With a win tonight, the Sixers will reach 40 wins on the season, they'll reach 4 games over .500 for the first time since April 5th, 2009, oh, and they'll clinch a playoff spot as well. Standing in their way? Deron Williams, a center with a stripper name and the rest of the New Jersey Nets.
You can never take a team with a superstar lightly, and the Nets certainly qualify as one of those teams. Three things to focus on in this game:
- Keeping Williams under control. He's a beast, he can beat you in every way imaginable, he's got a physical advantage on Jrue, he sees the floor unbelievably well. Hopefully, Collins will come up with a game plan that limits the damage Williams can do (a good start would be to make sure Lou is never guarding him).
- Keep track of Anthony Morrow. He's capable of hitting a ton of threes, and if you wind up doubling Williams to get the ball out of his hands, I'd prefer if the double didn't come from Morrow's man. He's deadly from out there.
- Keep Kris Humphries off the offensive glass.
That's pretty much it. Encourage Brook Lopez to take 20-footers, which he seems happy to do. You don't want him operating on the blocks, and I think you'd probably have to invite him to do so at this point. On the glass, well, it may be wise to put two bodies on Humphries because Lopez is pretty much the worst rebounding center in the league. Consider this, Lopez grabs 12.3% of available defensive rebounds. Andre Iguodala grabs 15.4%. Al Horford grabs 12.4%...of available
offensive rebounds. Hell, Andrea Bargnani is a better defensive rebounder than Lopez. That's just pitiful.
The Nets have lost four straight, and prior to scoring 116 points against the Knicks on Wednesday night, they hadn't cracked 90 in their last three (what does that tell you about the Knicks' defense?). They're a bad team, but as I said above, you always have a shot when you have a superstar.
No excuses. Get the job done tonight, secure your berth in the post season, then keep going from there. No more letdowns.
Prediction: PHI 103, NJN 85
The tip is at 7pm. Game thread will land 90 minutes prior.
Also, listen to the replay of last night's SixersBeat episode
right here if you're looking for a way to kill an hour on this glorious Friday.
With the game on the line I would like to see the ball in Jrue's hands for now on.
Although I do have to admit to being thrilled with Iguodala's play this season. I just don't want the dude handling the rock every damn time with the game on the line.
Jrue makes the all star team next season?
I seriously doubt Jrue makes the AS game next season. Maybe his numbers get close enough to where we can make the argument, but it's going to take some time and dramatically improved play to make it over Rose, Deron Williams and Rondo.
and an elite record. If he's on ESPN highlights then you magically become an all-star. ESPN won't talk about the sixers right now.
Except that they do talk about the sixers on their web site, quite a bit. Fan paranoia taken to the extreme.
Hell they even got an article about themselves on the 'heat index' recently. ESPNS most favorite heavily trafficked portion of their web site.
As general rule of thumb i'd like Jrue to close as well, but based on how bad their wings are I would be ok with Iggy taking the final shot today.
Story: Iguodala plays through the pain:
http://ow.ly/4r6MA
Win would 'Net' Sixers a playoff berth:
http://ow.ly/4raMZ
Its pathetic that Lopez's rebounding rate is less than Young's. Its even more disturbing when you look at his career trend:
21
17.5
12.4
Def Reb/36 min
6.3
5.2
3.7
Physically the guy can grab rebounds. To fall off to that degree at an age when he should be improving is inexcusable.
Bargnani dominates him on the defensive glass.
Look at this comparison:
All centers in NBA history who played regular minutes (25/g) and had a defensive rebounding rate under 13 per game.
http://bkref.com/tiny/TaDn4
I was running those comps last night, except I did it for centers who have played 2,500 minutes in a season. When you go all the way up to 15% DRB, only one other player shows up.
If you open it up to non-centers, here is the list for guys 6'11 or taller:
http://bkref.com/tiny/74K5w
I hope you realize we've pretty much guaranteed Lopez will grab 20 boards tonight. I just hope the Sixers can withstand it.
I needed rebounds this weekend so added Drew Gooden to my H2H team for the express reason of getting boards against the sixers
That's not fair. Kareem was a very good defensive rebounder who was a shell of his former self.
Yeah, he really fell off after 15 years in the league... he was a 30/15 guy in part of his prime.
Of course Rodman at the same age 937) had a dReb% of 24% and averaged 11 reb/game in limited minutes.
Should read (37)
When 937 years YOU reach, rebound as well YOU will not.
"And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years"
-Gen 5:25
...I believe that may be a first for me. Citing scripture on a blog.
Let me complete things:
"And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died."
Gen 5:26-7
And his dReb% dropped off precipitously after he begot Lamech.
-BR 4:1
lol. good one.
James "Buddha" Edwards dominates that list, a blast from the past. He was an important player on the 89-90 Pistons team, though (low post scorer off the bench). That team didn't need rebounding because Rodman and Laimbeer were around.
from nets beat writer,
Starting Nets' frontline tonight: Travis Outlaw, Johan Petro and Brook Lopez. ..... This is not an April's fools' joke
Hahah "center with a stripper name". That's up there with "a certain chowder loving franchise"...good hatin'.
http://www.chicotown.com/pics/silky_johnson-chappelle.jpg
hate hate hate
Alright, I'm off to Philly. I'll be on press row tonight (probably still in the game thread from there), the game thread will be up at 5:30. Enjoy the rest of your Friday.
wow, you going to get to get access to press conference?
Tom and I will be giving him the proper initiation hazing.
Derek, just remind Brian that Collins is sort of like the Incredible Hulk.. you wont like him when he gets angry :)
Phils win in walk off fashion over Astros.
Why is this relevant to the Sixers?
It's such a tragedy that the little attention they have acquired will now be diluted or partially effaced by the Phillies.
Keep showing ya luv.
Not only will the Sixers-Nets see nary a mention on ESPN... they may not get 3 minutes on Philly Comcast Sportsnet. Especially if Andy Reid passes gas or gets sighted in spandex.
if Andy Reid...gets sighted in spandex.>
Only if they want to blind people
I don't believe it ever happened: http://www.gambling911.com/Andy-Reid-Spandex.html
lol...stripper name. That's the same way I felt about Stacey Andrews
I'm not going to criticize for the name his parents gave him... I've seen a lot worse.
I'd expect nothing less from a guy named TK.
Pilot Inspektor (sic)
or
Kal-El
Still two of the best names crazy celebrities ever abused their children with