Nov 25, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) sits on the bench during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
LA Lakers (2-14) @ Philadelphia 76ers (0-18), 07:00pm, Wells Fargo Center
This is a special game for fans of the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers, alike. For a game between two bottom-dwellers in the league, it’s a surprise on how many storylines converge tonight. Then again, these are two very storied franchises in the NBA, so there should be no surprise that the media’s attention shines on them even during lean years.
In the spirit of the holidays, I’m recalling one of the classic Christmas tales, A Christmas Carol. For anyone unfamiliar with this tale, there is the main character Ebenezer Scrooge who is a jaded businessman. For him to see the true meaning of Christmas he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future, and after he realizes that Christmas is about joy and family he changes his ways.
Well, we aren’t getting that deep into our analysis here, but the storylines in this game do relate to the Past, Present, and Future. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Next: Storyline Past - Kobe Bryant
Nov 29, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (left) is introduced with teammates before the game against the Indiana Pacers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Storyline Past: Kobe Bryant’s Retirement
Kobe Bryant recently announced that this is his last year playing in the NBA, with his game in Philly his first road game since his poem on The Players Tribune detailed his love of basketball and his reason to leave the game. For such an iconic player, it is no surprise that the site crashed in the wake of this article but has since gone up for everyone to see.
No matter how you feel about him, I’m sure many of us remember some special moments that Kobe gave to us over the years. Heck, at least once every year I watch the game where he scored 81 points against the Raptors. Now that he’s leaving, the league will never be the same. Sure, he rubbed some people the wrong way (most of it his own fault), but there are many more who will remember him for his on-court talents.
While he will never catch Michael Jordan in championships, no one can deny his resume:
- 5-time NBA Champion
- 2-time NBA Finals MVP
- 2008 NBA MVP
- 17-time All Star
- 4-time All Star game MVP
- 2-time scoring champion
- 15-time All-NBA Team
- 12-time All-Defensive Team
No doubt as Kobe aged, he was a different animal and the same beast:
“What does the mean, Kobe Bryant?”
Next: Storyline Present - Losing
Nov 21, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown yells during the second half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Storyline Present: Philadelphia and Losses
The Sixers are currently winless on the year, posting an 0-18 record which currently ties the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets for the worst start in NBA history. No doubt all of us Sixer fans have been on the edge of our seats, waiting for the first win of the season to come. What has made this especially frustrating is that the Sixers have had leads late in the fourth quarter in many of the games recently, only for it to be squandered.
What has been the most damning of these close losses comes down to the fact that Philly’s guards aren’t able to make an entry pass to Jahlil Okafor, the centerpiece of the offense. There have been too many times where Isaiah Canaan or T.J. McConnell or Phil Pressey have dribbled around screens only to hoist up an ill-advised shot against the defense. I’m sure Philly’s opponents breathe a sigh of relief every time this happens.
At the same time, EVERYONE knows Jahlil is the only consistent weapon the 76ers have, and defenses are loading up against him late in the game to prevent him from even getting the ball. Brett Brown tries to make a conscious effort to get the ball to Jah in the best position possible out of timeouts, but opponents read this and Philly’s offense is forced to adjust on the fly.
The cavalry is coming when Tony Wroten and Kendall Marshal come back from their injuries, as they provide weapons that our current crop of point guards do not have. Whether it be Tony slashing through the lane or Kendall spotting up from the three-point line (he is a career 37.7% 3-pt shooter, and even shot 39.1% last year), Jah will get space to operate down low. That’s when we’ll see a more fluid offense to finish out games.
Next: Storyline Future - Tomorrow's Stars
Storyline Future: Jahlil Okafor and D’Angelo Russell
This past draft was an important one for both franchises. This year Philly and LA picked the future faces of their teams, as one went with the traditional big-man and the other with the crafty guard. While in college both of these players flashed many signs of potential that made scouts salivate, and with a little more seasoning will be big names to come.
Jahlil Okafor must be taking all of this losing very tough. He has been a perennial winning all his life and this current streak with the Sixers is the most losing he’s even experienced. Not only that but lately he has been getting unwanted attention from the media and is now assigned someone to chaperone him along to avoid further damage to his reputation. However, on the court he has been a true revelation, averaging 17.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game and a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year. Sure, he can be better on the defensive end, but he needs to conserve energy somewhere to be the initiator and finisher of the offense. I’m sure many 76ers fans will say that he has been better than what they were expecting after he was drafted.
D’Angelo Russell was the player many fans wanted the 76ers to take, but LA unceremoniously snatched him with the #2 overall pick, before the Sixers’ pick at #3. After being taken, many seem to think that D’Angelo has not been put in the best situation to develop. He is surrounded by players who play the same, or similar positions as him and is hardly ever the first name to be called for playing time. Not only that, but he has to defer to one of the greatest players of all time in Kobe Bryant.
At the end of this game, I have to stress that it’s still too early to judge both players on how they will be down the line. Both have shown flashes of brilliance and frustration, but that is part of the learning process that they have to go through to become better players. While they’re here, lets just enjoy their presence and cheer for the small victories they may have tonight, especially since we’ll be seeing both of them for years to come.
Next: Preview Wrapup
Nov 27, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) looks to pass as Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) defends during the first half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
What To Watch For
You mean beyond EVERYTHING the slides had to offer, you want more? OK, here’s one for the Sixers to keep an eye on: The development of Nik Stauskas.
Nik is having a rough season so far, shooting 35.3% from the field and averaging a measly 5.1 ppg. He was also hurt in a game recently and needs to shake off the rust to get himself going. As a player whom the Sixers wanted to draft in 2014 before he was taken by the Sacramento Kings, Nik has an even bigger microscope on him then many of the other players on the team. Hollis Thompson has been playing better as of late, providing more all-around contributions than what Nik has been giving.
Philly is hoping Nik gets back the confidence he shown while in Michigan, where he excelled shooting AND ball-handling, which propelled his draft stock. I’m still rooting for him, since he genuinely seemed excited to play for the 76ers when he was brought over, but now it’s on him to pull it all together.
Next: What To Expect In December
Final Take
The Lakers have a lot to think about coming into this game, with Kobe’s retirement and a probable ceremony before the game from Philadelphia to celebrate his last season. Does Byron Scott force-feed minutes to Kobe as part of his last hurrah in the city where he was born? Does Kobe accept the playing time, even in his advanced age, and hoists up shots to try to end on a glamorous note? Does the city of Philadelphia boo or cheer Kobe during the game?
Prediction – The pregame rush of Kobe’s last game makes the Lakers start off strong but their energy fades by the end of the game, as the Sixers take advantage and win.
Where To Catch The Game
- CSNPhilly is broadcasting the game.
- 97.5 has the game on the radio.
- NBA League Pass is available for anyone out of market or anyone who needs to stream.