SDH's 2014/2015 NBA End of Season Worst to First Countdown: 21. Miami HEAT

2014/2015 Projection: 50-32, first place Southeast Division, third place Eastern Conference Actual Finish: 37-45, third place Southeast Division, tenth place Eastern Conference	Projected 2014/2015 Finish 5	Actual 2014/2015 Finish 21
Team Statistics and League Rank Points Scored: 94.7 (24th) Points Allowed: 97.3 (6th) Team FG%: .456 (11th) Opponent’s FG%: .454 (19th) Team FT%: .741 (22nd) Team Three Point FG%: .335 (24th) Rebounds per game: 39.1 (30th) Opponents rebounds per game: 41.0 (2nd) Turnovers per game: 13.9 (19th) Opponents turnovers per game: 14.1 (11th)	Individual Statistical Leaders Scoring (ppg): Dwyane Wade (21.5) Rebounds per game:  Hassan Whiteside (10.0) Minutes per game: Chris Bosh (35.4) Assists per game:  Dwyane Wade (4.1) Field Goal Percentage: Hassan Whiteside (.628) Free Throw Percentage:  James Ennis (.840)   Three Point FG Percentage: Chris Bosh (.375) Steals per game: Mario Chalmers (1.5) Blocked Shots per game: Hassan Whiteside (2.6)
SDH’s Hero to Honor: +Hassan Whiteside For Miami Heat fans, despite their team's sharp fall from grace, there was a small glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel as this has been the year of In-Hassan-ity.  Similar to the Cinderella story that captured the attention of the sporting world three years ago, Hassan Whiteside came from relative obscurity--drafted in the second round five years ago, he had spent his career bouncing from team to team in brief stint while spending the rest languishing in the D-League.  That all changed when Miami, out of sheer desperation, decided to take a chance on this young unknown journeyman to replace fallen star +Chris Bosh in the starting lineup and thus a legend was born!! Like Jeremy Lin before him, Hassan completely blindsided not only the NBA, but the sporting world as he wowed fans in the sporting world averaging 11 points, 10 boards, and three blocks in 48 games; however, unlike Lin, he did not nearly get as much attention, possibly because he was a seven foot black man instead of a 6'3" Chinese American.  Nonetheless, his performance will certainly garner the attention of numerous NBA teams and he will certainly gain a substantial pay raise from the 749$ thousand he received once he becomes a unrestricted free agent.  He may not have ascended to the meteoric rise as Lin did, which even he would say is not necessarily a bad thing considering what happened to him afterwards; however, his come out of nowhere performance should be considered one for the ages.	SDH’s Face to Forget: +Dwyane Wade  Years ago he was put up at the same pedestal as +Michael Jordan and +Kobe Bryant as one of the most dynamic and explosive superstars in the league; however, after years of injuries and being ravaged by father time, his superstar status has all but faded.  He can longer carry a team and upon closer dissection of his career it has become quite apparent that he was never able to do so either, even in his younger day.  Much of his most glorious moment came from riding the coat tails of either +Shaquille O'Neal  or +LeBron James and when he was left on his own, both him and his team were mediocre at best.  At 33 years old, he has all but exhausted his prime years and is headed towards the downturn of his career; yet, both he and +Chris Bosh--two players who were never able to carry a team father than being merely marginal at best--were expected to carry on the mantle and continue the legacy that Lebron had left behind.  Sadly, they both fell dreadfully short of expectations with Bosh falling to injury mid-season while Wade hobbled on the court trying his best not to fall apart leading the Heat as well as Miami fans crashing hard to reality.  Now that the dust has settle, it has become blatantly apparent that Wade is now a dinosaur--a relic from a past age--and is simply living off borrowed time while his decline acts as a anchor to any future ambitions.
The +LeBron James era has ended and it had brought the +Miami HEAT four straight NBA Finals appearances and two NBA Championship Titles, and now fans in South Florida now have to deal with the reality that not only have their championship aspirations have all but ended, but also that they will we the man who brought them such glory do that with another team. Nonetheless Heat President Pat Riley went out of his way to ensure that his team will not end up in the same state he left the +Cleveland Cavaliers when he took Lebron away in the first place so he went about filling that rather massive void immeadeatly in the off season.  He first started by re-signing the two other cornerstones of his championship dynasty +Dwyane Wade and +Chris Bosh, then he faced he his greatest challenge--to find a player to replace possibly one of the greatest to have ever played to the game--and he did so, by getting the next best thing.  +Loul Deng already had extensive experience guarding Lebron when he played with the +Chicago Bulls and has built quite a reputation for himself earning two All Star Selections and All Defensive Second Team Honors in 2012 thus making him an excellent substitute for a player in James--who will probably forever stay in the hearts and minds of Miami fans.  With the new addition of Deng plus the return of all the players of the past four years, the Heat looked as they can give Lebron and company a run for their money, possibly contend for the Eastern Conference title, or at worse win their Southeast Division. Unfortunately, for both Riley and the Heat, it was quite evident that four straight NBA Finals appearances had really its toll on the team as Miami came out of the gates looking very sluggish, tired and worn down as they finished the first month of the season at 9-7; however, there were no real red flags waving and many believed that the HEAT,  with its experience and skill would improve its performance over time.  Unfortunately, that did not happen as the fatigue noticeably set and with each passing Miami slowly slipped lower in the standings and instead of leading leading pack, Miami found itself in a place where the players and fans had not been in quite some time--on the outside looking in and scrapping for survival.  Miami's season really came to a head in February when it was announced that Chris Bosh would sit out the rest of the season due to blood clots in his lungs (2/15/2015) leaving an aging and weary Dwyane Wade to shoulder the bulk of the scoring burden.   At 33 years old, not only was Wade in severe decline as his abilities and athleticism deteriorated with each game, but many Heat fans were probably also in denial thinking that he could still carry this team on his own; however, it proved to be a fantasy as he showed that he was completely unable to carry out such an undertaking.  Sure, he did have flashes of greatness, but his performances went up and down with each passing month plus it did not help either that he missed 20 games leaving his teammates to essentially fend for themselves, especially during late in the season when they needed him the most. So with their two star players out for most of the season, Miami certainly had trouble finding someone to consistently put the ball into the hoop resulting in the Heat finishing the season near to last place in the league in scoring although they still managed to still shoot at a rather efficient clip at .456 from the field; however, despite its best efforts, the teams still remained two steps behind their opponents.  The fatigue from pushing themselves so hard certainly showed on the defensive end when they fell from being one of the top teams at forcing turnovers to falling to the middle of the pack at 11th, and even though they kept their opponents' scores low, it was not enough as they allowed them not only to shoot almost as well they did, but also allowed their opponents to out-rebound them as well.  Over the past four seasons, Miami's rather poor rebounding performance was mainly offset by the fact that the team not only shoot very well thanks to getting easy transition baskets thanks to forcing turnovers, but the fact that no opposing team was able to even set up its offensive sets because the Heat simply did not allow them to do it. Unfortunately, the Heat no longer possessed the same defensive intensity which made it so easy to force turnovers and get quick and easy baskets making their rather invisible presence on the boards more prevalent thus allowing opponents to push past them despite the team's best efforts to hold them back.  Plus, in addition of doing their best on the defensive end only to fall short at the end of most games and their rather poor performance on the glass, there was one major factor that essentially doomed the Miami Heat's season which the team had virtually no control over--primarily because he was now playing for the Cleveland Cavs. It is almost shocking to see how much of an impact that missing Lebron had on that team because seeing the Heat play now compared to when they played with him in the lineup is almost like night and day because with Lebron, the team was almost unstoppable whereas now, it is almost as if the life got sucked out of the Heat leaving it a hollow husk.  And it was not just Lebron's intimidating presence which allowed him to push aside anyone that dared step in his way to score or tried in vain to box him out to grab rebounds, it was also his ability to push his teammates to get the best out of them by getting them involved, utilizing their strengths to their maximum potential, while at the same commanding their absolute respect.  Lebron was not just the team's leader in scoring, assists, rebounding and every other statistic, but also like a general on a court who not only executed the coach will from the sidelines, but also devised his own strategies while leading his soldiers to battle--similar to the great storied warriors of ancient times, Lebron is a legend by almost mythical proportions.  Once he had bid farewell to South Beach choosing to return to his kingdom in Cleveland, the magic went with him and the once great godlike titans that stood beside him as equals reverted to mere mortals reducing this once omnipotent and infallible force known as the Miami Heat into a shadow of its former self.  Fortunately for both the Heat players as well as its fans, they can hold solace in the fact that they did not suffer the same indignity and devastation those that those in Cleveland had suffered when he originally decided to cast off his shackles, break his ties with the state that he has called home his entire life, jump ship to the South, and in turn destroyed not only the emotional, but the socioeconomic fabric of the city and its people. Although the team failed to retain its once revered status and remain a strong force in the league, at least the Miami Heat managed to do what the Cavs could not--survive the fallout of having possibly the greatest player that has ever put on their uniform and walk on their home court abandon it.  Although the Heat failed to make the playoffs, the team managed to remain somewhat respectable and unlike the Cavaliers who simply collapsed on itself, managed to stay strong, remain competitive and fight for a post season berth until the very end.  It is almost a certainty that the city Miami, its citizens and their NBA franchise will NEVER experience the grandeur and glory that they had enjoyed for the past four years, but at least they were able salvage the wreckage from the ruins and still be able to stand tall proud with their heads high.  Although many would consider this past season as a disappointment and failure because the Heat failed to maintain its stature as one of the league's elite teams, it should be also be considered quite a success because it still managed to remain one of the top defensive teams in the league while at the same time showing the world that they will never back down, even when the chips are down.  So expect the Heat to bounce back a far stronger and better team than they were last season as they still have the tools to remain successful in the NBA and quickly return as a perennial playoff contender.

SDH Presents the NBA's Worst to First for November: 21. New Orleans Pelicans

+New Orleans Pelicans  Overall Win/Loss Record (as of November 30th): 7-8, fifth place Southwest Division	Projected 2013/2014 Finish 20	This Month: 21
Team Statistics and League Rank Points Scored: 100.7 (12th) Points Allowed: 100.0 (18th) Team FG%: .449 (16th) Opponent’s FG%: .476 (29th) Team FT%: .772 (11th) Team Three Point FG%: .400 (6th) Rebounds per game: 42.6 (15th) Opponents rebounds per game: 41.1 (4th) Turnovers per game: 13.8 (3rd) Opponents turnovers per game: 16.9 (6th)	Individual Statistical Leaders Scoring (ppg): Anthony Davis (19.4) Rebounds per game:  Anthony Davis (10.6) Minutes per game: Anthony Davis (34.9) Assists per game:  Jrue Holiday (7.3) Field Goal Percentage: Ryan Anderson (.507) Free Throw Percentage:  Ryan Anderson (1.00) Three Point FG Percentage: Ryan Anderson (.531) Steals per game: Eric Gordon (1.8) Blocked Shots per game: Anthony Davis (3.9)
SDH’s Worst of the Month: Tyreke Evans Despite three rocky seasons following his epic rookie campaign, the New Orleans Pelicans still chose to invest in a player who has thus far been a sad disappointment in his career.  The Pelis chose to ignore all the red flags acquiring Tyreke Evans in a sign and trade deal at the price of 44$ million and so far the team's gamble has far from paid off.  Coming into the season Tyreke has been absolutely awful posting a career low of 11.7 points per game while shooting a rather abysmal .125 from beyond the arc and has thus far looked completely out of sync with his new team.  Although it is just the beginning of the season and there is still plenty of basketball to be played, if one were to look at his career thus far, it certainly does not look good as his number have been consistently been going down since his rookie year. Hopefully the troubled guard will find his way in the Big Easy or else those in the Pelicans' front office will not only find themselves with egg on their faces, but a four year dead weight contact in which they a stuck with yet again.	SDH’s First of the Month:  Anthony Davis After a solid yet unspectacular rookie campaign, it seemed as if the first overall pick of the 2012 Draft would be anything more than a solid player with no real star potential; however, that all changing at the start of the season when Anthony Davis come onto the court and lit not only the Big Easy but the entire league as well. From last season, Davis went from averaging just 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game to an astonishing 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks this season thus finally living up to the expectations that many had envisioned for him.  Many thought it may take Anthony Davis a couple more years to adjust to a point where he would be one of the league's true elite big men, but at just 20 years old, this young prodigy has already reached that point despite him just growing into his 6 foot 11 inch frame only two years ago.  What's even more shocking is that Davis has yet to reach the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fully utilizing his skills and talents as he has a far deeper arsenal of offensive moves which include being able to  dribble like a point guard and launch it from outside.  Unfortunately, one he gets all of that together, he will most likely be out of New Orleans and onto another team as he may just follow the same trend as what +Chris Paul and many others who left small market teams going nowhere in order to win an +NBA champioship ring.
They say that "the more things change, the more they stay the same," and that describes the New Orleans Pelicans to a tee as they completely changed their name, logo, and look only to return to the same result--at the bottom of their division with a mediocre record. The Pelicans came in with not only a new look, but also new faces in which they paid a rather high premium to jump start the team's fortunes and bring them on their way to not only bring the team into the playoffs, but also set them up to become one of the Western Conference's elite teams.  The team's front office dolled out up to 99$ million for the next five years on two players who were supposed to lift this long ignored struggling downtrodden franchise into finally the NBA spotlight--a point guard who was an All Star last season in +Jrue Holiday and an athletic wing man who was capable of seamlessly playing all three perimeter positions in +Tyreke Evans.  Paired with a talented and developing young core that consisted of Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, +Austin Rivers, and Ryan Anderson, the New Look Pelicans were of to glide into a new era of NBA basketball in the Big Easy, making everyone forget the once near defunct Hornets that the both the team, its fans, and the league were glad to see disappear. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts at changing the look with a new logo and new players, as the old saying goes, "you can put lipstick on a pig, but that pig is still a pig," and that has certainly been the case for New Orleans as they have come into the season looking the same way as they did a season ago when they were called the Hornets. Thus far the new look Pelicans have failed miserably in separating itself from its former identity as they have continued to play the same uninspiring ball that has yet to endear itself to the team's local fan base and populace.  Offensively, they can be considered a middle of the pack team ranking between the range of eleventh and nineteenth in the league in scoring and field goal percentage which can be considered respectable by most standards.  Sad to say, however, is that New Orleans allow their opponents to perform just as well, if not better on the offensive end allowing them to shoot close to .480 from the field compared to their .450 and despite allowing them to shoot such a high percentage, the Pels also allow their opponents to rebound at about the same rate.  That means that the Pelicans' opponents not only  shoot at a better clip with relatively same amount of shot attempts, but also are able to get as many rebounds even though they miss fewer shots and have less opportunities to go after the boards.  One can definitely deduce from looking at those numbers that the Pelicans, despite their new outward appearances, are in anyways near to playoff ready, especially in the extremely strong and competitive Western Conference. To their credit, the Pelicans do manage to force their opponents to turnover the ball than they do at a rather high margin; however upon further analysis this can also be put under scrutiny as it associates to the aforementioned field goal percentage disparity. Although they rank among the top team in the league in committing and forcing opponents turnovers, since New Orleans only connect on less than .450 from the field, their ability to score on turnovers is not nearly as good as their opponents, who are allowed to hit at a far higher proficiency.  Hypothetically, a team is capable of potentially scoring at best four points per turnover if one considers the outside chance of a player getting fouled at the three point line while connecting thus earning a chance for a four point play at the free throw line.  Using the same premise with New Orleans, factoring in their opponents turnovers per game along with their field goal accuracy as a team, the Peli's have a chance to score 30.1 out of a potential  67.6 points whereas on the other hand although they turn over the ball less, their opponents probably get more bank for their buck than they do.  Out of the 13.8 turnovers that the New Orleans Pelicans commit, their opponents get an estimated average of 26.2 of the potential 55 points thus giving the Pelicans just a +3.9 margin over those who face them in points off of turnovers despite having a superior advantage when it come to protecting the ball.  So therefore, in spite of their efforts to pressure the ball on defense while forcing teams to give up the ball, as long as the Cans allow competing teams to shoot the lights out against them while at the same time do not convert those turnovers into points, then their supposed efforts on the defensive end can all be considered null and void.   Having such idiosyncrasies do not bode well for a team trying to break through the glass ceiling of the caste system otherwise known as the Western Conference where even perfect execution on both ends of the court is not a guarantee of a playoff berth let alone a shot at the title.  Right now, the Pelicans are stuck behind the terrible Texas threesome in the +San Antonio Spurs, +Houston Rockets and +Dallas Mavericks and as it stands now, it does not look like that will change anytime soon in the near future.  The Spurs and Mavericks have essentially owned the division for more than a decade and with Houston on the rise with their dynamic duo of +Dwight Howard and +James Harden leading it, there is little space left for a struggling young team as the Pelicans to even make a dent in their division, let alone the Conference.  All eight playoff spots in the West are essentially spoken for not only for this season, but unless there is some miraculous event such as an devastating earthquake that swallows the states of California, Oregon, and Arizona whole, the Pelican will be on the outside looking in for quite some time.  With such a bleak future ahead, it is almost a near certainty that their prized prodigy Anthony Davis will see the futility playing in the Big Easy and start looking elsewhere thus force the Pelicans to say goodbye yet again to another superstar player. So even with the new name along with the flashy bells and whistles, New Orleans remains no better off than they were when the were sporting those awful yellow, teal and purple uniforms the previous season.  The Pelicans spent big money to bring in players to reverse their fortunes, but so far they have not panned out with their three highest priced acquisitions failing miserably to live up to the worth of their contracts let alone any real expectations. Eric Gordon, who the Pelicans locked down for the next three years at nearly 45$ million has failed to even suit up let alone have yet to pay any dividends as he has spent most of his tenure in the Big Easy on the bench in street clothes and will probably never live up to all of his hype when New Orleans originally signed.  Jrue Holiday has certainly not played up to the same All Star level as he did in Philly and he is on the hook for four more years at the price of around 40$ million while Tyreke Evans, who the Pels signed for the next four years at 44$ million, has been a complete bust to say the least.   Just those two factor point to the sad reality that the Pelicans are not going anywhere for a very long time and no name change or new look is going to change anything as it is simply just a pig and will always be a pig no matter how much lipstick they put on it.

SDH's 2013/2014 NBA Worst to First Previews and Predictions: 21. Washington Wizards

+Washington Wizards  Overall Win/Loss Record : 29-53,  third place Southeast Division	Last Season’s Rank 22	Projected 2013/2014 Finish 21
Last season’s Team Statistics and League Rank Points Scored: 93.2 (28th) Points Allowed: 95.8 (8th) Team FG%: .435 (27th) Opponent’s FG%: .440 (5th) Team FT%: .733 (23rd) Team Three Point FG%: .363 (10th) Rebounds per game: 43.2 (9th) Opponents rebounds per game: 44.2 (28th) Turnovers per game: 14.6 (24th) Opponents turnovers per game: 13.9 (18th)	Returning Individual Statistical Leaders Scoring (ppg): John Wall (18.5) Rebounds per game:  Emeka Okafor (8.8) Minutes per game: John Wall (32.7) Assists per game:  John Wall (7.6) Field Goal Percentage: Trevor Booker (.491) Free Throw Percentage:  Martell Webster (.850)   Three Point FG Percentage: Martell Webster (.422)   Steals per game: John Wall (1.3) Blocked Shots per game: Emeka Okafor (1.0)
Projected Starters Based on Talent, Tenure, Paycheck and Potential Impact: C. Emeka Okafor PF. Nene SF. Otto Porter SG. Martell Webster PG. John Wall	Second Unit Roster Order Ranked on Talent, Tenure, Paycheck and Potential Impact: G. Bradley Beal G/F. Trevor Ariza F/C. Kevin Seraphin F. Al Harrington G. Eric Maynor
Analysis: It was so disheartening to watch the Wizards play in the 2013 season because although it has won just 29 games, the team could have possibly made the playoffs had it not been for the absence of their star player, John Wall.  Without him, the Wizards started the season 4-24, and despite such a terrible start, Washington was still ranked as one of the top defensive and rebounding teams in the league in terms of points and field goals allowed.  Their problem was on the other side of the floor where they simply could not execute their offensive sets as they struggled greatly to generate points on the score board.  Once Wall arrived fully recovered from his injury, it was already too late for his team as it was so far down the standing; however, that did not stop as he gave one of the most heroic performances of the season bringing the Wizards from dead last in the league to third place in their division and far from last place in the league.  Had he been able to play at opening tip off, the Wizards probably would have not only made the playoffs as they finished the season 24-25 upon his arrival. Now with him fully healthy and ready for opening tip off, they is a renewed sense of hope in the Nations Capital that all the bleeding has final come to an end and that the Washington Wizards look to start their steady climb back to respectability.  This upcoming season, the Wizards will not only be armed with just John Wall, but a treasure trove of young talent along with a solid base of veteran leadership and a defensive intensity that will rival any team in the league.  Washington already has one of the most respected starting veteran front court duos in the game in Emeka Okafor and Nene who not only will thrive offensively with Wall leading the charge but also provide quite an intimidating presence from round the rim. Add in sharpshooting extraordinaire and lock down perimeter defense of Martell Webster along with swing man Trevor Ariza and newly acquired Al Harrington, the Wizards have Wall surrounded by a reliable core of veteran players who bring both strong defensive effort along with consistent offensive production as well. Balancing out the roster is a group of talented youngsters who look to make their mark in the NBA in second year shooting guard Bradley Beal,  a newly drafted hometown hero in Otto Porter, an extremely raw athletic freak of nature in +Jan Vesely, and a up and coming big man and possibly the Wizards' post scorer of the future in Kevin Seraphin.   Altogether the Wizards have a team that can rival any in the NBA and can potentially prove to be a major spoiler come late in season when teams make their playoff push; however, despite the newly positive outlook, it simply may not be enough for the Wizards to come out on top of the post season.  The talent and the competition Eastern Conference has been upgraded to a point where a middle of the range team such as the Wizards would not have any chance of reaching the post season.  Along with Washington, four other teams have joined into the fray as those who look to turnaround their fortunes this season and make a push for the post season themselves.  One of them is actually a division rival, who similar to Washington have been wallowing at the bottom of the NBA standing, but with a couple key off season moves look to give the Wizards along with their fellow eastern Conference opponents a run for their money.  The +Charlotte Bobcats look to finally end their day of being the perennial whipping boy of the league to a competitive up and coming team thanks to the new off season addition of Al Jefferson--a 20 point scoring and 10 rebounding player who once played for the +Utah Jazz--and they were not the only one who made some massive renovations in their roster.  Along with Charlotte, both the +Detroit Pistons and +Cleveland Cavaliers--two teams that have also suffered the pain of the numerous slings and arrows hurled at them the past few years--have been the biggest players in the off season as they also looked to take a major step forward this upcoming season.  Detroit probably made one of the biggest splashes of the by acquiring the uber-athletic slam dunking and shot swatting former star of the +Atlanta Hawks in Josh Smith along with nabbing one of the off season's prized free agent point guards in Brandon Jennings in a sign and trade deal with the +Milwaukee Bucks.  Cleveland started their off season with a bang as they received the first overall pick in the NBA Draft for the second time in three years and used it to select +UNLV's Anthony Bennett; however that was the only jaw dropping moves which involved the Cavs.  Cleveland also made a major splash in the free agency by acquiring veteran point guard Jarrett Jack, who had a phenomenal year in helping the +Golden State Warriors' playoff run last season, and rolled to dice and signed a high risk and even higher risk free agent in +Andrew Bynum--a player whose history of injuries shied away numerous NBA teams from signing him, but whose talent and skills can give a team an All Star caliber player that is almost impossible to find. Both teams have far outmatched the Wizards while the Bobcats seem to be almost at par, but none of these teams hold a candle to the +Toronto Raptors who will blow them all out of the water as they have what might be one of the most underrated and unknown talents in the league. Nonetheless, with those four teams vying for the last three playoff berths and the already established forces in the East such as the +Miami HEAT, +New York Knicks, +Brooklyn Nets, +Chicago Bulls, and +Indiana Pacers, Washington will remain on the outside looking in for at least this season; however, they will certainly will leave an impression come season's end.  If they play with the same defensive intensity, the Wizards will certainly have their opponents sweating and gasping for air and with John Wall at the helm, Washington will certainly give other NBA team a run for their money.  It's only sad that the East has gotten so much more competitive and far stronger so that a scrappy team like the Wizards will not be able  to make the playoffs because the competition is so tight.  What's worse about this situation is that it will last longer than this season alone and Washington may not get a chance as time passes by thus resulting in John Wall wanting to leave for greener pastures.  Hopefully that will not happen as Washington is certainly headed in the right direction and as long as they play hard enough to remain competitive, their fans will be more than grateful whether they make the playoffs or not.

SDH Presents the 2013 End of Season NBA's Worst to First: 21. Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers Overall Win/Loss Record (At Season’s End):  34-48, tied fourth place Atlantic Division	Preseason Prediction: 8	At Season’s End: 21
Team Statistics and League Rank (At Season’s End) Points Scored: 93.2 (30th) Points Allowed: 96.5 (9th) Team FG%: .444 (22nd) Opponent’s FG%: .454 (16th) Team FT%: .729 (25th) Team Three Point FG%: .360 (13th) Rebounds per game: 41.3 (20th) Opponents rebounds per game: 44.0 (26th) Turnovers per game: 12.6 (2nd) Opponents turnovers per game: 13.8 (19th)	Individual Statistical Leaders (At Season’s End) Scoring (ppg): Jrue Holiday (17.7) Rebounds per game:  Thaddeus Young (7.5) Minutes per game: Jrue Holiday (37.5) Assists per game:  Jrue Holiday (8.0) Field Goal Percentage: Thaddeus Young (.531) Free Throw Percentage:  Dorell Wright (.850) Three Point FG Percentage: Dorell Wright (.374) Steals per game: Thaddeus Young (1.8) Blocked Shots per game: Spencer Hawes (1.4)
Taking a Look Back at the Season that Once Was . . . SDH Worst to First Recap Time Period Wins/Losses Rank Change (+/-) By November 30th 10-6 10 -2 By December 31st 4-11 20 -10 By February 28th 8-17 21 -1 At Season’s End 12-14 21 none	SDH Player of the Year: Jrue Holiday Despite his team not qualifying for the playoffs, Jrue Holiday posted a magnificent season despite being on a team that had little if anything to offer.  Holiday virtually carried the Sixers in almost every games leading his team in both points and assists per.  His 8.0 average of assists per game can be seen as even more remarkable given the fact that he virtually had no one really to pass it to as can be seen by the team poor scoring and even poorer ability to make a basket.  Regardless, if it were not for Holiday, the 76ers would not have even come close to finish the regular season with a disappointing yet at the same time respectable 34-48 falling three games shy of the last playoff spot in the East.  If the Sixers manage to get some high quality talent  behind him, then they certainly have a chance come next season to return to the playoff thanks to Holiday's leadership.
Analysis: The last couple of years the Philadelphia 76ers had defied the odds and silenced all skeptics and doubters as they made the playoffs twice in a row even shocking the the world taking down the top team in last season's playoffs.  They did so without any real marquee name or abundance of talent or offensive firepower, but a scrappy group of hungry players who no one would have known or cared for.  This season was supposed to be the one where Philly would remove the "scrappy" label off their team as it executed a deal that would forever change the direction of the franchise.  In an offseason deal which involved four teams, more that ten players, numerous draft picks and the biggest trade exemption allowed in NBA history, the Philadephia 76ers attained not only a marquee player they had so relished, but also the new cornerstone for the franchise.  He was a All Star big man who had three NBA Finals appearances and two NBA Championship rings and he went by the name of Andrew Bynum. Never since NBA great Moses Malone had the Philly 76ers had such a find in Andrew Bynum as he was arguably the second best center in the league behind Dwight Howard, who as a result of the aforementioned trade, changed his address from Central Florida to Hollywood.  Everyone inwith in the organization along with the city of brotherly love were filled with so much excitement and anticipation to have a player of Bynum's caliber.  All the team had to give up to him was the overflated contract and overrated image of swing man Andre Iguodala, who went to the Denver Nuggets, second year center Nikola Vucevic, the rights of their 2012 draft pick Moe Harkless and a future first round pick which were all sent to the Orlando Magic.  Save for the losing as solid big, and two first round picks, the 76ers still came out on top as they managed to finally rid themselves of the erroneous and regrettable contract of Igouodala who despite earning All Star dollars, played more like a role player than anything else.  Not much was expected out of Vucevic, either, , as the Sixers picked late in the first round in the 2011 Draft, or Harkless, who probably would not even cracked the roster if he had stayed, ot the first round pick they gave to Orlando, as many figured it would be rather low since Philly's projections for the season were pretty high. Through the entire off season Sixers' front office, led by the charge of head coach Doug Collins, went on find and acquire all the right piece to fashion the team in the image of Bynum.  They went on to build the roster using Bynum as their foundation as the team acquiring pieces through free agency to surround him even though he had yet to play a game in Philly.  It did not matter that he would become an unrestricted free agent by season's end and the fact that he spent the entire off season rehabbing his sore knees, the Sixers were not only confident that Bynum would not only be ready by opening tip off but also that they were capable to retain him long term.  Regardless of the numerous red flags that waved around him at the time, the Sixers' top brass along with Doug Collins were unfazed by them as they have been faced with numerous obstacles and still overcame them.  Why play it safe when luck and good fortune have been on their side for the past two years? Unfortunately luck would not be on the side of the Sixers as it was determined that Andrew Bynum was in no ways ready to play and that his knee injury was more serious than anyone had thought.  It seemed, according to numerous sources that Bynum had a deteriorating condition that would only get worse and that Bynum's condition will only get worse over time.  The news came as an immediate shot to the Sixers who hoped to showcase their new addition in the regular season; unfortunately however, they were left blindsided and were forced to play with a team that in most cases were out-sized and out matched.  The same team that won not by talent, but by their effort found that their scrappy was simply not enough any more and the lack of intimidating presence that Bynum could have provided doomed the Sixers' entire regular season.  What was once a team that looked to take that next step forward ended up taking two steps backward as not only the miss the playoffs, but may also not be going there for quite some time. Philly had invested so much in Bynum's arrival that it virtually had no backup plan leaving them with a huge mess on their hands and plenty of soul searching to do about its future.  Certainly Bynum's prognosis was a harsh blow for not only the Sixers, but also their fans as this was to be the year that their team would finally move from a middle of the pack mediocre team to a force in not only the Eastern Conference, but the NBA as well.  Although the season was a severe letdown, at least the Sixers were able to dodge a bullet as they did not have Bynum signed to a long term deal and that his contract would come off their books upon season's end.  So in effect, lady luck still shined on the city of brotherly love for although the Sixers struggled with Bynum out of the lineup, they do not have to worry about being stuck with him long term and the Sixers would have been in worse shape.  Fortunately for them, the Sixers were able to walk away unscathed from what could have been a monumental distster finding out about Bynum's condition sooner not rather later after signing Bynum to a max extension and be forced to swallow that mistake for the next five or six year so they should count themselves grateful than anything else.

SDH Presents the NBA's Worst to First for January and and February: 21. Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers Overall Win/Loss Record (as of February 28th) :  22-34 (fifth place, Atlantic Division)	Last Month: 20	This Month: 21
Team Statistics and League Rank (as of February 28th) Points Scored: 91.8 (30th) Points Allowed: 95.8 (7th) Team FG%: .439 (23rd) Opponent’s FG%: .449 (16th) Team FT%: .720 (25th) Team Three Point FG%: .350 (19th) Rebounds per game: 41.4 (20th) Opponents rebounds per game: 44.1 (26th) Turnovers per game: 12.8 (2nd) Opponents turnovers per game: 14.2 (20th)	Individual Statistical Leaders (as of February 28th) Scoring (ppg): Jrue Holiday (19.1) Rebounds per game:  Thaddeus Young (7.8) Minutes per game: Jrue Holiday (38.4) Assists per game: Jrue Holiday (8.6) Field Goal Percentage: Thaddeus Young (.513) Free Throw Percentage: Nick Young (.810) Three Point FG Percentage: Nick Young (.360) Steals per game: Thaddeus Young (1.6) Blocked Shots per game: Spencer Hawes (1.3)
Worst Player of the Month: Who to pick? That's right: who on this poor pathetic excuse of a team can be picked as the worst of the month since there is no one who really stands out?  Even then, can the players on the roster really be blamed for this disastrous season?  They have played their hearts out, but have been simply out-manned, outmatched, and simply outclassed.  Management has to take a huge portion of the blame as they are the ones who have assembled the team in the first place.  Their roster choices left little to be desired resulting in the train wreck that Sixers fans have been forced to witness.	First Player of the Month: Jrue Holiday Through this rather challenging season, there has been only one constant--one sole bring light on what has been a rather dismal season--and his name is Jrue Holiday.  Holiday has been the Sixers' anchor as he has been doing his best to keep his sinking ship afloat until the regular season comes to a close. Despite the poor performance and low standing of his team, Holiday still managed to get recognized for all his efforts by being selected to the Eastern Conference All Star team.  With him becoming a free agent come July, the team not only has to worry about losing Holiday to the market and also add pieces enticing enough to keep Holiday from straying from the City of Brotherly Love.  Most certainly in this point in his career, Holiday does not want to be part of yet another rebuilding project so it will be interesting what moves the Sixers' front office will make once the season ends.
Analysis: After such a disastrous season, the question on everyone's minds who have followed and cheered for the Philadelphia 76ers for the past couple of years is where do they go from here?  After a strong start in November, the 76ers slipped and slid downwards in December to finally crash and burn at the end of February.  Right now the coach staff and front office have been sifting through the wreckage trying to find something salvageable through all the wreckage.  From all accounts, there is little of what remains from a team that had been considered as one of the most pleasant surprises in the NBA and a fan favorite for  underdog team of the year.  So much was expected from this team that it reached a point of becoming completely unrealistic thus resulting in all involved to do about face to reevaluate the direction of this team and to set a new course for the direction of this franchise for as we have all just seen, there are currently headed nowhere fast. The first and most important question for those in the Sixers organization is simply what to do with Andrew Bynum, whose contract will expire once the season ends resulting him in becoming an unrestricted free agent?  This certainly had to be the most frustrating and vexing dilemma Philly has possibly faced in the entire history of the franchise--they posses a player who last season played like a bonafide All Star, but was sidelined for the following season due to a deteriorating chronic condition that looks as if it will never get better anytime soon.   From what has been reported by numerous sources, it looks like as if this 25 year old basketball prodigy who had so much potential will have his once blossoming career cut tragically short.  With what has been mentioned, the Sixers may have to make the rather difficult decision to cut Bynum loose--the same player who they had given up so much to bring to Philly in the first place.  Granted, they benefited greatly by being able to rid themselves of the onerous and bloated contract of an overrated and grossly overpaid Andre Iguodala, but Philly still made a terrible gamble in bringing in Andrew Bynum because they had so much riding on him to play this season. For starters, upon glancing at the roster, one can certainly see that it was mainly constructed to build upon the notion that Bynum would be the centerpiece of this new Philly team.  The Sixers' front office spent much of the teams resources signing players that complement the hobbled big man by primarily adding perimeter centric players and did absolutely nothing to bolster the team's rather slim and weak front court.  They also added players who were poorly efficient on the offensive end, did not demonstrate the best common sense and been reputedly poor on the defensive end which is considered a primary staple to the 76ers success of the past couple of years.  Both Nick Young and Dorell Wright have been complete busts upon arriving to the city of brotherly love as Young's offensive output has been erratic at best and Wright, who prides himself on his perimeter shooting, has simply been a complete no-show.  Add along washed up has-beens such as Jason Richardson and Kwame Brown along with a bunch of useless spare parts and one can see why the 76ers are in such dire straights. The team's future now essentially rests on the shoulders of three players who, save for one of them, would not have otherwise been tabbed by any team as key building blocks for a playoff contender, let alone a championship.  The first of these players is Thaddeus Young, a rather undersized power forward who lacks the speed, quickness, shooting range or ball handling capabilities to play him in the more suitable small forward spot where he belongs.  The Sixers made a big investment signing him on for four seasons to the tune of 36$ million dollars thus making him a long term investment who offers rather limited returns.  The second is none other than Evan Turner who the Sixers selected second overall in the NBA Draft two years ago and has yet to prove himself to be worthy of such an honor and responsibility. His rookie year was simply a disaster while his second was rather nondescript to say the least and although Turner has been currently having his best season thus far posting career highs in scoring (13.2), rebounds (6.3), and assists (4.3) per game, his overall game still remains rather shaky for anyone to think that he is destined for greater things. The only player who looks anywhere near ready to carry the burden to lead the team into the next few years is one whose numbers reflect more on his increased playing time and shot attempts more than his actual ability to lead a team.  Not to diminish him or his contributions to the team in any manner--Jrue Holiday has been an amazing player and has thus far proven that he is a truly among one of the elite point guards in the league; however, is he and will he ever be good enough to anywhere worthy of being franchise player material?  From what can be assessed from his performance and correlating that with the overall performance of his team, the answer is sadly no.  There is no doubt that he has the gift in term of his ability to score in bunches,  protect the ball on offense and get his teammates quality looks at the basket; however, everybody who follows the team and league along with the Sixers front office and coaching staff would have to agree                       that Holiday is simply not the answer.  If anything, he was to be the perfectly complementary pieces to their immense off season prize of acquiring Andrew Bynum; unfortunately, however, that plan has seemed to have fallen at the waist side. Fortunately there is still a glimmer of hope for this 76er team as it will be blessed with plenty of cap space once Bynum's contract comes off the books which the team's management can use in getting a more dependable and reliable commodity in the form of unrestricted free agents such as Utah's Al Jefferson and Paul Milsap, and Atlanta's Josh Smith.  They also have short term and affordable contracts in their possession in which they can use to possibly strike a trade or two and get more solid players to surround their burgeoning star in Jrue Holiday.  All they have to do is simply endure the trails of the next couple of months until the regular season comes to a merciful close and then they can go on and start to rebuild off this failed experiment that this season can be categorized as.  As long as they do not do anything stupid such as offer a contract extension to a gimpy big man with arthritic knees and use their well earned cap space wisely, the Sixers will be fine.   And as everyone looks forward to the draft and the following season, it will just be a great weight off everyone's shoulders once this disastrous season finally comes  to a close.