Sixers blues.

[rickortreat]

The team is in a spot of trouble, as it seems they've forgotten how to play the game.  Their defense sucks, and a lack of effort is a big part of it.

But what's more troubling to me is their offense.  They are lazy tentive, mistake prone and stagnant.  They are taking the easy way out and relying on Webber and Iverson to carry the team and get the others involved.

Korver is not a good forward on this team, because of his rebounding and defense his saving grace is his outside shooting, but when he's cold from the outside he becomes a real liability.  He is slow, unsure handed and tentative he was not worth the money the Sixers paid him.  Salmons is a better choice, but he is going to have to learn to be aggressive and assertive as a starter to keep the spot.

I care more about scoring than defense, but one feeds the other.  If you aren't scoring, the other team is getting easy looks and high-percentage shots.  If you do score, the other team has a harder time running and gettting easy looks.

Ironically, I think it's the Sixers inablitly to get off early and dominate a game offensively that's killing them.

Against NJ, they scored 20 and gave up 30.  Scoring 20 points in a quarter is pathetic, particularly for a team like the Sixers.  I can't believe that there isn't a combination of the players on the Sixers that could score 30 against the Nets.  

The Sixers need to figure out how they can beat other teams and win in the NBA.  I think they are more gifted offensively than defensively, and Cheeks should spend a good deal of time developing their half-court offense, and figuring out how to get enough rebounding to force teams to run with them.  They are not getting the steals they used to and no easy baskets.  

I saw everyone was giving Cheeks a C.  I'm pretty dissappointed with the way things are going, which presently appears to be the wrong direction.  As they are constructed now, they should be a playoff team and the equal of the Nets.  They have two stars playing like stars in AI and Cwebb, but the rest of the team just isn't getting it done.

If they could put an electric shock collar on Ron Artest, to keep him from becomming a distraction, he could really help the Sixers.  As long as we could pawn off anyone other than Webber, AI and Andre it would be worth it.  I think with the way Dalembert is playing, it wouldn't be a bad trade for the Sixers to swap him for Artest.  

I'd rather see the Sixers figure out how to win with the group they have, but the bottom line is they need more from Dalembert and Igoudala and Salmons.  Now you can see how much loosing Willie Green hurt.  He would give Cheeks another backcourt option, and get some real offensive synergy going.  

[westkoast]

Do you think they are going to make a deal by the trade deadline to get another forward?

[Reality]

The team is in a spot of trouble, as it seems they've forgotten how to play the game.  Their defense sucks, and a lack of
I saw everyone was giving Cheeks a C.  I'm pretty dissappointed with the way things are going, which presently appears to be the wrong direction.  As they are constructed now, they should be a playoff team and the equal of the Nets.  They have two stars playing like stars in AI and Cwebb, but the rest of the team just isn't getting it done.

If they could put an electric shock collar on Ron Artest, to keep him from becomming a distraction, he could really help the Sixers.  As long as we could pawn off anyone other than Webber, AI and Andre it would be worth it.  I think with the way Dalembert is playing, it wouldn't be a bad trade for the Sixers to swap him for Artest.  
 

Who was it that did their due dilligence on Dalembert and signed off on the 80 million?

Green indeed was a big loss.

[rickortreat]

I'm not sure if they will make a trade or not.  I don't think they'll make one just for the sake of a change.  In general terms, IMO, the management thinks the team as it is composed is capable of winning, and it's simply a matter of time before they gell.

Dalembert is not the problem, in fact, he has been shooting a higher percentage and averaging over 9 boards a game.  His biggest problem is staying out of foul trouble, something one could reasonably expect him to learn as he matures.  

The real problem is the Sixers no longer work on defense like they did in the Brown days.  Back then, they were allways pressing the other team and creating turnovers.  But those players are gone, and the Salmons, Korvers and Webbers don't pressure the passing lanes like the McKie's, Lynchs, etc.  Cheeks was here when those players were, and he knows how Brown molded them into a defensive monster.  

It will take time, of course.  Cheeks only just got here and is still evaluating who he has and what they're capable of.  Nailon, who I thought would be a big help is buried on the bench along with Steven Hunter.  He is still sifting though the roster to find players willing and capable of playing the right way.  If he decides that he's missing a piece, he will ask Billy to get him a certain type of player, if at all possible.  

[WayOutWest]

The team is in a spot of trouble, as it seems they've forgotten how to play the game.  Their defense sucks, and a lack of
I saw everyone was giving Cheeks a C.  I'm pretty dissappointed with the way things are going, which presently appears to be the wrong direction.  As they are constructed now, they should be a playoff team and the equal of the Nets.  They have two stars playing like stars in AI and Cwebb, but the rest of the team just isn't getting it done.

If they could put an electric shock collar on Ron Artest, to keep him from becomming a distraction, he could really help the Sixers.  As long as we could pawn off anyone other than Webber, AI and Andre it would be worth it.  I think with the way Dalembert is playing, it wouldn't be a bad trade for the Sixers to swap him for Artest.   
 

Who was it that did their due dilligence on Dalembert and signed off on the 80 million?

Green indeed was a big loss.

The Sixers should have consulted with me, I told everyone who would listen the guy is a poor man's Mt. Mutombo, all the offensive dorkness with none of the defensive smarts.