 First Round Matchups: The Small Forwards Part three of the playoff matchup series features Andre Iguodala vs. Hedo Turkoglu. Game on the line, these are the guys who will have the ball in their hands. I'll break it down for you after the jump.
The NBA's most-improved player from 2007-2008 took a step back this season. Did he step far enough back to be passed by the Sixers rising star? Maybe Iguodala was already ahead of him. The Stats
 My Take If you asked the layman to compare Andre Iguodala and Hedo Turkuglu, they'd probably tell you that Hedo is the better offensive player, Iguodala a better athlete and defender. They'd be half right. Fact of the matter is, Iguodala pretty much dominated Hedo in every area of the game this season, statistically. Hedo held a decent advantage in three-point percentage, but he was still below league average. He was a better free throw shooter. But Iguodala shot 6 percent better from the floor, his true shooting and eFG numbers were better. His points per shot better. They were even in assists, but Iguodala's assist-to-turnover ratio was better. On the floor, Hedo has deceptive quickness. I think he lulls a lot of defenders to sleep with his big, doofy Euro look. Iguodala has fallen for it before, so don't count on Iggy's enormous athletic advantage to translate into a complete lockdown of Turkoglu. Truth be told, he's probably going to do more damage from deep against the Sixers than driving the ball. He shot an ungodly 45% from beyond in their three meetings this season. I expect Turkuglu to lead the team in scoring at least once in the series, hopefully, he's going to have to work for it, though. The Turk suffered a sprained ankle toward the end of the season and missed the team's final two games. If he's even a little gimpy, you can throw everything I said above out the window. Without his deceptive quickness, he's only a threat as a spot-up shooter, and he hasn't been particularly effective shooting the ball this season. When the Sixers have the ball, this is an enormous mismatch. Even 100% healthy, Turkuglu cannot stay in front of Iguodala. I'm expecting one of two things to happen, either the Magic will employ the same swarm defense the Pistons did last year. Basically, they'll try to make someone other than Iguodala beat them. Or Iguodala is going to have a monster series. He can't settle for the jumper with Hedo on him, he has to force the issue and more importantly, when Dwight Howard comes to help, Iguodala needs to make smart interior passes to the bigs for easy finishes. Don't get cute with bounce passes, get the ball to the rim so Sam can go up and get it. Iguodala shot the ball poorly against Orlando this season, but had solid all-around games in all three losses. Advantage Sixers: I'm sure plenty of people can make an argument for Hedo in this matchup, mainly because he shoots the three better. That's short-sighted. Iguodala is a much, much better all around player and as far as I'm concerned this is the second clear advantage for the Sixers, one they need to take advantage of at every opportunity. Iguodala is going to need to either score efficiently or really take advantage of gambles Stan Van Gundy is taking to slow him down for the Sixers to win. Vote below, thoughts in the comments, as usual. Check out the other matchup previews here. 
Latest Posts• Twelve is Looming • More Distractions • Moving Day • There Is a Precedent • First-Person Report: Sixers vs. Pistons • At Least It Wasn't the Threes • Our Weakness is Weaker Than Yours • Thriving At the Two? • Eddie Jordan Confidence Meter (1/4 Seaso • The Day After • Sixers All Over NBA.com Video • First-Person Report: Sixers vs. NuggetsSearchBlogs in The NetworkSixers BlogsPassion and Pride Sixers 4 Guidos Liberty Ballers Recliner GM PhillyArena Heard In The Cheap SeatsSilver Dollar Slots | ||||||||||||||||
Man you really can get me pumped for this series. I love how everybody thinks we have no chance at all. Everything I read is 4-0 or 4-1 Magic. I just love it. We have nothing to lose. And we're at the best if that's the case.
I too think that Igudoala has to dominate Hedo in order to have a chance to beat the magic. He can't have another bad serie like last year. Still we forced the Pistons to 6 games and that's something that makes me feel comfortable for this series. If Iguodala finally steps on the next level we have a real good chance to beat the Magic. Even 4 times.
For some reason I am more optimistic at the start of the series than I was last season and I figure it's because last season this team was too young and raw with little playoff season and faced up with a veteran Detroit team that was much stronger. As good as Orlando have been this season, they need to show they can do it in the playoffs. They were disappointing last season against the Pistons and I'm not sold that both Turkoglu and Lewis are close to 100%. If we can jump on them by winning one of the first two games, especially Game 1, we could have a small chance of an upset.
Thinking back to the last Bobcats game, Iguodala just couldn't seem to stay in front of Gerald Wallace. He MUST cut off Hedo's dribble drives on those high pick-and-rolls. He is the one defender that possesses enough lateral movement to limit his guy from getting in the paint.
Our guards will obviously struggle with dribble penetration, therefore Iguodala has to minimize the rate of occurence of his guy getting in the lane and breaking down the defense.
I think we're all giving Rafer Alston a little too much credit here. He is not Derrick Rose, he is not Rajon Rondo, he isn't even Raymond Felton. He's a middling point, with a below-average jumper and limited finishing skills. Of all the playoff teams, I think Orlando is probably the worst-equipped to burn us with dribble penetration.
Maybe not dribble penetration in a one-on-one situation but the penetration will occur from Rafer off of those high ball screens b/c Sam doesn't trap or cover well when the guard comes off the screen and he doesn't get back to his man rolling to the hoop well either.
Go under the screens. I'm fine with Alston shooting jumpers.
Agree, but when Hedo is the one coming off the ball screen it is more of a pick your poison thing. It's a shaky proposition to go under the screen on him and if you try to fight over, that deceptive quickness that you speak of comes into play and he's in the lane before you know it. And once he gets there he makes you pay more often than not, either with that floater bank shot or the kick-out for the three.
I don't have a problem with a double if it's Hedo, the defense is going to scramble, but at least you're doubling a weapon instead of doubling the worst player on the court.
But if they don't double Hedo, do you prefer for them to go over/under the screen? My preference would be over.
Yeah, if you double you have to go over and the big has to be really aggressive in closing out on him so he doesn't have a lane to hit the big diving down the lane.
If it isn't howard setting the screen, if it's Lewis, then you just switch. One advantage of having interchangeable three and four guys.
I have a feeling Iguodala's inconsistency from the line is going to cost us a game or two, but IMO this is the biggest mismatch, moreso than Miller/Alston.