This team does not have a legitimate PG

[DuckyNinja]

Yeah, I said it.  Andre Miller is not a legitimate PG.  He's a combo guard masquerading as a PG right now.  I wish he would go back to running the offense.

[Skates]

I have my issues with Miller as well, but I think he is a true PG for sure.  He is scoring a lot in the half court, because not neough guys on this team can shoot or get their own shot, but I think he prefers to pass when possible and he runs the offense as well as can be expected.

Defensively he is a negative, too slow to guard quicker points consistently.  Guys like Deron Williams light him up like a pin ball machine.  His defense is all about experience, lower body strength and guile, which does help considerably.

I hate to agree with Bill Simmons, but he once described Miller as a PG that will get you into the palyoffs, and then lead you out of it in a first round loss.  I see no reason to disagree with that assessment.

[DuckyNinja]

I have my issues with Miller as well, but I think he is a true PG for sure.  He is scoring a lot in the half court, because not neough guys on this team can shoot or get their own shot, but I think he prefers to pass when possible and he runs the offense as well as can be expected.

See, I just disagree with that.  I think way too often lately he's been looking for his own shot first when he has the ball.

[Derek Bodner]

he's had less than 10 shots in 3 of the last 4 games and 5 of the last 10.

[DuckyNinja]

he's had less than 10 shots in 3 of the last 4 games and 5 of the last 10.

Selective statting much?  There were two 9 shot games in there and an 8 shot game.  He's put up 10+ shots in 15 of his last 20, and that doesn't include the three aforementioned games.  He's had less than 5 assists in 3 of the past 5 games, but that doesn't mean a whole lot either.  The fact that he's not taking a lot of shots recently really hasn't been a result of him not looking for his shot as much as quality of opponent (lolkings) and/or quality of defensive player/scheme (Warriors had a long defender on him, Heat slowed the game down a lot).  Watching him play, he's been looking for his shot first way more than a PG who has limited range really should.

[Derek Bodner]

Selective statting much?  There were two 9 shot games in there and an 8 shot game

What a ball hog.

[rickortreat]

He's not a great point, but he's certainly in the top 10. It's a plus that he's flexible with his scoring and doesn't force shots. He's a nice compliment to Iguodala and Young.  Iguodala is also a good passer and distributor, and that can sometimes affect Miller's numbers. He's an adequate facilitator of the Sixers offense. We'd probably score about 10 more pts a game if we had CP3 or Deron here.

I'm more concerned about our backup point. Lou Williams has been playing great lately.  When he is probing and driving through weak spots he can tear a defense up and can make some good passes too. As long as he doesn't force things and go too fast, he can run the team effectively.

I'm not sure that Lou can run the point full time, and with Andre getting old, it is time to find a replacement. With 3 extra guard slots one more of them should be a point anyway, particularly since Iguodala can play the 2.

I'm more worried about our Center and front line play than the guards right now. We are getting a big break if we end up playing the Hawks and then the Cavaliers in the playoffs, two teams without a dominant Center. Dalembert's inadequacies don't matter as much against these potential opponents, and as long as we can rebound with them we should be able to win.

[anklebreaker]

What's not legitimate about our 33 year old point guard averaging 16.4ppg, 6.4apg, 4.3rpg, 1.3spg while shooting 48% from the field and 82% from the charity stripe?  I mean if your going to pick a bone about Andre Miller, attack his defense or his outside shooting (or lack thereof). 

[RickyPryor]

Must be a slow day.

What's next: 

-"The Wachova Center Is a Dump!"
-"The Laker Girls Are Prettier That OUR Girls!"
-"Yo Donyell:  Fifty One Percent Isn't Fifty TWO Percent!"

[DuckyNinja]

Selective statting much?  There were two 9 shot games in there and an 8 shot game

What a ball hog.

Good to know you can do some straw-man arguing, DBods.  I'm not trying to pick a fight, but really, I provided a lot of argument beyond that, if you're going to argue, take the whole point, not the weakest part of it.

Rick: I'm not sure he's in the top 10, but that's more of a defensive problem than anything else.  He does force shots though, and increasingly often, which is what I'm frustrated about.  And I think that Andre Iguodala does just as much, if not more, in terms of facilitating the offense.

AB: ...I'm not sure we're talking about legitimate in the same way.  He's putting up good stats (although his assists are inflated by the hometown scorer, he's been averaging 1.4-1.5 APG more at home consistently).  I just don't think he's legitimate in a "running the offense" sense, thus why I called him a combo guard.  He can and he does, but only sometimes, and not nearly enough recently.  But yes, his defense and 3-point shooting suck as well.

Ricky: Your post was extremely relevant and my day is better now that I've read it. [/sarcasm]

[RickyPryor]

Ricky: Your post was extremely relevant and my day is better now that I've read it. [/sarcasm]

I mean c'mon.  Of all the things you could bitch about...ANDRE MILLER?  He's been top 2 MVP on this team this year and more consistent than anyone.

Surely, there HAVE to be bigger issues than ANDRE MILLER.

[DuckyNinja]

Ricky: Your post was extremely relevant and my day is better now that I've read it. [/sarcasm]

I mean c'mon.  Of all the things you could bitch about...ANDRE MILLER?  He's been top 2 MVP on this team this year and more consistent than anyone.

Surely, there HAVE to be bigger issues than ANDRE MILLER.

Well, I think we've had more than enough discussion about most of the players on the team.  Andre Miller often doesn't get talked about a lot, and I figured I'd make a topic to discuss him.  Since Thad emerged (so like, the past 15 games or so), I'd argue that Miller has been at best the 3rd most important player on this team.

[Derek Bodner]

Good to know you can do some straw-man arguing, DBods.  I'm not trying to pick a fight, but really, I provided a lot of argument beyond that, if you're going to argue, take the whole point, not the weakest part of it.

Oh, I could do a lot more.  I just don't think I have to, or particularly want to.  Andre Miller's been in the league long enough, and with the Sixers for a substantial enough amount of time, that I feel that I have a firm grasp of who he is as a basketball player.   Addressing posts such as "I wish he would go back to running the offense" aren't exactly at the top of my priority list, because I think it's: A) wrong, and B) disregarding far too much of his career and focusing on an extremely narrow sample size..

[RickyPryor]

Since Thad emerged (so like, the past 15 games or so), I'd argue that Miller has been at best the 3rd most important player on this team.

Selective statting much?

 

[anklebreaker]

by the way, we're now in 5th place as the Heat lost again last night to Chicago.  Now, seeds 5-8 look like this:

5- Sixers
6- Heat
7- Bulls - (Since the trade, this team has a lot of talent)
8- Pistons