The OKC game is in the past. It still stings, but the Sixers need to put it out of their minds and get back to work tonight. You can only beat the team directly in front of you and that team is Mark Jackson's Golden State Warriors squad. Focus on that, worry about the good teams when you face them again, you're going to have plenty of chances.
The Warriors present an interesting decision if Steph Curry is able to play. On the perimeter, they feature two guys who score a bunch of points in Monta Ellis and Curry. Ellis scores a bunch of points inefficiently. Curry scores a bunch of points efficiently. The latter hurts you, beats you as a matter of fact. The former typically doesn't. Going by that logic, it would seem like putting Jrue on Curry and Meeks on Monta would be the thing to do, but I'm not so sure that's the case. The biggest issue offensively for the Warriors, who are a very good offensive team, is that Ellis uses so many possessions, and he doesn't use them very well, while much more efficient weapons are left with table scraps. Logic would tell you that if Monta has a tough matchup, he'd step aside and let the better offensive players carry the load, but history tells us that won't happen. Ellis is the kind of guy who will keep shooting, even if he's killing the team. He'll keep using up possessions in search of that elusive hot streak, he'll do whatever he has to do to get his 20+ points. It's Ellis' mindset that dictates the matchup for me. If you put Jodie on him, he's got a much better shot of doing something positive with his 20+ shots. If you put Jrue on him, he's still going to take the 20 shots, he's just not going to do as much with them, and he's probably going to turn the ball over a bunch. The other reason to go with Jrue on Monta is the type of game he plays (isolation dribble-drives). It's playing right into Jrue's strength. Curry is much more dangerous with his jumper, less so off the drive. Of course, you always have the option of sticking Iguodala on Monta and Jrue on Curry, leaving Meeks to deal with Dorrell Wright on the perimeter, which is definitely an option.
Up front, the Sixers are as usual undermanned. David Lee is having a good year and he's a pest on the glass. Usually I'd say something about keeping a body on him here, but I'm sick of wasting my breath. These guys have to realize how embarrassing their work on the defensive glass has been. Show some pride.
Despite Jackson's lip service to defense, the Warriors remain what they've been for quite some time, an offensive team with offensive defensive numbers. The Sixers should break their 100-point drought tonight and GSW should help them get easy hoops in transition. They're the third-worst team in the league at taking care of the ball. The key for the game, beyond the obvious, is to chase their shooters off the three-point line, especially Curry, Brandon Rush (who's shooting over 50% from deep) and Klay Thompson. The mathcup with the highest comedic value is Lou Williams vs. Nate Robinson. It's always fun to watch those guys go at and pretend they're playing one-on-one while ignoring their teammates.
The Warriors are a bad team, treat them as such.
The tip is at 7pm. Game thread will land around 5. Enjoy your Friday, it's Wilt Night tonight at the WFC.
As it is with most rookies, our 2 young bigs show a lot of inconsistancy but also look promising at times. What they have to do is not play like crap both on the same night, like last game. Split up the ugly games , please guys!!! Vuce goes off tonight.
Tip is at 8 on ESPN.
Should be an easy win for the Sixers. Warriors are a terrible road team and Steph Curry isn't healthy either.
Sixers 102-Warriors 81.
This is similar to the Detroit game. You win its expected---you lose its a huge upset.
Lets see what happens Sunday when the Sixers face the bulls with Luol Deng in the lineup and a healthy Derrick Rose.
BTW--check out D Rose's performance guarding tony parker Wednesday night. 11 pts. Now THATS lockdown PG play. We don't have that on this team.
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bulls/post/_/id/3407/rose-vs-top-point-guards
Really need an easy win tonight. My health is greatly affected when they play tight games. My BP has been so high during games lately, it feels like my heart is about to jump out of my thumb. If these shit performances keep up, I'm going to have to stop watching.
I really hope that if Curry is available as Broussard says, Thorn is doing his best to put together a sane package for him. Curry between Jrue and Iguodala would be beautiful.
Yea, I'm 22 and I feel like a 40 year old man when I'm watching these games. I can't handle close games against good teams because in the back of my head I know that they'll lose.
I'm about 40... and feel bad for you.
How about 40? I've got less than a week (Shaq is exactly one day older than me - thank god - i'd hate to share a birth day with him)
I turn 40 same day as Shaq. Happy big one!
Meh
I graduated with a crap load of over achievers, all my birthday does is make me maudlin and remind me of my under achivemer status :)
Same day as the Big Diesel or Shackleford?
Spike Eskin posted an article about trading Lou Williams:
http://cbsloc.al/xMmX7n
It would hurt the team now, but if the team has any reason to believe he will opt-out they should definitely be looking to trade him.
I agree 100% with that article...especially if we could get a young project big for him.
I really liked this article and feel that Blog Commenter Scott knows a lot about basketball. If he is going to walk at the end, trade him. I do like him though. Especially the youtube documentary videos he made of himself.
Does it mean anything that Russell Westbrook had only 2 rebounds last night and only 5 his last game before the break, yet a whopping 13 vs the Sixers? Does it say more about Jrue or our frontcourt?
IMO, it speaks to the team's rebounding.
It wasn't Jrue that he went by for that last rebound...
But that was on a free throw. Most of the seven o-boards he got he came skying in and crashing from the perimeter. The guys down low are only responsible for one man, their own (not that they did an adequate job either). Boxing out extends farther out than just the paint.
Jrue was definitely culpable. I'm generally more lenient on points, because typically point guards don't even battle for offensive rebounds, but it should have been in the scouting report.
Yeah I'd say I'm more lenient too but he got so many early you would've thought Jrue or someone would have told him to be more aware of it. And I didn't notice Jrue leaking out early or anything.
Thanks for agreeing with my pointless point (whatever that was suppose to be...magee's often wayward).
And yet the Magic still blew a second half lead to lose the game, so maybe focusing on one point isn't the way to make your (pointless) point?
I'd say it means Orlando has Dwight Howard. Not much more than that.
http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2012/03/01/sixers-struggles-in-the-clutch-a-concern/#more-15815
Good one from ZL.
Like his father Dell, another sweet shooter, Curry would be best if flanked by 4 men beside him on the court. As a centerpiece, falls way short. The 'Stephen & Monta' brigade: mountains of points, mountains of losses. Sixers in a Wilt-romp tonight.
_____
The one-and-only Dave Zinkoff at the mic during Wilt era:
after Wilt basket "'CHAMEbahlin"
after Wilt stuff shot "Dippuh dunk" (monotone)
FT announcement "shooting 'th-rrr-ee (pause) 4-2"
game break - "the Sevendee Sixahs call 'TYYYYYm"
after attendance numbers announcement "The Sevendee Sixahs 'THANKyew!"
welp now we know why Elson is gone...sounds like the Brack show will be back for this one:
Philadelphia 76ers @Sixers
#Sixers News: http://on.nba.com/wopHkK Sixers have recalled second-year forward @CBrackins_33 from their @NBA Development League.
Why are they connected?
Elson's just gone because his 2nd 10-day contract expired. Brackin's back on the Sixers because well why the hell not lol
^ yep this
I really liked this article and feel that Blog Commenter Scott knows a lot about basketball. If he is going to walk at the end, trade him. I do like him though. Especially the youtube documentary videos he made of himself.
With the Warriors coming in tonight I have been thinking about Monta Ellis, since there has been trade talk about him. What I am wondering is, who on this team do you guys think (if anybody) would have better numbers than Ellis, if given the freedom to have the ball and jack up as many shots as he does.
Not sure by what you mean by 'better' - but go to basketball-reference and compare Monta and Lou - lou's a more efficient monta - and cheaper
I understand that Lou has more efficient numbers in his current role, but what do you thinks his numbers would look like if he (or anybody else on the team for that matter) played as many minutes and had a similar usage rate as Monta. I don't think its as easy as just saying his numbers are x so multiply that by y and that is the answer. I think you have to take into accout the amount of minutes played can fatigue a guy and that the quality of shots may not be as good with an increase in attempts.
Not just looking for numbers just opinions.
Lou and maybe Turner are the only guys w/ the mindset to play that kind of role on the Sixers. I think Lou could probably do it if you put him on GSW w/ about the same efficiency as Ellis. Don't think Turner could.
I get what you're asking, but I have no idea why. Monta Ellis is over paid and a jacker, why would you want anyone to be like him on the sixers?
This is pretty much a gimme win for the Sixers-the real game of interest(to me at least)is on Sunday. Will you all actually be watching this game closely from beginning to end or just tune in, check the score, tune out etc.
Pretty safe to say most people here don't purposely miss a game if there are no other obligations in the way.
I tape games because of working on the west coast but sometimes i'll just watch them from the time i get home until the end - other times i'll start them from the beginning when i get home.
The OKC game I watched from mid 3rd quarter on - never watch the beginning
Its a shame really
Well yeah, that's a difficult circumstance. I know you watch all you can though. That's probably pretty nice if you can stay away from the score, fast forward through breaks and all.
Ill keep an eye on this game for the sole reason of seeing Monta Ellis and Steph Curry if he plays. Im of the opinion Monta Ellis is a great scorer and I would like to see if he is really just Lou with more attempts (and the same deficiencies) or if hes something better. Of course nobody on the Warriors as good as Iguodola will be guarding Lou. Steph Curry was awesome in college, 1st time seeing him as a pro.