The Sixers (3-2) welcomed the Cavaliers into the Wells Fargo Center Friday night hoping to win after losing back to back games. But this game was not just any other game for Philadelphia fans. No, it was something much more. It was the return of Andrew Bynum. And the fans couldn't be happier as their team spoiled Bynum's first trip back to Philly. 

Wow. I've thought up many different ways to start this week's power rankings, but nothing other than "Wow" could do justice to what transpired over this first NBA week.  There was a lot of exciting action and impressive performances from very unknown and shocking sources.  If the playoffs started today, Chicago, New York, Brooklyn and Memphis would all be out.  The Timberwolves are 3-0 and playing great ball, the Suns are off to a decent start.  But I feel like I'm forgetting something, what could that be? Hmmm...oh that's right.

What is the best way to follow up a win against the Miami Heat earlier in the week? To defeat the Wizards in your next game of course.  Despite many NBA experts and pundits declaring the season over before it began, the 76ers are showing a bit resiliency by winning their first 2 games. 

Ladies and gentlemen, the 2013-2014 NBA season is upon us!  The first slate of NBA games starts on Tuesday while the 76ers season commences on Wednesday against the formidable Miami Heat.  Unless you have been living under a rock all summer, you have come to the realization that the Sixers are not projected to win too many games this upcoming season (#rigginforwiggins).  If you have been living under a rock all summer, and one of the first things you do upon rejoining the rest of civilization is visiting our site, then we commend you for your great decision making.

It's not fun being at the bottom of every power rankings ESPN or CBS or Yahoo or Sports Blog XYZ releases every week.  Since we at the BSB thrive on optimism and giving the people what they want, we will be releasing our very own Reverse Power Rankings (otherwise known as the race for Wiggins).  If you also just got out from under your rock, you're probably wondering what a Wiggins is.  Andrew Wiggins happens to be the most highly coveted basketball prospect since LeBron James and whichever team receives the first pick come next June will most likely be using that pick on Mr. Wiggins. 

The last few seasons have been rough for 76ers fans, to say the least. After a couple of early playoff exits in the first round in 2008, 2009, and 2011, they finally reached the second round in 2012 after defeating a Rose-less Bulls squad. Not only did they exceed expectations in the playoffs, they pushed a powerful Celtics squad to the brink in 7 hard fought games. Even though they failed to reach the conference finals, the Sixers showed that they had a promising roster with a few great pieces in Andre Iguodala and Jrue Holiday. 

It’s the year 2013 and there is no stronger Instagram trend in this day in age than #throwbackthursday (that’s social media speak for posting a picture of a past event to let all of your followers know that your hair did look different in 2004). When I first heard what #throwbackthursday was, or #tbt for short, the first thought that came to my mind was “2010 NBA Draft.” I know, it seems like a weird first thought to have about anything, but I assure you my doctor told me I was alright.  

Anyway, I would like to take this Thursday, this #tbt, to revisit one of the more important moments in the last 5 years for this franchise, the 2010 NBA Draft. I will be your metaphorical Doc Brown on this journey to the past and back to the future.

For those who closely follow NBA news, or for those who don’t, you may or may not have heard that, for at least one game this season, the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets Fighting Prokhorovs agreed to feature game jerseys with an unconventional twist to them. Instead of the normal last name on the back of the jersey, each player will get to select a nickname to be displayed in its place.  Finally! The NBA has answered the prayers of many and we will at last be able to see Ray Allen wear the jersey of his Hollywood alter ego, famed fictional baller Jesus Shuttlesworth from the movie He Got Game. Other monikers that will be seen include LeBron James as King James, Dwyane Wade as Flash, Chris Andersen as Birdman, Kevin Garnett as either KG or Big Ticket, and Paul Pierce as The Truth. It’s a different approach to the way the game is marketed, appealing to a younger generation of fans.

Although unpopular at the time, fans are slowly coming to grip with losing first time all-star Jrue Holiday in the draft day trade to New Orleans. In return, they have received some very valuable assets in Nerlens Noel and the Pelicans' (it’s still weird to think that an NBA team willingly chose that as their nickname) first round pick in next year’s draft. 

Ten, nine, eight, seventy-six…losses seems like an all but assured result for the Sixers this upcoming season. Forgoing success, or even mediocrity, in the 2013-14 season, newly hired GM Sam Hinkie is setting his sights on future prosperity by ridding the team of any veterans who do not project to be key contributors down the road. While an obvious tank job on Hinkie’s part, he is quickly showing Philadelphia, and the rest of the NBA, that he means business when he talks about bringing a championship to Philadelphia.