Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Posted: 6:15 p.m.
By John R. Finger
CSNPhilly.com
In more than 40 years in elite-level basketball, there isnt much Doug Collins hasnt seen.
After all, he was the guy who sank what should have been the game-winning foul shots in the gold-medal game of the 1972 Olympics against the U.S.S.R., then went on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 1973 draft.
As a coach, Collins was the man who guided two different teams with Michael Jordanone at the beginning of his career in Chicago and then again at the end in Washington. If Collins hadnt seen about everything there was to see before, he definitely got an eyeful while coaching Jordan.
Yet, when the hype machine gets rolling about the Big Three and the talent-laden Miami Heat, well, Collins has seen some pretty star-studded teams up close, too. He was, of course, the second-leading scorer during the playoff run for the 76ers (22.4 points) when they got to the NBA Finals during the 1976-77 season.
That team was the infamous, We Owe You One, team that zoomed out to a 2-0 series lead over Portland only to drop the final four games by an average margin of defeat of 15.5 points. That included back-to-back losses of 22 and 32 points and prompted Julius Erving to make that promise to the fans.
NBA
To some, though, the 1977 Sixers is still one of the most talented teams ever to play in the city. The 1966-67 team that won a record 68 led by Wilt Chamberlain with Hall of Famers Hal Greer and Billy Cunningham and the underrated Chet Walker, are clearly the top team in franchise history, but the 77 team wasnt far behind.
Teamed with Collins and Erving were all-stars George McGinnis and World B. Free, along with veterans Caldwell Jones, Steve Mix, Fred Carter, Henry Bibby and Kobes dad, Joe Bryant. The Sixers were so deep that teenager Darryl Dawkins was often the ninth or 10th man in the rotation.
Six players averaged in double figures for the season on that club, while three guys grabbed more than eight rebounds per game. Erving, of course, is one of the most popular players of any sport in city history, while McGinnis led the ABA in scoring two years prior, took the Indiana Pacers to back-to-back titles and averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds in 12 seasons. Teamed with Erving and Collins, McGinnis filled the power forward role much like Chris Bosh with the Heat.
Certainly on paper the 1977 Sixers seemed a lot like the modern-day Heat, though the 76ers of yore won just 50 regular-season games before needing seven games to beat the Celtics and six to handle the Rockets in the Eastern Conference playoffs. This season it appears as if the Heat went through the rough patches during the regular season when tough losses reportedly left Bosh crying in the locker room.
The difference was that the Sixers had a Big Three, plus six to seven other guys, while Miami gets its firepower from LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Bosh.
I dont think there was such a disparity when you look at personnel, Collins said.
Still, Portland should have been a breeze for the Sixers in 77. And when the Sixers went up two to zip, it certainly looked like it was going to be a cakewalk, very much like it seems as if the Heat will cruise now that they are up 2-0.
Does Collins see any similarities?
No, he said after Wednesdays practice session at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. We were a talented team. Scoring the ball was not a problem for us. The one thing about that team in 77 was individually we were very talented, but there wasnt a great chemistry or a great bond with our team. We didnt have that thing to hold us together when there was some adversity and there was some adversity after Game 2.
Thats when Collins got punched in the eye by Dawkins.
Wait what?
Heres how Collins explained it:
Portlands Bobby Gross and Darryl Dawkins were grappling for a loose ball and Darryl ripped it away from him and Bobby Gross went down. When Bobby Gross stood up, I jumped in between them and Darryl swung and hit me and thats how I have this scar, Collins said pointing to the outline of a crescent-shaped wound beneath his right eye.
Then Portland power forward Maurice Lucas got involved and squared off like John L. Sullivan in the middle of the ring. They rallied and we fragmented.
Bonding over defeat
Interestingly, Collins was quick to point out that his guys have rallied after the 21-point defeat in Miami on Monday to fall into the 2-0 hole. No, these Sixers arent the champion Trail Blazers with Lucas and Bill Walton, but as far as dues-paying goes, the experience the Sixers are getting now is immeasurable.
To be able to sit down with our younger guys and say, Look at how they play this play.Having them see the gamethe intensity of the game. Like when youre up 16 and Miami makes a run to smack you on the mouth and youre back on your heels, how do you react? Or getting beat handedly like we did the other day and coming back to practice and get your spirits up, Collins said.
For me its about teaching. The longer we play, the better it is to teach them and thats what I think I do best and its the growth they will have.
Since October, the Sixers have been ripped apart and built back. They began the season 3-13 and seemed to be headed to yet another quick season when things began to come together. Still, even during the tough times Collins knew the Sixers were on the right path and that was proven with the playoff bid.
I feel the seeds and the culture of this organization is in a great position for the future. Just from where we started to where we are today, I think the groundwork is laid and what we have to do is keep adding pieces, Collins said. We know we have some holes and we know we cant fill those holes all at one time and there is this thing where we try and fast forward and see what it looks like. But I dont want to wish away any more time and I dont want to give those years. But its nice to think about what Jrue Holiday is going to be like when hes 24, or what Thad Young is going to be like when hes 26. Thats exciting for me.
If we were an older team and we were just trying to make the playoffs, thats one thing. But I think when youre a younger team and youre getting into the playoffs, its all for a different reason.
Its not going to be easy because the Sixers are still missing some pieces, but the 14-win gain from a year ago is significant. However, going from 41 wins to 50 where the 77 Sixers were and contenders in the East takes some doing.
No longer can the team peel away the layers and expect things to get better.
We have great young players who are willing to be taught and thats everything, Collins said. Not only are they great young players who want to be taught, theyre competitive. Theyre on time and theyre respectful and theyre accountable. Those things you have to have if you want to have a winning team and weve gone to 41 41 to 50 is another jump. Its a huge jump. To go plus-14 is big. To go plus-nine to get to 50 is huge.
Now you cant add by contracting, you do it by adding. Sometimes you can add by subtracting, but eventually you have to add by adding. Were at the point where we have to add by adding.
Snider stays in Philly
As stepping-stone seasons go, this one isnt so bad. In fact, Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider attended the Sixers practice on Wednesday afternoon and will be courtside to see his team play on Thursday night.
Indeed, Snider skipped the Flyers games in Buffalo in order to watch the Sixers.
He told me, I didnt go to Buffalo because I wanted to see your two games, Collins revealed. That speaks volumes to our guys.
Game 4 is scheduled for Easter Sunday and should the Sixers force a Game 5, it will be back in Miami on Wednesday, April 27. No telling yet if the chairman made his travel plans yet.
E-mail John R. Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com
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