Pacers @ Sixers 12/20

[jemagee]

Starting the game thread early - second half of back to back for both teams, got this from a fantasy alert:

Dec 19 Granger was hospitalized with flu-like symptoms stemming from a viral infection and will not play on Friday, the Associated Press reports.

Recommendation: The Pacers' leading scoring is also likely to be held out on Saturday. Indiana will be very thin with Granger, Marquis Daniels and Troy Murphy all battling the illness. Roy Hibbert, Jarret Jack and Brandon Rush will receive starts.

[Skates]

Can Sixers play wearing isolation masks?  It sounds like the most dangerous thing about playing the Pacers tomorrow is having them breathe on you.

[tk76-]

This is probably one of the last easy games for a while.  Expect to start trying to focus on the under 23 players development and try and ignore the scoreboard for a while.

Its pretty amazing this team got 61 points from Lou, Speights and Thad (ages 22, 21 and 20.)  79 points if you throw in Iguodala at age 24.  At least this team has young talent.  It also should lead to inconsistency, which means they may not be a really good team until the second half of Brands contract. 

Of course by then Brand can be the old Admiral to Speights' Duncan.... OK, really been drinking the Kool-Aid with that remark!

Amazing how inconsistent Sam is.  17 rebounds to doghouse in record time.  Not that it is some kind of news flash.  Iguodala also maddeningly inconsistent, but he still managed to get his 18/9/4 in a very ugly airball filled fashion.

Back to the positive.  So, how good are Thad and Speights going to be in 2 years?

[jemagee]

This is probably one of the last easy games for a while.  Expect to start trying to focus on the under 23 players development and try and ignore the scoreboard for a while.

Been trying to do that most of the season

[tk76-]

Check out the box score- Rush played 54:25, wonder if the kid will have some dead legs tomorrow?

[rickortreat]

Check out the box score- Rush played 54:25, wonder if the kid will have some dead legs tomorrow?

It is impossible for a player to play more than 48 minutes in a regulation NBA game.  The stat is wrong or you misread it.

The players are going to have to step up and play their best if they hope to win on the West Coast road trip.  They have sufficient talent, but don't have the confidence yet. Beating up on weak teams is a good start, they haven't lost under Dileo yet. When they manage to beat a team that they think is good, they will start to gain some confidence in themselves.  Lou can hit those shots against anyone, and Speights can get to the basket against anyone.  Young and Iguodala are too quick and active for most teams to have defenders who can cover both.  Andre Miller can still post up any guard defender. I think they are still too short with their big men.  Only Sam and Mareese can guard the middle for any length of time, Ratliff can still play, but can he play extended minutes?  I thought the team was barely adequate with big men even with Brand.  Not having Jason Smith or another young big man hurts the team.  Good thing there is a shortage of good quality big men in the NBA, the Sixers aren't controlling the boards as well as they need to.

[jemagee]

It is impossible for a player to play more than 48 minutes in a regulation NBA game.  The stat is wrong or you misread it.

It's neither wrong, nor did he misread it...Jarret Jack also played an impossible 48:20.  What's interesting is that the pacers still used 10 players last night so it's not like they went short bench.

I do admire you're overwhelming confidence in the talent of an NBA team that starts two guys who probably shouldn't average more than 15-20 minutes per game.

[tk76-]

Check out the box score- Rush played 54:25, wonder if the kid will have some dead legs tomorrow?

It is impossible for a player to play more than 48 minutes in a regulation NBA game.  The stat is wrong or you misread it.

Do you care to place a wager    

Check out the box score and the riddle will be solved.  Sometimes it takes some extra work to find the answer.  Sometimes you have to 'double' your efforts, but its worth it when go get paid 'overtime.'

[jemagee]

Well technically he's correct (a regulation game doesn't 'include' overtime) - he just couldn't be bothered to verify the 3rd possibility, he just assumed you or yahoo made a mistake (which makes sense considering)

[tk76-]

I liked my answer better.

Anyway, When do you think this team starts seriously trying to get Speights inside looks?  The kid may be young, but his skill set in the post is anything but raw.  He has a good face up jumper (with a crafty, foul drawing arm under jumper a-la Duncan), he can shoot the 1/2 hook with either hand and has good footwork.  Am I wrong to say he has the best low post game on the team?

I would think he could really be developed into a great low post scorer- and he hits FT's and seems a willing enough passer.  I would think he could eventually be nearly as effective in the post as Al Jefferson, but more athletic.  They might as well use Brands absence as a chance to get Speights lots of low post chances.

My only issues with Speights right now are defensive rebounding and foul problems.  I think both can be corrected.

[jemagee]

Am I wrong to say he has the best low post game on the team?

I don't think you are - but then again after watching Brand play so far this year I think he's the only player with a low post game on the team isn't he?

Speights is a 20 year old kid right?  The defensive rebounding and foul problems will be cured (and if they aren't - are his foul problems any worse than sams are after 6 or 7 years in the league?) - but like i've been asking for a while now - why can't he start - at the 5 - seriously?

[tk76-]

- but like i've been asking for a while now - why can't he start - at the 5 - seriously?

You won't find disagreement from anyone else who posts here- but the question is probably off the table until Brand returns.  Maybe by then Speights will have established his value.  The question will no longer be about removing Sam as much as finding a way to keep Speights in the line-up.

Personally, I don't care if Sam starts.  The team usually started well, but struggled after a goof first 6 minutes.   I don't care who starts at center, but I think Speights should get as many or more minutes then Sam.  That may be the best way to maximize what you get from Sam, at least until he his traded.

I hope that the Sixers can get enough productivity on the boards from Speights and Jason Smith next year to make up for what Sam broaught on the boards.  I would hate to see Sam moved and then see many of his minutes go to Evans- who really should never play more than 10 minute a game.

[anklebreaker]

Yeah.. at first I thought demoting Sam to the bench and starting Speights would tarnish Sam's trade value, but his minutes have been drastically reduced anyway, and Sam hasn't been finishing too many games so his trade value has already taken a plunge.  I think watching Sam perform a few of his signature goaltends last night was the straw that broke the camels back.  Now, I'm not so cool with him taking up Speights' minutes.  Yeah, I said Speights' minutes. 

[jemagee]

Welcome to the 'dark side' folks

[DuckyNinja]

Dalembert's numbers are all pretty similar to his career numbers except for one thing: FG% (and TS% for the saberguys who prefer that).  Somehow he just forgot how to shoot, even from in close.  It's somewhat inexplicable really.  That being said, I still want him in the starting lineup.  Our biggest problem with Cheeks was that the bench could not score.  Since DiLeo has taken over and the substitution pattern has normalized, that hasn't really been a problem.  Look at the past two games: Dalembert and Green's minutes are on the steep decline.  That being said, Green tends to be a hot starter and then after the first 6 minutes or so just totally disappears.  By starting with the current starting 5, we get the most out of Willie (even if that isn't a whole lot) and when the second teamers come in, we still have plenty of scoring.  This team lacks depth, you have to make due with what you have.  I have no problem with Green and Dalembert starting as long as Williams and Speights are still getting way more minutes.  That being said, when Brand is back, things might need to change.