Thank You and may I have another...

[tk76-]

Is this payback for the Wold Series?  The Sixers and Eagles have brough losing in the most excruciating way possible to a new level. 

I can't wait to see how they loose next. Maybe as they go to put in  the winning lay-up the building just implodes on everyone costing them the game- at least that might put the fans and the team out of its misery...

In other news, Brands manzier was no enough to keep his shoulder right.  This is not my professional opinion, but I have a hunch he is soon to be shut down for the season.  Miller will be gone soon after.

And lastly, the golden boy Young finally is drawing ire.  Not sure if its for his lousy shooting, defense or maybe his ONE REBOUND in 37 minutes at PF?  I think he needs to return to SF ASAP and starting taking opposing SFs in the post.

Exciting comeback, but man I don't think I can take much mire of these horrible endings.  I could just rent Titanic- at least then I'd know how its going to end.

[bebopdeluxe]

Sounds like there are reports that Brand said after the game that the shoulder is still not right and he may have to get it operated on...

Nice.

[tk76-]

You know that saying about silver linings... you know who ever came up with that one was full of it... or not from Philly.

[tk76-]

From Fagan:

Young, guarding Allen, come over slightly towards Pierce's penetration as Allen flared to the corner. Young said he thought that Dalembert -- guarding Davis -- would switch onto Allen in the corner. Young said, for some reason, Dalembert (with whom I did not get a chance to speak) didn't make the switch. Young said when he saw this, he tried to recover to Allen but couldn't get there in time. Young called this a miscommunication. Young said that immediately after the game, a few of the Sixers watched the replay of the final sequence on the television in the locker room.

[Skates]

From Jasner on Brand's shoulder:

There was no specific moment during the six games in which Elton Brand has played since returning from his dislocated right shoulder, but he was becoming more and more aware of pain and restrictiveness as he tried to shoot or reach for rebounds.
He came out last night against the Boston Celtics wearing a large protective pad around the shoulder, but he played only 8 minutes, 40 seconds of the first half of what became a 100-99 loss, then sat out the second half.

And now the question is whether the Sixers should consider shutting him back down, allowing more time for healing of the injury and strengthening of the muscles. He sat out 16 games after getting hurt Dec. 17 against the Milwaukee Bucks.

"We're going to look at it [today],'' Brand said, obviously disappointed and frustrated. "I was trying to help, but there was no need to bring me back [in the second half]. It's hard when you're feeling pain and you can't straighten your arm out on your shot. I have a little flip shot I've used all these years, and I can't do it. That was why I tried to wear the brace, but that didn't really help. It's just disappointing.''

Sixers coach Tony DiLeo said: "His shoulder stiffened up a little. He said he could play if we really needed him. It was a situation where we just decided to throw Marreese [Speights] in there, because [Brand's] shoulder wasn't quite loose enough.''

Hopefully this is not like the Phillies of old where a statement like that meant the arm would be amputated after the next MRI.   

[anklebreaker]

I hate throwing what if's out there, but if those 5 shots (Parker, TJ Ford, Dirk, Lewis, Allen) don't go in, we'd be 28-19 right now...

[RickyPryor]

That's was Young's bad all the way.  Why in the world you would leave RAY FRIGGIN ALLEN - of all people - in an incredibly obvious "3" situation...to DOUBLE someone already guarded is friggin beyond me.

A stupid, stupid, stupid play.

Tony - you sat Speights for less; Sam for more...Thad deserves to be admitted to the Dog House.

[RickyPryor]

Oh, and by the way, I love the title of this thread.

[Skates]

In a lot of ways what we are seeing is typical of a talented, but very young team.  While Iguodala is showing signs of really maturing his game, other tha Miller and the mostly disabled Brand, the engines of our team, Speights, Young, Williams are still very inexperienced.  Sam, well he could be 80 and he will still seem inexperienced at times.  This team can be good this year and next, but not contenders until the young guys grow up or get moved for established players.  If Brand were at real full speed they might be near contenders with Brand, Iggy and Miller doing the heavy lifting and the youngsters being the shock troops off the bench, but I doubt we see that this year.  I would definitely entertain committing fully to the youth movement by moving Miller and Brand, if he were moveable at this point, if we could get the right pieces back.

[RickyPryor]

I agree with alot of what you say...but I also believe we still need a superstar.  We don't even have an all star and it's not like we actually DO have one and he got screwed during voting.

EVERY great team has had at least one superstar.  Some have had 2...a few have had 3.  (Detroit had about 5 players all better than anyone we have.)  Maybe Iggy can be that secondary or tertiary guy - but we need a star.  Just look at the three individuals who hit game winning shots against us.  THAT'S why you need these guys.  Not just because they hit shots...but because you just KNEW they might.

[DuckyNinja]

I think Thad has been suffering from the Sophomore Slump for this entire season.  He's been trying to do way too much all year.  And to be fair to him on that last play, he would've gotten back to Allen if Perkins (or Davis, one of the two, I forget which) didn't nail him with a blatant moving screen.  Not like it would've made a difference.  Sixers' opponents don't miss inside of 1 second in the 4th quarter.  It's kinda like that ridiculous streak of 50+ yard FGs made against the Eagles.

And we have two all-stars, Iggy is just criminally underrated and Brand has been injured all year.  I'd like to point out that Iguodala was doing the same thing as Allen did, Allen just happened to get the last shot.

[anklebreaker]

I don't know if this helps Andre Miller's chances of being moved, or if we'd be more inclined to keep him now that Brand is on the shelf for the foreseeable future.  Ed's in a tough position with the Miller situation.  On one hand, Miller's been playing at a high level since he came to philly and he plays well with the group we have going forward this season.  On the flip side, his trade value will never be higher and there seems to be some skepticism from senior mgmt. about his desire to re-sign here after this season.  We probably won't get back any one individual player better than Miller, which will be tough to sell to the fans, but it's an opportunity to get some nice young pieces and/or draft picks.  I do have a feeling something will happen before the deadline. 

[RickyPryor]

And to be fair to him on that last play, he would've gotten back to Allen if Perkins (or Davis, one of the two, I forget which) didn't nail him with a blatant moving screen.

I disagree.  He was a nano-second from being in decent position for that final shot.  The same nano-second he spent considering a double team elsewhere.  He misplayed it.  Terrible.

And we have two all-stars,

I hate to be a wiseass...but I could pretty easily disprove that statement by simply providing a roster for this year's game.

[Skates]

I don't know if this helps Andre Miller's chances of being moved, or if we'd be more inclined to keep him now that Brand is on the shelf for the foreseeable future.  Ed's in a tough position with the Miller situation.  On one hand, Miller's been playing at a high level since he came to philly and he plays well with the group we have going forward this season.  On the flip side, his trade value will never be higher and there seems to be some skepticism from senior mgmt. about his desire to re-sign here after this season.  We probably won't get back any one individual player better than Miller, which will be tough to sell to the fans, but it's an opportunity to get some nice young pieces and/or draft picks.  I do have a feeling something will happen before the deadline. 

If Brand won't be at full speed this season and Miller likely won't re-sign, then under that scenario he has to be moved for the most talent/assets possible.  Anything else would be a waste of a good asset with a limited shelf-life.

[DuckyNinja]

And to be fair to him on that last play, he would've gotten back to Allen if Perkins (or Davis, one of the two, I forget which) didn't nail him with a blatant moving screen.

I disagree.  He was a nano-second from being in decent position for that final shot.  The same nano-second he spent considering a double team elsewhere.  He misplayed it.  Terrible.

And we have two all-stars,

I hate to be a wiseass...but I could pretty easily disprove that statement by simply providing a roster for this year's game.

He actually said it was Dalembert's responsibility.  It's just the blame game, we could argue back and forth, doesn't matter.

And I hate to be a wiseass, but AI is starting in the all-star game and Bruce Bowen was a few thousand votes from making it.