Messages

1

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Eddie Jordan Stinks.

« on: December 22, 2009, 12:59:04 PM »

If Brand can come off the bench, so can Iverson.  Playing 20-24 mpg in two stints, one each half, would be perfect for him.  Brand doesn't like coming off the bench, but he's doing it an causing minimal problems.  Hence, any claim by AI that he is being disrespected by being the first guard off the bench would ring even hollower than usual.

The team's future is Holiday, Williams, Young, Speights and Iguodala (as players or trade bait).  Hopefully Brand can put up good enough numbers that some contender is willing to pick him up at the deadline.  This team needed a good third guard to start the season and Iverson can give them that.  Defensively you just can't start Iverson and Williams (although they probably will) and I don't see Iverson outplaying Williams at this point once Williams is back to full speed.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: The "Upside" of an injury?

« on: December 10, 2009, 10:43:56 PM »

Iverson is as close to done as you can get.  He is nowhere remotely near to the player he once was.  If this team was at full strength, he might make a nice complement to Holiday in the second team back court, and would be better at end of game shots than Iggy is.  Beyond that he is cooked.  I love reading the Boards where people think he is going to be soem kind of savior.  At this point in his career, he is a very poor man's Lou Williams, nothing more.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: The "Upside" of an injury?

« on: December 09, 2009, 03:58:17 PM »

And what if Holiday gets injured?  Oops.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: How do we get Eddie Jordan fired?

« on: December 09, 2009, 03:57:32 PM »

They won't fire him because they don't want to be paying two coaches, simple as that.  Supposedly Stefanski was given a limited coaching budget this summer, well, they got what they paid for and maybe not even that much.  I didn't like him as a coach before he came here and I like him even less now.  I gave him the grace period before bitching, but the team doesn't do anything well, has no flow and nobody seems ot have a clue about thier roles.  Guys play great in one game and see their minutes cut in the next one.

They are 5-16 and that is about how well he has coached them.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Speights getting some ESPN attention

« on: November 17, 2009, 12:58:28 PM »

Does it really matter?

Since Jordan is looking at moving Brand to the second team, then actually it does, it means that maybe carney or smith are starting or, nightmare, green is back in the starting line up

I think they out Brand in Speights' role for now and start Carney with Thad at PF.  Very athletic starting five and Brand gets to play all of his minutes in two spurts, one each half.  It plays into the idea that was floated of having Brand be the only big on the court in this offense, since even if he plays with Smith, offensively Smith is more of a perimeter player.

Expect Thad to see most of the post-ups if this happens, at least until Speights returns.  There is talk out there of a straight salary dump deal for Sammy, if that happens, expect to see Speights jump back in as the starting Center when he returns.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Speights getting some ESPN attention

« on: November 16, 2009, 03:46:27 PM »

Does it really matter?

7

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Eddie Jordan Stinks.

« on: November 13, 2009, 02:23:49 PM »

Some intersting stuff about Jordan, seems like he is not going to make changes any time soon for fear of upsetting certain players:

What to do with Elton Brand(notes)... In a nutshell, the Princeton offense works best when their is only one post player on the floor, and the 76ers currently start two (Brand and Samuel Dalembert(notes)). The Princeton offense necessitates that you have a three-point shooter (or three) on the floor to spread things out for cutting players and the single post option - Jason Kapono(notes) is the sole long-range sniper on the team, and he runs with the second unit. When Marresse Speights is on the floor, it's often in a small lineup where he is the single "big" and Kapono is also involved. To me, it's a no-brainer that the starters are struggling, particulary relative to the team's second unit. What is Eddie Jordan's take?

"When you deal with the starting lineup, that can be a sensitive issue among the players. I don't want to touch a nerve right there right now. Look, are there reasons or are there some reasons for me to warrant to change the starting lineup? Yeah, because our second group has been playing very well. I like the way Marreese has been playing, I like the way Jason Smith(notes) has been playing ... but does that warrant me to change the starting lineup? No, not right now."


Okay, Eddie. More food for thought: take a look at the top two units here, note the singular difference in personnel, and then the marked difference in both offensive and defensive efficiency. While it's true that we're not dealing with large sample sizes, I'm not sure how he can say that a change in the starting lineup isn't already warranted... Brand will continue to post poor numbers for at least as long as there is no shake-up in the rotation. If Jordan makes the obvious switch, then Brand has significantly more hope for a turnaround, and that's magnified if Brand is occasionally allowed to be the single "big" in the lineup, as it's almost exclusively been Speights in that role to this point.

I am not sure if the writer is suggesting that they bench Sam or Brand, but that is the second non-Philly writer I've seen this week suggest that they just send Sammy to the end of the bench until he becomes an expiring contract.  They already suck defensively, maybe with a smoother offence they could outscore some teams at least.

Bench Sammy and start either Jason Smith or Carney (please, not Willie) and give the bulk of 4-5 minutes to Smith, Speights and Brand.  Kapono is too slow to be a starter, but should get regular minutes off the bench, as should Holiday.  Is it ideal or even great?  No, but it would be better than what they have now.

8

Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Sixers Vs. Nets - 11/6

« on: November 08, 2009, 01:47:38 PM »

I don't think anyone was wrong about Lou as a PG, I just think this offense does a great job of maximizing his strengths and diminishing his weaknesses offensively.  In truth Iggy is as much the PG as Lou is in the half court in Jordan's scheme.  As bad of a fit as this offense seems for some guys so far, and I know it's early, it has been a godsend for William.  To his credit has also added some muscle and taken his game up a notch in general.  I don't see him seeming this good in a conventional NBA offense at PG.

He still can't guard anyone straight up or act like anything other than velcro when he runs into a pick while defending the pick and roll.  Opposing guards are dribble penetrating on him as badly as they always did on both he and Miller, allowing for tons of kick-outs for wide open threes.  In the long run he is still trade bait (his value will be very high this summer if he keeps this up) or a great third guard on a contender, with a better defender like Holiday starting.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: 11/3 Boston @ Sixers

« on: November 04, 2009, 12:53:30 PM »

The one thing I like about the Sixers is their consistency.  Year after year, no matter who is coaching or playing they simply can't defend a pick and roll.  Ever.  Now that is real consistency.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Opening Night, Sixers v. Magic 10/28

« on: October 30, 2009, 09:34:22 AM »

If a basketball game is played and nobody watches it, does it still count?

Let's hope not, yikes that was bad.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Sixers Raps 10-07

« on: October 09, 2009, 12:09:35 PM »

Andre's quote could lead to some interesting interpretations.

I still can't tell if he BELIEVES sam can actually make those passes - just that he likes to try

I think he is trying to talk himself into believeing it...with mixed success.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Sixers Raps 10-07

« on: October 09, 2009, 09:54:35 AM »

The scariest part of the Sam as hub of the offense article:

Jordan said Dalembert has the second-best shot on the team, behind forward Jason Kapono, who is one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA.

Please let taht just be Jordan blowing smoke up sammy's butt, otherwise he doesn't think very highly of anyone else's shooting ability on this team.

This stuff/quote by Iggy was more realistic:

Swingman Andre Iguodala, who through two preseason games has initiated the offense probably more than anyone, said Dalembert has always had the ability to pass; he just occasionally made the wrong decision.

"Sam has always had a knack to want to throw passes, backdoor cuts," Iguodala said. "So we knew he could do it. We just needed him to make the read at the right time. I think it's a happy medium: Give him those options to make those passes but keep him under control."

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Sixers Raps 10-07

« on: October 08, 2009, 03:02:45 PM »

Iggy is always a TO machine early in the season the last few years, with a new offense and the ball likely being in his hands even more I don't expect that to change early this season.  Lou sounds a lot more like he is playing SG once the ball gets past half court, than PG, which is a fit for him.

Holiday sounds like he really has all of the physical tools and just has to learn the game.  Supposedly he is a bright kid and will pick it up.  At only 19 yo and having played SG in college he should be expected to be a bit lost, but it sounds like despite all of that he is impressing with his natural abilities.  If he learns the game he may be the steal of this draft.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: Are you comfortable with Hammels starting?

« on: October 05, 2009, 03:04:18 PM »

The Rockies do not hit lefties very well, so in any case you should have Lee, Hamels and Happ pitching against them.  Then hope the Dodgers beat the Cards.  In a playoff series I do not want to face St. Louis with all of their rh boppers and that 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation.

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Philadelphia 76ers / Re: I'll Tell Ya...We Get No Respect...

« on: October 05, 2009, 03:02:11 PM »

Lou is a combo third guard at best on a very good team.  If he has improved his shooting this summer, then the PO should cover some of his deficiencies at PG and he will be serviceable for now.  He really deosn't have the size, attitude or instincts to be a good defender at any position.  Currently I consider him starting to be a place holder for Holiday.