The 76ers: It's a Brand New Season for Philadelphia

Elton Brand's arrival in Philadelphia was supposed to turn the 76ers into legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference.  Now that he's having season-ending right shoulder surgery, Philadelphia's season is over, right?

Let's not rush to any conclusions.  The Sixers currently sit in seventh place in the East at 24-24.  While it's not the impressive start the Sixers had hoped for, they still have plenty to be excited about. 

No team behind them is a serious threat, especially now that Milwaukee has lost both Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut for the season.  With Orlando losing Jameer Nelson, the East is now a two-team race, with Cleveland and Boston at the top.

The Sixers proved last year that they can make the playoffs without Brand. 

Elton Brand's debut season in Philadelphia was far from satisfying as he only averaged 13.8 points and 8.8 rebounds in 29 games.  In those 29 games, the Sixers were just 13-16.  Without Brand in the lineup, the Sixers are 11-8 and playing the style of play that got them into the playoffs last year.

After starting 9-14 under Maurice Cheeks, Cheeks was abruptly fired and replaced by Tony DiLeo, who has led the team to a 15-10 record.  The transition time looks to be over and the team is playing with deliberate urgency.  They're getting consistent minutes from Andre Miller and especially Andre Iguodala, who is playing his best ball of the season after a rough start.

With Brand on the shelf, Iguodala can put this team on his back and lead them into the playoffs as their top playmaker and scoring option.  His leadership will allow Thaddeus Young and Marreese Speights to step up and play to their full potential. 

Both Young and Speights have shown flashes of brilliance this season.  Young is improving each week and he can become the second scoring option the team needs him to be.  Speights should flourish with more consistent playing time.  He'll fill the void down low and should grow into a solid frontcourt presence in this league.

With the trade deadline looming, the Sixers will probably make a move.  That brings up the next question. 

What should the Sixers do with Andre Miller and his expiring contract? 

The team could look to trade Miller, but that could prove to be too much change for a team who already had a coaching change and is now transitioning to life without Brand.  For that reason, the team could choose to stand pat, but they could also trade Miller for a younger player and build for a fresh run next year with a healthy Brand.

The bottom line is the Sixers will make the playoffs this year. 

If they can move up just one more spot in the Eastern Conference standings, they will have a favorable first-round matchup.  Therefore, getting to the second round of the playoffs, something they failed to do last year, isn't out of the question. However, they are not a better team than Boston or Cleveland, so the second round will be where their run ends. 

But don't give up on this team yet.  Under the leadership of Iguodala and the improvement of Young and Speights, this will be a fun team to watch during the stretch run to the playoffs.  The Sixers are still a dangerous team in the East who should not be overlooked.