The Starting Five

(AP/Photo)

The Sixers have feasted on teams in the lower half of the Eastern Conference while enjoying an impressive home stand - sprinting out to a 14-6 start. Skeptics have lined up, reluctant to anoint the Sixers as a legitimate contender in the East.

Everyone can breathe easy now.

The Sixers outscored the Orlando Magic 21-9 in the 3rd quarter and led by as many as 19 points on their way to a 74-69 victory, sending the Magic to their fourth consecutive defeat.

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The 23 year old defensive end had 86 tackles (1st among NFL lineman), 16.5 (4th)sacks and 2 forced fumbles this season…

No. A resounding no. So many other stories…if you look…and the monster above is one of them. This notion that quarterbacks control football seems lazy…and crazy. It’s not like Allen Iverson and the rest of the Sixers. Across a football field, so much talent factors into the outcome. As we’ve seen this year, less than 10 passes can get you a victory but a stout defensive front four that includes JPP propels your team into the Super Bowl.

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(Howard Smith/US Presswire)

Andre Iguodala celebrated his 28th birthday in grand style, posting his eight career triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. A rebound and two points came on a spectacular off-the-backboard feed to himself. Meanwhile the Sixers won their 14th game of he season 95-74 over the Detroit Pistons.

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(Matt Slocum/AP/Photo)

It was a royal beat down.

Hip Hop star turned Hollywood leading man turned Sixers co-owner Will “Fresh Prince” Smith along with his wife Jada and son Jaden were among the over 16,oo0 in attendance at the Wells Fargo Center.

Lou Williams came off the bench to lead the Sixers with 17 points as the home team rebounded nicely from Wednesday night’s loss to the New Jersey Nets to pound the Charlotte Bobcats 89-72.

Angered by his team’s output, Bobcats coach Paul Silas decided to watch from the visiting locker room as he was ejected in the second period with his team trailing 45-25.

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Heading into tonight’s game (I hear Will and Jada will attend) vs the 3-16 Charlotte Bobcats, the 12-6 Philadelphia 76′ers are a little wounded. They lost a heart breaker to Deron Williams and the New Jersey Nets…a winnable home game that got a way, and are dealing with minor injuries to their front line (Hawes, Vucevic). More importantly, there’s a different aura permeating through the Wells Fargo Center. After wins the Liberty Bell tolls, confetti rains and more times than most this year, the fans leave happy. One of those fans is Philly native DJ Jazzy Jeff. I’ve chatted with Jeff before, but this a different Sixers team. This is a team on the road up. Jeff is a season ticket holder so I thought I’d update our previous conversation with some post lockout Philly optimism…

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Black Pharaoh is one of my favorite athletes. Passion bursts pipes…

Yeah…I have. Many. Bouncing and not. Sometimes things just happen. I would tell bar owners in the clubs and bars I bounced in when a fight would happen hours before it went down. It’s just a vibe…an aura. KG knows this. He knows when his team is down it’s time to start a bar fight…and his once in a generation head coach, Doc Rivers, in this case, is the bar owner.

TNT’s NBA coverage continues Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012 at 7 p.m. ET with a special one-hour edition of TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com. Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith will have the exclusive announcement of the 2012 NBA All-Star starters.

Following the pre-game show, TNT’s doubleheader will feature the Chicago Bulls @ New York Knicks (8 p.m. ET) followed by the Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 p.m. ET).

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Combined 4784 yards from scrimmage and 38 touchdowns in first season

Been out of commission all week with something or other that made my head feel like a frozen pineapple and I’m still am not totally right, but I’m in the land of the living so no complaints.

Let’s get to it. You are the brand new owner of a sports franchise playing its first season. Throwing money everywhere to get the word out. Tweeting till your silver spoon grabbing fingers cramp up, eyes red as hell and your significant other screaming up to your office to get off the damn computer and come to bed. The draft is a few days away and you’re excited…

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Posting these two interviews from 2008 because today is the anniversary of Yo! Bum Rush The Show’s release in 1987.

My original chat with Chuck from ’06

Just so you know, this entire week is dedicated to Martin Luther King on The Starting Five. We don’t do the one day thing…April 4th is just as important because it documents the true struggle of Blacks. I won’t belabor you with an extensive lede on the accomplishments of Chuck D and Public Enemy. We all have recited his lyrics at one time or another on the site, so just see this as a P.E. discussion continuum. Part II tomorrow.

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(Repost because of the anniversary of Yo! Bum Rush The Show’s release in 1987)

Whos Your Hero.

We live in time where trust, loyalty and honesty mean absolutely nothing. Folks say they are your friend one minute and hate you the very next second. Hate you so much they could care less if you live or die and will tell you so to your face probably in the presence of your children. Whos Your Hero.

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Reports of  Deron Williams’ game rotting away in the North Jersey swamplands have been greatly exaggerated. Williams poured in 34 points to go along with 11 assists as the New Jersey Nets came out with an aggressive game plan and stuck to it as they stunned the Atlantic Division leading 76′ers 97-90 in overtime at the Wells Fargo Center.

Lou Williams led the Sixers with 17 points.

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Josh Smith’s presence in the paint is comparable to that of a bouncer in the world-famous gentleman’s establishment in his beloved ATL -bold, deliberate and often times - violent. For seven seasons, Smith has been one of the cornerstones of an Atlanta Hawks franchise that now has enough youth and veteran leadership to take them to the pinnacle of the NBA.

Smith, in his seventh season is off to a great offensive start as are the 13-4 Atlanta Hawks. The 6’9″ power forward is averaging 16 points and 9 rebounds per game. Smith’s play at the defensive end comes as no surprise – averaging one steal and almost two blocks per game.

Last Friday, prior to the Atlanta Hawks contest against the Philadelphia 76′ers, I had a chance to sit down with a slimmer Josh Smith (lost approximately 25 lbs.) not long before tipoff.

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“Whenever I play and I don’t hesitate, good things happen”. Great quote by Chris Bosh, who looks good this season. He’s comfortable…on the floor and with the media post games. His 35 points last night carried the Heat load in a a game LeBron struggled vs. his former team in Miami.

Voting is open on NBA.com, NBA Facebook Page and Yahoo.com for next week’s Fan Night match-up that will air on Jan. 31.

Fans can select between the following games: Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets @ Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons @ New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets @ Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors.

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Missed morning shoot around

Elton Brand was given the go ahead to play about an hour before game after suffering from gastroenteritis. If the Washington Wizards had their way the Sixers power forward would’ve been quarantined.

Brand scored 11 first quarter points in a contest where the home team led by as many as 34 points against an uninspired Wizards team in 103-83 laughter at the Wells Fargo Center.

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(Photo:AP)

Billy Cundiff…meet Gary Anderson and Scott Norwood…

Two cities, two brothers and two kickers.  In what turned out to be two of the best conference title games in recent memory the New England Patriots and New York Giants find themselves in Super Bowl XLVI courtesy of placekickers.

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