Bookmaker odds didn’t favor the Philadelphia 76ers very often this past NBA season and for good reason. The 76ers were a bad team and they ended up going 34-47-1 vs. the online bookmaker odds. The 76ers made a chance on Thursday, firing head coach Eddie Jordan.
Bookmaker odds on Philadelphia continue to list them as underdogs most of the time. Team president and general manager Ed Stefanski had seen enough. Why the 76ers hired a coach that has lost everywhere he has gone is one question. Jordan lost at Sacramento and Washington before leading the 76ers to a 27-55 record this season. Philadelphia will be looking for their fourth coach in just three seasons. Part of the problem could be Stefanski but he still has a job. “We’re not starting over,” Stefanski said. “We took a step backward.”
Jordan was using an offense this season that simply does not work. His players hated it and the results vs. the bookmaker line were poor. Jordan said he just needed more time but not many other people believe that. “If you want to be judged alone on the record, then we are where we are,” Jordan said. “But as far as track record, as far as how the league works, as far as evaluating your personnel, maybe we need more time.”
The decisions made by Philadelphia in recent seasons have been terrible. They hired Jordan as head coach, gave Elton Brand a huge amount of money and signed Allen Iverson. None of those moves have worked out and young players like Marreese Speights, Thaddeus Young and Lou Williams look lost. Only Andre Iguodala is a player that looks good to the bookmaker. “Overall, we were confused,” Philadelphia center Samuel Dalembert said, “A lot of guys were confused. We didn’t know what was going to happen each day.”
Jordan is taking the blame for the Philadelphia mess but it is obvious that Stefanski has not done a good job. “They judged the team from their performance last year and the personnel lost,” Jordan said. “Obviously, the personnel changed, maybe, maybe expectations should change. Maybe.”
The 76ers are simply a lost team right now and it may not get any better vs. the bookmaker odds. Getting rid of Jordan is a step in the right direction but as long as Stefanski is making decisions the 76ers are going to be a team to avoid vs. online bookmaker odds.