As a fan, I feel a little bit numb after 44 games. I feel like I've been beaten into submission, beaten to the point where I've come to not only expect the worst, but settle for things that simply are not acceptable. After the jump, I'll give you a glaring example of what I'm talking about.
Earlier in the season I was filled with righteous indignation over how Jordan was treating the rookie. The kid would get in a game occasionally, defend like you wouldn't believe, then disappear for several games. As the season wore on, his minutes were all over the place and, to be honest, I grew tired of beating the drum. You can only ask, "Why is Lou Williams in the game getting abused on the defensive end when we need stops?" so many times.
So fast forward to three games ago. Jrue Holiday was inserted into the starting lineup along with Elton Brand. For the first time since very early in the season, the Sixers were starting a sensible lineup (probably their best lineup), and I took it as a positive sign. So much so, actually, that I was more counting my blessings that we were getting to see Jrue play in a real lineup, than questioning why he was still being limited to 15 minutes or so, and hardly ever seeing the floor when it mattered in the second half. Essentially, I'd become so accustomed to asinine decisions that I was willing to take what I could get.
The problem with settling for table scraps is that sometimes you miss the big picture. Over the past month I've commented frequently about Jrue's contributions when he's been on the floor, but his minutes have been limited to the point where his stats rarely amounted to anything. Five points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists looks mundane in the box score, and while his defense would usually stand out I just don't know how much you can glean from the sporadic minutes we were seeing.
Of course, if you're Eddie Jordan, it's easy to ignore Jrue's contributions when they come in small doses. You aren't going to hear much about not playing the kid more when his stat lines never jump out at you. I'm not saying this is his motivation for holding the kid back, for all I know his motivation could simply be because he doesn't want to overexpose him. No matter what the reason is, though. The fact of the matter is that Jrue has earned a bigger role, and I'm not simply talking about his defensive prowess, or any anecdotal evidence I can come with about how he runs the offense and his natural point guard instincts. I'm talking about his production, his statistical production, over the past month.
Check out these numbers over the past 14 games. He's averaged 15.5 minutes/game, the numbers below are his numbers per 36 minutes:
- 4.48 FG / 9.95 FGA (45% from the floor)
- 1.33 3P / 2.82 3PA (47.1% from three)
- 1.33 FT / 1.99 FTA (66.7% from the line)
- 1.66 offensive rebounds
- 3.98 defensive rebounds
- 5.64 total rebounds
- 6.14 assists
- 2.82 turnovers
- 2.18 assist/turnover ratio
- 1.16 steals
- 0.66 blocks
- 4.81 fouls
- 11.61 points
Over that stretch of games, 14 of Jrue's 37 assists have been for field goals at the rim (layups or dunks). As a point of reference, Lou Williams also has 14 assists on at the rim finishes over the past 14 games. Lou has also played exactly twice as many minutes as Jrue. I'd like to see him cut down on the fouls and turnovers, and get to the line a bit more, but overall, most teams in the league would take a 12/5/6/1/.7 stat line from their PG, especially from their 19-year-old PG.
Simply put, Jrue's production on both ends of the floor probably warrants 30 minutes a game at this point. At the very least, he's earned the right to prove that he's not ready to handle the point for 30 minutes a night.
Forget about the team's atrocious record. Forget about the fact that we believe he's the future of the team and we want to see him developed. Forget everything about the guy and just look at how he's played when he's been on the floor. He's earned it with his play, and none of these stats even reflect the biggest strength of his game, his on-the-ball defense, which the team sorely lacks whenever he's on the bench.
Like the headline says, we're being cheated.
Here's a quick look at the advanced stats worksheet, which we haven't really examined for a while.
Here's some early morning reading for you as well. A quote from
Bob Cooney's article:
"When we feel like we should've won, it's a little chippy," said guard Lou Williams, recently demoted from the starting lineup in favor of rookie Jrue Holiday. "Guys are getting after each other. Today was one of those days. It's a good day for us, for guys to be competitive, to kind of yell and scream at each other, get that frustration out. I don't know if it's encouraged [by the coach]; it's like organized fighting almost; I'm not sure if he encourages that. Guys come in pretty fired up."
If you recall, Jordan was infamous for this crap in Washington. He essentially encouraged a dispute between Brendan Haywood and Eton Thomas to the point where Thomas punched Haywood in practice.
Reportedly, the two players came to blows at least three times. So not only is our coach throwing his players under the bus at every opportunity, but it sounds like he's now playing mind games to pit teammate vs. teammate. Encouraging, huh?
Not surprising. As dumb as Jordan's comments and coaching decisions are, he seems to be pretty good with mind games and convincing people close to him that he's correct. I suppose that's how he got his job in the first place. Now it only seems like a matter of time before he convinces Stefanski to make dumb trades and/or roster adjustments. I can't help but to be pessimistic anymore.
As far as Jrue is concerned, with a record this bad, there is no reason not to play the kid real starter's minutes. I just don't understand it.
Jordon is trying to make like a washed up senile Don Nelson, I mean there is no other explanation for all of his logic. And the worst thing is that Stefanski worked with him before, how dumb could he be? Hopefully not DUMB enough to resign WIllie Beamon and Sammy when there contracts are up. Sammy might be playing great now but he is the definition of fools gold.
Brian I am with you on Jrue, he is one of the biggest things that I look foward too these days when watching the sixers play. He deserves to play heavy minutes. The thing that blows me away are his condescending prick like comments to the media, whats wrong with this guy?
I would resign Sammy when his contract is up, but not for 10mill/yr. 3-5mill/yr seems reasonable
I think sam's going to get an MLE (if it still exists) offer from some team, for about 3 years, he's a solid bench big man who still has some years left - they aren't super easy to find (plus he doesn't have an injury history).
Sorry I was talking about Eddie in that last sentence.
30 minutes a night? Nah. That is asking an awful lot of Holiday and risking some downside if he struggles/goes through a bad stretch.
He should be in the starting rotation at PG though and not be looking over his shoulder on whether or not he is going to get a quick yank if he misses a jumper or two.
Frankly, it was interesting to watch Williams body language/demeanor when Holiday started. He clearly wasn't a happy camper about it. To that, I say too damn bad. He may not have the greatest ability to be a top-notch defender but I have seen one thing that he has worked on/improved as a defender during his NBA career. Most damning thing is his pure lack of hustle at times when he is guarding his man off-ball. That just shouldn't just happen that much but it does.
Holiday gives me some faith that the Sixers finally have a younger player who may be part of the longer-term solution. Too bad that Williams, Spreights, and Young would all be better of being used off the bench at this point in there careers and I don't know if one of these guys is a starter long-term in the NBA except maybe Spreights.
Great post Brian. On another note I got 2 TICKETS FOR SUNDAYS GAME AT THE IZOD CENTER. I am not sure I can go so I wanted to throw it out there. They are 175.00 tickets basically at center court aisle seats WILL TAKE BEST OFFER. Probably not a hot commodity but we can work something out. Anyboday interest can reply to this post or Brian knows how to get a hold of me. I am Rob_STC on twitter.
I will start off the bidding by offering you 2 American dollars. Not much but a start.
The team isn't going to win a title (or even win a round of the playoffs) as currently constructed (and coached) what we as fans (and the sixers as a franchise) are being cheated of is the development of Jrue Holiday by this coach. What sort of NBA starter at point guard averages under 20 MPG unless having foul trouble - that's Jrue in his 3 starts so far.
If this team is ever going to be GOOD, Jrue Holiday will need to be developed to the best of his basketball ability, and for that he needs minutes. So the fans are being cheated, the franchise is being cheated, and JRUE is being cheated...all by the same buffoon.
Ed may need to lay the smack down a little harder and indicate to the coach a minutes distribution as well...sorry willie, sorry lous, but neither of you really should play mo than 20 MPG
(sorry x-posted)
There are very few people who actually think EJ should keep his job.
But say they fire him, then have an interim coach for the rest of the year. Is that when you evaluate players? Then get a permanent replacement this summer. That would mean Stefanski has done the following in only 2 years:
8/08: Extend Cheeks 2 years
12/08: Fire Cheeks, on the hook for 1.5 years of salary
12/08: Pick Dileo as coach
8/09: Hire EJ for 2 years
1/10 Fire EJ, on the hook for 2.5 years of salary
1/10: Hire interim coach
8/10: Hire new long term coach
Given run of 7 potential extensions/hirings/firings in 2 years (along with paying multiple coaches to NOT coach), how does this reflect on Stefanski?
I think you can't hire a new coach without replacing our GM. http://www.phillyarena.com/archives/2010-01-19/For-Stefanski-Time-has-Run-Out-...tk76
And I think the GM knows it, which is one of the reasons the current coach keeps his job, the GM knows if he fires EJ then he's next
Not only that...
Stefanski is more likely to make moves to make the roster fit EJ's wacky ways. He needs to show that hiring EJ was not a huge blunder in order to save his jobs.
A lot of what Stefanki has done was reasonable at the time (except the ES hire.) But most of his moves have blown up in his face. Now he carries all of the baggage of trying to justify his past decisions.
We need a new GM who does not feel any pressure to find a way to win now.
Most of the moves since Brand to me may have been 'reasonable' but were also 'meh' - not good but no bad either except for the coach hire of course
I completetly agree regarding Jrue. Although if the team actually had even one other PG on the roster I could understand having the 19 year old come off the bench. But Jrue is the only real PG, so playing him not only helps the future, it helps them right now.
tonight at 5pm on csn michael barkann is interviewing ed snider about eddie jordan's job security among other things. thank god, i really want to hear what he has to say.
Michael Barkann
An Employee of Comcast
Which owns the sixers
is going to interview the sixers owner.
I don't expect a lot of hard hitting questions, I'm sure Barkann has a list of what he can and can not ask...
Anyone local who can give insight would be great but I don't expect anything earth shattering UNLESS of course they're firing him live on air (on air executions are the next step)
yeah i didn't think of it like that but at least they're interviewing him and seeing what he has to say.
Well sure, they are, but it's like CNBC interviewing Jack Welch when he was head of GE or Eisner being interviewed on ESPN - it's going to be a puff piece and people are going to be afraid of their jobs.
However, KNOWING this in advance means it's kind of interesting to hear just what Snider will say. Snider has been known for saying stupid things when interviewed, the Iverson quote for instance when trading him, on ESPN, I thought was a huge faux pas in terms of trade value and PR...the answers will still be interesting but I don't expect a 'hard hitting' interview. I expect something like this is CALCULATED by the sixers to send a message through the media, to the fans or even to Jordan, just like the mikey miss interview last week with Stefs comments about defense and Brand and then immediately seeing Brand and Holiday in the startin line up.
I'm just going to take the interview with a grain of salt no matter what he says :) It's not the same as if he sat down for an hour with Kate Fagan or David Aldridge (one of the few NBA reporters I respect)
Just setup the tivo to record it. I'll post audio of it tonight.
Thanks, always interesting to hear what an owner has to say - even if it's a controlled environ - and who knows when Snider will mis-step :)
http://archive.sixersbeat.com/snider.mp3
Thanks Derek
Not a whole lot there, but interestingly two names are focused on (and two names only) in that clip, Brand and Holiday. Brand isn't going anywhere and Snider believes that Holiday and Brand are now the 'core' of this team...that's how I take it. He doesn't advocate tanking but no one publicly says it. He sort of brushes of the WTF is Joran doing question by saying he questions what all coaches do, but at the same time he doesn't say 'i have faith in my coach'.
He danced around a lot of things, and for an interview with an owner I'd expect a longer interview, but only mentioning Brand and Holiday by name implies to me the way he's leanig in the concept of trading anyone else...
pack your bags andre - if they can find a deal they like - you're gone - and it might be more aggressive than that
Maybe Snider's sick of looking like a fool and he set this up to blast Jordan. I can't imagine that with a 15-29 record he's going to have anything positive to say about him. This can't be a vote of confidence interview. It has to be a "You're officially on double-secret probation" type of deal, no?
Maybe he'll just publicly fire him :)
That's possibility A
Or, possibility B, your (and most of the rest of us too) nightmare. Snider is going on to back up the 'bus incident' that Jordan perpetrated in the post game talking about how the players have to 'man up' or some such nonsense and listen to the coach.
I say it's 50:50 - cheaper to keep Jordan and trade Iguodala for slop than to fire Jordan, pay a third coach and keep Iguodala.
No chance that happens with Snider. I have always been amazed though at how Snider has never been reluctant in the least to pull the trigger on a Flyers' coach but has what is seems to be a lassez-faire attitude with the Sixers' coach.
My bet is that he gives largely scripted answers that he is disappointed but that he has seem most positive signs of late. I would be surprised if he is really critical of Jordan/Stefanski.
Frankly, I would be most interested to hear if Snider really pushes the "we can make the playoffs angle" yet tonight.
Snider has always cared more about the Flyers than the Sixers, it's been pretty obvious - though he keeps firing coaches and letting the real problem fester (yeah you Bobby). Loyalty has its place, but I've always thought Snider lets his loyalty get in the way of smart decisions be it Bobby Clarke or firing Billy King.
Snider has been known to slip up when it's live, liek the ESPN thing a few years ago (I thought was a slip up )and even if it's scripted - Snider has an 'agenda' that he wants to get across during ths interview - he can control the questinos and thus the agenda - so even if it's a controlled environ - some insight might be gained just be seeing what is asked (and what isn't) during the interview. I think one thing we'll find out is 'whose side' is he on - if he throws the players under the bus in a continuation of what coach did postgame Monday - this franchise is fracked.
Rookie/Soph Challenge up here
check out the F/PF in the rookie class....wow
Brian,
Thank you for rubbing salt into the wound!
I would love to hear around 4pm that Ed S or Ed J or both have been terminated. And that is why Ed Snider is on at 5pm......
I was more taken by this:
"In conversations with front-office executives Tuesday night, I was told some strong stuff regarding the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement. As you probably know, the current CBA will end after the 2010-2011 season.
The gist of what I was told is that the owners will go for the jugular and drop the players’ salaries immensely.
I spoke with one executive about Amare Stoudemire and was told that, the way owners are talking now, Stoudemire wouldn’t even get a five-year contract worth $60 million under the next CBA. That sounded crazy to me, but when I spoke with a team owner an hour later, he made the executive sound tame.
“The owners are really going to chop the money down,’’ the owner said. “I think Stoudemire would get $5 or $6 million [annually] in the next deal. The bottom line is that things are going to change dramatically.’’"
http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStories.asp?lc=NBA&c=1&TEAM_ID=&PLAYER_ID=&hd=20100127#STORY_23896
Yeah I read that this morning.
The problem with NBA contracts (in my opinion) isn't the money on the contracts it's the GUARANTEE portion of the contracts that are a mess.
Teams can't get out from under bad contracts easiliy...so maybe they need to come up with some sort of NFL version of guaranteed/non guaranteed money...also - 51% is too high for the salary cap as well...it's gotta be lower...yes the players make a lot of money for the league but the league and teams incur all the costs :)
They probably also have to work on revenue sharing (which is an owner owner problem and what could really screw the NFL this time). I'd expand the use of the NBDL (first two years is just stupid, why not allow it for rehab too...institute a 'options' type thing maybe...or under rookie contract...but 2 years is just wrong)...
IIf the NBA really thinks they're going to get contracts down to where Amare would only get 5 mil in the off season I think they're nuts, unlike some other sports, there are teams out there with a LOT more money, less spending restrictions that would offer a more legitimate alternative to the NBA than either MLB or NFL players can get if contracts were forced that low.
I hate all sort of salary cap nonsense in general, because I think they're just tools to protect owners and GM's from their own stupidity - but if you have to hve one - why not model it after the NFL which seems to 'work' the best to allow bad teams (run by smart people) to clean up mistakes faster than the NBA does
Regardless of how deeply they cut player salaries under the new CBA (and I presume lockout)- It just makes the 5-6 years and 200M committed to Brand/Iguodala/Lou as an even larger looming obstacle for this franchise moving forward. Those three account for 39M of cap space in 2012/13, which might be more than the entire cap that year :)