and Markieff Morris are possibilities here too. If the team indeed decides to move Iguodala, a forward such as Hamilton or Singleton are possibilities.

RealGM.com:
Nikola Vucevic, C, USC
The Sixers have one of the deeper teams in the NBA, but Vucevic would fill a niche they need.

DraftExpress.com:
Nikola Vucevic, C, USC

Mike Finewax, NBCSports.com:
Kenneth Faried, PF, Morehead State
Faried has a great nose for the ball, is one of the best rebounders in college history and will dive for loose balls without hesitation. Hustle is a word that best describes him, and with Elton Brand likely declining with age and health, Faried appears to be a good fit. There's also talk the Sixers want USC center Nikola Vucevic here, but I'm not sure he's really a top-20 pick.

FoxSports.com:
Markieff Morris, PF, Kansas
The Sixers are looking to add a rugged PF in this draft and will hope a player such as Morris is available to them. Bismack Biyombo is also a possibility as the team is desperate for an athletic post, but Morris would be the safer option. The Morris twins have built a reputation for bringing intensity and toughness every time out. Some envision Markieff becoming the better pro (over Marcus) because of his size and better ability to fit a position (PF).

InsideHoops.com:
Jordan Hamilton, SF, Texas
A scorer who rebounds well but forces some shots and needs to improving awareness

My take: Grab the best big man available. The Sixers need frontcourt depth, and though none of the guys that will be available will be special players in the league, they can still get someone who can rebound and block shots. Whatever they do, they better not take another SG/SF tweener unless they plan on trading Andre Iguodala.

Once again, Philly loses to an eventual champion

As you know, the Boston Bruins have won the Stanley Cup. What you may not know is that makes it three years in a row that the Flyers have lost to the eventual Stanley Cup winner in the playoffs. This year, it was the Bruins. Last year, it was the Blackhawks in the Finals. In 2009 it was the Penguins.

On top of that, the Eagles also lost to the eventual Super Bowl winner this year after the Packers beat them in the first round. Add in the Phillies losing to the Giants in the NLCS last year and their loss to the Yankees in the World Series in 2009 and you have a staggering number of Philly Sports teams that have lost to the eventual champions in recent years. The only thing keeping the most recent season for each Philly sports team from being ended by the eventual champion is the fact that the Heat, who beat the Sixers in the first round, lost in the NBA Finals.

Depressing. At least we will still have 2008!

Comcast-Spectacor in talks to sell Sixers

While they were not publicly known to be for sale, the Sixers could have a new ownership group at any moment. According to ESPN, Comcast-Spectacor is currently in talks with a group of investors to sell the Sixers. The group of investors is reportedly led by Joshua Harris, a New York-based leverage buyout specialist, and it also includes a few other partners backing him up.

This news comes out of nowhere as Ed Snider, who has controlled the Sixers for 15 years, never gave any indication that Comcast was looking to unload the Sixers. The sale could have something to do with the imminent NBA lockout, which is expected to be a long, drawn-out battle and would be a time where whoever owned the Sixers would not earn any money.

In regards to the Flyers, the other team owned by Comcast-Spectacor, I wouldn't read anything into the Sixers being sold. The Flyers are still Ed Snider's first love and they seem to be making plenty of money for the owners.

Whether the sale of the Sixers to a new ownership group is good for the team is another question. Comcast-Spectacor is a large company with lots of branches so it might be nice to have a group of owners who can concentrate a little more closely on the on-court product. Of course, it all depends on how smart the new ownership group would be with their money and whether they would simply be looking to turn a profit or whether they wanted to build the best franchise possible regardless of cost. Let's hope for the latter.

Rumor: Sixers and Warriors discussing Iguodala for Ellis swap

In a move that may delight many fans, it looks like the Sixers are looking to deal their supposed franchise player, Andre Iguodala. According to Ric Bucher of ESPN, the Sixers and Warriors have had discussions about a deal that would send Iguodala to the Warriors in exchange for big-scoring guard Monta Ellis.

While he makes it clear that nothing is imminent, Bucher argues that the trade makes a lot of sense for both teams, though I don't see why the Sixers would make this deal. I'm all for the Sixers trying to get some value for Iguodala but Ellis only does one thing on the basketball court and that's shoot the ball. While he's very good at filling it up, Ellis doesn't bring anything else to the Sixers should they add him to the mix. Perhaps the Sixers are trying to re-live the Allen Iverson years by acquiring the player most like him in the NBA?

Say what you will about Iguodala's leadership but he brings a lot more to the table than Ellis. Even if Iguodala never becomes the big-time scoring threat we all hoped he would be, he is still a lock-down defender who can guard the best player on the floor night in and night out. Trade Iguodala if you must, Sixers, but please get more than just a volume shooter in return.

Sixers eliminated by Heat but show plenty of heart

The Heat did what everyone expected on Wednesday night and knocked the Sixers out of the first round. Of course, if you had told me before their series that the Heat would eliminate the Sixers in 5 games, I would have said that was about right. In fact, I even picked that exact outcome before the playoffs started. So, while the result of their series with the Heat isn't all that surprising, the way that the Sixers played certainly was.

On paper, the Sixers clearly had much less talent than the Miami Heat. On paper, they didn't have anyone who could guard LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, let alone anyone that could score on them. Nevertheless, the Sixers played the Heat close in nearly every game, only getting blown out in Game 2 of the series. The Sixers showed a ton of heart in every time they took the floor, forcing the Heat to have to earn every victory as they pushed them from beginning to end in every game.

While the Sixers season has ended, they have plenty to look forward to in the future. It all starts with Doug Collins, who immediately brought credibility to the team and deserves a ton of credit for how he has molded all of the young talent of the Sixers. Jrue Holiday and Thad Young are two pieces who blossomed under Collins this year and they are stars in the making. Elton Brand also had a bit of a renaissance, having his best season yet with the Sixers. Even Evan Turner, who had an up and down year to say the least, showed flashes in the playoffs of someone who can be a bigger contributor for the Sixers in a few years.

The Sixers deserve a standing ovation from all of us in Philadelphia. This team has been overlooked for the past few seasons but the light appears to be at the end of the tunnel. In a few more years if the Sixers can add a few more pieces, they have the makings of a team that can make a deep run into the playoffs.
(AP PHOTO)

Late rally helps Sixers stave off elimination

With their season on the line, the Sixers stepped up just in time. With the team trailing by 6 with just over a minute and a half remaining in Game 4, the Sixers got key 3's by Jrue Holiday and Lou Williams as they scored the final 10 points of the game to win, 86-82. The win pushes the series back to Miami for Game 5 on Wednesday.

The game started just as most in the series have, with the Sixers jumping out to an early lead before the Heat take over in the second quarter. Just like they did in Game 3, the Sixers hung tough into the 4th quarter, never letting the Heat stretch out their lead, but this time they had one last run in them. Evan Turner, getting some rare late game action, hit a tough shot before Holiday made his three to pull the Sixers within one. After Dwyane Wade missed a shot, the Sixers found themselves with a chance to win with 25 seconds left and Williams stepped up, hitting a huge three with just 8 seconds left.

LeBron and Wade were the stars for Miami once again, combining for 53 points, 10 assists and 15 boards. Both had their chances to put the Sixers away late in the game and both failed, as each missed big shots in the final moments of the game.

While the Sixers feel good about knocking off the Heat in Game 4, they have to know it's only a matter of time before the Heat eliminate them. Not only has no team ever won a series in the NBA after trailing 3-0, the Heat stars have proven they can do whatever they want and no one on the Sixers can stop them. You can expect the Heat to come out and try to put the Sixers away early in Game 5, though you can expect the Sixers to not go down without a fight.
(AP PHOTO)

Sixers best not enough as Heat take Game 3

Sometimes your best just isn't good enough. Such is the case for the Sixers, who can't seem to beat the Heat no matter how well they play. It happened once again in Game 3, as the Sixers played their best basketball of the series yet still managed to find themselves losing another game to the Heat, 100-94, and are now one loss away from being swept out of the playoffs.

Game 3 started exactly like Game 1 of the series as the Sixers seemed to catch the Heat napping early on and built a 9-0 lead. From there it was all about holding off the Heat, who slowly but surely had their way with the Sixers, eventually riding Dwyane Wade and LeBron James in the 4th quarter for the win.

The Sixers got good performances from several players, including Elton Brand, who led the team with 21 points and 11 boards and seemed determined to keep the team from losing the game. Jrue Holiday also had a nice touch on his shot, hitting 4 of 5 from three and finishing with 20 points. Unfortunately, nothing they did could match Wade (32 points, 10 boards, 8 assists) and LeBron (24 points, 15 boards, 6 assists) as they pretty much did whatever they wanted to down the stretch.

While the series isn't officially over, the Heat have basically proven that the Sixers can't beat them. The Sixers deserve a ton of credit for playing hard and giving Miami a challenge within each game but they simply don't have the weapons to score with the Heat nor the defenders to stop them. The Heat were the worst possible matchup for the Sixers, who have the talent and athleticism to make even the best teams in the league have to sweat out every victory. While it sounds like a bunch of excuses, the team has nothing to be ashamed about; their best simply isn't good enough to beat an elite team like Miami.
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Heat spank Sixers in Game 2

To beat the Heat, the Sixers need to play a nearly flawless game. They need to contain LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, they can't turn the ball over and they need to hit their shots. None of the above happened for the Sixers in Game 2 against the Heat as they lost 94-73.

It was over fairly early on for the Sixers as they started cold from the field, shooting 25.6% in the first half, and never recovered despite shooting slightly better in the second half. The Sixers simply don't have anyone besides Jodie Meeks that you can trust to hit a shot outside of 15 feet, and with Meeks not getting many open looks, the Heat defense was able to collapse and contest everything near the basket. Andre Iguodala once again came up small for the Sixers offensively, shooting 2 for 8 with just 5 points on the night.

On top of the poor shooting, the Sixers also struggled to guard anyone on the Heat, allowing Wade, James and Chris Bosh to score a combined 64 points while playing fewer minutes than they did in Game 1. While Evan Turner came off the bench and gave the Sixers a spark offensively, he repeatedly looked foolish as Wade and LeBron schooled Turner for easy baskets. Much was made before the series about how bad of a matchup the Heat are for the Sixers and that has so far been the case.

With the series now shifting to Philadelphia, the Sixers face quite an uphill battle to get back into the series. Normally, a series doesn't really start until someone wins a game on the road, but with how badly the Heat outclassed the Sixers in Game 2, it doesn't look promising for the Sixers to even win a single game. It's looking more and more like the only thing the Sixers are going to get out of the playoffs this year is experience.
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Heat overcome, outlast Sixers in Game 1

The Sixers came out firing on all cylinders against the Heat in Game 1, making nearly every shot as they jumped out to an early double digit lead. The Heat unfortunately took over from there, using a big second quarter to build a lead that the Sixers couldn't quite overcome despite a late rally. In the end, while the Sixers can take away several positives from their performance, they still lost, 97-89.

Several Sixers had good individual games, including Thaddeus Young, who had 12 4th quarter points and 20 overall, and Jrue Holiday, who had 19 points, 5 assists and 5 boards. Young was his usual park off the bench while Holiday came up big late in the game, hitting a pair of 3's that pulled the Sixers within 3 in the late stages. Supposed team leader Andre Iguodala did not play well offensively, scoring just 4 points on 2 of 7 shooting while turning the ball over 4 times. Iggy did have 8 board and 9 assists but the Sixers need more from him if they want to pull out close games.

The Big Three for the Heat did exactly what they are expected to do, scoring a combined 63 points and 33 rebounds as they took over the game after the Sixers cooled off after a hot first quarter. The Heat also did a tremendous job getting to the line, earning 39 free throw attempts, dwarfing the Sixers 15 attempts.

While they fell short on the scoreboard, the Sixers can take a lot of positives out of Game 1. The Sixers did a good job in transition, shot the ball pretty well and didn't have a large number of turnovers. The Sixers also guarded LeBron and Dwyane Wade about as well as you can, although I would like to see less of Jodie Meeks trying to guard Wade. With their early lead and their late run, the Sixers showed that they won't just lay down because the Heat are the more talented team. If they can just hit a few more shots and not hack the Heat quite as often, the Sixers could make this into a very interesting series.
(AP PHOTO)

2011 NBA Playoff Predictions: Round One

While the NBA Playoffs don't have the same excitement level as the NHL Playoffs, we are still in store for some intriguing series in the coming weeks. Especially interesting will be seeing just who gets out of the Eastern Conference, whether it be the upstart Bulls, the ancient Celtics, or the hated Heat. Here are my first round predictions with a quick thought on each series:

Western Conference
Spurs (1) vs. Grizzlies (8)
Spurs in 5
The Grizzlies did everything in their power to face the Spurs in the first round. They must be seeing something I don't because the Spurs not only play their usual great defense but they are also hitting three pointers at a ridiculous rate, making them a difficult team to knock off.

Lakers (2) vs. Hornets (7)
Lakers in 5
I'm being generous and giving the Hornets one game simply because of Chris Paul. This one could very easily be a sweep as the Lakers big men dominate inside.

Mavericks (3) vs. Blazers (6)
Blazers in 7
Wait, who is the favorite in this one? Maybe we are all too used to seeing the Mavs bow out early in the playoffs but this one has upset written all over it. No matter what, this one goes at least 6 games between two evenly matched opponents.

Thunder (4) vs. Nuggets (5)
Thunder in 6
This is potentially the best series of the first round with two highly entertaining teams. The Nuggets have been shockingly good since shipping Carmelo Anthony out of town, but I think they will be exposed in the playoffs when they have no go-to guy to feed the ball to down the stretch. The Thunder need to take the next step and get out of the first round.

Eastern Conference
Bulls (1) vs. Pacers (8)
Bulls in 5
The Bulls have made quite a jump, going from the 8th seed in the East last year to the 1st seed this year. Their reward is getting to spank the mediocre Pacers.

Heat (2) vs. Sixers (7)
Heat in 5
I went into greater depth on this series in my breakdown, but the Sixers just don't match up with the Heat. Best case scenario for the Sixers will be to stretch this out into a 7th game, but their lack of a clutch shooter at the end of the game will kill them in the end.

Celtics (3) vs. Knicks (6)
Celtics in 7
This one should be a fun, an old-fashioned Atlantic Division battle. The Celtics should get past the Knicks, but the longer the series goes, the more worn out they will be for their inevitable showdown with the Heat.

Orlando (4) vs. Hawks (5)
Magic in 6
With the way the Hawks stumbled into the playoffs, losing their final 6 games, there is almost no chance they pull off the upset over the Magic. It's funny how the Magic are suddenly an afterthought in the East this season, although they don't have much depth this time around.

Those are my picks for the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Let me know if you agree or disagree!

Sixers vs. Heat: First Round Breakdown

After one season away, the Sixers have climbed out of the abyss of the NBA and have gotten themselves back into the playoffs. Unfortunately, they are up against a Heat team that will likely be too much for them to handle. While I don't expect the Sixers to get blown out in any one game in the series, it will nevertheless likely be over quick. Here is my breakdown of the series.

Backcourt: While some argue that LeBron James is basically a point guard, the best backcourt player on either team, by a wide margin, is Dwayne Wade. Wade's numbers barely dipped this year even with the arrival of James, and he is still the number one option for the Heat when they really need a basket. Starting opposite Wade in the Heat backcourt is Mike Bibby, who is only useful to hit an occasional three and is a point guard in name only. The Sixers starting backcourt is solid, with Jrue Holiday continuing to come into his own and Jodie Meeks hitting nearly 40% of his three pointers. No matter how you arrange the pieces, though, the Heat have the clear advantage. EDGE: HEAT

Frontcourt: The advantage in the frontcourt is even bigger for the Heat, with James and Chris Bosh trumping anything the Sixers can throw at them. Despite all the negative press he receives, James is still a basketball freak of nature who can't be guarded by anyone. Andre Iguodala is a great defender, and he may even slow James down at times, but even Iggy at the top of his game has no shot at slowing down LeBron. As for Bosh, he is also takes his share of criticism for not being the superstar player he was labeled to be, but he is still putting up nearly 19 points and 8 boards a game, great numbers for the third best player on any team. The Heat start Zydrunas Ilgauskas at center, but he's just a big body and doesn't play a lot of minutes, much like Sixers starter Spencer Hawes. The Sixers frontcourt rounds out with Elton Brand, who has put up better numbers this year while dealing with nagging injuries. EDGE: HEAT

Bench: Finally, a spot where the Sixers have a clear advantage. With Thaddeus Young and Lou Williams coming off the bench, the Sixers have players that make a big impact when they enter the game. The Heat do not, with their best bench guys being one-dimensional, with shooters Mike Miller and James Jones and shot-blocker Joel Anthony being their biggest contributors. The Sixers bench will clearly do some damage when the Heat go to the bench, as Young has begun to develop into a star and even an injured Williams should be able to contribute. EDGE: SIXERS

Prediction: Against any other top Eastern Conference team, I would have believed that the Sixers could have done some damage and made their heavily favored opponent sweat out every win. While things won't be simple for the Heat, the Sixers just don't have the talent to matchup with James and Wade, and they don't have the offensive weapons to pull out close games in the end. For the Sixers, simply getting to the playoffs this season was probably enough, so there is no shame in bowing out quickly. They are still a team building for the future, so any experience they get in the playoffs now will only help them grow as a team down the round. HEAT IN FIVE