That's why they play the games...We can only hope someone has a reason to utter that phrase after tonight's matchup at the Wach. The Spurs are rolling, can Doug Collins coach his guys up to the point where they can knock off a giant? Matchups and game thread to follow.
Lineups
- PG: Jrue Holiday vs. Tony Parker
- SG: Jodie Meeks vs. Manu Ginobili
- SF: Andre Iguodala vs. Richard Jefferson
- PF: Elton Brand vs. DeJaun Blair
- C: Spencer Hawes vs. Tim Duncan
The tip is at 7pm, this is your game thread. I'll be right here throughout, hopefully being pleasantly surprised. Join me if you liked the movie Rudy.
Video: Collins pregame on what the Sixers must do to increase chances of beating NBA-leading Spurs:
http://ow.ly/3V0mP
Forgot to mention earlier -- Turner said his back is fine and he's ready to go tonight.
Phew, just made it back from walking the dog in time for another creepy NBA commercial prior to the tip.
I figured you'd enjoy the Curry one. Though the ending is really creepy - "one day me and my dad will be watching YOU."
I'm looking to see what Meeks does tonight... he's been a lot more solid the past 2-3 games
Alrighty, here we go.
Turner is available tonight.
Hawes loses the tip.
Meeks on Manu to start, don't like that one bit.
Jrue cans the jumper on the opening play. Good start (the make, not the shot.
They switched the AI/Meeks Manu/Jefferson matchup on the second possession.
Switched it back again. Don't get this.
Jrue is 2/2.
3/3 for Jrue. all long twos, but I guess I'll take it.
Glad they didn't give Manu that BS call.
Hawes throws up the sissy hook with a 6-inch advantage on his man. Makes it, though, and one.
nicely done
Big play by Meeks there, and really nice give up by Iguodala to the better shooter when he had a wide-open three himself. Good basketball.
Every times Hawes takes a 3 - a kitten dies
Ah, now we know the real cause of Sudden Kitten Death Syndrome.
Sixers look good at the start. If they can keep up the strong outside shooting, should negate the spurs interior advantage.
Dear Tim Duncan
You're a Center
Reality
Actually, he's the best power forward of all time.
Wilt would've been the best PF of all time if he insisted on people calling him a PF.
When you're starting 'center' is 6'7 and the 'pf' takes the jump - the pf is the center
It really is an idiotic thing that Duncan refuses to be categorized as a center.
I don't know, Chuck Hayes is 6'6 and Scola is bigger, but Hayes really is the center there and Scola really is the power forward.
Blair is 6'5" according to the predraft measurements. He's no center.
Didn't Parker touch that ball?
Can someone explain why Spencer Hawes spends so much time on the perimeter in one of the few games where he can be a serious low post threat?
He wouldn't be a low post threat if I was guarding him.
I'd rather he embarass himself on the low post and maybe draw some fouls on their 'centers' as opposed to taking 3's
Hawes vs. Bonner. We all win.
yeah, Jrue.
Bonner on Elton seems like a mismatch you can exploit
Jrue Holiday
primary scorer
For a second there, I thought he might get yanked for that quick three.
THis is revenge for benching you tonight isn't it?
SG
I originally wrote 'two guard' but changed it :)
Damn, everyone of Dre's shots have been in and out.
Battie unavailable
So SOngaila instead of Speights
Seriously - SOMEONE ask Collins about that please
He liked Songaila's Euro experience against Splitter.
Songaila? What the motherfuck?
he's your back up center now.
Thad doesn't really soot so much as 'throw' the ball does he?
DARIUSSSSSS
Blown bunnies, come on. They don't have a shotblocker in there.
Way to make yourself the ball jrue!
Lou iso. Yippee!
Instead of a Lou iso we give it to the devil without a head of thad young?
Nuts
PHI 27, SAS 22 after one.
Solid first quarter all around. 13 points for Jrue on 6/8 from the floor. Much more of that, please.
And how do you expect lou to get his?
Thad has been a ball of suckitude for three games now. His pregame snack must be eating butter barehanded.
Nothing I want to see more than a 20-foot jumper by Songaila. F me. I want my league pass money back.
At least he got the hook for it.
Nah - he got the hook for two fouls :)
Speights is only in cause D-Song has 2 fouls :)
Lou tried to turn it over once, it bounced back to him. He was successful the second time.
Connie Mack owned the team didn't he?
For the A's? Yeah.
So that longevity thing won't be broken except by Jerry Jones - but he too old - but you know he wants to hire himself
Is she like 6'5"?
She'd be the center if she was on the Spurs.
"think of your girlfriends, one of them will die"
lol. That was awkward to say the least.
Who ? Meredith ? She's tall, pretty much eye level with me. I'm 6'2".
Really?
Never pictured you that tall
Come to Philly some time and I'll show you on the court how much I know about basketball.
Damn it - it hurts when I laugh - this cough won't go away
I'm glad you got the reference. I was worried about somebody taking that statement on face value.
Well I try to get the references, and i've 'known' you long enough online to know you're not that ridiculous :)
I'm really enjoying this thoughtful conversation between Marc and Eric on coaches. Popovich isn't underrated, he's just under the radar. Jerry Sloan and Bobby Cox did a "solid job."
Jesus, Thad.
The heart disease lady was about to say she was very enamored of heart disease.
Turner should've taken a shot there.
Lou - if you aren't shooting why are you on the floor?
Put Jrue Back in
Someone teach speights how to rebound please - is it goes over his head to dejuan blair - that's a benchable offense
Jrue sits just long enough to cool off.
Detroit Pistons retiring Dennis Rodmans jersey - good or bad - discuss
Um, good?
Send his wedding dress to the rafters?
http://s3.thisnext.com/media/230x230/Dennis-Rodman-Wedding-Dress_7338FA65.jpg
Hey Marc, what kind of parent would send their daughter to camp to be tutored in dancing by the Sixers Dance Team? Brothel owners?
That's 4 - spurts in the penalty the last 6:31 - damn it
Still no Jrue. Hawes comes back in before him.
That may have been the worst display of post defense I've ever seen by Hawes.
Rebound better
thank you
Man EB has 0 points.
Hard to get shots if your team won't give you the ball
Exactly. 7 boards, an assist, a steal. He should be getting more than 3 shots.
Especially when bonner or blair are on him - it's a mismatch they have to exploit
Nice drive and dish by AI9, Meeks for three.
That play was a new wrinkle, Jrue setting a screen for AI9 on the perimeter to spring the dribble drive. Can't remember seeing that before.
Sissy hook drops.
Hawes stands 3 feet away from Duncan throughout his entire drive and shot. It's like he's not even being guarded.
Is this good defense on our part or the Spurs missing shots? Or both? In Jefferson/Duncan/Blair's case they're just missing shots, but I think we are containing Parker and Manu.
Well, in Jefferson's case, they haven't given him a single corner three. Which is huge. Parker hasn't been able to penetrate. Not sure what they've really done to Manu, he hasn't had the ball much, maybe just denial. The missed bunnies are on the Spurs, though.
Jefferson has had open looks though. But yeah, none from the corners.
I saw a while back that Jefferson is garbage from everywhere but the corner. I'll look it up at the half, if I can find it.
They haven't updated it, but you can see last year's numbers here.
Strong first half so far from the starters - the bench though unusually terrible
I miss Thad Young
Don't think jrue has gotten a shot in this quarter, right?
There you go - gets a foul on duncan
Is it jusst my perception or does no one 'foul' elton brand when he shoots - like ever - at least in the refs eyes?
The curse of the earthbound.
That was awful.
whoops--Wrong spot. That was supposed to be about Neal hitting that shot.
Right on cue, Jrue to the line.
Good sub to get Thad in there to defend Bonner, he just needs to stick to him. Brand got sealed by Duncan bad on that play.
DOn't let Jrue get 3 doug
Rodeo Trip, Grammy Trip (lakers and clips), circus trip
All those things sound better than 'ice capades' trip don't they?
When it's Tim Duncan it can't be over the back
I wonder if any of the top 5 selling sixer jerseys this year are currently on the roster?
They don't still make Iverson and Mutombo Sixers jerseys, do they? Or do they?
PHI 46, SAS 46 at the half.
24-minute game now, fellas. Strong effort, especially on the defensive end. Man, I'd love to see them steal this one.
WTF!!!!! Where are the fouls?
Tied at the half - moral victory?
This feel a lot like the last game. The starters play very well, build a lead, and then the bench comes out flat and we end up tied at the half. We should have the advantage when the bench comes in. I gotta put most of the blame on Thad. This is the worst he's played offensively all year.
I've got both teams at 46 points on 48 possessions. Defensive battle so far.
The Spurs got a lot of lay-ups and FT's down the stretch. That does not bode well.
Elbow in the head. Wonder if Turner gets some early burn. I hope to christ it isn't Lou.
Fuck me. It's Lou, go stand in the corner, Jrue.
There we go, EB. Need to get you hot.
Good defensive play by Jrue there giving Duncan the jumper and sticking with Jefferson in the corner.
What the hell just happened on that break?
Ginobli threw an elbow to clear that rebound and they called the foul on lou?
Jesus - the sixers get NOTHING from the refs - even at home
It's really a shame the Sixers can't score to save their lives. The defense has been top-notch (minus the defensive rebounding).
According to zumoff the spurs defense isn't as good as usual this season
7th in the league. He's probably going by PPG, which is probably up because they're playing at a faster pace.
I know ;)
To be fair, when the Spurs won their championships they were second , first, and third in the league in defensive rating.
But were they third in offensive rating?:)
I was just commenting on Zumoff's defensive comment.
This is one of those times where having ownership that cares making some noise about the sixers getting SCREWED by the refs night in and night out and paying a little fine might do some good ala marc cuban
It did Cuban a lot of good in the finals vs. Miami :)
This is three games in the last week where we've gotten no call whatsoever. Unbelievable.
Stop blowing these fucking bunnies! Totally blowing a chance here.
If the refs called the fouls - both exchanges would have been FT's
It's much harder to make baskets if teams allowed to foul you with impunity
Happened again to Songaila just now
You've got to be fucking kidding me. Songaila gets raped and they call the touch foul on the other end.
I'm pretty sure elton fouled duncan on the block that followed - but can't tell for sure.
Seriously - SOMEONE in the organization needs to makes some noise
But if the sixers can't CLEAR THE DAMNED GLASS, it's not going to matter
Come on Jrue. need your offense in the worst way.
Bonner was out of bounds on that offensive board, never reestablished.
Surprised they called that foul.
"on the seesaw."
JRUE!!!!!
Atta boy, Jrue.
Yes Thaddeus you can finish in transition - if you can't do more you won't get 35 mil
You know, this is the type of game where I'd like to see Collins smell blood in the water. You've got a chance to win this game, play Iguodala and Jrue the entire second half. Don't let up.
Get Evan in for defense - cause Lou ain't hitting
Agreed...has he done that at all this year?
Maybe with Iguodala - but i'd bet money jrue hasn't played an entire second half all season
He did once, when Iguodala was out. Can't remember when. I'll check the rotation sheet if I remember.
So much for that. AI9 to the bench.
Lou misses the cutting brand and instead gives it to thad so he can miss another jumper - he looked at brand and just ignored him
Be nice if instead of shooting jumpers and running away, he could help Brand rebound.
That's not Thads game
What a sick play! JH to TY to EB!
That was two pretty passes to find the open brand
Get him his looks
Damn it lou
FUCK YOU LOU.
Note to Jrue: Just take it yourself. Do not pass off to Louverson.
PHI 60, SAS 58 OK, up by two after three. I don't want to see Jrue on the bench when they come out for the fourth. he's been the best player on the floor tonight.
Honestly - go with the starting line up but sub Evan for Meeks
Hawes has been the 'best' big man on the sixers tonight...
The 3rd quarter was 12-10 ZUmoff - the entire thing was sluggish
Maybe it's me - but I don't think the sixers have a chance to win - they're rebounding poorly - this is the spurs -a nd the refs are in the spurs pocket (kidding of course, but come on)
Kobe had 19 in the first
Dunleavy had 14 in the first 5 minutes (and has scored 1 point since). Fernandez had 23 in the first half on 8 shots, perfect shooting. Willie Green's leading the Hornets in scoring.
Yep, Jrue and Iguodala on the bench to start the fourth. Big mistake, Collins.
Lou Evan Thad Meeks Hawes to start the fourth
Doug Determined to lose
Two easy fucking hoops to start the fourth. I'd take a timeout right now.
Fucking Lou with a wild drive
Bonner for three.
Good fucking job, Collins.
Collins should have taken a time out after that bonner 3
Lou to the bench - Iguodala back in - now get jrue and brand back in as soon as you can
They have to pull out one of these fucking games.
You'd think - but I don't think tonight is - tonight feels more like a ginobli 3 with time expiring to give the spurs a 2 point win
Probably not the game they are playing the Spurs.
I hate it when Marc marvels at a player scoring twice his average. In baseball no one gets excited when a .250 hitter goes 2-4. It's an average, not a prediction.
Crowd really uninvolved
They're thinking about how one out of three of their girlfriends is going to die.
Andre - honestly - the way you're shooting tonight - Hawes was a better play right there
There you go, EB. Come on, now.
Iguodala got fucking hammered on that drive. that's atrocious.
Wow. sick play by AI9 to make up for the turnover on the other end.
That shot by Turner didn't even register as a bad shot for me, simply because they aren't getting any good looks against this defense.
I wish Jrue would just take the game over. Turner will probably get yanked for that even though he's playing good D.
Can we please get Jrue some shots here? He's the only one shooting well.
I hate the "Willie Green" 22 foot jumper from Turner.
You know the Spurs starters are shooting 14-49? 28.6%! They're only in the game because of McDyess and Neal's fine role-play.
God damnit, Hawes. Fucking sissy bullshit.
Why is lou back in the game
Why aren't they feeding brand
and finally a foul called on the spurs
Manu had to decapitate him to get it called.
Please give the ball to Jrue. Like every time down the floor, give him the ball and let him create.
FUCK YEAH JRUE!
Damn it hawes - you stink defensively
REBOUND THE FUCKING BALL
Game wouldn't be close if they didn't stink out loud on the defensive glass
COME ON. FINISH THIS SHIT.
Raise your hand if you were certain Manu's shot was going in
*raises hand*
+1 Especially since Dre got killed on that pick.
PS If you don't have the sixers feed - zumoff thought it was going in too :)
No, it looked off-balance to me.
Spurs would win this game if they just went to Duncan against Hawes the rest of the way. Hawes couldn't guard a pine tree.
For the love of Christ, do not put Lou back in the game in this timeout. Keep giving the ball to Jrue. He's getting in the lane and making things happen. Lou is just chucking up wild shots.
Pulling evan for lou was one of those things that make me hate doug
And then he designs a play for Lou from 3? Or was it just Lou being Lou?
Either way, it's on Collins for not recognizing that this is one of those games where lou is useless - they need good defense now more than lou's crappy play
Way to cover tim duncan you idiot
And here we fucking go. Lou iso. Fuck what got you here. Give the ball to Lou.
LET JRUE HANDLE THE FUCKING BALL LOU!
GET
LOU
OUT
OF
THE
GAME
Now that Manu three I thought would drop.
You know, it would just be splendid if Collins drew up a play here instead of using the timeout to say, "Lou iso until the clock gets all the way down. Let's just hope they don't score any more points."
Who wants to bet Lou "initiates" here?
Good - lou is still in
Go fuck yourself Collins. In fact, go fuck Lou instead.
Hey Lou - Elton brand was wide open from his range you twat.
Why was pop so upset on that timeout - anyone know?
that was awful. brand wide open, Lou goes up against 3 giants. i hate you lou, i hate you.
I don't even know that i can hate lou though - that's what lou is - this is on 'supercoach' collins to know what lou is and know the situation - this is horrible coaching down the stretch by collins with lou - win or lose - he's made it closer than it should be by leaving lou in the game I believe
FUCK YOU LOU.
do not get it
and Jrue is hot, makes it even worse.
BRAND WAS OPEN LOU YOU ASSHOLE!
So - is it possible the acoustics in this arena suck? I've never been
Second half scoring: 27 to 25.
I don't think they go for three here. Just a two and set themselves up for a two-for-one, then win it as the clock expires. They know we aren't going to score unless Lou hits an impossible shot.
Good - took out lou
bad - put in jodie?
Takes the ball out of the PGs hands. Awful.
Very surprising offensive mess from the spurs
DPOY!
Come on. Come the fuck on.
Manu with his best Lou impression.
If I had any doubt, it's gone now. He brought Lou back in!
H'es not in now
Man I hope we can hit our free throws.
Come on Jrue. Sink 'em both.
Surprised they called that foul. :)
Jrue says, "CLOSE THIS SHIT!"
I guess Thad is a late-game defensive replacement now. (Why not post him up?)
YES, YES, MOTHERFUCKING YES!
Nailed 'em both. I love Jrue.
Its about 'not playing defense with not fouling'
Way to go e snow
& again! Jrue for 2
That's your biggest win of the year, folks. Jrue is your player of the game, but Brand gets a big nod for his rebounding and Iguodala for his defense. Wow.
PHI 77, SAS 71 FINAL!!
Oh, and this game thread set the record for F bombs.
fuck yeah
That was BALLS
Holy
Moldy
Spicoli
Maybe it's just the snakebitness - but even when it was 4 and under a minute left I didn't feel confident.
Now - enjoy the win - for 10 minutes - and then beat minnesota tomorrow or this means a lot less than it should
Word.
Meredith could post up Jrue with her size AND height advantage.
I think girth is the word you're looking for.
The contrast was kind of shocking when Jrue pulled up his jersey to wipe off his forehead and revealed his, like, 28-inch waist. Meanwhile Meredith is just a tree. A sequoia, to be exact.
No, something in the Amazon would be more apt.
That makes her sound exotic and tropical, which is far from the case.
Defensive sub 4 Lou!!!!!! Good for Jrue, great for the team. Big win. Beat the wolves tomorrow night!!!!!
If you've got league pass - cavs are up 1 with 49.2 to play in the 3rd
Can you really be considered a superstar if you allow your team to lose to the Cavs?
How about this
can you be a superstar if the wiz beat you at home (cause they're not going 0-41 on the road) :)
I suppose this one game will determine whether Blake is a superstar. But yes, he can be. I remember Kobe and Shaq losing to the Ron Mercer Bulls; things happen.
And clearly the refs already think he's a superstar, they just let him take four steps to the basket.
This is unwatchable. The only good thing about LeBron leaving Chicago is that their douchebag announcer now has to make up sayings for Anthony Parker instead of screaming L-Train every two seconds.
I love that announcer, he's like the sportscasting version of Barry White.
And their crowd is more excited for a team that's lost 26 straight than our crowd was for our decent team that just beat the Spurs.
SO if one is superstitious one might think Jrue did well tonight cause I benched him in place of Ramon Sessions and Sasha Vujacic
A really superstitious one might not play him tomorrow either
Interesting that you would play Sessions on the night of Mo Williams's return.
It's a shame most people will look at Iguodala's shooting and think he played horrible tonight. His defense was huge tonight, especially at the end. Manu usually makes people look silly during clutch late game iso's but Iguodala was having none of that.
+1
Lou missed a tone of shots and brought nothing else to the table. Took some stuff off it actually.
*ton
The Spurs had a 56-47 rebounding edge. Surprising. 33% FG% wipes it out.
57 - 46 actually
Wow unbelievable win. Did not see this one coming, and in this manner as well, grinding it out in a game where no one except Jrue was hitting shots consistently.
Great to have Jrue have a real good game. Excellent stuff.
But yea we do have to beat the Timberwolves tomorrow or it will just be a waste.
Only Sixers to get to the foul line were AI9, Hawes, and Jrue.
First caller to WIP after the post-game after praising the team: "Where was AI? He's not big time. Can we trade him?"
Who goes on Iguodala's list, Jefferson (1/8, 3 points) or Manu (2/10, 8 pts, 3 TOV)? He had a lot to do with both of them.
Love played 39 minutes. Beasley didn't play. Anyone know how serious his injury is? Is he expected back tomorrow night?
100-96
This Curry ad is like the NBA meets The Sixth Sense.
Cavs were up by six, now tied...
Now losing. Did you like Baron Davis's Lou impersonation?
Look at the fans on their feet. It must be fun to be a Cavs fan in a masochistic way.
The WFC was rocking at the end tonight, too. You'd have to say these cavs fans have a little something extra to root for.
Heh. Tie game, final possession, they have Blake Griffin. What play do they run? Baron Davis iso. Sick.
That may have been on its way down. Who knew J.J. could play so well though? If this is what he's capable of at his best, he's quite an underachiever.
More like the last 3 plays.
Video: Holiday after scoring seven of final nine points in win over Spurs:
http://ow.ly/3V4mg
Video: Iguodala after Sixers outlast Spurs:
http://ow.ly/3V4tl
Wow, that was an intense game. I thought Jrue played some great defense on Parker, maybe the best I've seen from Jrue all year. Jrue had a great shooting game, but he's not going to hit all those long two's every game. But if he plays defense like that consistently (to go along with Iguodala's defense), this team will take a step up to the next level ...
So tk76, does this game show Jrue can be a pretty good shooting guard? ;-)
Really interesting comment from Iguodala about knowing people's go-to moves -- because when he forced Ginobili's airball, he seemed to know that Ginobili would go behind his back and to his right (instead of shading Ginobili to his left). When Ginobili went up for the shot, Iguodala was already there, and the airball followed.
This game actually mirrored the win in Denver, in that Iguodala couldn't hit a shot but was key to the win with his defense.
Iguodala on Jrue carrying the offensive load "Coach kept drawing up plays for Lou and myself... and I'm just thinking to myself - get the ball to Jrue"
I guess the next step is for him to say that to Collins :)
IN this day and age he just did - next time a reporter talked to Collins maybe they'll ask about his lou obsessions
Anyone watching Phoenix-Utah? I wondered what the reception for Deron was like. Yahoo shared this gem with us a few hours ago. Talk about holding a grudge:
Williams and Sloan had something of a rocky relationship from the get-go – and things have been coming to a head for a while now.
Williams has long been bothered that he started just 47 games during his 2005-06 rookie season while journeyman Keith McLeod received 32 starts and Milt Palacio 18.
Who the hell is Milt Palacio?
This stuff about Williams surprises me, he never struck me as a problem.
I watched the game, they interviewed Karl Malone, it was pretty funny. He was clearly pissed. Whoever was interviewing at one point basically asked him if he would consider joining Tyrone Corbin's coaching staff. Malone either didn't understand the question, or completely ignored it and went off on a tangent about how he's throwing his hat in the ring to take over as head coach, no disrespect to Corbin, of course.
I remember Palacio, he was with Boston and Cleveland, I think. I always found his Italian last name funny given that he was definitely not Italian.