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Turning the other Cheek(s) could prove beneficial
by Marc Narducci / May 30, 2005

To those outside of Philadelphia, the latest coaching change by the 76ers must have been viewed as another comical occurrence in the recent game of musical chairs.

Four coaches in two years.

Giving the pink slip to a coach who is still owed plenty of green, not to mention one who improved the team's win total by 10 games, seems a bit desperate on the surface.

It left many shaking their head, but in the end, it appears to be a move that president and general manager Billy King had to make.

Jim O'Brien helped improve the Sixers from 33-49 to 43-39. They earned a first-round playoff meeting with defending champion Detroit. And even though the Sixers lost the series, they made things much more difficult for the Pistons, losing one game in overtime and then falling 88-78 in Game 5 after holding a 61-60 lead entering the fourth quarter.

In addition, Allen Iverson arguably had the best season of his nine-year career after O'Brien gave him the keys to the Sixers offense by moving him from shooting guard to the point. Iverson averaged 30.7 points and 7.9 assists and willed the team to a playoff spot by leading Philly to wins in eight of their final 10 games.

Rookie Andre Iguodala was the only Sixer to start in every game and showed the type of development that has many touting the 6-6 swingman as a future All-Star.

That said, O'Brien didn't ingratiate himself to many of the players, or as it turns out to the front office, with his personality. Perceived as aloof, O'Brien never had a strong working relationship with King.

King wouldn't kick a man when he was down, so he didn't bash O'Brien on the day he fired him and hired Philadelphia favorite Maurice Cheeks, a four-time All-Star in 11 seasons as the Sixers point guard.

This time, King insists he got things right after striking out with Randy Ayers, interim coach Chris Ford and O'Brien over the past two years following the resignation of Larry Brown after the Sixers were eliminated from the second round of the 2003 NBA playoffs by Detroit.

"I feel 100 percent better this day than I did on those days because I know Mo Cheeks," King said. "In the sense of walking in the locker room after a loss and being able to talk to him and know how he is going to react, or going up to him before practice and saying, 'How can we get this player to play better,' or Mo coming to me and saying, "Billy, Willie Green is struggling, got any thoughts or ideas.'"

While King won't say this publicly, there was a fear in the organization that if O'Brien returned, there might be a player mutiny.

That's why, even with a guaranteed $8 million owed O'Brien over the next two seasons, the Sixers cut an expensive chord.

Iverson, for one, said he would have continued to play hard for O'Brien, but there was no concealing his excitement of performing for Cheeks. The two had forged a close relationship when Cheeks was a Sixers assistant coach during Iverson's first five years in the NBA.

"I'll do anything to win and Billy convinced me he will put guys around me to make us a championship contender," Iverson said. "He gave me a coach I always wanted and now it's up to myself and the guys who put on the uniform."

The Sixers do have an interesting nucleus. If Iverson has plenty left in the tank as he turns 30 and enters his 10th NBA season, then that's surely a good start. Yet the key to the Sixers will be whether Chris Webber can return to form.

After being acquired in a six-player trade from Sacramento, Webber played nothing like a five-time All-Star. In 46 games with the Kings, he averaged 21.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists. As a Sixer in 21 regular
season games, he averaged 15.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists. In fairness, he averaged nearly three minutes more per game with Sacramento, but Webber often looked lost in an offense in which Iverson was the primary ballhandler and shooter.

Webber showed little explosion and basically became a 6-foot-10 jump shooter and an inconsistent one at that. In the playoffs against Detroit, he shot just 41.1 percent from the field, concluding with a 4-for-16 performance in
Game 5.

Webber also wasn't a member of the Jim O'Brien fan club. Neither was center Samuel Dalembert, who seemed to be indecisive all season, trying to fit into O'Brien's system. Dalembert did average 11.6 points and 12.8 rebounds against Detroit in the playoffs, proving a glimpse of his immense potential. He is a restricted free agent, but King vows to match all offers.

The use, or more accurately misuse of guard Willie Green, was a bone of contention between King and O'Brien. Green, who sparkled while filling in for Iverson when he missed seven games, did not play due to coach's
decision 19 times during the regular season.

By firing O'Brien, who still should get another coaching opportunity, the Sixers have run out of excuses. Now it will all be on the players. And the key is whether Cheeks is the right choice. Sure he gets along with Iverson, but so did Ayers and that couldn't even buy him a full season.

A major difference is that Iverson appears to have matured greatly in the last two years and realizes the clock is ticking on his NBA career. The off-the-curt shenanigans that were so prevalent in previous years were virtually non-existent this past season.

"I understood what I had to do as a professional, regardless if I didn't like what was going on," Iverson said. "People get tired of talking about the Allen Iverson-coach situation."

Cheeks apprenticed for his job by serving as the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers for the last four years until he was canned on March 2 with a 22-33 record.

He went 162-139 and guided the Blazers to playoff berths his first two years. Cheeks probably should have thanked Portland for giving him head coaching experiencing and for showing him the door when they did. Portland went 5-22 in the final 27 games under interim coach Kevin Pritchard.

At Portland, Cheeks was known as a players' coach. In this day that could have different meanings, but by and large, he had a good rapport with most of the Blazers or former Blazers not named Darius Miles or Bonzi Wells. The fact that Portland was among the most dysfunctional teams in recent NBA history should be good training for Cheeks.

The Sixers don't have players who could be characterized as "head cases" on the team, especially if Iverson keeps towing the line.

The fact that Cheeks has Iverson strongly in his corner won't hurt his chances to succeed. Yet no matter how well Cheeks draws up the Xs and Os, much of his success will depend on Webber. With $62 million left on the
final three seasons of a bloated contract, King isn't likely to find a taker for Webber's services. So for better or worse, the Sixers are stuck with him. Cheeks doesn't seem to mind.

"Allen Iverson is one of the best in the league and Chris Webber, if he gets back healthy, is one of the best in the league," Cheeks said.

Cheeks added that he would sit down with Iverson and Webber and formulate a game plan that would best suit both players. Ideally that would mean for Iverson to give up the rock a little more and for Webber to handle it more to take advantage of his excellent vision and passing ability.

Despite his playoff performance, there is no doubt that Dalembert regressed this season. He was never comfortable with fronting the post, which is what was demanded in O'Brien's defense. Dalembert is more of a free-wheeling shot blocker who plays best behind his man.

"A guy like Dalembert is an excellent shot blocker and you have to utilize his talent," Cheeks said.

A lineup of Dalembert, a healthy Webber, sharp-shooter Kyle Korver, Iverson and Iguodala, is pretty formidable. The Sixers would need to beef up a bench that includes aging but dependable Aaron McKie, Green, Marc Jackson and, if he is re-signed, Rodney Rogers.

It's a group that could win 50 games in the East and possibly win a round or two in the playoffs. If King makes some more moves, then next May, Sixers fans could still be talking about the playoffs instead of yet another
coaching change.

Marc Narducci covers the NBA for the Philadelphia Inquirer and is a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com

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