PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Ed Stefanski sees glimpses of his 76ers playing the right way.
What the team president doesn’t see is enough consistency to make anyone in Philadelphia satisfied with the way the underachieving Sixers (8-10) are playing. Some players are having trouble adjusting to new roles, the reserves haven’t been nearly as potent as they were last season, and the offense and defense are rarely in sync.
Stefanski, though, isn’t ready to panic.
Maurice Cheeks is still the coach, signing Elton Brand was still the right move, and Stefanski believes Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert and Lou Williams will perform better.
“Mo is coaching, the players are the players and they all have to figure it out with me,” Stefanski said before Wednesday’s game against the Lakers. “We talk and communicate daily to try and straighten this out. All of us, including everybody in that locker room, are not happy we’re 8-10 right now.”
goals as the Sixers. They each made a big summer move (Brand-Jermaine O’Neal) and both expected to contend in the Eastern Conference. Cheeks, who signed an extension that takes him through next year, appears safe for now.
“When you’re not doing as well as someone thinks we should, things happen,” Cheeks said. “We understand when we take these jobs, expectations and things happen and we have to live with the good and bad.”
The Sixers have largely abandoned the running game that propelled them into the playoffs last year, Dalembert’s minutes and points are down, and Iguodala went from being the No. 1 option to the second or third.
“I’m not going to say I’m shocked that we’re taking a little time to try to get this all figured out,” Stefanski said.
Dalembert played only 12 minutes in Philadelphia’s 103-95 overtime win at Chicago on Tuesday. Rookie Marreese Speights played the entire fourth quarter and all of overtime, finishing with 11 points and eight rebounds.
Cheeks said the rotation was more about what he was getting from Speights than what he was missing from Dalembert.
“Of course, it’s going to bother you a little bit, but at the end of the day there’s one goal and the goal is to win,” Dalembert said before the Lakers game.
e, but had no plans to discuss the Bulls’ game with Cheeks.
“It happened last year, it happened three years ago. I’ve been in a lot worse before,” Dalembert said. “The main goal is to win and if we win and they don’t have to use to me, then there won’t be all the problems.”
Stefanski said he’s always looking at ways to make the Sixers better. While it’s not necessarily time for major moves yet, they might not be far off if the Sixers continue to plod along in the East.
“You’ll never hear patience come out of my mouth,” said Stefanski, laughing. “I’m one of the fans. I know how they are. I’m not going to use that word.”
Add A Comment