The Philadelphia 76ers are streaking, cruising to a blowout 119-97 victory Tuesday night over the Minnesota Timberwolves.  The Sixers opened the second quarter with 15-0 run and never looked back as they post 43 points in the quarter, ending the first half with a 73-51 lead.  Andre Iguodala led the way with 24 points with Elton Brand chipping 21 points in the winning effort.

Sixers Should Bench Iverson

Missing from the lineup for the fourth straight game was Allen Iverson, excused to attend to a family matter, a reported illness to his daughter.  Without Iverson with the team, the Sixers have scored wins during the streak against playoff-bound teams that include Houston, New Orleans and Chicago.  All solid victories where the Sixers executed with precision, shared the ball and operated as a unit.  As a result, the Sixers are now back in the playoff picture.

Allen Iverson not on the floor has been a boon to his teams this season.  While a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, the team went 2-8 with Iverson in the locker room.   Since his departure, the Grizzlies are 24-17 and are now in the thick of the playoff hunt.  The same trend is happening in Philly.

Since joining the Sixers, Iverson has helped Philadephia to a 9-13 record when he shows up to play.  When Iverson doesn’t show up, the team is 6-3 and has won their last 5 games when Iverson hasn’t shown up.

So why they Jeckyll and Hyde personas?  Very simple…Iverson causes disruption when he is on the floor and interrupts the rhythm of everyone around him.  While he might not be chucking the ball as often as he used to, he still leads the team in shots per minute played when he is on the floor.  What that means is when Iverson takes the floor, the offense runs through him and his teammates take a backseat.

Iverson is at best the third option when he is on the floor, he becomes the fourth option when Thaddeus Young is on the court.  But Iverson’s ego stands in the way of success, as his pride will not allow him to let others around him lead the team so that the Sixers will win ball games.  Its all about Allen Iverson, 24/7.

With Iverson not around, Brand, Iguodala and Young have played their best ball of the season as they head into the All-Star break.  Iguodala in particular has been lights out on both ends of the court.   The difference is Willie Green in the starting lineup.  His selfless play and smart shot selection makes the Sixers a better team overall.

Ed Stefanski and Eddie Jordan have some major decisions to make during the break.  The Sixers are back in the playoff picture thanks to Iverson’s sabbatical.   Only 4 1/2 games out for the final playoff spot, the season is not over for the Sixers.  Stefanski essentially threw in the towel when he signed Iverson in December and now they are back in the thick of things given Iverson’s absence.  Trading away Iguodala for expiring contracts when you are in the playoff hunt is no longer an option.

The answer is to bench Iverson upon his return.  Bringing him off the bench as the eighth man in the rotation is the best thing for the team and gives them the best chance of making the playoffs.  Willie Green is now a better player than the eroded-skilled Iverson and he deserves to be in the starting lineup.   Iverson can serve as a 15 minute bench spark, which is where he can help this team the most.

If he objects to the benching, he just solidifies his legacy as the most selfish player ever to play the game.