Sixers Miss Chance to ‘Steal’ Win Over Cavs

By Doug Ammon, Sixers.com

On October 8, the Sixers recorded eight steals and their first win of the 2014-15 season. Sure, it was a preseason game, but after the win head coach Brett Brown explained what his squad’s identity was going to have to be in order to find regular season success.

“We haven’t wobbled on the mission for this year and it being defensive focused,” he said. “Everything [starts] from our defense.”

Now, with just eight games left in the year, Coach Brown’s words from more than five months ago continue to ring true.

The Sixers and their fans have experienced ups and downs since that first preseason win, but one area in particular has been a consistent source of success for Philadelphia this season. As a team, they are averaging an NBA-best 9.8 steals per game, and their 722 total steals are 29 more than the second-place Houston Rockets. Yes, the NBA’s youngest team is creating steals at a better clip than anyone else in the league.

When looking at where the Sixers’ steal rate fits into history, the number becomes even more impressive. This millennium, the 2014-15 Sixers are averaging the third most steals per game as a team; only the 2005-06 Bulls and 2002-03 Sixers, led by Allen Iverson’s 2.7 steals per game, averaged more steals than this year’s Philadelphia team.

What makes this team unique is that from top to bottom, the roster is defensively focused and aggressive on that end of the floor. Compared to the 2002-03 Sixers, a team on which Iverson contributed nearly a third of their steals by himself, this year’s team has had eight players average at least 1.0 steals per game. Even when the second rotation is on the floor, the ball hawking doesn’t diminish.

A perfect representation of what this team can do on the defensive side of the ball came in Sunday night’s 87-86 loss to the Cavaliers. The Sixers forced 11 steals as team, marking 43rd time they have reached double-digit steals on the year. Seven of the 11 Sixers who saw game action in Cleveland had at least one steal, exemplifying the team’s willingness to get after the ball even as the season winds down.

Looking ahead to the future, the defensive culture that Brett Brown has worked so hard to establish has clearly taken a foothold within his player’s psyche.

Allen Iverson has been spotted at numerous games over the past month, perched high above the hardwood, keenly watching the action below. The franchise’s all-time leader in steals has to appreciate the collective effort this team puts forth to force turnovers and make defense their calling card.