Frequent reader
Rob was among about 500 season ticket holders and sponsors to attend the Sixers practice and scrimmage on Saturday night at St. Joe's. Check out his notes and more pictures after the jump.
Here are Rob's notes:
- The practice started off with fast break drills, getting up and down the court. Then they ran some PO offensive sets with 5 guys while the other 5 defended. Jordan directed the offense while Ayers coached the defense from under the basket. Ayers called out defensive rotations while Jordan had the offense swing the ball from side to side.
- They also practiced getting up the floor on offense and initiating offense with dribble handoffs, cutting and movement. This was very refreshing compared to the Cheeks/DiLeo practices I have seen in the past.
- The scrimmage was two, 10-minute quarters. The white team consisted of Lou, Iguodala, Kapono, Brand and Sam, Jrue came off the bench for the white squad. Green, Thad, Jason Smith, Speights and Carney started for the blue team, with Ivey and Brezec as subs.
- The white team won 47-32
- Elton looks fantastic in every way. He looks like he is probably no bigger then 235 lbs, lean and cut. He made some explosive moves in the scrimmage. He looked and played like he did 3 years ago.
- Sam was really hustling, hit a couple of nice little jumpers, was blocking shots and running the floor.
- I was kidding with Kopono about this and we all knew this but when you see it up close it bears repeating, the guy can really shoot. At 6'8 he has a quick release and can seen over most defenders. He was more athletic then I thought he was.
- Carney seems to be a favorite of Jordan's with his hustle, D, and ability to shoot the 3. I forgot because he was gone but as quick as this team is he is the quickest. I believe he will get more minutes then expected off the bench.
- Thad can really handle the ball, especially in transition.
- Willie Green was the Point on the Blue (2nd) team. He was 1 for 7 by my count out there.
- Jrue looked great on both ends.
- Lou looked comfortable in the PO and seems to have worked on his shot some more this summer.
- Jason Smith looked like suffered no ill effects of the knee injury. He hit a couple of 10 foot pull-up jumpers.
- Unfortunately Stromile Swift looked like a man without a country out there as he sat out on the sidelines. He was sort of milling around during the autograph session afterward.
- If a 14th man is going to make this team I would say at this point Singletary would be the guy. He reminds me physically of Jameer but quicker. He can really get up and down the court, seems to have good command for the point and can shoot and play on-the-ball D.
- AI9 has really emerged as a leader of the team. He addressed the crowd at the end and said that he knows how Philly supports their teams and he wants to bring a championship to Philly.
I'd like to thank Rob for sharing his thoughts with us. In my mind, this is another good example of how the Sixers are opening up their franchise to the fans and really showing how much they appreciate their business in this tough economic climate. Ed Stefanski greeted the season ticket holders at the door, you don't see things like that from many professional sports organizations. Here's one more shot of the final score:
Very cool, Rob. Always good to get more perspectives. Especially awesome news about Brand. Things seem to be shaping up nicely, nicely.
Starting to get a lil bit excited.
Good news on Elton, hopefully he is back to full strength; I have been a Carney fan since he was drafted, hopefully he can become our 3rd guard off the bench, picture Iggy at the one and Rodney at the two for short stretches, defensively scary.I still think Kapono gets 15 to 2o minutes a night because with Sam and Elton back there, when he gets beat there will be help. I said last year with our uptempo pace the minutes should be spread out somewhat to keep up the defensive pressure, I would still like to see that.
"with our uptempo pace the minutes should be spread out somewhat to keep up the defensive pressure"
Well said, Suede.
Great report Rob. Agree that any positive news on Brand is worth hearing.
Looking forward to watching the game tonight.
Suede I am with you on Carney, I hated when we gave him away even though it resulted in us getting Elton.
On a team that likes to play real fast, I thought that it really hurt us last year to be without our fastest player. Now when Iggy or Thad go to the bench we can replace them with another skywaker.
Plus Carney was really starting to play well for us at the end of the 07 season. I just wish that we could have signed him for 2 years. I hope that he doesn't leave after this season.
Yeah, me too. As I said to Brian maybe I am looking at this team through "Sixers red colored glasses" but they are under the radar this year and expectations are low which gives me a feeling that this team will over achieve. The talent level I think is better then it has been in the past 5 or 6 years or so and I think they have the right coach for this team. Jordan's comments were the players wanted to run the PO even when he put traditional NBA sets it. And of course even John Hollinger called Jordan an "offensive" coast when he is preaching defense first. I don't put too much stock in what the pundits say. 2 years ago Hollinger picked the Sixers to win 21 games and they won 40.
Who's brave/foolish enough to try some predictions? C'mon and put your personal "expertise" to the test! Ok, it's just wild guessin, but it's fun.
I'll start:
Rob,
Thank you for taking the time to share the event with us. I agree that we should do better than the pundits believe, how much better, I have no idea! But it should be fun.
I am a low end Season Ticket holder this year and hope I feel compelled to go to every game this year. The schedule so far is perfect in that I should be able to make every game!
Hi Brian,
I know i asked this yesterday, but any way to watch the game tonight?
The p2p links didn't seem to have it.
I'm pumped for some game action. Thanks for your help.
CSTH
From what I can find the game will be streamed, but links won't be posted until a few hrs before the game to help keep the lawyers at bay.
tk76,
thanks for the heads up. If you find it, please post the link. Appreciate it!
CSTH
I just go to the 1st site listed when you search "NBA P2P" on yahoo. It has a good forum that gives the most up to date links for all sports.
Anyone had any luck finding this?
(way) off-topic
tried to sign in but got...
Brian I want to give you props for doing a great job in the offseason while most of the other blogs have gone into hibernation. I think your depressed gimmick is ironic though, because from reading all of your work you come off as very optomistic.
From the man who originally penned Willie Greene the salary albatross, The Greek
been searching for a link, anyone else find one yet? someone said justin tv might have it but nothing up yet
Haven't found it yet, if anyone has any luck, please post.
brian- please delete comment as soon as convenient... I don't want myself- or you- to get in any trouble
Thnx Johnny, you've made my first day of preseason
Is it working?- don't see the game...
Thanks johnny. Neither link is working for me yet. Anyone else have any luck?
Huh, still nothing. Won't open.
neither are working for me....damn
well ESPN NBA scoreboard isn't showing that the game has actually started
http://www.justin.tv/admin_me
Not streaming.
this link is a spam feed... just plays a commercial over and over...
hoping one of the above two will actually begin broadcasting... not panicking yet.
the mod keeps saying it will be on this link. don't think it has started yet.
well doesnt look like will be watching i guess
Maybe the game starts at 8?
does anyone know where i could find a good box score, up to date. espn suks
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_ylt=AjK1vO37l7Qlkc9WJSYuzaC8vLYF?gid=2009100620
Lou is tearing it up.
good call TK, seems as if the only good box us yahoos
6:15 PHI - A. Iguodala makes a 23-foot three-pointer from the left corner. Assist: S. Dalembert
6:20 PHI - S. Dalembert offensive rebound
6:21 PHI - A. Iguodala misses a 23-foot three-pointer from the left corner
6:27 PHI - E. Brand steals the ball from J. Calderon
It's almost like being there...
Oh well, I guess at least Friday's game is on TV.
Sammy w/ the assist :)
sammy with a lot of rebounds
From @sixers: First 2 guys off bench for Sixers are J Smith and Willie Green ... Sammy with 4pts and 4rbs; Sixers down 20-19 w/ 4mins left in 1st
R. Evans misses 1st free throw...
but is 4-5! from the line.
Seems like there's a lot of defense being played:
2:03 TOR - R. Nesterovic misses a 16-foot jumper along the left baseline
2:27 PHI - J. Smith makes a 25-foot three-pointer from the top of the arc. Assist: W. Green
2:48 TOR - M. Belinelli makes a 26-foot three-pointer from the top of the arc. Assist: J. Jack
3:03 PHI - W. Green makes a 22-foot jumper from the top of the key. Assist: A. Iguodala
3:26 TOR - J. Jack makes a 23-foot jumper from the left wing. Assist: M. Belinelli
3:48 PHI - J. Smith makes a 19-foot jumper from the top of the key. Assist: A. Iguodala
2 fouls on Sammy, 2 fouls on Brand. Smith & Speights up front, or does he go small w/ Thad at the 4?
Speights & Smith it is.
Did not take Speights long to put up a 20 ft jumper :)
:) 5 assists for Iguodala in the first quarter.
brian you watching?
The play by play on yahoo.
Blue team to start the second quarter:
Ivey, Green, Kapono, Smith, Speights...ouch.
Waiting for a Holiday
3 offensive boards in a row for Nesterovic. This is going to be an issue whenever you have speights and smith up front. Who's going to clean the defensive glass?
8:57 PHI - Shooting foul on J. Smith
9:00 TOR - R. Nesterovic offensive rebound
9:00 TOR - R. Nesterovic misses a layup
9:01 TOR - R. Nesterovic offensive rebound
9:01 TOR - R. Nesterovic misses a layup
9:03 TOR - R. Nesterovic offensive rebound
Back to the weight room for Speights and Smith.
4 shots for Kapono, no threes. Don't like that one bit.
He's filling the box score though.
I read he has the best handle of the offense right now.
yeah but he needs to do what they brought hi here to do, shooy the deep J
Lou is on a tear
all the numbers look good
The second team just absolutely abused the Raptors. 51-38 now.
I guess 2nd half for Holiday's 1st action?
Is Bosh hurt already, that bitch.
Reggie being Reggie out there.
Not sure if I will miss that or not.
Music to my ears:
2:52 PHI - E. Brand makes an 8-foot jump hook shot in the lane
Was going to post the same thing. He should be tearing it up out there.
Big Willie G has 2 assists, that has to be a career high, maybe this offense will work
So the defense was supposed to be ahead of the offense.
Nothing like a banged up (soft) Raptors team to give the offense a boost.
Somone said on Twitter that the Sixers are pressing the shit out of the Raps and they have no answer.
Real good sign for the (Princeton) offense in these numbers:
24 FG's, ,19 assists
65 pts
.585/.571 2pt and 3pt %
65-50 at the half. Lou, 17 points so far, Iguodala 8 points, 7 assists. Brand, 7 points on 3/6 from the floor. Willie Green, +4 in his minutes, 2 boards and 2 assists.
Pretty dominant effort so far. Sixers went 10 deep: Smith, Green, Speights, Kapono, Ivey off the bench (in that order).
I wish they "went to 11."
You, me and Christopher Guest.
The game might be on here:
http://www.justin.tv/pankeo
Yeah, it's on. Nice!
New link? That one crapped out.
Refresh. It works
Nevermind, working again. Raps making a comeback, just got it back on to see Jrue turn it over on an ill-advised behind the back dribble in traffic.
That's what the pre-season is for ;)
But it remains to be seen how much Jrue we see this year.
Wow, step away to eat dinner and all of the sudden Iguodala has 7 turnovers to go along w/ his 8 assists.
4 shots, 0 rebounds in 25 minutes for Thad. Come on.
Jrue for three off a dribble-handoff from Speights. First really positive play I've seen from him. Looks hesitant out there.
Was a nice three from Jrue, but he then forced it on the next possession. Finding his way.
Any truth to the Turkoglu rumors I'm reading?
I doubt it.
Another three from Jrue.
Man, Speights really needs to play meaningful minutes, when he gets into a sloppy game like this he completely regresses. 5/16 w/ 4 turnovers.
So did Singletary get any run tonight? Or are they just evaluating Christmas tonight as he is getting a run here at the end?
Excellent observation about Speights, Brian...when he plays with the "ones" his game seems SO much tighter than when he plays with the reserves. Does not excuse the sloppiness, though...