Well, it took a little over a week this time, but sure enough, it happened again. Donyell Marshall somehow found his way onto the court in a key situation, he energized the team, spread the floor, then three games later, his minutes disappeared. Now, as then, my question is why?
- vs. Miami: 10 minutes, 10 points, +15
- @ LAL: 10 minutes, 9 points, +12
- @ PHO: 20 minutes, 12 points, +12
- @ GSW: 6 minutes, 0 points, -6
- @ SAC: DNP CD
- @ POR: DNP CD
I'll never understand it. They did the same thing earlier in the season when Marshall basically won the game at Detroit, then quietly was buried at the end of the bench. This guy has a role on the team and he plays it well when given the opportunity.
You sayin you wanted to see Donyell in the last game? I dunno. Whose minutes would he have taken? I think when the whole team attempts just five 3pt shots even thru overtime, I think there's a clear game plan afoot.
For once I have to shut it re DiLeo. It was the right call. Donyell would actually be a distraction. Without him they're more likely to stick to the driveit strategy. Yes?
Last night, no. They didn't really need him (maybe in the third to stem the tide of the comeback). But against Golden State and Sacramento, he should've gotten minutes. Especially against Sacramento.
Donyell Marshall doesn't have the athleticism to keep up with a team like GSW - the defense was pretty bad with the younger guys who could 'keep up' sort of - with Donyell on the floor it might have been worse.
Could it have been worse?
You have to make trade offs in your rotations, putting Donyell out there w/ the second unit is not going to hurt on defense more than it will help on offense, in my opinion.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Donyell is better on D than Speights no matter what team. Speights' showing against GS was atrocious.
If he is, based on what I saw last night, it'd only be due to experience. I saw a kid still not quite sure about when/how to switch off or hedge. I definitely saw effort.
I'm not too worried about it yet, I think it'll come. He's already a pretty decent help defender. People like to say he's "raw," but that certainly doesn't apply to his abnormally polished offensive game. He's only had about 1.5 years of college (first year he didn't see the floor too much) and wasn't a highly sought after recruit as a high-schooler. The fact that he's come so far in such a short period of time suggests to me his work ethic and hustle is generally fine.
It's coming. It's coming.
I'm glad they rested Donyell against Sac. He does not need regular minutes to stay sharp, and probably would wear down if he played every game (even just 10 minutes.) he needs a few days rest here and there.
But he did not need 1 months 'rest.'
If any of you guys are on Twitter, you can follow me there at this address: http://www.twitter.com/depressedfan
I just asked Kyle Korver on Twitter if there was any chance he'd opt out this summer and come back to Philly. His response: "Not a chance."
Not too surprising, I guess. If it is, in fact, Kyle Korver.
I know 'the real shaq' is on twitter :)
Brian - btw - ford showed up for his chat late bu still did it
Yeah, I caught it after lunch. Pretty boring. I get sick of every other question being a Kobe vs. LeBron question, at least he sticks to the draft when he can. some of those chat sessions disintegrate into nothing very quickly.
Is this still a question? Honestly... isn't it blatantly obvious who is better? I swear my eyes say one thing and the numbers according to any advanced interpretations say the same thing and it isn't close.
Don't the numbers even according to the simplest interpretation say the same thing as well?
I always find fords chat one of the worst nba ones - even worse than steins where people actuall argue his arbitrary ratings
Personally, I enjoy Thorpe's sessions. Especially when he talks about how awesome all the players he's coached are. They can do no wrong.
LOL! So true. Thorpe's a fraud.
No way that's the real Korver.
If it isn't, the guy is the lamest impersonator ever.
Looks like there's a report that Korver is a fake.
So maybe he really wants to come back to Philly this summer.
I doubt that's Kyle.
Isn't he a god in Utah though?
I'm sure he is. He'd be even more loved in Boston.
Going off topic... haven't the Sixers struggled big time against minny the last 2 years. I seem to remember Craig Smith destroying Philly like 3 times.
They're 1-4 against Minny over the past three seasons. I remember Smith and McCants torching them a couple of times.
Brian, it happens few times that I disagree with you so I'll gladly say it.
I'm fine with DM not playing a single minute in a blowout W like the one in Sacto, it was better to give Rush a run.
And I don't know whom he would have taken minutes from at Portland, every Sixer played his butt off, from Reggie (fantastic) to Theo, Thad was great at the four. It wasn't the game for him I think, nothing to complain about, when all of the ten players used did contribute, and you correctly pointed out in the previous post.
I am with DiLeo this time, and I'd bet DM will play around 10-14 minutes vs Minnesota, coach will use his bench more after that exhausting trip, the OT, and in the second night of a back-to-back.
Maybe Rush will be put in as well