It's a miracle! The perfect confluence of sub-par opponents, timely absences and swirling trade rumors set the stage for the Sixers to overcome their dimwitted coach and embark on their first bonafide
win streak of the season.
Take a gander at that rotation chart. You'll immediately notice a couple of things. (1) Decent minutes for both Royal Ivey and Rodney Carney in the second half. (2) 18:07 of playing time for Jrue Holiday. The first was a direct result of Willie Green limping off the court with 5:45 remaining in the third quarter. The second was a direct result of a vendetta our coach has against his rookie point guard. There's really no other explanation. But hey, he's coaching for his job, not the future of this franchise, so he's going to decide minutes based on nothing but the radio signals his braces are picking up. I guess we're just going to have to keep dealing with it.
Believe it or not, Jordan actually played the best possible defensive lineup on his roster for 2:54 tonight. Jrue at the point, Carney at the two, Iguodala at the three, Brand at the four and Sammy at the five. How could he possibly ruin that small bone he threw Sixers fans who actually care about the defensive end of the floor? Simple, he put that unit into a zone. The Hornets faced the zone for exactly three possessions in the next 1:07 of game time, got three clean looks at threes and drained two of them. Then they switched to man and allowed one point in the remaining 1:47 of their run. They also forced a turnover and turned it into a lighting-quick dunk on the other end.
I'd love to be able to muster some excitement over this win, I really would. And it's not even the lottery implications that have me down, I'm usually kind of ambivalent about lottery seeding. It's the fact that this team has now won three consecutive games despite what has really been piss-poor coaching by Eddie Jordan. He's not doing anything differently. The players are simply making up the difference with their talent and energy. Against even mediocre teams, this is not a winning formula. When the Sixers are head and shoulders better than their opponent, which they have been over the past three (including Chicago), talent alone can win it for you.
Andre Iguodala had another great all-around game, even without shooting the ball particularly well. Elton Brand probably had his worst offensive game of the season (5/13 from the floor for only 11 points, and 6 turnovers), but he picked it up on the defensive end and held David West in check. The offensive load was carried by Thad who exploded for 19 points in 25 minutes off the bench and Carney who drained three threes en route to 13. Lou Williams had a stellar game, shooting 2/10 from the field and botching transition opportunities like it's his job. At least he only played 11 minutes more than Jrue, though.
This really should've been a very comfortable lead. Any sane coach would've put a defensive unit in with 5 or 6 minutes left and a twelve-point lead. Unfortunately, we're saddled with Eddie Jordan who decided he needed to go small, and he needed to stay small so the team could "score efficiently" down the stretch. Needless to say, the lead was trimmed to six with three minutes to go before he finally got Dalembert back in the game.
Still, three wins is three wins, and the Sixers don't have to wait long to make it four. Tomorrow night, they'll again set foot on the floor with the best player in the game on their side and look to take down the Houston Rockets.
Player of The Game: I'm going with Thad, not so much for the scoring but for the unbelievable hustle that's been woefully absent from his game for most of the season.
Team Record: 18-31
Up Next: The Rockettes
Don't know how long it will last but, the guys seem to be buying in somewhat. From EJ bumping fists all the way down the bench before tipoff to Iguodala listening intently on the bench during a timeout huddle.
They seem to believe which is half the battle. But more importantly, they seem to believe in each other. That can go a long way. Communication is up, body language is positive, and cohesion is attempting to peek through (still need to see it more to really say this though).
Why they all waited so long to put it out there is beyond me, but it sure is a good thing to see. As you said, talent and energy is making up the difference. And that, on most nights in this league, can get you by, no matter the particular ooach. If not talent, then for sure energy.
You are kidding, right. They played a team without its starting backcourt.How can anybody enjoy this !!! Who is even going to be here,when is the right coach going to be here? What could this team full of greyhounds of done with a coach that stresses the other end. Brian, I respect all the work you put in and your dedication because this can!t be easy.That lineup you mentioned, if allowed to get 30 minutes a game together under Thibedoux, for example, could beat a lot of teams.
"How can anybody enjoy this !!! Who is even going to be here,when is the right coach going to be here?"
It's called putting everything aside and just rooting for your favorite team, it really isn't hard, the mind is a powerful thing.
I have no idea who's going to be here, and all that's out there is just that until something is official - just speculation and rumors. No need to get caught up in it.
As for the coach, I've said since the first month of the season that the guy is here for the long haul so why let that cloud my fandom. You can only beat a dead horse so many times - at least I thought.
As fans, we question decisions regardless of who's the coach, just part of the territory. But placing a microscope upon the majority of decisions and most games isn't healthy from the scope of a fan. If you want something to be wrong or are looking for something to be wrong, it's not hard to make or find wrong.
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/sports/83702112.html
Iggy isn't letting the trade talk bother him.
Plus here's Tim Legler's interview with Mikey Miss on the status of the Sixers
http://www.975thefanatic.com/teams/sixers/home.aspx
Legler's kind of a joke if you ask me. He's done a couple interviews now where he's basically said Jordan has screwed everything up since he got here, but he doesn't deserve to be fired. This whole fraternity of morons thing really bugs me.
I'm excited for tomorrow's game against the Rockets. Iggy and Sammy will be pumped as they showcase themselves hard for the opportunity to play for a legitimate coach like Rick Adleman.
You really believe something like that don't you?
I just noticed something. Lots of times when players are rumored to be in trades, you hear how the GM talked to him to assure him, or keep him informed.
I've seen nothing like that in the papers from Stefanski or Igudala.
Continue to hear the Suns-Sixers rumor is "old news."
This from an organization who employs a head coach who says things like
And the second is from Jordan, talking about how difficult it was to take Lou Williams out of the starting lineup: "It was really hard to take him out, it really was. It was a discussion that had been going on for a couple of weeks. And I didn’t want to do it, didn’t want to do it. As much as people thought the backcourt of Allen and Lou was a defensive detriment, it wasn’t … it really didn’t hurt us defensively, but it got to a point where we wanted a little bit more and that’s why we thought Jrue would be better defensively."
ESPN, still pushing the old news, says today that "Stoudemire's loud suggestions this week that he might not opt out of his contract at season's end, as Chad likewise noted, were likely designed to give the Sixers further hesitation." Meaning, I guess, that he doesn't want to come here.
Would you? I mean, you'd go from playing with Steve Nash as your point to Lou Williams in a time when you're playing for a max contract.
Who wouldn't want to play with the next Gary Payton?
Well, he'd be playing 12 minutes/game with the next gary payton and 30 minutes/game with the next willie green (and the current willie green).
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yl28xy8
That's interesting. It would be a an all-or-nothing gamble, taking back serious money and committing to this group (even more than you already have) long term. Ignoring whether they would do it or not, for a second, I don't think Ellis is really the missing piece if you believe in this core.
In my eyes, it's not raw scoring they need at the two guard, they really need shooting. Ellis is a slasher, but not much of a three-point shooter.
The guy they really need from GSW is Curry.
Or Morrow would be nice too.
Man, Greg Monroe just continues to grow on me. The handle and passing ability for that size is sick. If it came down to him or Cousins at our pick and we took Cousins, I would throw another Holiday over Lawson fit. Uh-oh :)
A, they really like Curry, as well they should. B, I do think we need scoring. Even if you do believe in this core, you can't be very optimistic about it offensively. That said, committing the team to an Iguodala-Ellis future is a big gamble. If it doesn't work out on the court it'll be hard to tear it apart and go in another direction. I'd rather blow things up and try, try, try in the draft until we land our star. This team's greatest asset isn't any of its players, it's Tony DiLeo.
They need a 'certain kind' of scoring, and Ellis doesn't provide that...Monta Ellis will appeal to all the folk who loved Iverson in his prime, but he doesn't provide the kind of help this team needs.
Ellis is no Iverson. The one guy has a career 48.3% field goal percentage from the field; the other has a career 42.6% percentage. Though the efficiency gap between the two isn't quite as big as that stat makes it look; Iverson got to the line much more than Ellis does.
Ellis also turns the ball over more than Iverson ever did in his prime, and Iverson has always been a much better distributor.
He does? He's turning the ball over 4 times a game in a hopped-up offense where he's often the point guard, Iverson turned the ball over 4 times a game many seasons in his prime (some years 4.6 times a game) in an offense that he ran a little less frequently. Anyway, I really don't see how on offense we're just a shooter short. I mean, sure, if we retained Iguodala, harnessed our potential and become one of the great defensive teams of the post-Jordan era, then we won't need to score so much. More likely we'll just be good and will need a big-time scorer like every non-Pistons team that's won in the past twenty years.
Turnovers as a percentage of possessions used is the stat I was using here
I was thinking more overall, there's a lot out there that i've read that basically says Ellis hurts his team as much as he helps and he's a 'ball heavy' guy...and he doesn't have super deep range...that's what the sixers need...a guy with a specific skill set that Ellis doesnn't have?
If the Sixers were actually buyers, and willing to take on money, this is a trade I'd look into.
Send Thad, Green and Kapono to GSW for Stephen Curry and Corey Maggette.
Getting out from under Maggette's contract might be motivation enough to unload Curry if GSW likes Thad or Speights a little bit.
Then you move forward with a starting five of Dalembert, Brand, Iguodala, Curry and Jrue. With Speights/Thad (whichever you didn't trade), Lou, Maggette and Carney as your pieces off the bench.
Ziller on the Amare rumors.
I think refers to Thad as a good-to-great defender in the post, which is kind of laughable at this point.
Now that Elton on the block is our #1 option, getting a sniper to play off of him is imperative. Everybody is down on Kapono but he or Carney should be on the floor more. It is not like their replacements are good defenders.
Kapono should be put out to pasture and the sixers should make a play for Kyle Korver in the off season.
Assuming that WINNING is the primary motivation
Korver, if used this sporatically, would probably have similar results and hasn!t he been hurt a lot lately. I think our shooter should be a 2 guard if Thad isn!t capable of being a starter.J.R. Smith, because of his attitude, may be gettable over the summer.The shame of it is Afflalo may have been gettable last year for the right price.
J.R. Smith, because of his attitude, may be gettable over the summer.
And the reason he is available is the reason he shouldn't be traded for.
Kapono broke after he signed the contract with Toronto, don't know why, could be him could be coaching, but I still think he's broken and think Korver is a better option. Not sure about his injury history though...didn't really research into because I think if Utah is willing he'd take a discounted deal to stay there for non basketball reasons.
If you're looking for a 2 who can shoot the three, shouldn't you aim higher than a back up like Afflalo?
If weighing getting a good defender, oh I forgot our coach, against a scorer that can!t defend it may close the talent gap. Smith may be a gamble worth taking if Iggy remains because of Iggy!s versatility defensively and the issue of Smith not making big money. If Lou and Thad get me Smith I would think about it.
The goal for me right now, would be a guy who can shoot and stay on the floor for 35 minutes at the two. He doesn't need to be a good defender, he doesn't even need to be an average defender if he's sandwiched between Holiday and Iguodala. He just needs to be able to shoot from distance, move off the ball, and carry the scoring load for stretches if need be.
Let me ask you this, what means more, getting a knucklehead [Smith] playing big playoff games with good leaders [Billups] or getting a young shooter [Morrow] from a bad team putting up numbers ?
How has playing in those 'big' playoff games with 'good' leaders help Smith grow up any?
Morrow is cheaper and less trouble than Smith now - and the sixers aren't 'one player away'
That's what got Billy King in trouble, over and over and over
Using Reddick as an example, he had to earn his minutes to get time, has Morrow, who I like also. Reddick may be ready to give 15 to 18 ppg. in a situation like ours. Azuibuke also but Morrow probably has to much value to G.St. because of his price.
It's hard to understand what GSW does :)
I'm not sure Morrow is a 35MPG game, Smith might be. They'd both probably fit.
And I'm not saying you get this guy and you're set. He's not THE piece, he's just the next piece. Then you have to get a defensive big for the bench. A backup PG who's actually a PG, a wing defender off the bench if Carney isn't the solution.
There are a ton of things that need to be addressed, a two who can shoot and play big minutes is just the biggest need right now.
That is why adding 2nd rounders is vital.Look at the last few drafts, good backup p.g.!s and shooters.
It's good to have extra second round picks, but you can't really rely on one to be a big contributor. It happens, but not too often. Honestly, assembling the extra pieces isn't the priority right now. I want to see a plan for how you're going to fill the biggest hole, assuming they aren't going to blow the whole thing to hell anyway.
If I was deciding, I'd give Carney a dozen games or so at SG to see if he might be the guy.
I have thought of and liked this idea many times too. But from what I have seen of him, he just doesn't seem to be able to get anywhere on the floor with his dribble. He just basically camps out at the arc and waits for a kickout or swing pass. I want to see more of him but he just seems to be really limited in skillset. It's a tough go of it to play the 2 and not be able to create your own offense. And I can't remember one time in both his tenures here that he got his own shot off.
Isn!t that what we need, a guy who doesn!t put the ball on the floor when Elton kicks out from the doubleteam? I just wish Carney got good minutes consistantly for a while. He is never mentioned when talking about our young core but unlike the other 3 he seems to give effort defensively.
Well yeah, but if you are going to be out there for 35+ min, you are going to have do more than just wait for the occasional kickout, if EB even passes it. Because more times than not EB doesn't get double teamed and if he doesn't, he's gonna pull the trigger.
Couldn't agree more with your last sentence. He does display effort, and on that end in particular, which is something you can't say for the majority of the team. I would like to see more too though, just to further the evaluation.
One reason he's not really considered part of the young core is his contract. He's on a minimum deal right now, and he's only been here one season. Meaning after this season the Sixers don't have bird rights on him, and can only bring him back one of three ways:
1. Another minimum contract
2. the bi-annual exception
3. the mid-level exception
Odds are we could retain him using one of those things, but there's no guarantee he's a part of this team beyond this season. Especially not with the sporadic minutes he's seen, and the Sixers holding no negotiating power in dealing with him as a FA this summer.
I see in the rotation chart that they played holiday, carney, iguodala, brand, and dalembert for a few minutes. I think this is a really good lineup because it could potentially defend and carney can shoot the three pretty well compared to the rest of the team, allowing iguodala to be a facilitator over a shooter. Any chances well see it again?
i hope to god we get a good enough pick to get evan turner. i haven't seen him play all that much but from what i have seen and heard he is going to be a great nba player. can he defend though because i'm not sure.
Holiday
Turner
Iguodala
Brand
Sammy
obviously you can't really bank on this because we're probably not going to get the 2nd or 3rd pick and that's where he's going to go, but it would be sweet if we did.
i have always pictured the ideal addition to the sam-brand-ai9-holiday lineup to be a guy like oj mayo (or at least someone with his skillset) that can defend, shoot lights out, and is a great distributor. it would of course take something substantial to get the real mayo from memphis, but i have always thought a guy like him would be that kind of final piece (at least to the starting lineup).
It'd be great to get a plus defender at the two, but it's not critical and I think having a shooter/scorer is more important. Honestly, I think if we had the shooting guard equivalent of speights, he'd be much more useful than speights is right now. Again, this is assuming we didn't have a moron for a head coach.
If Henry keeps dropping he should be there when we pick and at 6!6" he does defend and shoot the 3. He may just be what we all are looking for and because of all Kansas!s talent he can!t show all he can do.
+1. He's my favorite shooting guard and has an unbelieveable body already at his young age.
Maybe it is our turn to get lucky and have the right guy there when we pick.
After 26 years of frustration, luck has to happen at some point, no?
If it happens this summer, it'll be two years in a row. Jrue shouldn't have fallen that far, and wouldn't have if not for the perfect storm of circumstances.
The sixers were lucky to get Iguodala at 9 because Toronto picked Araujo
speights at the two may work in ej's system. i mean he did play jared jeffries at the two right? haha