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| 76ers are tied for 1st place in the Eastern Conference at 3-0 Photo credit NBA |
The season opener was supposed to be about retiring Allen Iverson while the visiting NBA champion Miami Heat were in town. Instead it became the coming out party for rookie Michael Carter-Williams, setting a NBA record with nine steals in his first game. The Heat themselves took this game as an easy victory by leaving Dwayne Wade out of the lineup, but Philly had other plans.
Saturday may have been a more impressive win over the Chicago Bulls than the Heat game. They held Derrick Rose to only 4-for-14 shooting and won are hard fought game 107-104. MCW continued his stellar performance with 26 points and 10 assists. This makes their second win over a team with a winning record.
The 76ers are ranked fourth in the league for scoring with 110 points per game. Michael Carter-Williams (MCW) ranks first in the NBA with 4.33 steals per game.
The question remains, can the 76ers legitimately be contenders in the East? The biggest assest they have is what the other Atlantic divison powerhouse teams lack, youth and speed. The Brooklyn Nets have a paltry 1-2 record with losses to Cleveland and Orlando. Both younger more athletic speed teams. The New York Knicks are also 1-2 with losses to the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. Two teams that average over 100 points per game. The 76ers are in prime position, if healthy to win the Atlantic division.
Nerlens Noel has yet to make his NBA debut. With the success rookies have had so far, Noel could only add to the offensive and defensive fire power for this team
The only other team undefeated in the Eastern Conference is the Indiana Pacers. Over the next two weeks, they will have to face Cleveland twice, Golden State, San Antonio, and the Houston Rockets. We will find out just how good this team can be.
Follow Rodney Fisher on Twitter @RodneyFisherNBA
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