Iverson and Webber can't work together

[Derek Bodner]

:rolleyes:

Now, the 76ers just came off a tough loss to a very good Cavs team, but the two of them have reached an unheard of offensive level after most said they couldn't work on the same court.

The duo is the highest scoring duo in the NBA.  Iverson's scoring the most points in his career, doing so at 45% shooting, AND is doing so at his lowest turnovers per game (2.9 in 45 minutes per game) of his career.

Iverson: 32.4 ppg, 8.2 apg, 2.9 topg, 44.7% shooting.
Webber: 21 ppg, 10 rpg, 3.1 apg, 45% shooting, 40.9 mpg.

That might be the most impressive thing about CWebb.  The 76ers just played 4 games in 5 nights.  Webber played a combined 162 minutes in those 4 games (40.5 per game), and didn't miss a game.  And what's more impressive?  He started the 4 games in 5 nights with 28/16/5 and finished it with 26/11/4.

Dang.

now if we could just get a center who could grab more than 1 defensive rebound in 24 minutes....

[Guest_Randy]

dbods . . .

I certainly didn't believe that either AI or CWebb would operate well not initiating the offense -- but CWebb is doing just that.  Allow AI to initiate the offense and becoming part of the "flow" rather than stagnating the offense (something he did quite well in SacTown -- the motion offense always became stagnant when CWebb came into the game).  CWebb is allowing the game to come to him rather than forcing himself on the game.

There are some other factors that I think are quite amazing in the bball that Philly is playing:

1)  AI is trusting his teammates more and taking higher percentage shots (can that really be true?)
2)  Iggy is playing HUGE lately -- not just his defense but his offense has been incredible in addition to have several games of double/doubles (points and boards).  

The offense of AI, CWebb and now Iggy is going to get Korver a LOT of open looks at the basket -- which in turn, help those three even more.  

As for the center position -- Dalembert will help more in rebounding and defense when he returns -- he's a lot better than Hunter.  However, I think Hunter is a little better at two things:  1) cleaning up around the rim and 2) Hunter doesn't start thinking about his offense -- somebody has told Dalembert that he has some offensive potential and he has started believing them.  Philly doesn't need Dalembert to start shooting the ball -- they need him to hit the boards and play D.  

I have been quite impressed with the entire Philly team and quite amazed that CWebb is not only deferring but allowing AI to be "the man" -- a role that he wouldn't relinquish in SacTown -- even to the detriment of the Kings.  AI and CWebb have been playing very well together -- but I still think the reason that Philly has been so good has more to do with the rise of Iggy than it does AI or CWebb (not taking away anything those two are currently doing).

Also, CWebb has looked VERY healthy -- it makes you wonder how long that can last!

[rickortreat]

It's obvious by now that Cwebb and AI are good for each other.  Unfortunately for the 76ers, it's not enough for them to win.  In order to win against the better teams in the league, one of 3 or 4 players needs to step it up and put in 20 while the rest of them contribute around 10 pts.  They are Igoudala, Korver, Salmons, and Nailon.  

They also need to play defense better, as the last two nights have seen Wade and James drive through the lane unmolested for shot after shot, Exploiting Webber's inability to defend a high pick and roll.

They also need more rebounding and interior defence.

Right now, they're good enough to beat weak teams, but not good enough to beat the teams that are playing well, like Detroit, Miami and even Cleveland.  

By the end of the year, they could be part of that more elite group.  Igoudala has the ability, but isn't agressive or assertive enough.  If Andre would get more involved on the offensive end, he could force players like LeBron and Wade to work on the other end of the court.  Korver is spotty, some nights, he's really on, other nights he dissapears.  John Salmons, who no-one in the stands knew could play, thanks to Brown and O'Brian, has been released from jail by Cheeks, and is now turning into a decent guard.  Salmons can put up 10-15 pts per night with no trouble at all, if he's given the minutes, and he should be bringing the ball up, letting AI run free.

Nailon simply needs enough touches to get his points, he has no problem scoring.

We're an OK team so far, I'm hoping that Dalembert's presence will eliminate all the easy drives down the lane the other teams have been gettting, and that will help to get us up to the next level, by stopping the other team from scoring, rather than simply outscoring the other teams.

The Sixers can score a lot of points, but can be disrupted just enough so far for other teams to catch them and win.  

[westkoast]

I think people are expecting a two man game where they constantly feed off one another by making plays for each other.  When they dont see alley oops from Webber to AI they just assume they cannot work together or are not working together.  Instead of seeing how they are working together in a team sense they look at how they play directly with one another.  From the sounds of it and the two games I caught from them so far this year it looks like they are working together by pulling their own weight.  When Webber does his thing inside it allows AI to do his thing outside and vice versa.  Is that not working together??  Just because they are not making highlight reels together does not mean they are not co-existing.

It is not all up to AI and Webber individually to work together but rather Mo Cheeks job to put together an offense that incorporates both of them into it heavily.  That is his and his staffs job to do.

[Reality]

Iverson:
Webber:

Impressive.  Surprising.  Not here to rain on the 6er picnic but want to see what Webbers knees are doing 50 games in.

A.I. could assist like this all the time if combo of he would try to/teamates would be ready for the assist/MoBert would set up offense as for doing such.

[WayOutWest]

Iverson:
Webber:

Impressive.  Surprising.  Not here to rain on the 6er picnic but want to see what Webbers knees are doing 50 games in.

A.I. could assist like this all the time if combo of he would try to/teamates would be ready for the assist/MoBert would set up offense as for doing such.

I was going to post:

Lets try and find this thread when the wheels come flying off.  Webber will break down.

The Sixers can and should improve but they will not be in the same company as the Heat, Pistons and Pacers.  They could become a second tier team and make it to the 2nd round of the playoffs if they can avoid the three elite in the first round.