The Sixers will begin their toughest stretch of the year tonight in Dallas. Jrue is apparently listed as a game-time decision, but I'm going in certain he won't play. Collins said a few more days on Sunday, and no one comes back earlier than expected for this team...ever. So it's Turner's show to run for one more game, at least.
Prior to writing a preview for a game, I always check out the opposing team's page on
basketball-reference.com to see how they're playing, who's been starting, who's playing well, what to look out for. This is the second time this season I've checking on the Mavs, and the second time I've said to myself, "This team is just terrible."
This team is starting Derek Fisher and Dahntay Jones. Derek Fisher. And. Dahntay Jones. How is that even possible? They've won 11 games, and basically been kept afloat by O.J. Mayo and Chris Kaman outperforming their career numbers by a country mile. The Mavs have a bunch of lead-footed veterans coming off the bench, highlighted by Elton Brand and Vince Carter. Darren Collison also comes off the bench. I'd say the bench edge goes to Dallas, especially because Brand will probably have another great game against the Sixers' frontcourt.
I'm assuming Jones and Vince Carter will split time guarding Turner, with Fisher left to handle Jason Richardson. That should put Shawn Marion on Thad, Kaman on Kwame and Mayo on Nick Young. No real mismatches there to take advantage of, unless you can somehow switch Fisher onto Turner, which you can maybe accomplish by pushing the ball up the floor and making Dallas matchup quickly. If/when they get that matchup, Turner can't hesitate, has to attack it immediately, and keep his head up, looking for shooters if the double comes.
In the half court, Thad needs to adjust his game a bit. He isn't playing against a slower player tonight, but he is playing against a guy who he has a strength advantage over. Instead of getting the ball and facing up for the drive, they need to try to get him the ball with his back to the basket, closer to the hoop. From that position, he can get his lefty hook off over Marion. When Brand comes off the bench, that's when Thad should use his dribble to attack.
The key to this game is going to be the free throw line. The Mavs are old, slow and willing to foul to stop easy looks at the hoop. The last time the teams met, the Sixers went to the line 32 times. If they're aggressive tonight, they should be able to repeat that number and score a bunch of easy points. If they're settling for jumpers, it's going to be a long night.
The tip is at 8:30pm. Use this as your game thread. Cross your fingers that Jrue's back ahead of schedule.
Another night of iso-ball or one pass and shoot? I wish somebody had the numbers of how many times this happened against the Lakers the other night. I'm expecting the same tonight. Ball movement must be somewhere picking out it's coffin. Poor thing.
Don't know what you're talking about. Turner's floor vision is second-to-none. It was Jrue that was grinding the offense to a halt.
Oh, and also Collins treated Turner unfairly in the Lakers game. Sat him for five whole minutes, which shattered his confidence.
heh, yeah I found it amusing that Turner had this awesome floor vision after an average game vs IND on Friday but when he flat out stunk vs LAL it was because Collins was jerking him around again with a benching. I really really wish I could understand the allure and what it stems from but I just can't decipher it.
And this pitting Jrue vs Turner is silly as silly can get. Objectivity will always reign supreme there, biases aside.
brian is mocking me bu hat's okay...I agree wuth our last remark eddies, and I dislike getting sucked into the player v. player frame...if there is one thing I want to see happen this season, it is for Turner and Holida to really develop chemi\stry in the backcourt and integrate with each other's games...each needs the other and we as fans and the team need them both. I envision them playing side y side for years to come. Anxious for Jrue to \come back.
Brian, the passive aressive churlishness is what it it is, and I realize that it sounds ludicrous to questionCollins sitting him at that point at the end of the first half when he played forty three minutes. Fact remains however that Turner looked like a different player in the second half...his confidence looked shot...this after a very effective first half, scoring in the first and passing in the second. I don't think it's asinine to raise te question of whether DC breaking from what have been his substitution patterns ...or aybe the tone of DC's halftie speech...played a role. For the record, I strongly believe that Collins is not the right coach for this tam..I think he has consistently hindered Jrue as well as Turner if in very different ways...
It's pretty obnoxious that instead of engaging with the actual points I make, you engage with caricatures of those points in order to ridicule me. Unlike you, I don't irrationally hate one of the three good players on the team. I like Turner and am prone to present him in the most sympathetic light, similar to you and Jrue...I've been a loyal reader of your blog for years and have often expressed my appreciation for the time ou devote to sharing your insights. In fact, I was preparing to do that when I encountered these posts, as I thought ou provided an excellent preview of the matchup. It's a shame that just because you look right now to have been pretty far off the mark in our offseason assessment of Turner, you have to be so snide and unpleasant. chill out. don't take yourself so serously. one love bribri
For brevity's sake, my typical response to theories that fly in the face of both facts and logic is mockery. Not sure I should really apologize for that, but if my alternative option is to read another six paragraphs on the matter, I'm sorry.
do you Brian...my only beef with you is that you maintain a posture of objectivity regarding your devotion to Jrue...you are the number one offender-at least in your comments, not so much in your actual posted analysis which tends to be more balanced and always enjoyable and informative-as far as pitting player against player...seem to take delight in ET's failings as potential vindication for your in retrospect totally asinine calls to dup him for ten cents on the dollar over the summer
Your posture towards me has been to respond to one of my admittedly wordy posts by cherrypicking one weak point or inartful phrasing to make it appear that I am making ridiculous assertions rather than to engage with the legitimate points I raise or, God forbid, simply admit that you're a little less than objective about Turner and Holiday and that your scorched earth assault on Turner over the summer is looking like it was an over reaction.
You absolutely out do me in bball knowledge...I'm not interested in sniping...I hope that you aren't interested in creating an environment which i shostile to people who do not entirely share your biases and perspective on the team
It's the way my brain works. I take in diatribes and boil them down to the core meaning, for me. If I read 500 words and one statement is ludicrous, that statement takes over.
The basic premise of the offense running better when Turner is at the point has no basis in fact, that's essentially your thesis, and it's wrong. There's nothing that supports that theory.
Sure there is, you forget the strong "I watch the games" premise which trumps all statistics from you frigging nerds
Another county heard from...
you are so consistent in your hyperactive prickishness that it's become something of a comfort to me
Second
Again, Brian, you misinterpret my assertions...I will take responsibility for being unclear in how I present them, for failing to edit out that one sentence that doesn't hold water or doesn't properly express my point of view
How could I possibly say that the offense runs better with Turner at point?Turner has played point in two games with mixed results...flashing some encouraging potential, but demonstrating his limitations.
but...my thesis in reality is that the offense runs\ best, or will run best, when Holiday AND Turner run it. I think their potential as complementary pieces in the backcourt is immense and each guy is strong in places where the other is weaker. I wanna see the chemistry building between them; I hope to watch potential realized over the years. I continue to lament the way Doug Collins uses them
try this...I understand that you approach this stuff rigorously. That's what has made me such a loyal reader...you don't run your mouth without being able to back it up
I do, ha. I'll admit it. Impressionistic, if you will. I don't know the game like you do but I love it like you do and I'm trying to figure it out. give me the benefit of the doubt from time to time...I'd much rather learn from you than fight with you...maybe then I can make my Sixers points more clearly and with firmer objective footing. cheers to you brian.
In what area is Turner strong where Jrue is weak?
Rebounding :)
Actually, who is better at getting to the FT line in terms of a percentage of shots taken?
Turner, but it's not a strength for Turner. He just sucks at it a little less.
And rebounding isn't a weakness of Jrue's.
I was kidding about the rebounding of course, but was curious about the FT thing cause I know jrue just isn't good at it
Just curious - who is the 'best' of the bunch at getting to the line on this team?
An interesting thing would be to look at guys like young and richardson and see if their rates are appreciably lower now that they are on the sixers
FTA/FGA (this year/last year)
Jrue: .22/.143
Turner: .239/.183
Thad: .243/.209
The new guys
Richardson: .129/.116
N. Young: .207/.202
Wright: .259/.186
and, Hawes: .153/.172.
And for good measure, Vucevic: .114/.116
Can't believe we let him get away.
Bynum last year: .425.
So while they still stink at getting to the line they are doing 'better' than last year, and dorrell wright probably should be driving more
He should stop passing up open threes, but at least he's getting to the line. That's not really a great rate, though.
Three point shooting, obviously. ;)
this is subjective territory, full disclosure. does Synergy have a stat that tracks the percentage of assists that lead to a dunk or layup?I would love to know. Evan's got a flair for the home run pass. That's a nice complement to Jrue's methodical(to borrow your apt description) approach to carving up a defense...and befitting of a secondary playmaker who can be a little looser, take a few more risks. He loved to throw alleyoops to Dre last year...great at throwing long outlet passes to a leaking thad or whomever. That bouncepass to a cutting Wright the other night in the halfcourt. I see him as a more reactive player than Holiday-which, don't get me wrong, is a decidedly mixed blessing. ET freestyles, Jrue studies the script and memorizes his lines.
Complementary...
the other major area where I think Evan has a clear advantage FOR NOw is in that vague area of 'leadership'...i can see you rolling your eyes, but i'm not going to spout BS. Evan has had the experience at ohio state of being the unquestioned leader of a team competing at a fairly high level. Jrue's never been that guy, and it's apparent that he has room to grow as a team leader. Watching the playoffs in person this spring, I saw Jrue feeding off of Turner's energy. Discount it if you will, but this team badly needs competitive fire and Turner is the sole provider
Mayo should bring the sauce, having been held to 11 in first encounter. If Carter has one of his spry nights, look out. Time hasn't made Marion go away. Elton will club Sixers bigs and lane strays like Ali on Zora Foley and Cleveland Williams. Tall drink of water Chris Kamen, who resembles comic actor Chris Elliot, shot it well last time. Dahntay of Trenton can D it up in spurts. Coach Carlisle is fresher than Coach Collins.
Does Sixers' awareness that they really need one offset at a venue where they've lost six straight? Doubt it, with or without bug-eyed jitterbug Holiday, but St. Joe's beat #1 Da-paw and Mark Aguirre and Chaminade beat #1 Virginia and Ralph Sampson & Rick Carlisle, a team that had already downed Ewing's Georgetown and Guy Lewis's Phi Slama Jama fraternity, the most raucous one on campus. The wonders of roundball.
The Brand cheap shot is a pet peeve of yours, right?
No, the disconnect between his reputation and his play is.
Phony Duke halo that's turned over the odometer. One of the NBA's finest playoff losers. A Sixer ordinaire. A buffalo in knickers. Not watching him regularly, a breath of fresh air.
Funny. Your commentary on Spencer Hawes or other non-Jrues or non-Iggys isn't always rich in finesse and balance.
I actually wasn't mocking you, I don't think. Just remembered you saying you didn't like that about him.
And for evidence of my finessed opinions look no further than Nick Young. I absolutely hate everything about his game, yet recognize he's the best option on the second unit to create and make a shot.
As far as Hawes goes, well, if I never had to watch another second of him on the hardwood I'd be a very happy man.
No harm, no foul. Just hardwood heroes & villains.
calls to mind the work of a different Brian...'been in this town so long that back in the city i'm taken for lost and gone'
Great tap-in, mymanjrue! Undervalued pop masterpiece by Brian & Van Dyke Parks.
You're a bit too hard on Hawes. He'd be just fine on the team if he played 16 minutes a game and made 3 or 4 million. He does a couple of things pretty well. The problem is that he is noticeably subpar in other important characteristics AND there is no one else playing or logging enough minutes for the team at the moment who can make up for his critical shortcomings.
After observing Hawes for 2+ years I'm reminded of something a critic once said about George Harrison: he could always contribute a couple of fine songs to each Beatles album and, unfortunately, a similar number to his own albums. Hawes seems like the kind of guy who could average 8 points and 5 rebounds in 16-18 minutes a game or 10 points and 6 rebounds in 30 minutes a game.
Here comes the sun.
He can't defend big men of physicality or athleticism
He has very little post game
He thinks taking three pointers are a good idea
He has the vertical equivalent to a corpse on a trampoline
He has very little if any court vision to be a good passing big man
However, he is tall
And we're only talking about his basketball flaws
He's not a bad guy to have as the 3rd big man off the bench making 2-3 million a year.
The biggest cheap shot is the $233,466.44 collected by Brand for each of his 264 games (including 18 playoff games) in 4 Sixer seasons. Goin' towards a quarter million dollars per 31.4 minutes of court time! That's obscene. $61,635,141 paid out according to basketball-ref.com for that degenerated play. Think that grab affects arena pricing any? And you bunny hop to his defense. Doug too... "I love Elton... the ultimate professional." Holy Moses.
Are you including the money he's being paid by the Sixers this year to play for Dallas?
No. Betsy Ross red, white and blue service only.
You should throw in the money they're throwing down the drain right now. For the games he actually played, probably overpaid by about $25-$30M. His fair value wasn't $0.
Play with figures as you like. My statement is: deals like his degrade the league.
Eh. I think guaranteed contracts in general degrade the league. This is just one example of hundreds.
OK.
AAU degrades the league
ESPN degrades the league
Guaranteed contracts degrade the league
Bad ownership and bad GM's degrade the league
There are a LOT of things degrading the league, Elton Brands Contract is low on the list
I expect this same rant every time Bynum misses a game on his much bigger than Brands contract
Bynum's a non-entity. When/if he steps on the court I'll give him a watch.
Haven't cared about his contract. Am fairly sure it's absurd.
It will be absurd next year - if the sixers sign him for five years 125 mil - this contract he's on wasn't signed by the sixers so no big deal...but he is stealing money just like brand was when brand was hurt
The problem wasn't brands contract, the problem is a core NBA (and MLB) problem - guaranteed contracts. I have no idea HOW the NFL was able to work to non guaranteed contracts, but it's still my biggest pet peeve in the NBA
I've noticed that Turner isn't a good player when the opposing defender is his same size and plays press defense. Turner just doesn't have the athleticism to get by or the ability to hit a layup against the center when they set a pick for him. Turner is at his best when he grabs a rebound and pushes the ball up the court, when he has a smaller defender against him, or when he has the space to hit that mid-range jumper.
You're correct. I would say that ET has benefited from the increased attention by opposing defenses to Jrue...his success benefits Jrue in turn...the big problem against LA in the second half against LA was that they started trapping and taking the ball out of Evan's hands, at which point the Sixers offense became heinous.
You know what would be great?If we saw some evidence tonight of creative effort on the part of the head coach to get the Sixers into well designed set plays that aim for high percentage looks and getting the ball moving. DC's offensive playbook is an embarassment
Good observations. I can't get over Evan's improved outside shooting. He's lookin' like Detroit-raised 70s college & Sixers teammates Eric Money and Coniel Norman, who still holds Univ. Of Arizona career avg scoring record, 23.9 ("Popcorn!!"). It'll last until teams gun for it, my venture-to-say. If he's got the room for the set and knee bend, he's ok... kinda like Henry and Mike Bibby.
I think it's a win win..if teams start gameplanning to take away his outside shot, then space opens up for him to take it to therack...funny to hear certain opposing announcers on league pass feeds, having scouted the relevant percentages, begin to paint ET as a dangerous outside shooter when in last year's playoffs defenses packed the lane and dared him to shoot from outside ten feet
Evan's oncourt results seem so tied to what's happening between Evan's ears...anticipate inevitable regression in his threeballs..but the midrange jumper is not totally new, was his bread and butter in college. Demanding that opponents respect bis ability to knock down those shots is the key to his effectiveness...as well, as Stan notes, as matching up with smaller guards...if ET were a couple inches shorter it's hard to see him making it
See your point. Nothin' like the triple threat - shoot, drive, pass - position to shake defenses. If good shooting continues and he becomes a focal point of enemy defenses, of gang tackling, limited athleticism will take its toll.
and that's why his fortunes are so inextricably linked with Jrue's...those two need each other...need to force opponents to pick their poison on the perimeter
A dead eyed three point shooter and hardworking defender would be optimal alongside those two on the outside...Jason Richardson would be perfect if time travel were an option
Dorell Wright looking like a quintessential bum to me...has the physical attributes and has the skills but is trying to make it in the NBA by looking out for number one...an understandable but ineffective approach. Those are the early returns at least
Jrue's success is not dependent on Evan Turner. It's dependent on his ability to learn to draw fouls and to handle double teams. Evan Turner won't help with either of those things since, well, he's worse when he's double teamed than Jrue, and his court vision isn't as good
What does Evan's ability against double teams have to do with his ability to help Jrue deal with double teams?If Evan is ineffective defenses will swarm Jrue relentlessly. THe better Evan is, the more attention he draws from the defense, the more defensive pressure he takes off of Jrue. It's not complicated. A Radnorite could even grasp this concept so I can't imagine that you'd struggle
I grasp that concept that you believe Jrue Holliday needs Evan Turner for some reason - he doesn't - he could use talented basketball players on his team - but the only talented basketball player who would really help might not play a single game this year.
Evan Turner is mediocre, and will have good games against mediocre teams and players that dazzle people into thinking he's better than he is...
You are doing your thing...looking to antagonize me...virtually all you do here is look to antagonize people...well, you also energetically agree with the proprietor at every opportunity in order to preserve your trolling privileges.
Look at you...ou come on here see Brian and I arguing, chime in obnoxiously there, then try to provoke me by making the absurd assertion that JH does not "need" quality play from his partner in the backcourt who doubles as one of the only talented players on the team.
I understand that you're a very unhappy person. Your defense mechanisms do you harm. That fact is demonstrated so transparently on this website that I am positive it reflects similar dynamics in other facets of life.
when you aren't being deliberately provocative or treating people like idiots or engaging in endless inane arguments for the sake of argument with constantly shifting opinions, you actually seem like a nice guy. We have some things in common I believe.
speaking for the group, I urge you to let out a little more of the nice guy and a little less of the amalgamated defense mechanism from hell.
do you have an insurance card or will this be selfpay?
Gosixers is an ass that is obvious to about 90% of the people on this blog & u nailed it right on the money he has the same formula its very tiresome but hey a ass is going to be a ass so don't stress it.
“You can’t throw the ball through the nose of a defender and have it come out his a–hole to a teammate.”
– Rick Carlisle
You can't argue with that logic. I don't how D.C can out-scheme him tonight
He learned that from Thomas Jefferson. (It gets hot in Charlottesville.)
Succinct, with an earthy finish.
Great preview, Brian...stuff like this is what makes depressedfan this basketball junkie's favored place for a fix...
I think this is a really important game, close to a must win headed into this brutal stretch of schedule. They need to show some heart, to compete cohesively...
A loss tonight leaves me profoundly discouraged and foreshadows an apocalypic road trip...a win keeps me hangin' on
Like to see some drive and kick with ET...always frustrates me tha he doesn't pass more off his drives...kick out to Nick Young in the corner early on try and get him going
Is it just me, or does it seem like Thad's been playing kinda like a three on offense the last couple games?Seems like he's been getting the ball out on the perimeter. I do NOT like this. Get Thad down low against the Mavs old and slow bigs
my company xmas party tonite is gonna be like sitting down to eat a shit sandwich. can anybody think of some good excuses so i can escape an watch the game?
If you have a significant other, blame it on him/her.
Anyone seen an update on Jrue's status for tonight? Last I heard was he's traveling w/ the team, game-time decision.
Jrue Holiday shot around on Tuesday, but his foot hurt more than it did on Monday and he's "unlikely" to play vs. the Mavericks.
Ugh. That sounds like another week, if not more, to me.
In the big man injury front - pau gasol is playing tonight for the lakers
Well, I'll be home late probably falling asleep watching this mess. Enjoy the game, folks. Go Sixers.
14 and 11, 13 and 13, 12 and 17.....those are the last 3 games for one Nikola Vucevic.
3.6 - that's the percentage 3 games makes up in one nba season
@eks_mavsnba: Derek Fisher (flu) is out vs. the 76ers. Elton Brand (groin) is a game-time decision.
Isn't Fisher currently starting for them? Who is next?
Collison but now fisher is saying he might play
no jrue tonight, maybe tomorrow
Has Collison regressed that much that Fisher starts over him?
Fisher takes Turner to the cup for two.
Lazy as shit pass Evan, Dahntay on other end. shit
Thad's on Mayo here early, JRich on Marion.
this could be ugly
awesome start
Timeout already. Raring start guys....
Wow perfect start.
NYoung 3 and fouled.
ET with a given 3!
turner jumper from the post
ET backs down Fisher.
ET block on Fisher. Fisher's hurt and down.
collison should blow by turner
Clean that mess up please. come on
Turner passes to Thad's behind
Thad doesn't box out, let's Marion get position for a putback.
ET bailout 3!
Another shitty turnover, got it back though. Dorell in for JRich.
Kwame 3 secs. Get it together please!!
Dorell initiating. Thad w/ too long bad J that clanks.
Dorell initiating again, ET one-on-one bad J, falls.
How is a 15 foot elbow jumper over a guy 5 inches shorter than you a bad shot?
Dorell in his new backup PG role for third possession in a row .... annnnnd a Dorell turnover for a Mavs breakaway. shit
Down goes Hawes! Down goes Hawes! Hawes to the bench with an apparent eye problem.
had a mouse under his eye
JRich rushed airball 3. geez
j-rich bailout
I love that Spencer tries to defend a guard spinning into the paint by swiping at the ball rather than standing tall and using his height to try and alter the shot
Oh boy, Wayns checks in the game. This ought to be good.
D3!
Dorell from deep, BRICK!!! O-board, Dorell again from deep, SWISH!!
nice j-rich
JRich o-board and putback.
Lavoy. Over the hill, up by 2.
great play. for real. got the lead.
Dorell 3!
D3!
Dorell for 3! I sure hope he finds his stroke. About damn time.
ET back in, Spencer out.
Dorell pump fake, give and go to Turner, Wright finishes the layup.
Malik just called it the "second oldest play in the game". What's the first then?
pick and roll
ahh ok
pick and roll?
so simple and so effective, yet it's the kind of play we rarely see.
Lavoy w/ his 2nd foul.
Kaman abuses Lavoy with a spin move. Dorell foul.
love the give and go from Turner and Wright, Wright layup thattaguy ev
Turner stuffed.
Kwame, you suck. Dag man
Wow Kwame. If you can't make that. What are you doing on a basketball court.
how is that an offensive foul
he cleared space with the arm pushoff looked like to me
3 TO's on Turner now, fuck dude
Wayns w/ an extended run. Didn't think he would come back out after that timeout.
Thad blows the bunny.
what's up with thad?has been subpar lately, dreadful tonight
evan from the post
Kaman backs Kwame down with ease.
ET in the post.
Thad can't get anything to fall.
screw this we're in the penalty. Even more free throws. And Dallas seems to make all of them.
Come on Thad, can't let him get that open or be that lazy after trying to come off the pick. geez
I think they scored on 7 consecutive possessions. The last one off the inbounds pass was just too easy.
Good find by Wayns to get Thad on the scoreboard.
Wayns rain!! Can't believe he's getting this much burn.
thad from the post
Wayns still in, ET out.
Hawes def 3 sec.
Moultrie can't be any worse than Hawes right now
Thad w/ a 3rd chance putback.
Sixers have shot 9 free throws, Spencer Hawes is 6-6, go figure. heh
Wayns cheats too far off Collison, Collison 3.
Thad oboard.
The obligatory Hawes 3-sec call. Seriously he gives the opposing team a point a game.
F me!!! Wayns has an open 3 and DC tells him to pull it out and it was around 34 secs on the clock. Great! Spencer turnover. Terrible not to go for a two for one there.
they've turned down a ton of 2 for 1's this year, not sure why really. I guess Doug doesn't think they can ever replicate the greatness of Lou Will launching from the top of the key
No fast break points in that half. Mavs shooting 54&. Lakers shot a high percentage too in that first half.
evan jumper
nice play for that thad jumper
Bad shot, Thad.
Bad shot, NYOung.
j-rich
JRich steal, Thad lay-in.
ET airball 3.
what does it take to get a goddamn whistle?
Wayns in with just over 4 left in the quarter. Serious burn for the kid tonight, shame Moultrie can't get the same.
kwame
Dahntay was not shooting there.
Dorell rushed 3, clank.
Wayns jacks a 3, bad shot, too early in clock.
Why so many 3s? Dorell then Wayns, 2 bad possessions.
evan corner 3
ET corner 3.
Ever since Turner came out redhot in the first seems like he is not seeing the ball that much...I am listening to McGiis dont really know
as I type ET 3rd 3!
sissy jumper
Wayns can't guard Dominique Jones, going to have to get him out of there.
d3!
D3!
yeah Dorell!
Dorell in transition! That's his favourite shot I think. Love it when I see him shoot that with confidence
Ugh, Mayo answers right back in JRich's eye.
Shit. Wayns with a terrible shot.
Maalik had a brief moment in the first half. That moment is over
does DC not believe in the 2 for 1 anymore
What the F Wayns he just trying to be Swaggy. But he got no swag whatever
Late fucking whistle there for Mayo, waited til the shot rolled off before blowing it. sheesh
Outscored them by 4 that quarter. Finally got out and ran a little bit. Mavs still shooting fifty percent. Only one turnover that quarter.
eat shit Spencer
He puts Wayns back out there to start the quarter. Mavs should go at him with Dominique Jones everytime in the post.
grab a rebound!
Jones takes Wayns. Doug has to get him out of there.
Whew he got Wayns out...
nice work on the o-boards
Move the ball Evan...
annnndddd he dribbles the whole next possession and eventually turns it over. shit
Jesus Christ pass the ball Turner!
They were having pretty good ball movement prior but those last two possessions Turner wanted to go in hero-mode for some reason.
JRich's shot has been way off lately.
dribble dribble dribble jumper
Turner what the fuck, how many times will you dribble out the shot clock??!!
Dammit!!! Evan dribbles another whole possession and fires up a fucking airball.
The offense went to shit in the fourth. Wow.
two games in a row turner starts hot and turns ugly late...really the wrong time for it tonight
good hustle by hawes and young. If we get a couple of stops and actually try to get to the hoop, and can knock one or two good looks, we can steal this. come on.
That's your man Hawes.... go out and pick him up.
ugh. looks like ballgame
game over, they just threw in the fucking towell
evan has no legs
et no one is more thrilled with your suddenly effective three point shooting but let's not get crazy
evan 0 for his last seven...this quarter is making me sick to my stomach
d3!!!! come on now
D3! 2nd three in a row. One more push?
Gotta go to Dorell every possession now.
whoooaaa making it interesting. please oh please oh please
i ripped dorell earlier, thrilled to finally see the shooter i had heard tell of
so much for that
Dammit. Stop the ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come on that's just terrible from everybody
Evan Turner's fat ass to the bench. That dude is out of shape and no excuse for that, they had a day off before this game.
thad has been the biggest disappointment with jrue out. just when we needed him to step up, three subpar efforts
Hawes or Dorell for POTG. Going with Hawes just because he got to the line 8 times and had 4 o-boards.
They shat the bed in the 4th though. Completely shat it.
It was fun seeing Dorell Wright getting his shooting stroke back. And Hawes having a + game for once.
That is all.
Dorell 6th 3 of the game. Co POTG?
7th...he just took that POTG shit
heh yep
if nothing else, I hope Dorell getting hot will be good for the future when Jrue gets back. Otherwise, this game was straight vomit
D for 3 again!@!! He's on fire, all for naught though.
paul douglas' rotations were somewhat baffling tonight. he is the other big disappointment of this stretch. creativity, real coaching required and doug has coached like a chicken with his head cut off
Too bad Collins can't play defense.
too bad collins can't coach defense by making an adjustment so dallas couldn't get hawes switching onto oj mayo every time they needed a hoop down the stretch
Aren't the Mavs shooting close to 60% this quarter?
once again though made fts are the difference in the game
Eh, they were more than evened out by made 3's.
i don't get the connection?we can't get to the line whether we're hitting threes or not. seems like we spot the opposition five to ten points from the line on a nightly basis. tonight the effect was to cancel out an uncommonly hot night from distance.
The connection is you said that "made fts" were the difference in the game. They only made 12 more than us, while we were +27 from three over them. I agree that free throws are one of our main woes, just don't think it was the difference in this particular game. We just don't have anyone that plays point for us, or for that matter backcourt, that is savvy enought to get there with any regularity. Their backcourt went there 19 times, our backcourt went there one time by way of super duper Nick Young.
yeah i get what you're saying. i am just lamenting the fact that we are so bad at getting to the line. if we were better at that tonight, then our torrid distance shooting would have been enough for the win. wonder if dc's teams have always struggled in this area.obviously couldn't have been this bad, as jordan and grant hill both got to the linebut...it's definitely a drawback to his jumper centric system
but hey it keeps those turnover's down!lol
i believe that turnovers are the only major statistical category where we rank in the top half of the league as a team
stop the presses, richardson made a three!yet another guy who has come up profoundly small
definitely made sense to run maalik wayns out there for twenty one minutes out of nowhere tonight. savvy stuff from your veteran head coach, paul doaglas collins
was there not a possible adjustment that would have prevented hawes switching to mayo?dallas made that happen every time they needed a bucket in the fourth
Well, if we had a wing defender who could stay in front of him...
dc: 'i thought maalik did a great job tonight"..."feell so ad for evan right now' asking him to do too much blahblahlah 'that's why we put maalik out there and he did a great job'
whatever doug. why only four minutes for ivey?doesn't have maalik's speed but he also isn't retarded
what do you want Doug to do? He has 2 guys that he can rely on every tonight to play at least halfway decent, everyone else you have to hope they have a good night. Without Jrue, without that big fella, they don't have a lot to work with.
*night
well for ONE thing, he could take full advantage of et's strengths. his points per play are excellent in iso and in the post
i dunno, pay no mind, i'mgrasping at straws...game really frustrated me...please let jrue play tomorrow
wow, had no idea wayns had nine assists..that is impressive...i was listening on the radio so i will shut up now
Eh, predictable. Turner completely ran out of gas in the fourth, which is understandable. Wish he would've worked harder for post position when he had Collison on him, but can't complain about the production until the fourth.
Wright is the POTG. Tomorrow is another loss w/out Jrue.
dude is totally out of shape (not that this is new information or anything), they had a day off and he still couldn't handle 38 mins...shit, he was gassed by his 30th minute
Bad thing is, if he was in fact gassed, he shouldn't have taken over three crucial possessions in the fourth and tried to do it all by himself.
I do think he should be in better shape, but won't kill him for being gassed. Think Jrue ran into the same thing in the Chicago game. It's tough to do everything for 40 minutes night after night.
This one REALLY sucked.
It doesn't look very good right now, fellas.
Scooby dooby Jrue, where are you?
Brian, you asked for someone to step up...
SwaggyPG stepped up to score 30 against the Lakers and they got crushed. While Wright went crazy against a terrible Mavs team and they still lost. The team is lost because they lack talent.
We all agree that with Bynum, Jrue, ET and Thad they have the core talent to where other guys can step up in limited roles. Without two of them the other guys get gassed and exposed. Really not entertaining basketball out there, but what are you going to do. It's not anyone's fault. They are just not good enough to compete with the available players right now. And there is no reason to expect more from guys like Hawes, Allan, Wayns etc. These guys are journeymen.
Amazing how the Sixers find new ways to disapoint year in and year out. Getting to be pretty wearing after being so fired up after the Bynum trade. This is worse than the disappointment after the Brand signing.
Agree with most of this, but don't really think it's four guys, it's two. W/ Jrue and Bynum, they're legit, with just one of them, they can compete on a nightly basis. W/out both of them, they're helpless. Think Thad and Turner are just at the top of the rest of the flotsam on the roster.
+1 on this.
Jrue, Bynum, Turner and Thad are the true core of the team right now (some more important than others of course). The rest are shooters and backup big men. If they somehow get healthy and develop some chemistry, this will be a very good team. If not, they will continue dwelling around mediocrity.