I'm going to let you guys in on a little secret, Miami is not really a very good team. You'd never know it from the media attention they get, but statistically speaking, they really aren't better than the Sixers. In fact, the teams are pretty even. Miami holds a two-game lead over the Sixers in the loss column, today the Sixers have to cut that to 1.
It's pretty simple, as it usually is with the Sixers. Keep the three-point disadvantage to a minimum. Keep them off the offensive glass and you will win. Fail to do those two things, and you probably won't. The good news is that Miami is weak in both of those areas.
The even better news is that Miami is playing the ass end of a back-to-back and yesterday afternoon they played a triple-overtime game against Utah. Check out the minutes their key players logged:
- Wade: 52
- Chalmers: 53
- O'Neal: 48
- Haslem: 52
It will be criminal if the Sixers don't pressure the ball in the backcourt all night. It will be criminal if they don't push the ball every single time down the floor. I'm talking about running on makes, running on misses, running on dead balls. You name it. The Sixers have an athletic advantage on this team when they're equally rested. After playing heavy minutes like that yesterday, it shouldn't even be close.
This game represents the chance to the Sixers to not only narrow the gap between themselves and the #5 seed, but it's a chance to avoid dropping right back to .500 one game after climbing above. It's a chance to secure some momentum heading into a five-game road trip and most importantly, it's a chance to prove to themselves that they belong in the playoffs. They need to start beating playoff teams, and they need to absolutely make sure they can take care of their homecourt.
The tip is at 1pm. I'll be right here, so join me for the in-game discussion.
I just have a bad feeling - Sunday afternoon games make me twitchy
Not for nothing - but why are the raptors wearing warm up shirts with green lettering and 3 leaf clovers this morning?
Do they think that will make them celtic like?
There's a huge Irish contingent in Toronto, apparently.
And they think St Patricks day is today?
I mean it is Canada, but they teach the normal calendar there right?:)
Maybe it's Bastille Day.
That's in july - and french :)
You sure it was a clover and not a maple leaf?
Yes - i'm sure
it was green
and they even made reference to 'luck of the irish'
Seems kind of silly if you ain't chicago or boston to do a st patricks day thing :)
I can't believe they're showing the Toronto broadcast on league pass. I didn't know they even had local TV for the Raptors.
Why, do have any idea what the Irish population of Toronto is? It's a home game, close to st. Paddy's day. *shrugs*
I'm beginning to get the idea you guys think Toronto is some kind of cute small town or something. Heh.
Anyway, back to Speightsville!
Wasn't really commenting on the size of toronto, more the fact that american sports don't get a lot of support up there. I remember the Expos only had french radio broadcasts their final couple of seasons up there. No local TV, no english radio.
Their attendance is actually pretty good, considering. 16th in the league.
Wow, not sure where you got that from. Do you have some Canadian cousins telling you that or something? Other than hockey, it's all American sports, innit (well, depending on how you view the Naismith-Canada connection)?
Anyway, the 'spos, if that's the example, had a pretty good run from '69-2004. I'd say that's pretty good support. Lots of American mlb teams moved/folded in that time. Montreal's cultural roilings are kinda unique in any case.
But you shouldn't be surprised that a city of 3M, with a long-standing major league baseball team of its own actually has enough "support" to warrant local coverage of its local NBA basketball team as well. For shame, Bri.
There's a huge contingent of everything in Toronto.
You're kidding, right? You do know metropolitan Toronto is quite a bit larger than metro Philly, right? It ain't no Oklahoma City.
Anyone catch any of the Big East tourney?
Flynn has a ton of heart, but I want no part of him for the Sixers.
I saw some of the connecticut over time game - not a lot though - just during commercials - was fascinated that it kept going. Then to go OT again the next night - i wonder - did all those wins help their seeding at all or just exhaust them?
I don't watch a lot of college ball - and the only guy who has really caught any of my interest yet is the guy I mentioned earlier, Woodside, from ND State as a second round pick.
I am wary of stephen curry - i'm just saying
I don't think he falls lower than the Knicks. If he does, I'd love to have him. We'll talk more about it as the draft nears.
I don't watch much college hoops either, but caught most of that Syracuse/Uconn game, and all 6 overtimes. Wanted to see Flynn.
You know me - i like point guards who put up good assist numbers and are natural at it.
There's some good point guards (by numbers) who might be available around the time the sixers pick.
Personally though - I maintain the BPA draft theory.
I'm thinking BSA philosophy this season. (best shooter available.)
Come on B, curious why you feel that way and give me more than 3 pt percentage.
Can't shoot is enough for me at this point.
Here we go. Same old, same old lineup. Wade looks tired to me.
Wade looks like a guy playing like Kobe did after Shaq left LA - trying to do everything - and putting up big numbers - but not so much team success as there should have been?
The sixers look sloppy early too
B.S. whistle on Iguodala. Sammy playing great D early.
I think it was a make up
Seemed to be a little basket interference on the Iguodala break - that ball seemed to be on the rim.
Why is it NO sixers can finish in traffic? It's kind of sad
O'Neal is really sucking wind out there, and Sammy is in his jock every time he touches the ball. Get out and run, please.
Anyone else seeing this Dhani Jones ad that's running at the top of the page? Glad to see he's finally found something to do other than miss tackles.
Nope - was a little bothered to see a diantics ad the other day but I"m guessing you have no control over that right?
So - this seems to be a pretty uptempo game - that's good for the sixers right?
Has to be.
Yeah, no control, those are google ads.
One thing I'll have to think about on my sites once they starting getting serious traffic - advertisers and whether I want control or not.
Ok - so the sixers are now 28th out of 30 in FT shooting?
Seriously - that's atrocious
You can block ads through google, you can also set it so you have to OK ads. I don't have the time to do either unless there's something really bad showing up.
Hmm...interseting - obviously I'm not there yet - but if i get bananaseeds launched i might do it
How does one do a blog where one has a variety of interests - do i do one blog or multiple blos on the various topics?
Depends if the interests are related, etc.
That's what i was thinking
sadly not
I got an idea - i got this great book for my birthday - the flavor bible - and i'm trying to learn to be a better cook (if you want to cook - the flavor bible is just vital - could be one of the best presents I ever got) - that's where pineappleseeds came from (i wanted banana but sadly there is someone squatting on that) - so i would blog about my cooking experiments
Then of course i'd have a tv/movie blog
and a sports interest blog
and possibly a learning to be a better geek blog
stupid ADHD :)
6 dimes for Miller already.
BS foul on Sammy there.
Solid first quarter. 29-22, Thad looking aggressive on offense, 4/7 for 10 points and 3 boards.
Heat 3/5 from the 3 point line already - sixers bad on the line already - and god awful on the boards.
Not god awful on the boards - sorry read the box score wrong.
Miami has 1 offensive rebound. Agree on the rest.
Yeah - i scanned wrong and saw '6' as their offensive boards, not total :)
Zone is giving the Sixers problems, need to get the ball to Speights at the foul line.
This is where we see the big problem with the sixers.
They suck in the half court
Put Speights in the post please - let him assert his offensive skill.
That was a sick pass by Miller to Speights. Magloire has no prayer of keeping up w/ him, keep going to that.
They do seem to avoid going to Speights when he has the advantage don't they?
Looked to me like the sets were the problem, Speights spent the whole time out by the three-point line.
5 for 7 from the 3 point line
Stop taking jumpers Lou.
Do that again please Brian
:)
Why is Lou initiating the offense when Miller is on the floor?
No idea.
Lou Williams: 3FG 1/4, STOP THAT MAN!!!
The make was a good shot, the rest have been garbage. Just get him out of there.
Green came in for L-Will. hweew.
Sammy caused that shot clock violation, great job.
That's two times in two games that DiLeo has yanked Lou because of bad play. He wouldn't have done that earlier in the season.
bad second quarter, but a decent ending once Lou got yanked. Outscored 21-17, but leading 46-43 at the half.
I don't like the fact that Miami dictated the pace there. Need to push the ball and make Miami exert a ton of energy.
sixers can only lead when both andres are on the floor? i don't like that. we need a good 2nd pg.
i'm not even sure if we need a good 2nd PG, maybe just a second PG period would be enough.
true...Ivey would've fit the bill if he isn't so offensively challenged.
WIP play-by-play guy (what's his name? love his voice) said all 3 of Sammy D's fouls were 50/50 call. True?
The first was a really bad call. the last two probably could've gone either way.
Pitiful start to the third. The Sixers look dead out there. 12-4 run for Miami.
Bad start to third quarter (down five). Bench wasn't good in second period, but may have to pick things up.
the Heat played 3 OTs yesterday and flew over for an afternoon game. Why are we not winning? Grr.
Man if Willie could just knock down half of those wide open jumpers...
I'd settle for 30% today.
Big moment here. Miller, Iggy, Thad, Speights, Theo. Miami countered by going small at the 4 w/ Beasley. let's see what happens.
Heh, they fouled us on a three? That's hilarious.
So i run down to the office to print some stuff out for my exams - i get back and the sixers are down 8 - wonderful
There we go Thad.
That's what I'm talking about. Go Speights!
So after the 'sixer paced' first quarter it seems the second and third has been more heat paced?
yup. i'm not happy about that
Donyell Marhsall is not dead it seems
About time..Donyell can bust that zone up.
What the hell is wrong with Lou Williams - this is just ridiculous
Lou, Willie, and Royal...just toss them in a hat and pick one.
I'd still rather go with need of them and see Speights and Dalembert or Speights and Ratliff
Lou is 1/6 from the field with 4 turnovers and 0 assists. Get him the hell out of there.
If Lou misses either of these free throws...
Nice!
Please keep Marshall in there and put Miller in for Lou.
D-Marsh finally tied the game. God, my heart missed a beat there.
Dileo...did you see that? The guy can hit three's and doesn't kill you on defense with the principles on D that we employ.
And this my young friend (wherever you are) is why you don't dump sam dalembert for a 2nd round pick
:)
Hey- as long as he plays within himself - I usually don't have a problem - it's when he starts wanting to be an offensive threat.
Now see Lou - REMEMBER THAT
Nice, Sammy. Nice.
DalemBEAST!!!
GET LOU OUT
Great position by Donyell, forces Haslem into a loose ball foul.
And on the open lane and layup by Lou, Donyell helped to create that by staying wide at the 3 point line and the help defender wouldn't commit fully to Lou b/c of the threat of Marshall out there.
I think the use of Donyell Marshall (or lack thereof) is one of DiLeos biggest failures as a coach this year
WIP: "the Marshall Plan working this afternoon!!"
See, this has me more pissed than anything. How many friggin games did they need this and they just left him on the bench to rot?
Did DiLeo read my post from this past week on here...I knew he was lurking.
Man, 20 shots for DWade is an "easy" night.
Reggie Evans: 2 minutes played.
Donyell!!!!
BS calls, man. Wade hacked Iggy on that play by the sideline.
(tennessee/miss st. game on cbs is insane)
Sammy with the HUGE o-boards.
Don't you think we can sacrifice Ivey's defense for that kind of offense from Marshall? I sure do.
There are plenty of things we can sacrifice for that kind of offense. I'd start with Lou at this point.
Donyell Marshall just made his 1st FT of the year, which is also his 10th point this afternoon. oh, man.
Alright. Miami clearly ran out of gas, but I'd like to think Donyell's threes deflated them more than anything.
Big win. Now we need Memphis to hold on to a 3-point lead w/ 20 seconds to go in Detroit.
Memphis beat Detroit 89-84, behind Milicic's double-double. Who would've thought?
Alright, all alone in 6th, one game in the loss column behind Miami for 5th.
Go back and read your last paragraph from 'The Precipice' post and the first comment and look at what the adjustments did for the team today.
Good call.
Iguodala played 44 minutes today. I am seriously concerned.
haha i came in here to say exactly what brian said earlier, that this pissed me off more than anything because they could have used a 3pt shooter on the floor all season. their spacing is SO MUCH BETTER with just 1 guy like that on the floor. it allows their slashers wide open lanes to the basket. this team would be so nasty with 2 more guys who could shoot that it's almost depressing.