 Sixers vs. the Walking Wounded Last season the Sixers finished 41-41, 6th in the Eastern Conference, 2 games behind the Miami Heat for 5th. The difference between a first-round matchup with the Atlanta Hawks or the Orlando Magic was two games. If you're looking to point a finger as to why the Sixers dropped to sixth, look not further than the New Jersey Nets. The Sixers were 0-4 against New Jersey, a split of those four games would've made all the difference in the world. Tonight, it's time to make sure history doesn't repeat itself.
The Nets will be without the services of Devin Harris, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Jarvis Hayes, Tony Battie, Yi Jianlian and Keyon Dooling. They're expecting to have only 9 guys dressed for the game. They only have one active point on the roster. If this game winds up being about winning or losing in the fourth quarter, I will be greatly disappointed. It should be decided early. It should be a blowout before the fourth quarter even starts and we should spend the entire game worrying about things like Holiday's minutes, Willie Green's garbage time shots and a second chance for Jason Smith after a DNPCD. Early on, keep an eye on the defensive rotations, as usual. Courtney Lee is among the select few who will be active tonight, and he can shoot it. If Iguodala is on him, I expect his impact to be minimal. Rafer Alston is the only PG on the active roster, I'd like to see Jrue and Ivey play the point and extend their pressure into the backcourt to make Alston work. The guy is 33 years-old and I just don't see him being able to handle 30+ minutes of intense pressure. Sammy needs to handle Brook down low (which sounds like something that would cost you extra at a strip club), and keep him off the offensive glass. Lee, Alston and Williams will all fire from deep, with varying degrees of success, but if the Nets are going to put points on the board, Lopez is the threat. Short-handed, bereft of talent. This is exactly the type of game the Sixers would lose last season. Let's see if they've turned the page or if they'll play down to their competition, again. Key to the Game: Defensive rebounding, mainly because the Nets are going to miss so many shots. If __________________ the Sixers will win: Willie Green plays more than 12 minutes. Extended garbage time is the KPI for the night. I'm going to have to watch this one on DVR tonight. For the first time in several years I'm going to an NBA game that I don't have a rooting interest in. A friend of mine scored tickets to the Cavs/Knicks game at the Garden. Hopefully LeBron will score 70 and the Cavs will lose. I'll be watching the Sixers when I get home and you can expect a wrap and the rotations chart sometime in the wee hours. This is your game thread, you guys are on your own tonight. 
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Playing teams decimated by injury usually translated into Sixers losses last season.
Yup, that's my concern. They've won the two games they were supposed to win this season, let's hope this is Jordan's specialty :)
I'll take any win, by whatever mean necessary. But a blow out would be nice... especially if we see a new and imprved old man Brand.
The Knicks game was a lot closer than it should've been. By my lights, we've gotten off to a surprisingly dismal start to the season. Sole bright spots are the offensive play of Iguodala and Lou. Oh, and Speights's continued development into a stat-stuffing offense-only player. At least he's not quite Zach Randolph.
other than the pacers game, I can't remember any others...
They got killed by OKC without Durant (or Green I believe.)
Brian, they said the stars would be out tonight for Lebron, I guess they meant you.Elton is going against a shorter p.f. [Najera] so hopefully a double/double tonight? The Iggy/T.Williams battle in the preseason game was great,Thad better be ready to chase him everywhere.
Rather uneventful first quarter. EB and Dala have 16 of the only 18 scored. Too many turnovers, Smith and Kapono the first off the bench. 20-18 NJ in the lead.
Willie in to start the 2nd and Sp8's now in. Dala the only starter with this unit.
Dala with the cradle!
Royal now in for Dala. Five subs and they are down by one.
That was a crisp set ran by the bench at the 6:45 mark. Ivey gets fouled.
You can hear more than a pin drop in the arena tonight, Nets player and ref having debate about the foul call. Sounded like they were wearing mics.
If our starters would just give the effort that the bench just gave in that second quarter run, we could be so much better. Just better energy on the floor overall.
Bench gets us a +7 and few starters come back in (Sam, Thad, Dala) and we give 6 straight back. Where's the intensity, it's sorely lacking.
The damn crowd is not going to provide it for you. Like he said, chicken or the egg.
Best defensive possession of the season around the :45 second mark of the second quarter. And we finally start seeing some made threes.
About. damn. time.
Alright. 50-47 at the break. Really bad half by the collective team if I was their coach.
Yeah, the bench was really positive, but why weren't the starters? Chew their tails out and then pull a Byron Scott, sans going public, and start changing the lineups starting with the next game. Sure, the starters need their court-time to gel, but if they can't act like it in actual games then lay the hammer down.
This isn't a sissy game they're playing. Man up just like you would if you were in a packed house like the Staples Center. I have more focus and intensity at the Y than some of these cats do. Sheesh.
Lou pounds the ball too long probing and they dont get into the offense until 11 sec left and a Sam turnover for a run out the other way. Ugh.
Just not enough movement when the first unit is in the game. Pass here, pass there, but more isolation oriented.
Movement off the ball but more importantly, movement of the ball itself is needed.
15 points for Trenton Hassell? Thad has been embarrassing defensively.
I don't want to crack on you Thad, but that's what I'm talking about with regards to competitive nature. That play right there where you let Trenton Hassell just take you to the rim methodically and score with ease. Man UP!
I mean, that's Trenton Hassell. Damn....
Get them out of the game, the starter that is. All of 'em.
Thad with the off-target pass. And then Thad with the confusion on defense almost giving up an open dunk. Back to back possession. come on...
JK back in, with Marreese and others, let's see if they buck the trend. The trend of the starters stench.
Dala with a silly one for the 16th TO. Get him and Lou on the bench too.
Dala tries to come around with a nice dish down low and Lou realizes he is playing too. Timeout.
Lou with his 7th board on an aggressive snatch. But Lou has 7? Dala with the nice assist to Lou. COMe ON...
When you can't beat a team like this, this underhanded, then that is so telling on the players. And them only.
I mean, we are down 2 to the Nets at home at the end of the third. Wow.
Now they want to show Brian and the Harris heave from last year. Thanks, Comcast. Thanks.
It's like the Nets deserve this one for the effort they are putting in.
Maybe Theo was right, and the players just aren't up for it and no one has been taking them to task about their desire.
I firmly believe that Theo was, in fact, not making that up now. Initially, just thought he was bitter or something.
Rod with the 3!
At least the Sixers seem half decent at shooting 3-balls in this game.
Zumoff. Sixers with 4 in double figures and 2 off the bench. Tell me about it, Mark.
Here's the problem with Kapono. He makes threes BUT he has given up 6 points on offensive rebounds this half. He can't box a man out to save his life and it's a killer.
No, Thad's the killer b/c he can't even make the threes and he gives 'em up in bunches too.
This team can't defend against anybody. Which is ridiculous considering the players they have. I get the feeling EJ has no idea (or care) about what to do on the defensive end.
How can EJ's level of care be judged, when some of the players appear as if they don't even care?
I mean, some of these kids have to show some resemblance of want-to. It truly looks, like they don't care.
At least Iggy and Sam are back in. Where's Brand? If he can't ball against the Nets he can't ball, period.
Zum: we're gettin to crunch time, you have to MAN UP!!
Yeah Mark, man the f up!!!!!!!!!
Sammy with a squint. Finally some emotion. Finally. Thad with the contested shot. Why?
Hassell has a shot at career highs in points and rebounds (with previous hights of 22 and 12).
Hassell abusing Thad with the back down. Pitiful, Trenton.
I don't care how shitty y'all have looked, but you all better win this damn game!
Wait, I do care but I don't.
Yeah Lou with the blow by.
Lou, you felt my wrath.
Your #'s are nice but just need to see more leadership along with effort. B/c there just doesn't seem to be a take-charge leader right now.
Sixers up by 2 with 2:54 to go....
Boy, what a struggle it has been....
WTF Comcast? Missing plays in the last 3 minutes...
Come on!
D the F up
IGGY!!!
Dammit 2 o-boards for NJ and then we commit a foul. Shoot.
Hassell misses both freebies.
Willie shooting a three in the last minute. REALLY?
It was a good look, can't hold the shot hostage for who was shooting it.
1 pt game with 40 sec left and dala misses a pull-up but Sam with the o-board and he's fouled. We up by one, ball out of bounds. 26 left.
23 on the shot clock.
Frank fouls Thad on purpose to preserve time and pick on his ass. lol
Come on Thad. You gotta make both there man.
And he short-arms the first. Frank succeeds. He makes the 2nd. 21 left for NJ to tie or take the lead.
Thank you, Dala. Just make both of them!
Now Dala has alligator lift. Great.
I would love it if we could ice the game with free throws. I would love to see Iguodala's FT percentage in the last minute of games.
Microcosm? Sixers up 2 with 11 sec to go. Foul!
I meant up 3 here.
And his idol strips him at the end. Dala on T Williams.
Iguodala is Williams's idol? Kids grow up idolizing Iguodala these days? That's like... idolizing Bobby Abreu, or something.
Come on man, you read the quotes that Terrence made about who he patterns his game after.
Lawrence only played 7 men against you guys, and you could only win by 3? The win can just go down as 1 of the 82, that's all.
It's hard to critique game rotations when it looks like he doesn't even know, which of the one's he does have that even want it.
Good job down the stretch, but that never should have gotten down to the wire like that. Biggest story of the game BY FAR has to be Jordan staying away from Elton down the stretch. For the whole stretch run, it was the starters minus EB plus Willie. Elton didn't play from the 5 minute mark of the 3rd Quarter on.
I keenly noticed.
Wasn't worth mentioning, b/c outside of Lou and Dala the other three were better off extended on the pine tonight. And even those two could have been better.
Dala was the glue throughout, but he just didn't lead which I worry about.
Actually from what I saw, I thought EB looked more intense than Thad, so unless he wanted what Speights was giving him, he should have went away from him instead. But not really valid, b/c they don't play the same position.
Until change is shown, Thad with 27 min and Carney with 2 min needs to change. And still give Kapono his share.
Now it says 28 and 4.
When your highest paid player sits on the bench for the final 1 1/2 quarters, it's "worth mentioning."
Chill, it wasn't meant in that sense. I meant wasn't worth mentioning by me during the game notations.
Sure it is worth mentioning as a whole but as can be seen, I was calling for all the starters to be pulled then Lou and Dala looked to realize they had a pair.
Oh sorry I didn't know what you meant. I don't know about pulling Sammy though. He was the only guy who could handle Lopez defensively and he pulled down a huge offensive board at the end of the game.
Well as you can see, Sammy never got berated throughout the game. It's just that unless he gets a block or good weak-side help you somewhat don't notice he is on the court. He does help tremendously, just so inconsistently.
J Smith may be in the infancy stages of being our next center. No need for much thought, but, we aren't going to have the cap room to really secure anything else at that position, sans a trade.
And def didn't mean to leave out his boarding control. Sam that is.
Still a very ugly effort tonight against an undermanned bad team.
Amen. Don't read too much into the numbers with tonight's game, just remember the overall play that was displayed. Frank played seven guys, seven. And those seven, while in the best league in the world, could almost go without saying.
As McGuiness said on the radio, in April, a win is a win.
I do not know what is wrong with Thad but he is horrendous and costing us alot of points on both ends. Tonight, he missed layups, open shots, and left his guy open alot. I admit Kapono defense is suspect but he is even playing better defense than Thad not to mention Kapono's offense. Any thoughts on what is wrong w/ Thad?????
He was better at passing the quizzes, than not thinking and just reacting? But that is probably extending to much credit.
He seems to be forcing, if explainable, to me. Pressing internally for some reason.