Sixers vs. Pistons 12/9

[rickortreat]

Finally a game the Sixers can (and should win). 

It will be interesting to see how long it takes for AI to get his legs back. He used to recover from injuries faster than anyone, indicating he's been blessed with a very healthy body, but there's no telling how fast he can get back into NBA shape at the age of 34.

I suppose the fact that he played  over 30 min. indicates he's not that out of shape, but it's clear that he wasn't playing his usual game. It will be hard to know what in shape means since it's not clear he has a lot of 30 point games left.

Playing as a facilitator is a better role for AI anyway at this stage of his career.  It's more important that he get 10 assists than it is that he gets 30. If he can get Brand and Dalembert easy looks, or free up Thad or Andre for a spot-up shot, that makes the Sixers offense significantly better. Closer to where they were before Lou went out.

I still think the Sixers are short one good player, but since we have 3 injured, that isn't surprising. If Jrue can come back tonight that will help. With Iguodala, Iverson, Green and Holiday there's no reason to see Ivey.

Now that Brand is back and playing alongside Sam, the Sixers can rebound again.  They need help however, and so far Smith hasn't stepped up. This should be his opportunity, since Speights is out and Brand has been out as well. It is disturbing that he isn't playing, and even worse when he plays and looks lost. There were times when I saw him hustle out there and shoot from the outside, and even when he failed on defense it was clear that he was trying and that he cared.  Smith needs to get his game together and be ready to contribute, especially with the injury. If he can't play, the Sixers need to find out.

[jemagee]

Might break that losing streak

Though the longer the losing streak the deeper the grave for Jordan, Stefanski and possibly the poorly thought out Iverson experiement.

The fans will not show up for losses for long

[anklebreaker]

I'm extremely discouraged with everything 76ers right now. 

[rickortreat]

Very sad, because I would think a team with Thad, Andre and Elton should be able to win against a team like the Pistons, but the Sixers margin for error is very small, with only 6 decent players.  All the starters were in double figures but poor shooting games by Thad and Iverson were enough to cause us to lose. The bench did an adequate job in this game, but the Sixers still couldn't generate enough points and went through several dry stretches in the third and fourth quarter.

I don't want to curse the team, but I don't think they can win without one of the three injured players coming back. Even Jrue Holiday gives us enough of a potential lift that it improves the Sixers margin. It doesn't appear any of the Sixers starters are able to score thirty, so we need to add another 10-15 points scoring.

Lou Williams and Mareese Speights are a big reason why I think the Sixers can be a great team, and their absence is a big part of the Sixers woes. Jordan did as good a job of coaching as he could, trying to spell his players and put in his bench one or two at a time. But no matter what he did, he could not keep the Sixers close throughout the entire game, even when he ran his starters in the third quarter. This is a lack of conditioning, which is another way of saying not enough depth to keep the starters fresh.  The Sixers do work hard so it's understandable that they would have trouble playing that way for 48 minutes with only 6 reliable players. Of course Jordan inexplicably went small with only one big man in the game when they fell behind in the third. His unwillingness to play Smith, preferring Kapono, opened the middle and allowed Detroit easy baskets.

Holiday, Speights and Williams.... the Sixers need them badly to help them get out of this funk.

[Derek Bodner]

I'm extremely discouraged with everything 76ers right now. 

Have you been watching ESPN?

No, seriously, I'm at that stage.  I was sitting there at the Wacho Center today in the tickets I paid for scoreboard watching upset the Indiana, NJ and Minnesota all pulled out losses.

I had free tickets to the SEC/Big East.  I couldn't get out of work in time to make it up to MSG.  I went to the Sixers game instead.

Talk about a change in fortune.

[Derek Bodner]

The fans will not show up for losses for long

12k tonight.

[tk76]

For the record, if they do land a stud with a top 5 pick I see this as a very good team in 3 years if they keep the roster together.  Not a contender, but a very good team.

If they somehow get a superstar in this years draft they could be a contender in 3 years.


...Actually a better scenario IMO than this team winning 34-43 wins like I though they would heading into the season.

[anklebreaker]

For the record, if they do land a stud with a top 5 pick I see this as a very good team in 3 years if they keep the roster together.  Not a contender, but a very good team.

If they somehow get a superstar in this years draft they could be a contender in 3 years.


...Actually a better scenario IMO than this team winning 34-43 wins like I though they would heading into the season.

I hear that, and I'm on board with it.  The fan in me just can't stand watching a team on a 10 game skid playing as if they don't have a care in the world.  A lot of the guys looked like they were on cruise control with no sense of urgency whatsoever.  The last two years we had virtually the same team and we were relentless with a reputation for never giving up.  It really chaps my ass to see that we've walked backwards in this regard.  Then you factor in the coach who's content with being oblivious on defense and who's absolutely failed to implement his princeton offense. 

[jemagee]

Saw the UK Uconn highlights last night, maybe it's just perception but is John Wall big enough to be a 2 guard in the NBA?  That dude is lightening quick...plus he seems to not mind playing defense.

[tk76]

Wall does not have much of a jumper- so I doubt he would project as a SG.  He is a PG with more of a scorer's mentality.

[jemagee]

Wall does not have much of a jumper- so I doubt he would project as a SG.  He is a PG with more of a scorer's mentality.

Also from what 've heard other places this morning not big enough to be a 2 with Jrue Holiday...shucks.

How deep is this draft really after wall?

[Derek Bodner]

Why would you take a guy so good with teh ball in his hands with great court vision and try to make him a SG?

Wall's a PG. a  chris paul level PG.  you don't change what he's best at because of Jrue Holiday.

I also wouldn't classify him as a scoring PG.  At all, really.  More of a PG who can score.

[jemagee]

I was just spit balling - that's all - just wondering aloud cause it's something to talk about aside from how bad the sixers are and jordans coaching mistakes - more curiosity than anything else cause I like holiday and if the sixers somehow got wall that pretty much makes holiday kind of expendable (and lou as well, but i'm ok with that) or just a bench guy