NBA: Sixers making the championship push

By John Christensen Sports Central Columnist

February 22nd was the NBA's trading deadline, and Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown and owner Pat Croce decided to roll the dice, and go for it all. On the day of the 2001 NBA trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired a very sought-after center in Dikembe Mutombo. Many teams were trying to land the big 7-2 defensive gem, but in the end, the 76ers got him.

The 76ers sent forward Toni Kukoc, centers Theo Ratliff, and Nazr Mohammed, and guard Pepe Sanchez to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for center Dikembe Mutombo and forward Roshown McLeod, incase you didn't get the full details of the trade recently.

There are, indeed, some very good questions that can be asked here. One would have to ask, why on earth did the 76ers trade away a huge part of their team for a 34-year-old center, and a decent scoring forward? Mutombo has maybe two-three productive years left at the most, and he will be seeking a new four-year deal next summer. Mcleod, on the other hand, will contribute some, but he was put in just to make the deal work basically. The Sixers wanted Mutombo to contend in the East and West, and with him, that's exactly what they can do.

Is Mutombo really worth it? That's a good question, considering Mutombo is only slightly better than Ratliff in a few areas.

The Sixers traded for Mutombo because they felt Ratliff might not be enough to get them out of the East. Mutombo is worth it, though. He does so many things to help his team win, that's what makes him so important. He clogs up the middle, slows down penetration, blocks shots, and also leads the NBA in rebounds per game. On the other side, the Hawks got three good players in Kukoc, Ratliff and Mohammed, and Sanchez, who will have to work hard to make it. The Hawks now have a good solid ring of young players and a good frontline. They also have two excellent guards with Terry and Knight. This deal made good sense for the Hawks, who are looking to regain respectability.

This year, the 76ers have been a great team that thrives on Allen Iverson's scoring and their suffocating team defense. They have played banged up all year, and they still own the league's best record. What does that say? It says a lot about their chemistry and what kind of team they really are. Geiger has been out, Snow just came back after missing a lot of games, and just recently, Ratliff injured his wrist which prompted the trade. Not to mention, their leader, Allen Iverson, has been playing with about ten off-and-on minor injuries all year has managed to put up huge numbers every night, despite. Iverson is a warrior looking to lead his as far as they can go.

The 76ers, even with the best record in the NBA decided to gamble this time. They took the chance, and only time will tell how this deal will work out. Here are some pros and cons to the 76ers/Hawks trade:

Pros

Mutombo is an upgrade from Ratliff. Ratliff leads the lead in blocks, but Mutombo is considered by many the best shot blocker in the league. Sixers are now more physical and have that big presence they have desperately needed for years.

The best defensive team in the NBA just got better.

Mutombo is a good fit with Philly and their team chemistry.

Cons

Now with Mutombo in the lineup, it will be hard to get Matt Geiger playing time. The 76ers need to find a role for Matt Geiger. He makes huge money, but has yet to produce. Larry Brown really needs to get Geiger to pick up his game, and get him into the 76ers game plan.

Ratliff is almost seven years younger than Mutombo and doesn't demand the max salary, yet still is an all-star.

Mutombo will help on the defensive side by clogging up the middle, but if he does this on offense, Iverson's drives could get ugly.

The 76ers are going for it all this year, and even though they look like a sure thing to win the East, you never know what the could happen. And the West will surly have a very good team representing them in the Finals.

Mutombo is a free agent this summer, so we will also see if the Sixers even resign him, which would be a four-year deal, probably with maximum salary, of course.

It won't be easy, but the Philadelphia 76ers are ready to make a run with Iverson and Mutombo leading the way.

Article courtesy of Sports Central