The Hoophead explains Philadelphia's surprising rise in the Eastern Conference standings

	Sixers do-it-all forward Andre Iguodala is at the center of the team's second half resurgence. Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
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Quick, which team has the NBA's best winning percentage (.846) in March?

No, it's not the Houston Rockets (good guess, though).

It's the Philadelphia 76ers.

With an uptempo offense built around swingman Andre Iguodala, the Sixers have gone 11-2 this month. They started the season 5-13 and lost seven straight games in January, but now they are 37-35 and fighting for one of the Top 5 seeds in the Eastern Conference.

The super-athletic Iguodala (19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 steals) has been a big reason for the team's success. He has always been a well-rounded player, but there were questions of whether he could be the go-to guy on a good team. He's proving the critics wrong by turning up his game at just the right time (like the two 28-point games he had in Sixer wins last week). While Iggy has been terrific, the Sixers turnaround has been a team effort. Here are three more reasons for the team's success.

1) Andre Miller. Miller has always been one of the league's more underrated players, and he is having another strong (and quiet) season. The steady point guard (17.0 points, 6.8 assists) had 18 assists in a 121-99 win over the Bulls on March 26 and has been great at pushing the ball to get easy buckets for his teammates.

2) The Young Guys. When Philadelphia decided to start playing its young players more, it looked like it was giving up on the season. But those players have stepped up and played much better than expected. Guard Louis Williams (age 21) is averaging 11.3 points off the bench. Rookie forward Thaddeus Young (age 19) has averaged 11.1 points since the All-Star break. Both play with a lot of energy that sparks the team during a rut.

3) Samuel Dalembert. The 6-11 center is having the best season of his six-year career. He is averaging 10.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks (fourth in the NBA). Dalembert has given Philly an athletic defensive force in the paint similar to what Tyson Chandler provides for the Hornets. Dalembert's play will be especially important in the playoffs because he will be counted on to slow down the opposing team's best big man.

The Sixers have been playing hard-nosed ball and have formed terrific team chemistry in recent weeks. Don't be surprised if they knock off a top team in the playoffs.

YOUR TURN

Here's what the readers had to say about last week's Hoophead column: "Who would you rather have, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James?"

"I'd take LeBron because the Cavs had no one when LeBron led them to the Finals. Kobe had Shaq in his prime."
- Jack, Manhasset

"Kobe is a better all-around player and he is helping the Lakers climb to the top of a tough conference."
- Griffin, Suffern

"I think that LeBron is better because he is unselfish and he just broke the Cavaliers scoring record. Plus, LeBron could one day become the best player ever. The only player better is Michael Jordan."
- Jason, Ohio

"LeBron has no help. Kobe has Pau Gasol. Without King James the Cavs would be nothing. LeBron is the number one scorer in the league. He's got the power and speed to let him go to the basket whenever he wants. The Cavs would be terrible without him."
- Danny, Levittown

"They are both excellent players. LeBron sometimes is just like MJ and sometimes Kobe is too. I think Kobe is the better player by just a hair."
- Ricky, New York

"I think Kobe Bryant is better than LeBron James because when the team is doing poorly, Kobe can carry the team. When the team is playing well, Kobe is part of the supporting cast. Kobe is a team player and leader."
- Laura, Pacific Palisades

"I agree. In today's league, I would rather have Kobe on my team. LeBron is quickly catching up, however. In 5 years, LeBron will have surpassed Kobe in many areas. These are the examples of premiere players."
- Jared, Ohio

"Kobe is much better than LeBron. If you look who leads a team better, it's Kobe. LeBron is a ballhog even though he has many assists."
- Steve, Texas

"LeBron is better. He has more assists and better leadership. He usually gets 10 or more rebounds and assists in a game, and the last time he scored under 20 points in a game was back on December 11! I do respect Kobe Bryant, but as an Ohio native, I give the edge to LeBron."
- Joseph, Ohio