Former Philadelphia 76ers star Doug Collins (second from right) has the Sixers off to their best start in 10 years. (US PRESSWIRE)

Philadelphia has been a tortured city when it comes to its sports teams. The Flyers lost in the Stanley Cup final in 2010 and have not won since 1975; a loaded Phillies squad was a heavy favorite to win the 2011 World Series but got eliminated in the first round; and the “Dream Team” Eagles and all its expensive free-agent acquisitions finished a disappointing 8-8 in the NFL.

But have no fear Philly fans because the 76ers are about to embark on a very special season. The Sixers are off to their best start in 10 years, which was also the last time the team went to the NBA Finals. Winning a championship may be a bit far-fetched at this point, but the 2011-12 Sixers are at least showing signs that they are on the rise and ready to fill the huge void after Allen Iverson left town.

There are several reasons for the Sixers’ fast start, but the No. 1 reason has been their defense.

The team has bought into Doug Collins’ defense-first philosophy. Philadelphia is currently holding its opponents to under 86 points per game and 39% from the field. Defense has created more opportunities on offense as the Sixers are averaging 101 points per game and six players are averaging double figures in scoring. And the team’s leading scorer, Lou Williams, doesn’t even start.

Before Collins took over two seasons ago, the Sixers were an underachieving team that didn’t have an identity. They relied on a lot of isolations and forced shots on offense and gave up too many easy shots on defense. But 60-year-old Collins, who was the Sixers’ first overall selection in the 1973 draft, has managed to bridge the generation gap between his old-school ways and his new-school players that the foundation of a championship run starts with a solid defense and balance on offense.

“To me, it doesn’t matter if it’s Andre [Iguodala], Thad [Young] or Spencer [Hawes] stepping up, we’re a team,” said veteran forward Elton Brand, who is only averaging nine points a game but has bought into Collins’ balanced approach. Brand has benefited from the recent play of center Spencer Hawes, who could challenge for Most Improved Player of the Year in 2012. Hawes, who allows Brand a respite on defense, leads the team in rebounds (9.1) and blocks (1.8).

Another player who has bought into Collins’ concept is Andre Iguodala, arguably the Sixers’ best all-around player. Iguodala has accepted the role of defensive stopper, a position he embraced while on the 2010 U.S. national team that won the gold medal at the FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

With Iguodala, Jrue Holiday and Thaddeus Young, the Sixers have three players who are averaging close to two steals per game, and creating turnovers plays a big role in triggering fast-break opportunities especially for a team loaded with greyhounds who thrive in the open court.

Young is part of a very active Sixers bench, which also includes leading scorer Williams, sharp-shooter Jodie Meeks and last year’s first-round pick Evan Turner, that have given teams fits because there is not a lot of dropoff between the starters and the bench, and the reserves often are the ones building the leads.

“Their bench is their strength and gave them a huge lift,” said Sacramento Kings coach Keith Smart, whose team lost 112-85 to the Sixers on Jan. 10. Kings guard Tyreke Evans concurred: “They have a great bench. They just put a whipping on us.”

Miami remains the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, but Philadelphia is a team that could make waves in the Atlanta Division and become a huge threat in the playoffs.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastbreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Evan Turner and Derrick Favors did not have spectacular professional debuts, but they were not complete disasters either.

Turner’s Philadelphia 76ers and Favors’ New Jersey Nets anchored the first day of the 2010 NBA Summer Pro League season as the featured game at Orlando’s RDV Sportsplex Center on Monday, mainly because the game boasted two of the first five selections in last June’s NBA Draft.

Turner, the second overall pick, finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, but was just 2-for-5 from the field. Favors, the third overall selection, made just two of his eight shot attempts and finished with eight points. He did grab nine rebounds and had two blocked shots in a losing effort. The Sixers won, 84-74.

“It was just a learning experience, learning all the NBA rules,” Favors told NBATV’s Steve Smith. Favors, who played only one season at Georgia Tech, also struggled with the way the game was being officiated as the 18-year-old power forward was called for seven personal fouls. No player can foul out in the summer league.

Favors, listed at 6-foot-9 and 246 pounds, looked strong at times but also looked tentative. He is not an explosive leaper, so he gobbled up most of his rebounds on sheer upper body strength. He definitely has a long ways to go, especially on offense, but he should thrive under new Nets coach Avery Johnson, who knows how to develop young players.

Turner started off slow and didn’t make his first field goal until very late in the second quarter. He was just 1-for-4 from the field and had four points and four fouls in the first half, playing mostly at the shooting guard.

“I thought I did all right. [Playing shooting guard] is something I have to get used to,” said the Ohio State first-team All-American. “My first couple of years in college I was off the ball. Last year, I was on the ball so I just have to learn on how to read things.”

Turner showed flashes of brilliance, especially when he was given space near the free throw line. He got the majority of his points at the free throw line, where he was a perfect 8-for-8, and did not shy away from contact. At 6-7 and 210, Turner used his size and strength to get to the rim against shooting guards, and took the small forwards off the dribble, displaying a nice spin move.

The Sixers made a strong run in the fourth quarter when they went with a smaller lineup with Turner at small forward. He made a nice end-to-end play in the fourth quarter when he grabbed a rebound, went behind his back twice before finishing with his left hand over two defenders to tie the game at 64.

“As the game worn on, I got a little bit more comfortable. It’s fun out there after a while,” said Turner, who deferred to last year’s first-round pick, Jrue Holiday, to do most of the ball-handling.

Holiday was easily the Sixers’ best player on the floor, as he finished with a game-high 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting. The former UCLA standout has greatly improved his handles, and his game-high eight assists showed new Sixers coach Doug Collins, who was in attendance, that he is capable of playing point guard full time.

Second-year pro Terrence Williams led the Nets with 23 points, including two powerful dunks.

Popularity: 4% [?]

The NBA’s version of the New York State Lotto will commence Thursday night at NYC and Commissioner David Stern will be front and center. Most experts believe Kentucky point guard John Wall will be the first player taken in the 2010 NBA Draft. From then on, it’s a total crap shoot.

OneManFastBreak Editor and Publisher Joel Huerto rates the 10 best prospects in the 2010 NBA Draft (all measurements were taken from the draft combine in Chicago):

10) KEVIN SERAPHIN, C, FRANCE (6-9, 258): This 20-year-old Frenchman is the most intriguing prospect on the draft board. He is raw but has a lot of athletic ability for a center. He rebounds well and is a very good shot-blocker, but only averaged 15 minutes a game in the French league. Because of the recent success of his fellow countrymen, such as Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Mikael Pietrus and Nicolas Batum, NBA teams will surely take notice of France’s newest import.

*************************************

9) EKPE UDOH, C, Baylor (6-9, 240): Udoh is a specialist with limited offensive skills but has a 7-5 wingspan. He was a tremendous shot-blocker (3.7) and above-average rebounder (9.8) for Baylor. At 23, he’s a bit older than some of the other prospects so it gives him an advantage in terms of off-the-court maturity and his interviews went extremely well. Even though his offense is way behind his defense, he can face up and shoot a mid-range jump shot.

*************************************

8) COLE ALDRICH, C, Kansas (6-9, 236): Though he is listed at 6-11, Aldrich measured at 6-9 at the combine. The height difference may cause some NBA GMs to shy away from Aldrich, which would be a mistake. Aldrich is a hard-nosed player who defends and rebounds extremely well. He has a very similar game to former Jayhawk Nick Collison, who has done pretty well playing center and power forward in the Association.

*************************************

7) AL-FAROUQ AMINU, SF-PF, Wake Forest (6-7, 216): Aminu is a tremendous athlete who can finish at the rim. Teams that need a small forward or wing player will love Aminu. He is an excellent leaper and runs the floor extremely well, making him really valuable to up-tempo teams such as the Golden State Warriors and the New Orleands Hornets. Aminu doesn’t have much of an outside shot, so most of his points are on put-backs, dunks, layups or short jumpers.

*************************************

6) WESLEY JOHNSON, SF, Syracuse (6-6, 206): I’m still on the fence with Johnson. When he’s good, the Big East player of the Year is a smooth player who can jump out of the building and drain an outside shot from behind the arc. But when he’s bad, he gets pushed around and gets timid when the game gets physical. With exception of Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse players under Jim Boeheim have traditionally not fared well in the NBA. Johnson could either develop into Rudy Gay or become another Hakim Warrick.

*************************************

5) GREG MONROE, SF-PF, Georgetown, (6-10, 247): Monroe is the most versatile big man in the draft and has a game similar to NBA All-Star Chris Bosh. He posted decent stats during his sophomore year at Georgetown despite playing in the rigid Princeton Offense. Monroe is a very good passer for a big man and is very comfortable playing around the perimeter. The Sacramento Kings worked him out and were thoroughly impressed with his shooting range. He was dropping threes from the NBA line. Georgetown players usually do well in the NBA – ex. Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo and Allen Iverson - and Monroe should continue that Hoya tradition.

*************************************

4) DERRICK FAVORS, PF, Georgia Tech (6-9, 245): Favors was the MVP of the 2009 McDonald’s High School All-American Game, which included Lance Stephenson, DeMarcus Cousins, Xavier Henry, Avery Bradley and Keith “Tiny” Gallon. Favors shared the spotlight at Georgia Tech with Gani Lawal, another 2010 draft prospect. Favors, 18, can play with his back to the basket or face up and shoot from the free throw line. He added 20 pounds of muscle during his one year at Georgia Tech, and that shows he’s got a great work ethic. Some compare Favors to Amare Stoudemire.

*************************************

3) EVAN TURNER, G-F, Ohio State (6-6, 214): A lot of experts compare the 2010 NCAA POY with Portland’s Brandon Roy because of his cool demeanor. Turner is probably the most polished prospect in the draft and could start for most teams right now. He has an NBA-ready mid-range game and can play point guard, shooting guard or small forward. The knocks on Turner are that he appears to be soft and is not a great athlete. But then again, some had those similar reports about Roy.

*************************************

2) DEMARCUS COUSINS, C, Kentucky (6-10, 291): Almost all mock drafts have Evan Turner as the second-best player on the board, but I disagree. Cousins has the size and strength to play center in the NBA and could to be a dominant pro. If it wasn’t for his “attitude problem,” he could very well be the No. 1 pick. Cousins is a true low-post player and tenacious rebounder. But there’s a warning label with Cousins. He could be the next Moses Malone or the next Mel Turpin. Most draft boards have Philly selecting Turner, but the Sixers already have a boatload of perimeter players in Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, Lou Williams and 2009 first-round pick Jrue Holiday. Don’t be surprised if new head coach Doug Collins takes a chance on Cousins.

*************************************

1) JOHN WALL, PG, Kentucky (6-3, 195): Wall is an absolute freak: a unique blend of size, speed and athleticism. TNT’s David Aldridge compares Wall to a quicker and more athletic Gary Payton. He just has the “it” factor. He can create his own shot, is fearless going to the basket and has a 6-9 wingspan. His mid-range game and 3-point shot still needs a little work, but so does 90% of the guards in the Association. Wall is brilliant with the ball in the open court and should thrive in an up-tempo system. The Wizards can easily slide Gilbert Arenas to shooting guard and hand the PG duties to Wall and let him run.

*************************************

MORE DRAFT OPINIONS:

– Overrated – ERIC BLEDSOE, G, Kentucky (6-0, 191): He’s not a point guard and he’s not a shooting guard. In short, he’s headed for the D-League.

– The best Wildcat other than Wall and Cousins – PATRICK PATTERSON, SF, Kentucky (6-8, 239): More of a power forward than a small forward, but should be a lottery pick.

– Should have stayed in school – DANIEL ORTON, C, Kentucky (6-9, 269): Orton barely played in his one year at CSFP (Calipari School For Pros) and would have greatly benefited is he played another season.

– Potentially great or potentially disastrous – RYAN RICHARDS, PF-C, England (6-10, 230): Did well during the combine, but his lack of experience still scares many scouts.

– Sleeper picks – JON SCHEYER, PG, Duke (6-5, 180) and GREIVIS VASQUEZ, PG, Maryland (6-5, 195): Scheyer is a big-game player who has great size for a point guard. Think J.J. Redick with better handles. Vasquez is a tough, gritty player who won’t back down from a challenge and plays with a chip on his shoulder.

– Best shooter – XAVIER HENRY, SG, Kansas (6-5, 210): Henry and Oklahoma State’s James Anderson are the two best shooters in this year’s class. Henry shot a better percentage from behind the arc and feels more comfortable playing in a halfcourt game.

Popularity: 6% [?]

While preparing for his agility test at Friday’s NBA Draft Combine at Chicago’s Attack Athletics Training Center, John Wall saw Washington Wizards head coach Flip Saunders standing a few feet behind him. Wall knew he needed to do something to make a big impression on his potential NBA coach.

After a somewhat disappointing 30-inch mark in the no-step vertical, the 2010 SEC player of the year from the University of Kentucky gathered himself for his two-step vertical test and then nearly jumped out of the gym, touching all but four sticks on the vertical bar. The 19-year-old, 6-foot-4 point guard then clocked in with the fastest 25-yard run (3.1) and turned in a impressive showing in the other agility drills.

Wall’s 43-inch vertical and Usain Bolt-like speed certainly got the attention of the other players at the combine, including Ohio State’s Evan Turner and Kansas’ Xavier Henry. It was a loud message to the rest of the field that Wall is, and should be, the No. 1 overall selection in next month’s NBA Draft.

Wall was simply head and shoulders above anyone else during the agility drills of the combine, and he did so without the benefit of a warm-up. He decided to pass on the fullcourt workouts at the suggestion of his agent, a decision that was shared by other top prospects such as Turner, DeMarcus Cousins (Wall’s teammate at Kentucky), Wake Forest’s Al-Farouq Aminu, Georgetown’s Greg Monroe and Kansas’ Cole Aldrich.

Turner had a decent showing in the agility drills, but it definitely wasn’t his strength. The 6-7 guard-forward glided through the drills without breaking much of sweat, while Wall went hard on every turn. That’s the biggest difference between Wall and Turner. Wall is in attack mode from the moment he sets foot in the gym, while Turner is more laid-back.

Here’s the dilemma for the Wizards, who hold the rights to the top pick in the draft: Do they take Wall or Turner? Do they prefer a Ferrari over a Bentley?

“John is an extraordinary athlete. I think he tested the highest in all of the testing out here,” Saunders told ESPN’s Andy Katz. “But they’re both phenomenal players. Evan is the same way. We can’t go wrong whoever we take as far as the number one pick. We’ll probably talk to them and watch some film with them with our top guys and see how they comprehend the game. We’ll work them out as far as our game is geared towards, pick-and-roll offense and pick-and-roll defense, and see how they understand some of those things.”

As far as each player’s transition from college to the NBA, Saunders sees both as having a huge impact.

“John is probably the most dynamic player in the draft. Evan is probably the most versatile player who can play numerous positions. One thing that’s impressive about both guys in the interview process is that both guys have a very good understanding of the game and they’re extremely profession and extremely motivated.”

Although Saunders and the Wizards won’t say it publicly because the NBA wants to add a little drama to the process, they will likely use the No. 1 pick on Johnathan Wall, who told Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl that he wants to be the greatest point guard ever.

Lofty goals for a young player, but certainly well within reach.

Popularity: 12% [?]

There must be something in the water in the state of Ohio because not only does it own the best player in the NBA in LeBron James, but the Buckeye state is also home to the top collegiate player in the nation.

Kentucky’s John Wall may be the most spectacular backcourt player this season and teammate DeMarcus Cousins may be the most physically gifted post player in the country, but Ohio State’s Evan Turner is the most complete.

Ohio State coach Thad Matta told SI.com that Turner, a 6-foot-6 junior swingman, is a very “intelligent player with a refined sense of moment that allows him to deliver whatever his team needs.”

There is nothing on the basketball that Turner can’t do. Sound familiar? Yup, very LeBron-esque. Turner can handle the ball and score on his own or create shots for his teammates. Because of his versatility, he is too big for guards and too quick for forwards. And his ability to play four positions affords Matta the luxury to use his best player on multiple sets.

Turner also has a competitive drive that rivals all the great players who have come before him, as well as a knack for making big shots. During the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan held a 68-66 lead with 2.2 seconds left and it appeared the Buckeyes were going to get clipped by the hated Wolverines. But Turner had the final say.

He took the inbounds pass near midcourt, took two dribbles and drained a jump shot from about 27 feet to give Ohio State a buzzer-beating 69-68 victory. Turner held up his goose neck as his teammates rushed to congratulate him, almost signifying that the game was in his hands and he delivered a victory.

Matta believes the key to Turner’s success is his thirst for perfection.

“He’s one of those guys who’s very critical of his game and is not afraid to admit he has faults,” Matta told SI.com. “A lot of kids don’t want to admit that, ‘Hey, I’m not good at this.’ And they sure as heck don’t want to work on it. Evan is a kid who knows the game, he knows what he needs to get better at, and he’s going to put in the work.”

Hard work has put Turner on an elite level, and it is his near flawless game that puts him head and shoulders above the competition. OneManFastBreak.net picks the eight best players in college basketball for 2010. Let’s call it OMFB’s Elite Eight.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

– Evan Turner (6-6, junior, Ohio State) – The Big Ten Player of the Year averaged 20 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists for the season. He led the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding and second in assists, third in steals (1.8) and fifth in field goal percentage (54%).

THE REST OF THE FIRST TEAM

– John Wall (Kentucky, 6-4, freshman, guard) – Was fourth in the SEC in points per game (16.4), first in assists (6.4) and third in steals (1.8). NBA scouts love his size for a point guard, as well as his natural ability to lead a team. Kentucky coach John Calipari says Wall is his hardest worker and has the highest GPA on the team.

– DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky, 6-11, freshman, forward/center) – Was ninth in scoring in the SEC (15.3), second in rebounds (10.1), sixth in field goal percentage (54%) and fourth in blocks (1.8). The top offensive rebounder in the SEC with a 4.1 average. An emotional player who can sometimes drift in and out of games. But when his mind is right, he is a force under the basket.

– Scottie Reynolds (Villanova, 6-2, senior, guard) – Was fifth in the Big East in scoring (18.5) and seventh in free throw percentage (82%). More of a scoring point guard, which explains why he doesn’t get many assists (3.3). He is listed at 6-2 but he might be more closer to 6-0. Syracuse’s Wes Johnson may have won Big East POY, but Reynolds was by far the best player in the conference.

– James Anderson (Oklahoma State, 6-6, junior guard) – A unanimous All-Big 12 first team selection. Led the Big 12 in scoring with 22.9 points per game. He averaged 24.1 points in conference and had five 30-point games and 17 25-point efforts. He is the second Oklahoma State student-athlete to garner player of the year honors, following Tony Allen in 2003-04.

– Cole Aldrich (Kansas, 6-11, junior, center) – A member of the Jayhawks’ 2008 National Championship team. The junior center finished second in the Big 12 with 110 blocks and a key component on the Jayhawks’ third-ranked defense nationally. Aldrich anchored a Kansas squad that limited the opposition to 37% shooting.

– Greivis Vasquez (Maryland, 6-6, senior, guard) – Coming back for his senior turned out to be a wise move for combo guard from Venezuela. He averaged almost 20 points a game and 6.3 assists per game, and was named ACC Player of the Year. He has really good size for a guard, which makes him very attractive to pro scouts. Should be a first-round pick in the NBA draft.

– Wes Johnson (Syracuse, 6-7, junior, forward) – The transfer from Iowa State has bumped up his scoring average from 16.5 during the regular season to 24.5 for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. He is the Big East Player of the Year and is a big reason why Syracuse is in the Sweet 16. He is projected to be a high first-round pick in the NBA draft.

Popularity: 5% [?]