Tri-State Vengeance: Sixers Look to Take Out City's Frustrations on Nets

New Jersey may not have asked to get in the middle in the tug-of-war between Philadelphia and New York these past few weeks, but hey, no one invited them to the Interstate. Tonight, an ailing sports city casts their eyes to the city's pro basketball team--well, some of them might, anyway--to help lift their spirits after the Phillies' unfortunate vanquishing at the hands of the Bronx Bombers. The Nets seem like a good team to regroup against, especially with the team's lone All-Star, Devin Harris, the team's lone bright spot, Chris Douglas-Roberts, or even the team's lone seven-footer, Yi Jianlian. The Nets are a paltry 0-5 for the season thusfar, and they only managed 68 points in a brutal "Whichever Team Makes Two Baskets in a Row Wins" slugfest against the Bobcats earlier this week.

That said, the Nets were something of a kryptonite for the Sixers last season, not only sweeping the season series, but winning two games in unbelievably soul-crushing fashion--the worse of which being the Devin Harris half-court buzzer beater, pictured above (albeit in fairly low resolution as to not cause me complete cardiac arrest). This seems like as sure a win as there'll be for the Sixers this NBA season, but really, there's no such thing for a team as young and fledgling as ours, and if the boys take the game lightly, I guarantee they'll end up paying for it with their lives. Or a loss. Whichever.

Tonight would especially be a good chance to look to get Elton Brand involved and feeling good again in the offense. Without Yi in the lineup, Elton'll be battling against a frontline combination of Brook Lopez, Josh Boone, Sean Williams and Eduardo Najera. Against those stiffs, at the very least, he shouldn't have to expend too much of his energy on the defensive end. Can we get 20 points tonight, Elton? One finish in traffic, at least? Please?

I'd like to say something like "If they can't even win THIS game convincingly, then season = over." And maybe that's what it is. But there'll be at least 77 games to come after it, and I don't want to say anything I might have to spend all 77 trying to weasel out of. Let's just say that winning would be a good thing to try to do tonight and leave it at that.

7:00 tip from the Wach. Let's all get back in that Ill State of Mind.

Comments

[will.H]

took our niece to disney on ice.. there were literally twice the amount of people than tonights sixers game..

[JCH]

Let's face it, Disney on ice is a bit more entertaining then our Sixers right now. Sure they can beat the Nets, Bucks and Knicks, but they still can look pretty bad against the top teams. (see Orlando)

[Poster Nutbag]

i was at the game last night. i have never experienced a worse atmosphere for a sporting event. those stupid "hare raisers" and that awful, awful rabbit are just a joke. can we please do something about the rabbit?

the one good thing is that they have stopped playing obnoxious music during the game. i like that.

[matt]

the crowd was never the same after Pat Croce left.

Then Eddie has to hire his boy at the coach without actually looking for a top coach.