The Indiana Pacers bring a 4-game win streak into the WFC tonight to face the Sixers, including a win yesterday and a win Monday. Tonight, the Sixers have to push the pace. Make Indy expend a ton of energy early and often. See if you can steal a win against what has to be a tired squad.
Indy's two main weapons, Paul George and David West, have logged 83 and 72 minutes, respectively, over the past two days. It's really unfortunate Thad won't be playing, because he'd apply a ton of presssure on West. There are two keys when you're going up against a team with an extreme rest disadvantage. First, you have to push them early. Keep the pace up in the first half, especially keep the pressure up on the defensive end. Don't let them rest while they're on the court. Second, don't shrink your own rotations dramatically. Keep cycling in fresh legs, keep making them work on both ends of the floor and keep running at every opportunity.
Forgetting the rest issue for a second, when you look at the matchups, the Sixers have a couple of problems. First, they don't have anyone to guard Roy Hibbert. Hibbert has been terrible this season, but I have vivid memories of him pouring in easy points vs. the Sixers in the past. Second, Evan Turner vs. Paul George. You probably won't see many worse matchups for the Sixers. George is a big, rangy, athletic defender and an excellent three-point shooter. Pretty much everything Turner struggles against, on both ends of the floor. You have to assume Turner will get the nod over Nick Young to take the matchup, he really needs to show up tonight.
Indy is a very similar team to the Sixers, statistically. Cut from the same mold, only much better. Their offense is terrible (25th in the league in OFR), they're typically carried by their defense (1st in the league). Their offense has been much better recently, though (OFR of 110+ in 4 of their last 6). The Sixers defense is creeping up toward the top 10 (they're currently 11th in DFR), while only Washington is keeping them from being dead last offensively (yes, the Bobcats have a better OFR than the Sixers).
Expect a low-scoring, sloppy game. The sloppier the better for the Sixers, I'm thinking.
The tip is at 7pm. Use this as your game thread, I'll be watching on DVR. Run them ragged. Get the win. Four-in-a-row has a nice ring to it. Win one for Thad!
ive been thinking about this most of the day, why not put jrue on george, its a mismatch for whoever guards him but i dont think he will blow right by jrue like he will when turner and young are guarding him
and turner seems like he pays more attention on d when he guards the other teams point guards
They could. Wonder if they'd put George in the post, he's got almost 6 inches on Jrue.
yea that would be a problem, you could double and make sure Stephenson is the guy shooting
I think Brown would do a good job defending Hibbert. Whether Collins wants to play him or not, that is another question.
Someone's going to have to pick up those extra minutes.
Hibbert has been one of the worst offensive players in the league this year. he's a 7 footer shooting barely 40%. it's almost impossible.
defensively he's been fantastic, which is actually pretty admirable, considering most guys would lose focus on that end when they're struggling so much with their shot.
That is pretty amazing. He got the max, right?
Spencer Hawes is a BARGAIN!!!
yep, Indy matched Portland's offer
in his defense, he had a busy offseason guest starring on Parks & Rec and choreographing flash mobs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c4hY8mQM6Y
It'll be hard to out hustle and out-energy the Pacers without Mr. All-NBA-Energizer-Bunny Thad. If for some reason Vogel decides to go small, maybe. West and Hibbert will be too much to handle, and Paul George could own Turner.
Considering that our front court is, well our front court, and being how dependable and efficient Thad was for us, I'm surprised I dont hear more prophets of doom. We might have a light schedule for the next 3 wks or so, but I start to see losses @MIL, @MIN. The only sure games I see are Charlotte and Orlando. It is quite probable to go 2-7 in February and be counting ping pong balls.
This first game should be a barometer for how bad things can get.
You'd like Turner to just compete all night. Yeah, George may hit a couple of threes, but like you were saying yesterday, don't let your own shot attempts dictate the rest of your game. I'd like to see him stop talking to the refs and start talking to his opposite number. Just have the mindset that regardless, "I'm going to be a bitch to play against."
I'd like to see him stop talking to the refs and start talking to his opposite number
judging from the numerous altercations he has had to be pulled from, I think he does that too,
Seems to me like that's more him complaining about being fouled. Obviously just an opinion, but I don't think it's hard to play against someone who is emotional every time he doesn't get a call. I want him to channel that anger in the right direction, to a place where he can use it consistently on every play.
That would be ideal. Maybe someone in the locker room before the game should say so Turner can overhear it, "Man, imagine if we'd drafted George instead of Turner. How good would we be?"
Hah, it would have to be like someone who doesn't play. Then he'd probably be angry at the guy who said it to him.
Nick, and George are good friends. Don;t try to over hype George. He need to to be worry about Nick Young. Young have more move, and games. So you people shut it up.
There's a good point hidden in here. If I'm playing against the Sixers, I put my best wing defender on Nick Young, not Turner.
Nick, and George are good friends. Don;t try to over hype George. He need to to be worry about Nick Young. Young have more move, and games. So you people shut it up.
Zach Lowe on Boston w/out Rondo.
Think it's going to be hard for them to run that kind of offense over the long haul. Also think if you really pressure them bringing the ball up the floor, they aren't going to have enough time to get deep enough into their sets to get a good look, especially w/out a legit ballhandler on their squad. Now how many teams will be willing/able to apply the pressure is the question.
Chad Ford on Milwaukee - everyone pretty much available if you want em
Hearing they are VERY active right now. Marc Stein reported today that Samuel Dalembert is one guy that they are actively talking about (and what an incredible game he had last night trying to show his value). But he's not the only one -- Monta Ellis, Ersan Illaysova, Beno Udrih are all available. Even Brandon Jennings at the right price.
BTW - When KG was playing for the wolves - did he still 'bleed green' - do you think he remembers most of his career (and money) came somewhere else?
I think he means he bleeds money.
That makes more sense - I mean I laughed when that quote was put up - it's just nonsense - it probably also means Garnett knows very little about the racial history of Boston - it ain't good :)
Surprised you had no comment on the fact that most of the bucks players are available :)
I also can't believe no one busted out Dalemberts numbers for last night :)
heh, i did in the last thread!
Samuel Dalembert scored 35 points on 17 for 21 shooting, plus a free throw, in Milwaukee's loss in Denver on Tuesday. That was Dalembert's most points in any of his 754 regular-season games in the NBA; his previous best was 27, for Sacramento in 2010. No other player in NBA history has even gone 600 regular-season games into his career before his first 30-point game. The next-highest total is 584 games, by Fred Roberts, on Apr. 2, 1991, also for the Bucks. (Roberts did have a 30-point game in the 1989 playoffs.)
Only three other active players have scored a regular-season career-high in points at least 750 games into their career: Chauncey Billups, Andre Miller and Ray Allen.
The thing that impressed me the most was 27 minutes
I'd bring back Sammy D in a heartbeat.
At this point, any big with a pulse will help.
I like Mike Dunleavy as an expiring contract, just wish that he could defend.
Well - I doubt Milwaukee would want to take on a long term contract (Spencer?) for a shorter one - they're probably looking to shed money...so they can over pay jennings or monta.
what did Jennings agent say that suddenly made him available? not that i disagree with their decision. I think his production is too low for his usage.
Oh i have no idea what would make jennings available - the fact that he's not that good might be part of it - but milwaukee is a mess
Here's what I think - that scary ass new cap tax rule frightens some owners more than others - and they're positioning NOW to make sure they aren't even close to the new penalty issues.
I think that's what the grizz are doing - supposedly they're not done making moves even though before they traded rudy the speights trade got them under the tax level
Yeah, I like Ilyasova, but probably don't like his contract. Maybe Mbah A Moute, but he's just so bad offensively. Curious as to why they're so anxious to tear it all down. You know who the one guy I don't want from that sqaud is.
this wonderful, kwame is starting tonight
is*
actually 'this wonderful' fits the theme better
Showcasing him for a trade
young on george for the first possession
bad shot evan, who is now on george
two bad shots for Turner already
Turner jumps then passes, caught in no mans land. Turnover. Runout.
Jrue falls asleep on D, Hill goes backdoor for a layup.
Dorell in for ET early, thank goodness. Lavoy also in for Kwame. Thank goodness x2.
letting them play on both ends
Jrue dribbles ahead of the D, kicks back to D for 3!
Did Hansbrough just take a swipe at Lavoy there? Looked like it.
bad shot jrue
Bad shot Jrue, too early and forced. come on
Nick's got to make that if he's going to pull up that far out instead of attacking deeper.
lavoy at the buzzer, somehow only down 3
Lavoy just before the buzzer. Really ugly quarter for both teams. One positive is Evan only played ~6 mins.
Moultrie sighting. Spencer played the whole first quarter I think, guess that's going to be a sign of things to come w/ Thad out.
Arnett.
Catch the ball Turner. geez
Orlando Johnson just bitches Turner with a step back. heh
bad shot evan
Need to come up with a phrase that encapsulates the too oft occurring event - ala sissy hook
Pissy pull-up.
Evan with an o-board cleanup and BRICK! Wide open....
evan to moultrie
Turner is long on almost every shot tonight. Heavy too.
Dorell to Arnett for the oop.
wright with 2 blocks then throws the oop to moultrie
Jrue long with the shot off a nice curl and pass.
Jrue got a piece of that shot. ET with the pullup. HE MAKES IT
Psycho T is buddies with Turner in the Pouters club.
good run from moultrie there, i love malik
Hawes back in for Turner.
Whoops, meant in for Arnett. Nick back in for ET I think
The man said to expect a low scoring sloppy game. Cha-ching! Bingo! Winner, winner!
nice jrue
Jrue sneaks by with a left hand layup from the right side.
lavoy putback dunk
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/pattisonave/Fan-buys-18-Sixers-tickets-for-less-than-a-buck.html
there's no boxscore for this game on any website, does anyone know what's up with that?
@SpearsNBAYahoo
Sixers guard Jason Richardson will miss the rest of the season after having left knee surgery next week, a source told Y! Sports.
ugh evan
Shitty pass Turner. Threw it right to the floor between Hawes' legs.
Turner goes out early again. Yippee! 7+ mins left in quarter.
Jrue w/ a nice strip of Hill and goes the other way for a layup. Good D
Heh Spencer .... he's a hoot
Jrue oop to Dorell
ET dish to Arnett for a slam. And Evan mumbles to himself going back down court. heh
moultrie playing well, knows when to cut to the basket
Hey, the Sixers have FORTY EIGHT points.
at the end of the 3rd quarter
Can everyone say "lottery"? Yay, keep tallying ping pong balls guys, march on!
moultrie putback
You know, this loose officiating helps the game to move along quicker. Boston started at the same time and they have 5 minutes left in the third.
Jrue possibly had a foot on the line there? They will probably review it.
Monday night's game was a really short game too. Ended just after 2 hours I think.
Terrible pass Jrue. Telegraphed that the whole way toward the lane.
Jrue walked before being awarded that and-one.
LOL, Turner thought he would shoot the technical. On what planet dude
They're going to be very fortunate if they even beat Charlotte and Orlando and Minnesota. I'll be surprised if they even win one of those three.
Oh, I think they go 1-2 or 2-1.
Instead of Jrue or Thad freezing Evan out tonight, the official stats and box scores froze him out. Talk about cold....
Doug has lost the team....
mack released
how did moultrie look tonight you guys? i could tell by the box that he didn't get enough boards but other than that how was he?
One of our better players tonight. That's sort of like being one of the best players on the legendary 1972-73 team. He had his career high, though, and looks like he deserves to be given a regular playing time.
befitting of et to go thru the motions and lay an egg in thads 1st game out and after your put him on blast post
Eh, everyone blew tonight. Wasn't anymore Turner's fault than Jrue's or anyone else's. just an ugly game. Moultrie is your POTG.
I thought his defense on George was actually pretty good. He blew on offense though, but like Brian said, everyone else did too.
Brian, it's obvious to me in reading this blog for the past 2 seasons now, that you would love to see both Hawes and Turner in different uniforms as soon as possible. But I have to ask you, if you could only trade one of the two, which would you rather get rid of?
For me, I have long been a Turner apologist and have continually made excuses for him, saying that he still needs time to grow and mature, but I've reached the point where enough is enough. His shot selection is awful and every time he drives to the cup he gets blocked. I won't even get into his defense because you already covered it, but I have completely given up on the kid. It's sad, however, because I feel that if he could get himself into better shape and exhibit a more mature attitude on the court he could actually become a solid player. I just don't see that happening.
As for Hawes, he always provides us with at least 5 plays (if not more) that make us want to gouge our eyes out each game. His defense is atrocious and he is the only 7 footer in the nba who scores more easily from 18 feet than he does from 5. That being said, I personally feel that Hawes has looked much better over the past 10 or so games. Although most of his offense has been generated through inefficient long 2's, I think that his defense has also slightly improved (From terrible to just bad). I don't think that Hawes should ever be a starter in this league but I wouldn't mind having him play 12 minutes a game off the bench once Bynum is back.
So, personally I would much rather see the sixers get rid of Turner than Hawes, (although I'd love to see both go) but I wanted to see how you felt about that question.
Good question. Right now, I still want them to make the playoffs, so they can't really afford to just part ways with either of them (they're thin at both spots). Over the summer, if I had to pick between the two, I'd say get rid of Turner. He makes more money next season.
I like watching playoff basketball and the difference between the #12 pick and the #16 pick isn't worth depriving me of that pleasure. Mainly.
Also, I haven't given up the Bynum ghost, so I'd like to see Jrue and Bynum on the floor together against Miami, or New York, or Indy, or Chicago in a 7-game series.
Yeah, #12 this year, #16 next year. Doesn't make much of a difference to me, honestly. And the cap situation is pretty much up in the air right now, far from abysmal based on the contracts they've currently signed players to. That changes if they sign Bynum, but right now it isn't abysmal. And no need to yell.
Um Pardon me - but when did you make up the concept of 'title equity'?
Making or missing the playoffs isn't going to matter much to the salary cap issues, nor does picking in the lower end of the lottery or the mid teens after the lottery make a hill of beans of difference usually in player out come...but as long as the wrong person is coaching and making roster decisions it's all irrelevant.
Tanking just to tank is asinine