Pre-season grades for your squad

[jemagee]

I thought he grew up in Oakland?  Now i'm confused

[westkoast]

If I may interject a commentary for the upcoming season regarding my Kings in the middle of this Sixers lovefest.

Please don't hurt us.

*taps foot*

[Derek Bodner]

Willie Green stinks.  Shooting guards who can't shoot, don't get to the line, don't pass well, and are mediocre defenders are a dime a dozen.  I don't have too much of a problem with him now, since he's on the bench.  but he should be behind Lou Williams off the bench (for sure), and Kareem Rush probably as well (due to Rush being a better fit for team needs).

Overall the preseason has to be a success, with the play of Lou, Thad and Speights.  Speights is going to be a stud in 2-3 years.

[Derek Bodner]

The recent development of Andre doesn't include improved perimeter shooting, still a sixers weakness, and hopefully brand makes the rebounding better and that the sixers have a better assist to fg ratio.

Actually, his shooting improved considerably last year.  That doesn't mean it's GOOD, but it's going in the right direction.

Straight 3 pt % isn't the best indication.  He took MORE attempts, and had the burden of being the top option all year, which he never had before in his life. 

Last year he hit 38% of his jumpshots, which was right about the median in the NBA (he was better than 52% of the NBA).  in 2006-2007 he hit only 30.3% of his jumpshots (better than 31% of the NBA).  That's a marked improvement.

Last year on jumpshots between 17' and the 3pt line, he made 39.9% of his shots.  The previous year 35.5% of his shots.  That's a good improvement as well.

improving that much percentage wise in those categories when he took far more is an improvement.  It doesn't make him Ray Allen, or even Joe Johnson, but he's getting better.  With the acquisition of Brand, and him going to more catch and shoot (which was where he made his most improvement), he should be more efficient this year than last.

[JoMal]

I thought he grew up in Oakland?  Now i'm confused

Actually, he WAS born in Oakland and was a batboy with the Oakland A's for a while. He now lives south of Sacramento, in Tracy, California.

[JoMal]

If I may interject a commentary for the upcoming season regarding my Kings in the middle of this Sixers lovefest.

Please don't hurt us.

*taps foot*

Whaaaaat?


Being young, inexperienced, defensively challenged, offensively limited. Did I mention young?

They need for other teams to play us so complacently they look like they are sleepwalking, and then allow the Kings to, you know, not turn the ball over much and let us have some uncontested rebounds once in a while and play us when resting some star players of their own every time, and let us play 81 home games, and maybe, just maybe, we can win twenty games this season.

If, you know, everything goes our way every single night.   

[westkoast]

If I may interject a commentary for the upcoming season regarding my Kings in the middle of this Sixers lovefest.

Please don't hurt us.

*taps foot*

Whaaaaat?


Being young, inexperienced, defensively challenged, Did I mention young?

Why are we talking about me??

[rickortreat]

I thought Willie showed improvement over the Summer as well as Iguodala, Williams and Young.

As I see it, the team has now moved past the Pistons and the Cavaliers with the addition of Brand, and the continued development of the Sixers' youthful core. Yet to be proven, but they are better on paper.

The addition of another Center, in Mareese Speights addresses the Sixers biggest weakness.  Dalembert is as average a Center as you can get, and usually not good enough to get the team to the finals.  Speights already has better inside moves.  As a rookie, it's going to take him time to learn how to play the right way, and not make mistakes- which he has done in every game he's played in.  But if the Sixers can get him developed fast enough to replace Sam when the game is on the line, they should be able to challenge Boston.

I project Williams, Young, Iguodala and Speights as future all stars and all capable of putting up 20 points or better. With Brand and Miller than means they can have 3 scorers on the floor at all times, even when the 2nd team is in.  And, whether you appreciate Willie Green or not, he's also capable of putting up 20, particularly against 2nd team 2 guards. 

The team was already a very good rebounding team last season, and they should only get better.  Their outside shooting has improved as well, you can see it in the confidence with which the Sixers take those outside shoots, as though they know it's going in when they shoot it's going in.  Perimeter defense should also improve with Iguodala and Young guarding the wing spots.  Andre Miller is not a great defender, but most teams don't have point guards who are great scorers.  Assuming they can force turnovers as they did last season, only the best teams will be good enough to force them into a half-court game.  And with Brand as a low post scorer, and the improved outside shooting that isn't a such a great formula to beat the Sixers, either.

They may still be a year or two away, as the young players continue to improve their skills. But I think the talent is there now to compete for a title.  It's up to Cheeks to figure out the best way to use the players to get the most wins out of them. 

[WayOutWest]

The only way the Sixers are title contendors for the NBA title is if the Celtics, Cavs, AND Pistons suffer MASSIVE injuries in the EC.  Then the Sixers would have to get lucky and hope that the Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Rockets, and Suns planes ALL crash on the way to their first away game.

[JoMal]

The only way the Sixers are title contendors for the NBA title is if the Celtics, Cavs, AND Pistons suffer MASSIVE injuries in the EC.  Then the Sixers would have to get lucky and hope that the Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Rockets, and Suns planes ALL crash on the way to their first away game.

Personnally, I really like those odds.

[JoMal]

If I may interject a commentary for the upcoming season regarding my Kings in the middle of this Sixers lovefest.

Please don't hurt us.

*taps foot*

Whaaaaat?


Being young, inexperienced, defensively challenged, Did I mention young?

Why are we talking about me??

Look, little whippersnapper, being the oldest, biggest, and smartest poster around here is a burden. I could use some help. And since it is unlikely anyone around here is going to suddenly get smarter or older, start packing it away during those Chipolte Wednesday night all-you-can-eat buffet's.