Will this pain ever stop ???

Sometimes as a european you have to thank NBA Int’l League Pass regional blackouts.

That saved me from watching the 88-72 loss to the Cleveland Cavs, that left us at 9-14 (.391).

Some numbers to recap: it was our third consecutive loss, the eight in the last ten games, and the 11th straight win for the Cavs, that were playing without Gibson and Ilgauskas but managed to increase their best start in franchise history (20-3).

Sixers were playing with the nice throwback uniforms (Andre Miller sporting it) but without Lou Williams (who must have pulled an Allen Iverson and eaten too much tacos, since he was diagnosed with “food poisoning”… lay off the burgers, dude, go spaghetti).

So I relied on those sources that you have to check in these cases: boxscore, highlights, the play-by-play page, others’ reports. And those sources tell us that:

1) Sixers scored 47 points in the last three quarters. That was how our good start (+ 8 in the first) was wasted. True the Cavs play great defense, but one could question how we were playing, what was the offensive plan (assuming we had any).

2) Sixers shot 1/12 from behind the arc. That counts for 2/22 in the two games played vs Cavs, that coincidentially (?) are the same that Kareem Rush watched in a suit, being in the inactive list. Need more?

3) Cheeks trimmed the rotation, using basically only seven players: with the exception of Young, he basically got NOTHING from the bench, though. Iguodala and Miller played 40+ minutes, the half injured Brand 38 (Speights got only 3…), Green 37.

And tonight we play Washington, in the second night of a back-to-back. I say that is poor coaching, again…

4) Sixers are currently 28th out of 30 NBA teams in three point shooting, with an atrocious 30.5%. Only Sacramento and Golden State are doing worse, with 30.3%, but I’d bet that at this rate we could easily take their spot at the bottom of the category. Just give us a couple of games.

5) as for FG pctg, there is nothing to be happy for either, since we are ranked 26th out of 30. Here our 43.4% is topped by Milwaukee (43.3, we are coming to get you !!), LA Clippers (43.2), Minnesota (43) and Oklahoma (42.9). Good company down there, uh ??

The most discouraging thing, though, was reading this article by Phil Jasner, that speaks volumes of the atmosphere in the locker room and the players’ attitude.

I said I’d wait until the end of our trip West (3rd Jan 2009) to call for Cheeks’ head, or any trade, but the season is getting really ugly.

Anything less than a 3-1 record in the next four games (Wash, Mil, Wash, Indy) will be unacceptable.

The sixth consecutive home loss, tonight vs the weak Wizards, would be a catastrophe.

EDIT: Ouh, PLEASE, don’t forget to check Bullets forever, to me one of the best NBA blogs, up there with Blog-a-Bull, Golden State of mind and few others.