Under seven hours until the tip. If you have a firm grasp on what Doug Collins plans to do with his substitutions in tonight's game, you're a better man than I. Still, we've studied the preseason, we're familiar with the roster so let's see if we can't make an educated guess to pass the time. Just like last season, my recap will include the
rotation chart, you'll also be able to find it on the game 1 page, which will be accessible through the
schedule page and I'll post a link when it's up.
Here goes, I'll list them in the order I believe they will enter the game:
- Jrue Holiday - 40 minutes
- Andre Iguodala - 36 minutes
- Jason Kapono - 18 minutes
- Elton Brand - 25 minutes
- Spencer Hawes - 16 minutes
- Lou Williams -
25 30 minutes
- Thad Young - 15 minutes
- Evan Turner - 20 minutes
- Andres Nocioni - 20 minutes
- Marreese Speights - 12 minutes
- Tony Battie - 8 minutes
Jodie Meeks - 5 minutes
I tried to account for extended garbage time, but I think Collins will stick with his regulars longer in a blowout in game one than he will later in the season. By the way, Nocioni and Kapono are stealing minutes from the young guys at an alarming rate. Very disappointing.
Thoughts and your predictions in the comments. Game thread will be up some time after five.
Changes made due to Meeks probably being inactive.
Hawes has done nothing to play even a second more than Speights. Unfortunately I think you are right about on.
Even, with a rebuilding team, playing 12 guys is way too much.
Doesn't NBATV usually do like a free week at the beginning of the season? does anybody know if this is happening this year?
Yes and Yes, i watched the blazers/phoenix on league pass last night (Man the suns just look boring)
Yeah I didn't like their offseason. Blazers looked athletic at times though, loved when they played Matthews, Roy, and Batum together.
I purely watched from the fantasy angle. I drafted Batum based on some off season writings about him but really didn't see what he had. He nad a nice game, but the suns had Nash guarding him :)
Many of the teams last night went 10 deep. I think early in the season you see deeper rotations cause guys aren't in full game shape yet. Combine that with not knowing what you have yet, playing 12 isn't out of the realm of possibility to me.
Hawes is a better passer than Speights, that's kind of a historical fact (PS did you see some of the passes brad miller made last night?)
Things to watch beyond the scoreboard:
1. Jrue v. Wade. Last year Wade physically overpowered Jrue. To what extent has Jrue's increased strength helped him against guys like Wade and JJ? My guess is that Jrue still needs another year or two in the weight room until he can man up against this type of player.
2. Iguodala's approach on offense. Will he consciously cut back on long jumpers? Will he let the offense come to him, or will he still be the main initiator? Of course if the offense sputters he may have little choice.
3. Hawes: Is he really that much of a wuss, or could we be selling him short? The Heat are not exactly physical up front.
4. Thad/Speights: Are they improved players this year, or more of the same.
I like all those talking points tk... I also want to see how much more the HEAT utilize Lebron in the post. I think that they are going to have to resort to it more to have an effective offense, and Lebron is going to have a hard time with it for at least the first half of the season.
No better team for them to try it on than us though.
Do you really think they will have to resort to that to have an effective offense?
I think they will be fine if Lebron doesn't get better in the post. If he does, that certainly won't hurt.
3. Hawes: Is he really that much of a wuss, or could we be selling him short? The Heat are not exactly physical up front.
Yes
I vote wuss.
NBA Draft in New Jersey
Penalizing the Knicks or just desperate to keep the Nets in Jerssey for reasons passing understanding?
Brian, I have a feeling Meeks won't be activated. Would guess it's Meeks and Brackins, though it could be Songaila and Brackins.
Hmmn, never crossed my mind that Meeks would be in a suit. Makes sense to keep Songaila and Nocioni in uniform and bury those guys.
Take Jodie's five minutes and give them to Lou in my predictions.
Is Meeks actually injured, or did he just have a disappointing camp?
Nocioni casualty, I believe.
Collins said he doesn't plan to substitute entire groups, which he was considering during the preseason.
If Iguodala is healthy, would guess he'll be at 40 minutes and Jrue at 36.
As long as they're both above 36 I'm happy. Not really happy about Turner, though. Guess time will tell.
The Miami Heat just played the worst half of professional basketball in the history of the league, and they nearly won. Against the Eastern Conference champions.
....
FINAL PREDICTION:
Miami 204, Philadelphia 42
You are actually more irritating than the person who you used to select your screen name.
Hell you're more irritating than Sharpton
It's basketball. No reason to get excited, the thief he kindly spoke.
I'm not excited, I'm just mildly irritated that you pollute this blog with your nonsense when there's a perfectly 'respectable' sixers blog that is more concerned with lame attempts at humor than serious conversation
His prediction is not a terribly unreasonable one.
He's like the people who blame Ryan Howard.
Are you sure you're not a computerized parody of sabermetric blog commenters? Like, every 8 posts you have to break out a random tribute to Bobby Abreu, on a Sixers blog? All he said was we'd get blown out by 160 points - how is he "like" people who blame Ryan Howard? Who, by the way, though he did have one of the better offensive series on the team, is still a home run hitter and is supposed to occasionally hit for power. Just as one can reasonably blame LeBron for the loss to the Celtics last year, in spite of his having by far the best series on the team, putting up great stats, etc., Howard was certainly A causal factor in their losing that series.
In their four losses to the Celts, the King compiled the following stats:
25/68 from the floor (36.7%)
2/17 from three (11.7%)
29 assists
24 turnovers
a 1.2 assist/turnover ratio
I'd say it's more than fair to blame him for losing that series.
In terms of hyperbolic predictions.. let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.
If Speights gets into video game mode where he's knocking down everything, he could see closer to 18-20 mpg. If he's cold and just killing us defensively then 12 minutes sounds about right.
It'll be interesting to see who gets more minutes between Thad and Nocioni.
Collins has implied in the past that defense is what's going to keep a guy on the floor, regardless of his offensive out put. He's said it mainly when talking about Lou, but I would think it applies to speights (and thad and meeks, etc...) as well
It applies to everyone but Kapono and Turner.
It should be noted that the appearance of effort on the defensive end will also be rewarded. (e.g. Nocioni, Battie)
Here's an article for all you DeMarcus Cousin fans.
That's a reach. His numbers in preseason are not a great predictor of the guys career...
The laziness re taking more jumpers and not even looking to establish inside position should be of concern.
If he didn't take jumpers in the beginning of the year, he was too lazy to try to expand his jumper in the offseason. (like Turner)
Hey brian, Whose playing the other 12 minutes at center besides hawes, tony and Mo. Brand i guess?
Yah. They'll go small for a stretch.