Sixers 2011-2012 Season Preview

The NBA is back!  After a great slate of games on Christmas Sunday, the NBA season is finally underway, and the Sixers get their run for the O’Brien Trophy started at 10 PM tonight against the Portland Trailblazers..  Last night, Derrick Rose hit the game-winning shot, as Kobe failed to get the the basket with time winding down on the following possession.  Could this opening day drama game signify a little changing of the guard in the NBA this season?  Surely, the new 66-game season favors the younger generation.  Back-to-Back games and a condensed schedule will be very tough on older teams like the Boston Celtics, as well as teams without much depth, such as the Miami Heat (although as we saw last night, there might not be anything stopping the Heat this year).  Long story short, I think this season structure really plays to the Sixers’ favor.  They are a very young team with 4,5, or 6 guys on the bench that can really produce.  Let’s dissect the schedule, roster, and conference a little in the Season Preview.

Starting Five:

PG, Jrue Holiday: In his third season in the NBA, this looks to be a breakout year for Holiday.  He’s gotten a ton of starting experience, having started 133 games in his first two seasons, including all 82 games last year.  In the 2010-2011 season he averaged 14 points and 6.5 assists per game.  However, it appears he’s beginning to really take the reigns of this young Sixer squad.  This preseason he has looked fantastic, averaging 18 points and 5.5 assists in just over 25 minutes per game.  Look for Jrue to really emerge as one of the Eastern Conference’s best PGs this season.  I expect him to really increase his numbers this year averaging closer to 20 PPG and 7 or 8 assists.

SG, Jodie Meeks: The third year guard from Kentucky really game on strong for the Sixers last season and has earned a starting spot in the rotation this year.  He started 64 of 74 games he played for the Sixers last year and established himself as a marquee three-point shooter, shooting about 40% from beyond the arc.  He averaged 10.5 PPG in just under 28 minutes per contest.  The Sixers have a lot of depth at guard with Lou Williams and Evan Turner off the bench, so Jodie shouldn’t see much of an increase in minutes this season.  Expect much of the same: an assassin from deep, who draws the defense outside and allows the Sixers to penetrate.

SF, Andre Iguodala:  He continues to be a topic of heated debate in circles of Sixers faithful.  He has popped up in numerous trade rumors over the past couple years, but remains with the team nonetheless.  He continues to play close to 40 minutes per game, but has seen his production and playing time decrease a little in the past couple years with the emergence of Thaddeus Young as a great option off the bench, and the young Evan Turner seeing time at forward as well.  He continues to be a triple-double threat every night, but may not fit the Sixers mold.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see the trade rumors start to swirl again, but the shortened season may limit these talks.  He does play lock-down defense and provides a veteran presence on a very young team.

PF, Elton Brand:  The 12-year NBA veteran has been a staple for the Sixers the past couple years.  He has really been the only marquee big-man on the team for his tenure here.  He continues to produce both on the boards and in the basket.  He averaged 15 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last year.  With less depth in the paint, Brand figures to see his usual 35 minutes per game and similar 15/8 production.

C, Spencer “Agent Zero” Hawes: The 4th-year center out of the University of Washington will get the starting nod again for the second straight season, as he started all 81 games he played in last year.  He continues to see limited time, as he isn’t really a conventional center.  He has good range and is a versatile scorer, but sees limited production on the boards averaging under 6 rebounds per game last year.  He will split time with Marreese Speights, veteran Tony Battie, and rookie Nikola Vucevic up front for the Sixers.

Schedule and Key Games:

January 11: @ New York Knicks (first big road test vs. a division rival)

January 21: @ Miami Heat (chance to measure improvement vs. a Heat team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year and are favored to win the NBA title this year)

January 30, February 1, February 3: vs. Orlando Magic, vs. Chicago Bulls, vs. Miami Heat (huge three game stretch at home against perennial Eastern Conference powerhouses)

February 17: vs. Dallas Mavericks (opportunity to see the defending champs at the Wells Fargo Center)

March 7: vs. Boston Celtics (first game against the division rival Celtics)

March 21, March 23: vs. New York Knicks, vs. Boston Celtics (two huge division games late in the season that could really decide the year-end division standings and playoff positioning)

April 8: @ Boston Celtics (late road test vs. division rival; could have huge playoff implications)

5 Bold Predictions: 

1. Jrue Holiday will be an NBA All-Star.

2. The Sixers will win 38+ games this year. (38-28 in 66-game season)

3. The Sixers will finish 2nd in the Atlantic Division.

4. The Sixers will finish top 5 in the Eastern Conference.

5. The Sixers will win at least one playoff series.

Make sure to tune in tonight (Monday, December 26)
at 10PM for the Sixers’ season opener vs. the Portland Trailblazers.