The Sixers had me with their second-half run last season to qualify for the playoffs in the
Eastern Conference, where they beat the Pistons twice in the first three games before losing
three in a row. The new AI (Andre Iguodala) was emerging as a consistent multi-category producer nightly, Andre Miller was the steady hand directing the show from the point, and rookie Thaddeus Young (54 percent) gave us some signs of something special in 2008-09. When Philadelphia general manager Ed Stefanski made the biggest splash in the offseason pool by signing Elton Brand, they added a piece -- an inside scorer -- that was sorely lacking from last season's squad. With another scoring option in Brand, who would also improve team defense for a club that allowed the seventh-fewest points in the league last year, I figured a top-4 in the East was within reach.

Well, now that the euphoria of the World Champion Phillies has worn off and the presidential election has passed, I've noticed the Sixers got off to a sluggish start. Two early blowout wins over New York and Sacramento -- two teams playing much better now than when they played Philadelphia -- were not enough to offset some sloppy play, leaving the Sixers with three more losses than wins (2-5). When they were winning, they were good. When they were losing, they were bad. In their two wins, Philadelphia was averaging 120.5 points on 59.1% shooting. In their five losses, the Sixers were scoring 84.6 points and shooting 38.2% from the field. Overall, they were turning the ball over a league-worst 17.6 times per game. Iguodala, fresh off his six-year contract signed this summer, has looked confused at times while shooting 39 percent from the field in the first seven games. Without a consistent perimeter threat to space the floor, Brand has seen a lot of double-teams, which has limited his shots at times and reduced his shooting percentage.

That was then and this is now. Following a stirring come-from-behinder over the Pacers on
Friday, the Sixers have ripped off two straight road wins and are showing signs of the team I
thought could be a high playoff seed. Against the Pacers, Philadelphia fell behind by as much as 26 early on, before clamping down in the second half (Indiana had 35 second-half points). They've protected the ball, averaging 11 turnovers, and finally found someone who can drill an outside shot. The oft-wild Willie Green is 12-of-25 from the field, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range, with games of 17 points and 14 points in wins over Toronto and Indiana. With the Sixers improving to 4-5, a closer look at the wins reveals that Green has shot well in all of them, going 25-of-41 (8-of-9 3pt) from the field in the wins -- in other words, providing the semblance of a jump-shooting threat. We've seen Green before. I'm not going to be fooled into thinking he is the key driver for this team's success, nor that the career 41-percent shooter can continue to knock down jumpers at a 50-percent clip, but he's given the team what it needs to be successful. And that's something Iguodala must do more often. He needs to be the scorer that he was last season. He's contributing in other ways -- 10 assists and nine rebounds against the Raptors with 10 rebounds and three blocks against the Pacers -- but the shot is still off and he's not getting to the rim as he did last season. The Sixers have used recent practices to work on floor spacing. The Sixers have had to adjust to a player like Brand who commands so much attention in the low post. Even in last night's win, Brand was just 4-of-17 from the field. He's shot over 50 percent in just two of the first nine games. And it isn't only Brand who needs space. Iguodala does, too. With Brand and Samuel Dalembert clogging the middle, there isn't much room for Iguodala to drive and create. Coach Mo Cheeks needs to bring Brand out to the mid-post area, which would create space for both Brand and Iguodala.

The two-game winning streak with a Saturday night game against the 1-7 Thunder on the immediate horizon provides some salve for the stress caused by five losses in seven games to open the season. But the Sixers still need to get their priorities in place. Iguodala needs to shoot better than 36 percent... Dalembert needs to show up and stop picking up cheap fouls (3.8 per game). He's been a non-factor in four of the first nine games, including a combined six points and six rebounds in the two recent wins. While his playing time has been mostly limited by foul trouble, he played just 12 minutes Friday night and saw little action after allowing the Pacers an open-door policy in their 36-point first quarter... Miller is a willing shooter and capable scorer -- he leads the team in both field-goal attempts and points per game -- but this team runs best when he's setting up others to succeed... They need to continue to protect the ball... The bench play, other than a solid stint to help them get back into Friday's game, has been spotty. Green can't be counted on every night. And Lou Williams really needs to look at his teammates every now and then, instead of fixating on the basket every time he touches the ball.