In the first place, the Sixers are BETTER with Speights in the lineup. He has a higher PER than any other Sixer, and puts up close to 10 pts. in 15 min. He already has a higher scoring average than Dalembert or Evans even with the 15 min. per game.
What's stupid is that the Sixers management seems to want us to play a small lineup. They continually play 1 big man when the other team plays 2. It's no wonder their rebounding has declined since last season, when they played Dalembert and Evans on the front line. It's idiotic to expect Thad to perform all the duties of a 4 when he is outsized and not as strong as the players he's matched with.
For this years playoffs, the Sixers will only go as far as Speights can hold his own against the other teams front lines. Iguodala, Miller and Young can all put up points, but none of them can defend in the middle or block out. They can't score enough points without running an offense that breaks down other team's defense in the half-court. The only player the Sixers have that they can dump the ball into is Speights, and he's a little weak to rely on in that position.
For rebounding and defense they need Speights in with Dalembert that make us thin for the 2nd team, but that's what happens when you have 2 pf's on the injured reserve. The Sixers can make a lot of noise in the playoffs if they can get the 4th or 5th spot. But they won't be able to get out of the 2nd round without a significant contribution from Speights.
Miller isn't going anywhere, because the free-agent market is going to be filled with NBA stars looking for a big payday and finding no takers. With all the teams cutting salary the last thing they want to do is add an old point guard. Miller has a far better chance of getting a ring with the Sixers, unless LA wants to go over the salary cap to get him. In any case, there won't be anywhere better for him to go.
So far the coaching has cost us quite a few games. Think of all the close ones we missed where a few minutes for Marshall or Speights might have gotten us the points we would have needed. By the way Speights could score a lot more points if the Sixers looked for him. Miami played a zone yesterday and Speights was in the middle waiting for a pass. I even saw player passing over his head, from underneath the basket back out to past the top of the key. All it takes is a pass inside and then a cut to the basket for an easy shot to bust a zone, you don't need a three-pointer, just good passing.
The question is why do the Sixers look like a deer in the headlights when the other team throws a zone at them. By now, they should know exactly how to attack it and to work together to break the other team.
