Games like this one make it clear that this Sixer team is much closer to a 40 win caliber team than a 50 win team. Expecting more does not make them more than what they are.
This team will likely make the playoffs, barely. I saw them as a 48-52 win team this year, and 50+ next year. That was just wrong. Its more than just the coach. This team is very far away from being a contender.
Maybe with more realistic expectations this team will be somewhat more watchable. Its been painful expecting more- but those expectations have proven themselves unreasonable.
I don't know that you can take anything from most of the games this year. The team is clearly talented, but you never have the majority of the players having a good game at the same time. It is almost like they can't integrate talent, despite having mainly unselfish players. This shows several things:
1. Players are not sure what their own roles are.
2. Players have no clue what other players' roles are, this is most evident when your career long pass-first PG feels the need to score all of the time.
3. Players are not being put into positions and situations/matchups that give them the best chance of succeeding.
All of the above lead to a lack of cohesiveness and confidence in the team game. That is why very high end teams like LAL and Boston as well as well-disciplined lower level teams like the Bobcats beat our butts. I think you under estimate how bad the coaching is really affecting this bunch. Admittedly some of the pieces need re-arranged personnel wise, some of our young guys need more experience and we desparately need to add some shooters, but the team as currently constructed should be better than it is, far better. Mo occasionally ran plays to create mismatches yesterday and they worked beautifully, but at this level of competition you need to do that consistently and seamlessly. The whole team needs to fit into a system and work as a unit. At best we seen individuals and sub-units playing well at times, rarely do they look like a team.
