If I told you Jrue only turned the ball over one time and went to the line nine times, how much would you guess the Sixers won by? 10? 20? In allowing the Detroit Pistons to pick up their first win of the season, the Sixers demonstrated exactly how badly they need Andrew Bynum. The Sixer bigs were an embarrassment last night, and the fact their performance stood out to me when the entire team shot 29% from the floor says something.
Before we get to how small the bigs played, I think it's only fair to point out that it took Evan Turner roughly 200 minutes of game action to land in Doug Collins' doghouse, and he's basically one hot shooting night from Dorrel Wright away from reclaiming his rightful spot somewhere below #5 on the team's depth chart. If we're going to be honest about Turner, picking up the option for next season was a mistake. I know everyone says he's a hard worker, but I don't know how a hard worker comes into the season pudgy two years in a row when his exit interview focused on getting in better shape.
And the "bigs"... Kwame Brown came back from injury to play in his second game of the year. His 12 minutes produced 3 points and 1 rebound. Spectacular. Lavoy's jumper was actually falling. Really, there isn't anything positive to say beyond Lavoy's jumper was actually falling. This team missed 59 of 84 shots from the floor, and 11 of 32 from the foul line. It was the worst shooting display I've ever seen, and Lavoy was pretty much the only one who was exempt from the horror show. 2/11, 1/6, 4/13, 3/12, 2/9, 1/5, 1/5. Absolutely the most pitiful shooting I've ever seen.
This team is lost in the half court. Essentially, Jrue is their only hope on most possessions, but now other teams realize that. He can't run the pick-and-roll game, because none of the bigs is even half a threat to roll to the basket. When someone sets a pick for Jrue, it's just an easy way to double team him. He can either give the ball up to a big man for a 20 footer (which he'll miss), or keep his dribble alive by (a) splitting the double or (b) bouncing the ball back out further on the perimeter. Last night, he did a much better job of splitting the double, but there was always another big waiting for him in the lane, his kickouts led to missed jumpers, or he pulled up for a questionable shot before he got into the lane (I'm pretty sure Jrue was short on every single non-layup attempt last night, save one jumper he hit off the dribble).
That's their offense. Jrue dribbles out top, sometimes someone sets a pick, which hurts more than it helps. Maybe a wing runs off a screen or two. Maybe a big flashes to the elbow and they run a little hi-low action off that. That's it. The crazy thing isn't that the Pistons made them look silly last night on the offensive end, the crazy thing is that this offense with these pieces actually works once in a while.
Player of The Game: Lavoy? Jrue? I'll go with Jrue for getting to the line 9 times, handing out 7 dimes and only coughing it up once. His defense was also superb in the first half.
Team Record: 4-4
Up Next: vs. Utah, Friday night
"If we're going to be honest about Turner, picking up the option for next season was a mistake."
Step right up! Step right up! You may now select your prize!
Think I may have mentioned it in a recent game thread but if I didn't here it is anyway: Picking up Turner's option is gonna be just like picking up Speights', a complete waste of time. At least Speights wasn't tying up 6 mil+ with his being picked up.
As for the rest, soft as Charmin team physically, soft as cotton team mentally, listless effort, appears quite a few of the guys are IQ challenged, minimal heart, ghostless leader(s), and not enough hard-nosed veterans for that tell-it-like-it-is jerk-a-knot-in-you locker room presence.
Bynum may be good and all, but these warts getting exposed more each game aren't gonna be cured just by him. He may slowly treat some of the warts, but full-blown curing is out of the question.
Obligatory Turner comment.
On the nights where he has played 35+ minutes he has not looked winded whatsoever. His physique may not be shredded, but he is not out of shape. However, Richardson and Wright should be the starting wings, I agree with you there.
But this team. Ack. Without any legitimate big men they have no chance. Hawes is a fucking joke. Brown can't handle more than 15 minutes a night. Lavoy is AFK. Thad is never going to lead a front-court.
And I wanted to rehash this comment from last night:
How the fuck did these guys win 3 games on the road?
Where did that squad disappear to that took it to Boston last Friday?
Where did that team go that showed some mettle and put its foot on the gas against Toronto?
Where did that swarming, active defense go that showed itself in the Denver game?
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It isn't as simple as opponents game tape viewing has caught up with them is it? Can't be, not from what I've been seeing.
Last night's game was kind of crazy, because the defense was definitely swarming early. Jrue especially was all over the passing lanes, and it seemed like they were rolling. But they were only scoring in transition, so the points were exciting, but they were putting up zeroes every time in the half court, so their lead was like 3 when you felt like it was 10.
Yeah, they didn't have any problem at all generating turnovers. They were getting plenty of deflections. But how the heck do you get 10 steals and cause 17 turnovers yet only turn that into 11 fast break pts? Guess Detroit was good in transition D, because I don't remember that many runouts where we didn't convert or anything.
The lack of half court execution was middle-schoolish. Brutal.
And I thought they executed their stuff to a T when they played Boston. Not sure where that went.
I think the "success" found in the Nuggets game was more so a product of the Nuggets being out of sync rather than the Sixers being honed in. They decisively beat the Celtics, absorbing every punch that came their way, but a win against the Raptors does little for me.
They don't have an identity right now on offense. I think they are trying to figure out how to score, but they don't have any anchors defensively to keep them consistent on that end. Brand played at a tremendous level defensively last season and obviously Iguodala kept them steady, but they don't have those luxuries anymore.
Agree mostly. It's just that when you don't even put forth effort or just show even the slightest level of verve in your play, that's disheartening from a fan's perspective. Inexcusable.
Luxuries are now departed as you say, but giving effort and attempting to execute basic fundamentals and plays should never be a luxury. That should be a given, for yourself first, and your teammates second. Conspicuously absent though in the last two games sans the 3rd quarter vs MIL.
Going forward, I think the Sixers need to accept the fact that only two players on this team can create their own shot, absent a gross mismatch on the floor. Those two players are Holiday and T. Young. anyone one else trying to attack the basket rarely ends up with something positive happening.
What really stuck out to me last night (aside from the weird, directionless offense) was how horrible the bigs were rotating. Thad especially loves to double the ball for no reason and then leave a gaping hole in the paint to be filled by Kwame or Lavoy, who sit there sucking their thumbs. Spence tries to rotate but he is so painfully slow its often late and he picks up fouls. Kwame must huff paint on the sidelines because he looks clueless.
Moving on to Thad in general, he looked real bad in all aspects last night. The hustle was there but he looked like he had no idea what was going on on both sides of the ball. Between taking weirdly aggressive shots and missing them badly to playing really lazy defense I have no idea why he got so many minutes last night. At least throw Moultrie in there to see what he can do. I understand Thad was trying but his effort wasn't helping anyone. Signing Swaggy instead of another PF was a real glaring mistake that will really hurt us.
this team needs to do everything possible to get rid of everybody except Jrue and Bynum as fast as possible.
Seems like a vast over reaction
Yes it's a poorly built roster, but when is the last time the sixers had a well built roster?
It's amazing they have so many 'bodies' and so little talent/depth
What have Jrue and Bynum done to earn your fealty? One's an energetic, scoring-determined PG with little feel for offensive ruddership (88.0, 28th of 30, with a surfeit of shooters), one's a malingerer. Youth carts disadvantages, especially me-first youth.
Do you not think if Jrue had more reliable scorers on his team he might be less scoring determined?
He's really the only player on this team who can get to the basket when he wants to...and show far - sadly - he's the most consistent shooter on a team that supposedly add 'shooters' this off season
I think shooters are here in Richardson, Wright and Nick Young. Need to be fed/set up better, not only by Jrue but by staff design and emphasis, to better utilize talent.
The helter skelter, make-something-happen mode of Holiday, fostered by a green-lighting Collins, helps no one. Shooters are domestic animals; need their comfort, regular reliables (timing of passes, placement, some consistency). Holiday's uneven deliveries (IF they arrive) are partially responsible for:
Richardson - .341 (career .436)
Wright - .357 (career .440)
N. Young - .325 (career .427)
Of course a lack of inside pressure on defenses is also counter-effective.
8 gm numbers aren't 82 gm numbers.
There's a difference between GUNNERS and shooters
It's the difference between Kyle Korver and Willie Green
If I buy your two statements, what's your point re current Sixers?
Two of the names you mentioned are much closer to being willie green than kyle korver
A loose opinion. Can you specify and substantiate?
Willie Green takes a lot of jumpers even though he doesn't hit them at an efficient rate. He takes them early into the shot clock and does so even when he has a hand in his face.
Korver hits a high percentage of his jumpers. He has a quick release and takes those shots as an outlet to stretch the floor.
Willie Green's shots stagnates the offense while Korver's shots keeps defenders honest. Nick Young resembles Willie Green more so than Kyle Korver.
I think that's the point GoSixers is trying to make, but I'm too lazy to look up their stats.
Very contradictory statements with a solution brought in generalities.
As you said, these guys need to be setup. So, I'm assuming you do realize that Young, Richardson and Wright are all spot-up shooters? They aren't Ray Allen and can't consistently catch and shoot by running off screens. So it's on Jrue, the only guy to create a shot to set them up, because they won't get shots anyway else. And what you fail to see, is he's doing just that. Jrue is third in the league in assists, fourth in the league in the percentage of his teammates' baskets that he assists on. So, this shoot-first narrative you are crafting is mind-boggling.
And man, I couldn't disagree more with you wanting Jrue to play more conservatively, and how him being aggressive "serves nobody." It's the opposite, actually. That would take away the team's best and most efficient scorer as well as the only way that the shooters can be set up, through Jrue's penetration. Nobody is arguing that he has to take care of the ball a little better, but this team won't score if he isn't aggressive.
So basically, you want standstill shooters set-up better and you want to take the ball out of the only playmaker's hands. Doesn't add up.
Surfeit of shooters. That's hilarious.
The Sixers should trade Hawes and Turner for Eric Gordon. I like the idea of resting the future of the franchise on the rehabilitation of 3 knees.
another thing I noticed last night, which speaks to how no one else can make a play on this team. Jrue never even came close to getting a look from three. It's tough to create those for yourself under normal circumstances. Nearly impossible when they're doubling you hard on every pick.
This is why I appreciated Lou Williams. Even if his shot wasn't falling, he had the ability to drive to the basket and draw fouls.
"Interested in hosting a party for you and 16 of your friends at a Philadelphia 76ers game? If you've got $6.80 lying around, you're in luck, because a block of 17 tickets for Wednesday night's game against the Detroit Pistons was on sale for $0.40 a ticket on StubHub."
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/see-nba-game-0-10-seriously-10-cents-234007316--nba.html
i hope Aron & Harris saw that
New poll question: When will Andrew Bynum play his first game for the Sixers?
http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/sixers/
To vote, go halfway down right side of page.
Twitter: @tmoorepburbs
This was dicsussed on the "New Look" post back somewhere around the middle of October but I wanted to re-visit it although I realize it's only been an extremely small sample of 8 games. I argued that ET's defense was overstated by some and that end of the floor would contribute to his riding the pine, in addition to his team defense always having been questionable at best. Basically, that this notion that he's this good defender would be exposed as false by having to guard more well-defined players on the wing. Believe your response was that you thought Turner's D was legit.
Do you still feel this way now that he's giving up the most points per possession on the team to this point? That his D really is legit?
Eh, I don't know. He hasn't seemed terrible to me, but I haven't really been focusing on him that much. You knew wings were probably going to go from being held way below their averages against the Sixers to at least doing what they normally do simply because Iguodala was gone. My overall impression of Turner is that he helps your defensive rebounding, kills your offense and he's probably average defensively. Though clearly overmatched athletically on a nightly basis at the three.
Kinda makes you root for the kid.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20121116_LATE_EXPECTATIONS.html
Whether or not it is good for the game 12 of the 40 leading scorers in the league this year are p.g.'s, and that is not including guys like D.Rose [injured] and T.Parker,B.Knight,J.Teague. The position has changed and the key for Jrue will be how he balances it.
All the top p.g.'s seem to score as well as distribute and even the youngins, D.Lillard,B.Knight,K.Walker, come into the league with that mindset.
sixers close to buying a D-league team
http://www.libertyballers.com/2012/11/16/3653122/sixers-nba-d-league-sioux-falls-skyforce-adam-aron-76ers
Yeah, personally I think it would be a waste of money. Maybe once in a while you find a diamond in the rough, but you're talking about investing a lot of time and money into maybe developing a guy off the bench a couple years down the road. It's never going to be a farm system like it is for baseball. If you can play, you can play. If you can't, beating up on scrubs and retreads in the D-League isn't going to change that. The learning guys need to do when they get into the NBA is almost 100% learning how to compete against the athleticism in the NBA, that's not replicated down there. If they had their own D-League and sent Turner there for a year, all they'd see is that Turner can be great against lesser competition, then he'd come back to Philly and still suck ass vs. legit NBA players. The success stories from the NBADL are guys who were too good to be there in the first place and just never got the opportunity for whatever reason. When they did, they stuck in the NBA.