At long last, the Philadelphia 76ers will have their home opener. The lockout and a season opening five game road trip made it seem like the 76ers would never play at home this season. But on January 6, the 76ers will take the floor at the Wells Fargo Center to face the Detroit Pistons. The expectation is that the 76ers should easily win this game and move to 4-2 on the season. Of course, as a 76ers fan I know that anything can happen. The team will need to play hard to get this win. Hopefully, the crowd will be out in full force to support them as they try to earn a win in their first home game.

The Pistons are 2-4 on the season and are in the process of rebuilding a franchise that was one of the best in the Eastern Conference throughout the 2000s. Those days are gone and the 76ers are clearly the better team here. Philadelphia ended their road trip with a 3-2 record and is looking to continue their solid start. This team has been notorious for slow starts in recent years. A win here would ensure that doesn’t happen again.

Once again, the 76ers will rely heavily on their top eight players. Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, and Lou Williams have all been great off the bench. Spencer Hawes has been great at center and Elton Brand is coming off of his best game of the season. Andre Iguodala and Jrue Holiday are both consistent performers so there are no concerns there. The only wildcard is Jodie Meeks. However, there is enough depth on this team that we don’t really have to worry about Meeks. As a group, the 76ers are very cohesive and that should serve them well against the Pistons.

The most interesting thing about this game will be the home crowd. There is more excitement around this team than there has been in years. The new owners have created a welcoming atmosphere and I hope that the fans respond. The 76ers are still rebuilding their reputation in the city. They will have a good crowd for this game so it is important for them to show the fans that they should keep coming back for the rest of the season. I believe they can do just that.

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The Philadelphia 76ers are having a late home opener and not just because of the lockout. Sixers fans like myself have had to stay up to see the team so far, after they went on the road out West and in the South for five straight games. But what we saw of the Sixers looked mostly good as they escaped with a 3-2 record, and now they get to start getting better back in Philadelphia.

With 18 of the next 22 games at home and with not many of the NBA elite scheduled to visit, the Sixers have a chance to start building up a good record. They start off on Jan. 6 with a home opener against the 2-4 Detroit Pistons as an example – which bodes well since Philadelphia beat three 2-4 teams already in the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Hornets.

The Sixers managed to prove that they can beat fellow mediocre ball clubs, although they did lose to the 5-1 Portland Trail Blazers to start off. If they do keep winning in a manageable schedule, there will still be doubts on whether they can actually beat the best. Yet those questions won’t really be answered until later, so they still have to keep winning in the meantime.

Philadelphia has won on the strength of some big spurts, big play off the bench from Lou Williams, the emergence of a double-double machine in Spencer Hawes and the continued evolution of Jrue Holiday. That has all been well and good to see on the road, but seeing it at home is another matter as the Sixers try to prove that they can make a dent in Philadelphia.

With the Eagles now starting their disappointing offseason, the Phillies in the middle of theirs and the Flyers heading into midseason, the Sixers have a good window of opportunity to actually get noticed. Since they will be at the Wells Fargo Center for much of January, winning a lot of those games and building up a winning record could get more fans to drop by – and get the rest of the NBA to take notice.

Since the Sixers don’t have to travel so much for now and since the schedule is still manageable, the hope is that Philadelphia doesn’t take its foot off the gas as a result. Their 3-2 record could have easily been 4-1 or even 5-0 with a few better breaks, so there is still much room for improvement. But the team ended up getting in the right direction on the road, and now it is time for the Sixers to keep proving it in friendly confines while the iron is hot.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan.

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The Philadelphia 76ers are 2-2 on the season. Most fans like me focus on guys like Andre Iguodala, Evan Turner, Lou Williams, Thaddeus Young, and Jrue Holiday. However, if the team had to thank one player for the solid start it would have to be Spencer Hawes. He has been strong through the first four games and is playing better than anyone expected. I am starting to be swayed by what Hawes is doing. With his game clearly elevated, the 76ers might have the center they need to compete in the Eastern Conference.

Hawes is averaging 12 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. Those are impressive numbers. The scoring feels like a bonus as Hawes is not here to score points. He is here to rebound and block and he is doing that. He has grabbed double digit rebounds in each of the four games the 76ers have played. In the 2010-11 season, the 76ers were pretty disappointing under the basket. But Hawes has done a 180. He has been everything that Elton Brand hasn’t been through the first four games. He is a double double guy that is doing everything he needs to help this team win.

A lot of people are going to be skeptical about Hawes. After all, fast starts usually fizzle. However, I think he is going to continue to play strong even when the 76ers face tougher teams. This is a player that knows his role and knows the Doug Collins system. I expect that he will continue to get rebounds and continue to play well offensively. Hawes is not an All-Star or an MVP. However, he might wind up being the most important player on this basketball team. He has been a difference maker early in the season and I’m willing to bet that he is the real deal.

I look at the turnaround of Hawes as another sign that this team is heading in the right direction under Collins. He didn’t do anything inspiring last season and I’m sure no one saw this start coming. But you can’t deny that Hawes seems like a much better player. It is at the point where he is exciting to watch in every game. I think it might be time to add him to the list of 76ers to watch.

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One night after losing to the Utah Jazz, the Philadelphia 76ers were back on the court against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, December 31. After a slow start, the 76ers turned it on and ended up blowing out Golden State. Philadelphia fell behind 20-7 in the first quarter but quickly rallied. They outscored Golden State by double digits in the final three quarters to win 107-79. The 76ers are now 2-2 and things are looking pretty good for them right now. They have a shot to finish their season opening road trip with a 3-2 record if they can beat the New Orleans Hornets. As a 76ers fan, that won’t be too bad.

Not surprisingly, the strongest offensive performances came from the bench. Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young combined to score 41 points in the game. Evan Turner added nine points on his poorest shooting night of the season. Overall, the 76ers bench outscored the Golden State bench 58-30. Williams and Young were particularly impressive. They started to get things going in the first quarter after Philadelphia fell behind early.

As strong as the bench was, the starters deserve some credit as well. Spencer Hawes had another strong game. He had 14 points and 12 rebounds as he continued his fast start. Hawes is easily the most pleasant surprise so far this season. Without his play, the 76ers would be in a lot worse shape right now. I can only hope that Hawes keeps this going, especially against the better teams that remain on the schedule.

Andre Iguodala also had a nice game. He scored 14 points and added seven assists and six rebounds. Iguodala also deserves credit for a strong start to the season. He is doing the things he did last season a little bit better. He is the best floor leader on the team and that can’t be understated. The 76ers seem to go as Iguodala goes. In this game, he was pretty good.

This was a nice rebound win for the 76ers. After a disappointing loss to Utah and a slow start in this game, the panic meter was getting a little elevated. But the team responded and put together a great game. This performance should tell us a lot about this team. They are better than they were last year and they know how to respond to adversity. That will help them throughout the remainder of the season.

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OAKLAND, Calif.—After coming off a tough loss in Utah, the Philadelphia 76ers marched into the Bay Area exactly one night later to face a rested, young, energized team in the Golden State Warriors. I’ll admit, I was a bit less confident than I had been entering the previous three games, (even with Monta Ellis out of the lineup) but the Sixers responded with an explosive 107-79 win.

Philadelphia fell behind Golden State 13 points in the first quarter before Sixers head coach Doug Collins cleared his bench subbing in Evan Turner, Louis Williams, and Thaddeus Young, sparking an 88-54 outscoring of the Warriors through the last three quarters.

Williams led all scorers with 23 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 Assists; Andre Iguodala contributed 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Spencer Hawes continued his brilliant play pitching in his third double-double this season with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

“There are certain moments that you don’t forget as a coach, and today will be one of those days,” coach Collins said. “I thought we got our team back today. Our bench turned the game around for us.”

That they did.

They outscored Golden State’s bench 58 to 30 and have been trending in that direction since the final 66 games of last season.

HeckPhilly’s expert fan thoughts:

The Sixers have played four games this season—won two, lost two—all but one (Utah, in which they scored 99) of which they’ve scored over 100 points in. In every game, the Sixers have lopsidedly outscored the opponent’s bench. Their sudden change in tempo when Williams, Turner, and Young come in has seemed to be all the difference in the Sixers’ seeming struggle to get over the hump.

It’s clear, the Sixers have the best bench in the league; something Collins wanted them to actively shoot for in 2012. It’s a good goal, being that this bench is the juice of this team’s league fourth-best scoring 103 ppg.

Another note about the Sixers is their specific winning pattern.

In their game against Portland, the Sixers struggled gather themselves from the opening tip-off, turning over the ball 20 times. Despite that, they hung into the game throughout, but failed to turn their efforts into a win, losing on a missed 3-point by Iguodala. In Phoenix, they ran the Suns out of the building seemingly doing everything right. In Utah, the Sixers were a bit sloppy and like in Portland, failed to hit on a last second possession to tie the game. Saturday night, they turned around and crushed the Warriors.

My point?

That’s the sign of a team not too far off from being a serious contender. A bit of maturity here or there, and maybe an extra piece could change everything. It will take a few more games before the Sixers will know exactly what they may need to do to make that move—whatever it may be (if necessary) but one thing is for sure: this will be another fun year from the 76ers.

At this point in the young season, I can see this team getting out of the first round in the postseason. They have the depth, legs, and youth to do so. Strap in.

Vincent Heck is a life-long resident of the Philadelphia area, and a featured ‘Fan View’ blogger on Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @HeckPhilly

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The Philadelphia 76ers picked up their first win of the 2011-12 season. They did it in impressive fashion by blowing out the Phoenix Suns 103-83. Philadelphia is now 1-1 and had momentum going. They still have three more games in this road trip and all are winnable. In beating the Suns, the 76ers once again used their depth and spread the ball around. The team had six players score between 12 and 15 points. As a 76ers fan, I enjoy the balance of this team. Still, some players put in a little more than others. Here are three standout players for the 76ers in the win over the Suns.

Evan Turner

Turner probably should have shot the ball more. He missed just three of his nine field goal attempts and finished with 12 points. After spending the offseason working on his shot, it seems clear that Turner has improved in that area. He was also great on defense. Turner finished with seven rebounds and a steal. He stayed aggressive for the 29 minutes he played. He still has room to improve but he looks like a much better player in his second season.

Andre Iguodala

Iguodala could have shot the ball more as well. He made five of his seven field goal attempts and hit all three of his shots from beyond the arc. Iguodala also had four rebounds, four steals, and six assists. He was all over the floor in this game. I would argue that he was better in this one than he was in the opener. Iguodala is playing at the pace this team needs. I hope that continues.

Spencer Hawes

Hawes narrowly missed a triple double in the season opener. In this game, he fell one point shy of a double double. Hawes had nine points and 11 rebounds in the win. He has been a rebounding machine in the first two games and that is what the 76ers need him to be. The scoring is just a bonus. Through two games, Hawes is looking like a bargain. He is playing the position better and doing the things he is supposed to be doing.

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The Philadelphia 76ers rebounded nicely after dropping their season opener. Philadelphia put together a dominant effort as they crushed the Phoenix Suns 103-83. The game was never even that close. The 76ers dominated from wire to wire and looked every bit like the team a lot of people expect them to be. As a 76ers fan, I’m glad the team is now 1-1. Hopefully, this win will carry over into the next three games. It would be nice for the 76ers to conclude their road trip with a 4-1 record.

There were six players on the team that scored in double figures. Jrue Holiday, Andre Iguodala, and Thaddeus Young each had 15 to lead the 76ers. Evan Turner, Jodie Meeks, and Lou Williams all scored at least 12 points. As a team, the 76ers shout 48 percent and were on point in the second half. Spencer Hawes only had nine points but he grabbed 11 rebounds. It was another strong game for the center. Rookie Nikola Vucevic saw his first action. He contributed six points and six rebounds in the game.

As a team, the 76ers did everything right in this game. They won the rebound battle. They won the turnover battle. They controlled the ball. Even though Phoenix is a down team, this is still an impressive win for the 76ers. These are the kinds of games they didn’t win before Doug Collins arrived. Now, the team knows how to put things together. That’s a sign of maturity. The 76ers are only going to get better throughout the season.

The 76ers play on consecutive nights coming up. They face the Utah Jazz on December 30 and the Golden State Warriors on December 31. Both of those games should be winnable. It will be interesting to see how Collins works the rotations knowing that the team has games on consecutive nights. I suspect we will see the deeper parts of the bench in one or both of those games. But as long as the core players continue their strong start, the 76ers will have no problem winning these games.

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At least one important person in the Philadelphia 76ers organization values Evan Turner as a starter. Fortunately for him, that person happens to hold the most influence over the decision. 76ers coach Doug Collins said he told Turner that he is a starter. However, 76ers fans like me shouldn’t get too excited about seeing Turner in the starting five anytime soon. It seems that Collins views Turner as a starter in terms of how important he is to the team. However, he isn’t planning to elevate him to starter status officially any time soon.

Collins said he spoke to Turner about his status with the team. He said he acknowledged that being a starter was a goal of Turner’s and that is one reason he worked so hard in the offseason. Collins respected that by telling Turner that he believe he’s a starter. However, he also believes Turner works great with fellow reserves Thaddeus Young and Lou Williams. He essentially gave Turner an endorsement by saying that if he switched roles with Jodie Meeks, the 76ers would not be as good because Meeks would not be able to play as well with Young and Williams.

Collins is committed to the idea that he has eight starters. I respect that formula because the 76ers have depth and it worked in the 2010-11 season. Turner will no doubt get as many minutes as most starters so it doesn’t really matter when he gets them. However, I have to think he will eventually be a guy that opens the game on the court. The expectation is that Turner will be much better this season than he was as a rookie. I can’t see Collins looking at that improvement and not doing something about it.

For now, all seems well with the way Collins has set the lineup. I only hope Turner keeps his head on his shoulders. He will no doubt face questions as to why he isn’t starting. But I think he understands that he is one of the top five players on this basketball team. As long as his minutes are strong, I think he will stay happy. But if Turner is as good as everyone hopes, Collins will have to find a way to get him on the court more. That likely means he will hear his name as a starter.

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The Philadelphia 76ers will open the 2011-12 season with road game against the Portland Trailblazers. The game will be played on December 26 and start a five game road swing for the 76ers. As a fan, I think this is the perfect opponent for Philadelphia open against. Playing on the road against a team in the middle of the pack should give the 76ers and their fans a good indication of where the team is at early in the season.

If you open the season against a lousy team, you have little to gain. If you lose, it’s a disaster. If you win, it doesn’t really tell you anything and people will just say you beat a bad team. If you open against an elite team, it is risky. There is always the chance you win the game and you have a ton of confidence. But there is a chance you get crushed and lose confidence. By opening on the road against Portland, the 76ers get to face a team that is somewhat on their level.

The Trailblazers figure to finish anywhere between fifth and seventh in the Western Conference. They aren’t a championship team but they certainly a good team. They have great coaching and nice talent. That is pretty much were the 76ers are. For me, this is the ideal situation for the team. A win in Portland will start a successful road trip and help the team build momentum. At the same time, a loss won’t really cripple them. Provided the 76ers are competitive in the game, they don’t have to worry about feeling embarrassed.

I’m intrigued by this opener and fully expect the 76ers to win. All five of the road games to start the season are winnable. The Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors, and New Orleans Hornets should all finish among the bottom ranks of the NBA. If the 76ers beat Portland in the opener, there is a real chance they could come home with a 5-0 record. That will generate excitement that fans of this team haven’t felt since the 2000-01 season. For that reason, I can’t think of a better way to start the season than on the road in Portland.

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The Philadelphia 76ers had a pretty ordinary offseason. They re-signed Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes, and Tony Battie. The only player they lost was Jason Kapano. Basically, the 76ers are heading into the new season with the same team they had last year. As a 76ers fan, I am okay with that. But I have to wonder why the team hasn’t gotten rid of Andres Nocioni. To me, it was the one drawback of the short offseason.

The 76ers had the opportunity to use the amnesty clause on Nocioni but they didn’t do it. He is still a part of the roster and I’m not sure why. Nocioni did not play at all in the two preseason games. If a player can’t get on the floor in the preseason, I’m not sure what the team expects from him in the regular season. 76ers coach Doug Collins said he has confidence in Nocioni if he needs him. However, I can’t see the 76ers ever needing him in the upcoming season. Nocioni didn’t contribute much to the team in the 2010-11 season and I don’t see that changing.

Shedding the contract of Nocioni would have been a wise move for the 76ers. It would have given them some cap flexibility and they wouldn’t have been losing a contributor. I’m not sure I’ll ever understand why the team decided not to go that route. However, it is what is at this point. Nocioni is on the roster even though a lot of fans might not know it.

Generally speaking, I trust in Collins. I believe he understands his roster better than most NBA coaches. I think he knows what he can get out of players and he knows how to drive his point home. Maybe he sees something in Nocioni that others don’t see. I have to think that is the reason. If the 76ers just waste a roster spot with this guy and don’t play him, it will turn out to be a huge mistake. Even if they do play him, I can’t see him doing enough to convince fans that he belongs on this team.

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