The Sixers Should Be Scared Of Us & The Top 10 Preseason Things
Also Paul George plays tonight but maybe no one outside of Iowa can see it?
Bad news, Sixers. The Phillies lost in mostly embarrassing fashion, the Eagles might stink, and we’re all a little irritable. I hear the season opener is just a couple of weeks away.
While I’m sure the Sixers as an organization don’t like starting the season under the shadow of the Eagles and the Phillies, I’ve never minded it. First of all, we get to have the Sixers to ourselves for a bit, while everyone else is obsessing over the Eagles and more recently the Phillies. If the season started off a little rocky, we don’t hear very much noise. And if it starts off great, we get our own mini-Process era with just us enjoying it.
(Sidenote: since my job is now co-hosting afternoons on 94WIP, I am now both “us” and “everyone else.”)
Well, the Sixers are not only going to get more attention from ‘everyone else,’ this year with the Phillies out of it early, but I think ‘everyone else’ is kind of in a bad mood. A listless loss to the Mets in four games just months after a first round Sixers loss to the Knicks does not feel good. If we can turn on the Phillies (who everyone seemed to love), imagine what we can do to the Sixers (who we already hate).
Even worse, there is something about this Eagles season that already feels very on the brink. I could be wrong about that, but they feel two straight losses away from things going down the drain. The defense stinks, the QB (who won’t stop fumbling and throwing interceptions) and the head coach don’t like each other, and there’s only so much Big Dom can hold together.
All of this is a recipe for two things for the Sixers: 1) insanely high expectations to make up for the failures of these two teams and 2) an agitated sense of urgency which will put the team under a very intense microscope.
I know Paul George has said all of the right things about the Philadelphia fanbase, and I’m sure he thinks he means it. But it’s one thing to hear about what it’s like, and another thing to experience it. The love affair with Kelly Oubre is charming, but what happens when we’re actually expecting him to be good? Tyrese Maxey has surpassed every expectation we’ve had, but now, the expectations are sky high, so, I dunno, eventually he has to stop getting better, right?
AU wrote very accurately about what the Phillies were facing now that they’re facing expectations, and he was pretty prophetic in the reaction to their failure. The question is, what will it be like for the Sixers in the wake of that failure?
ZO’S 10 FAVORITE LEAGUE THINGS A WEEK INTO THE PRESEASON
1. Everybody is having more fun
Hard to quantify and obviously it's mostly due to the newness of things still, games don’t count yet etc but it just seems like things are a lot more fun for all.
2. Youth Invasion
This absolutely has a ton to do with No. 1. Sure, Lebron, Steph, KD still here, still accounted for and not quite ready for the pasture but the young guns are ready to tear shit up.
3. All business Jimmy Butler
I won’t be fooled, I know it’s all business, no funny hair at media day, because Pat Riley wants to show and prove before he ponies up another extension — but still, locked-in, fuck-the-world Jimmy is the best Jimmy.
4. Bron & Bronny
Father and Son, ‘nuff said.
5. Wemby Year 2
He already jumped over someone, it’s October.
6. Lonzo Ball Return
My Zo namesake, back where he belongs.
7. Ant Man Cometh (Again)
His team, let’s roll.
8. In shape Zion
I hope he stays on the right path. He’s too talented and that team and city need him.
9. Ben Simmons Trade Value
Hey… hey… it could happen.
10. THE MAXEY LEAP
Come on now, what else?