Sixers Are Lacking In The Low Post

After watching the Philadelphia 76ers defeat the New Jersey Nets on Saturday 
night, it became obvious what is the team’s achilles heel for the young season. 
They don’t have a guy that they can throw the ball to in the post. 

Yes, Elton Brand does his best but this team is in desperate need of a center. An old 
school kind of guy gets fed the ball once every two to three trips down the 
floor. And in the course of those possessions, he either dunks effortlessly or 
draws the foul. This same big guy should be sucking up rebounds like a vacuum 
cleaner while being a real presence in the paint.  
  
Now if you look at the team’s roster you will see four guys that are listed as 
6-10 or taller, (Craig Brackins, Spencer Hawes, Marreese Speights, and Tony 
Battie) unfortunately neither one of the guys has been impressive this season. 
If you need proof, besides what you see with your own two eyes, neither player 
is averaging more than four rebounds a game. And if you add them all up, their 
“big men” are averaging less than three rebounds per game total. Yikes! If you 
think that’s scary take a look at how teams attack the Sixers on the defensive 
side of the court.  

The Nets attacked the middle non-stop from the beginning and always found a way 
to get their big guy, Brook Lopez (A 7’0” center who finished with 25 points and 
six rebounds) the ball. Why, you ask? Well. the answer is centered about the sad 
truth that the Sixers don’t have an enforcer. A guy that makes you regret coming 
in the paint.  
  
Yes “today’s” NBA is a lot different, and “hard” fouls are now considered to be 
flagrant. But that doesn’t mean the team has to be softer than drug store cotton 
in the paint, does it?  
   
The sad part about all of this is that the team tried to address their need for 
a big man during the off-season. They acquired Brackins and Hawes with the 
understanding that they are young projects. However, Hawes looks like more of a 
finished product than a project in the making. Brackins, on the other hand is 
hardly receiving playing time, so he must not be “ready” yet. Battie is what he 
is, a serviceable center, but you shouldn’t expect more than what you are 
getting from him now.  
  
The bottom line is that something has to be done. Teams are well aware of the 
Sixers’ lack of a big man and are not afraid to expose them whenever they can. 
If this team plans to become relevant in the future, management has no choice 
but to address this issue. If not, well let’s just say it will get even more 
ugly than it already has become. Yes, it can actually get worse!