The Philadelphia 76ers will get their season underway tonight when they take on the Miami Heat.
This will probably be more anticipated than the average Sixers game is in Philadelphia these days.
The Sixers recent struggles, coupled with the subsequent success of the Flyers and Phillies and the never-dying popularity of the Eagles, have made them somewhat of a “forgotten” team in recent years. Yes, they have a solid fan base, but there hasn’t been much reason to go to games. Last year, the Sixers finished with a dismal 27-55 record in Eddie Jordan’s first (and last) season as head coach. This was a significant disappointment given that the team finished with a record of 41-41 and made the playoffs as a 6th seed the year before.
To make matters worse, the team’s attendance at the Wachovia (now Wells Fargo) Center has suffered as well. With the exception of games against high-profile teams (Heat, Lakers, Cavaliers, Celtics) and Allen Iverson’s return as a Sixer against the Denver Nuggets, the Sixers rarely drew more than 16,000 fans, which does not look very good in an arena that can seat almost 21,000 fans for basketball.
One of the biggest off-season stories for the Sixers was coming out of the Draft Lottery with the number 2 overall pick in the draft, which was used to select Ohio State guard Evan Turner. The arrival of Turner and new head coach Doug Collins should be a sign of better things to come. Collins himself has acknowledged that improving this team will take more than just one season to do, he has high hopes for this young team.
The Sixers first test will undoubtedly be one of their toughest. They will take on the Miami Heat and their “Big Three” of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh tonight at the Wells Fargo Center. While the chances of a Sixers win are not great, the chances of a sellout crowd are very good.
Tip-off is tonight at 7 pm. We’ll see how the season turns out.
Broad Street Blog 