March 15, 2017
Once Sam Hinkie took to Twitter last September, we learned that he had relocated to the Bay Area. A few months later, a Sports Illustrated profile gave a look into his year off. And as the team he helped build made a pit stop in Oakland to play the Golden State Warriors, the Sixers former president of basketball operations was at Oracle Arena to catch the game in person:
Sam in San Francisco.
— Nick M Broadcast (@SportsDirectTV) March 15, 2017
76ers PreGame Live from Oracle Arena at 10ET on @CSNPhilly pic.twitter.com/gKSFYcXPso
"I'm not nearly as cool as you think I am." - @samhinkie #TrustTheProcess #ImWithHinkie pic.twitter.com/2TWSCNnpQb
— Addison Hunsicker (@AddHunsicker11) March 15, 2017
not a joke: Sam Hinkie is at the Sixers pre-game shootaround against GSW talking to Brett Brown and Dario Saric.
— Michael Levin (@Michael_Levin) March 15, 2017
Without Kevin Durant, the Warriors are going through their fair share of problems. For example, once Steph Curry showed in Philly a few weeks ago, it seems like he forgot how to make open three-pointers. That’s a problem for them. For some reason that I just can’t shake, though, I don’t believe it will continue for much longer.
And while Brett Brown’s team struggled offensively down the stretch —Draymond Green is pretty good at the whole defense thing — they battled hard but ultimately came up short, 106-104. But whether it was attacking JaVale McGee on mismatches, finding teammates in transition, or simply making the extra pass, Dario Saric was again really, really good:
25PTS/7REB/6AST/3STL/2BLK@dariosaric highlights vs GSW pic.twitter.com/E5z0QCsaki
— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) March 15, 2017
Dario Saric tonight:
— Josh Schrager (@Schragz) March 15, 2017
25 pts
7 rebs
6 asts
3 stls
2 blks
1st Sixer since Iverson in 2001
1st Sixers Rookie ever to do this
And if you’ll recall, Hinkie wrote about Saric in his famous 13-page letter. His words look prescient:
Dario is a 6-10 forward with a guard’s skills and a big’s toughness. Twice voted as FIBA European Young Player of the Year, we were in position to draft him in part because he required something you’ve had in ample supply: one part courage, two parts patience. He will look great in Sixers blue.
One more thing: I have written two “The Sixers are going to get smoked” pieces in the last couple of months and have been proven spectacularly wrong both times. The Sixers finished 1-3 on this tough West Coast swing, but they were competitive in all four games. Credit goes to Brett Brown and the players.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
