23-year old center Spencer Hawes is off to a blazing start to the 2011-12 season for the 76ers.  He has played in 2 games (both starts) for the 76ers so far this year and he is averaging 32.5 minutes, 9.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocked shots per game.  Hawes is a good team player and that is what head coach Doug Collins really likes about him.  Not many centers can pass like Hawes can and he is shooting 56.3% from the floor as he is making good decisions with the basketball.  His new found toughness under the basket has really helped out the Sixers as a whole.  The 76ers hope that Hawes can keep up the good work.

The 76ers outrebounded the Suns 48-39 and they were beating them 80-54 after the first three quarters last night.  It was a team effort last night as the Sixers had six players who scored in double figures last night.  Andre Iguodala (15 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals), Thaddeus Young (15 points and 5 rebounds) and Jrue Holiday (15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal) led the way for the Sixers last night.  Lou Williams (13 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists), Evan Turner (12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal) and Jodie Meeks (12 points and 1 assist) also pitched in offensively for the 76ers last night.  The 76ers are now 1-1 on the year.

The 76ers just couldn’t keep up with the Trailblazers in Portland last night.  Lou Williams (25 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists in 27 minutes) and Andre Iguodala (22 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals) led the way for the 76ers in this game.  Jrue Holiday (13 points), Elton Brand (10 points), Spencer Hawes (10 points), Thaddeus Young (10 points) and Evan Turner (10 points) also pitched in for the Sixers last night.  The 76ers are now 0-1 on the year.

The Sixers have re-signed 35-year old center Tony Battie to a 1-year deal.  Battie played in 38 games (0 starts) for the 76ers last year and he averaged 9.9 minutes, 2.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.  He has now played in 810 games (418 starts) so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 21.4 minutes, 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  He will be #3 in line at center for minutes in 2011-12.

The Philadelphia 76ers have re-signed 23-year old center Spencer Hawes to a 1-year deal.  Hawes played in 81 games (all starts) for the Sixers last year and he averaged 21.2 minutes, 7.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.  He has now played in 301 games (199 starts) in his first four years in the NBA and he is averaging 22.6 minutes, 8.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 blocked shot per game.  This was a good move for the Sixers as Hawes is a solid rotational player at center.

The 76ers have re-signed 23-year old forward Thaddeus Young to a 5-year, $43 million dollar deal.  Young played in 82 games (1 start) for the Sixers last year and he averaged 26.0 minutes, 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.1 steals per game.  He has now played in 298 games (139 starts) in his first four years with the Sixers and he is averaging 28.2 minutes, 12.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game.  The 76ers are glad to have Young locked up for the future as he is a big part of the core of the team

If the 76ers don’t re-sign Spencer Hawes to play center (he’s a restricted free agent), they will likely go young with 24-year old Marresse Speights and 21-year old rookie Nikola Vucevic.  Speights played in 64 games (1 start) for the Sixers last year and he averaged 11.5 minutes, 5.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  He has now played in 205 games (4 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 14.7 minutes, 7.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  Speights needs to get in better shape before the Sixers trust him enough to give him big minutes.  Nikola Vucevic was the 76ers’ first round pick last June out of USC.  He has game, so he might be a starter in the very near future for the Sixers.

32-year old power forward Elton Brand still has a lot left in the gas tank.  He played in 81 games (all starts) for the Sixers last year and he averaged 34.7 minutes, 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocked shots per game.  Brand has now played in 800 games (770 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 36.9 minutes, 18.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.9 blocked shots per game.  The 76ers need another big year out of Brand in 2011-12.  24-year old Craig Brackins might get a shot to backup Brand in 2011-12.  He played in only 3 games for the 76ers last year and he averaged 11.0 minutes, 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.  22-year old rookie 2nd round pick Lavoy Allen will likely get a lot of D-League time in 2011-12.

Last season, 27-year old small forward Andre Iguodala gutted it out as he was playing hurt.  He should be close to 100% when the 2011-12 season begins.  Iguodala played in 67 games (all starts) for the Sixers last year and he averaged 36.9 minutes, 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game.  He has now played in 553 games (all starts) for the Sixers in his career and he is averaging 38.0 minutes, 15.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game.  Iguodala plays hard on both ends of the court and I expect him to have a big year for the Sixers if he can stay healthy in 2011-12.  31-year old small forward Andres Nocioni plays all out on the basketball court and he will back up Iguodala again.  Nocioni played in 54 games (17 starts) for the 76ers last year and he averaged 17.2 minutes, 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.  He has now played in 503 games (202 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 23.8 minutes, 10.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

24-year old Jodie Meeks took over as the starting shooting guard early last year and he didn’t give the job back.  He played in 74 games (64 starts) for the Sixers last year and he averaged 27.9 minutes, 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.  Meeks has now played in 134 games (64 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 20.8 minutes, 7.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  He is a very streaky shooter, but Meeks doesn’t add much to the team except scoring points.  23-year old Evan Turner struggled in his rookie season for the Sixers last year.  He played in 78 games (14 starts) for the 76ers last year and he averaged 23.0 minutes, 7.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.  The Sixers hope that Turner earns more P.T. in 2011-12.