Philly vs. Detroit 3/29/2009 Redemption or destruction?

[tk76-]

To me, what it comes down to is that role players should not make the rest of the team have to change their game.  Its not that Evans is a poor offensive player who rebounds.  That would be fine.

But Reggie is all over the place on both ends.  For all he disrupts the opponent, he also disrupts the Sixers.  On defense he's randomly trapping PG and taking random fouls and lane violations.  On offense he keeps setting up shop in the low post and occupying the lane, and yet the play is over if he touches the ball.

All of this chaos can be a net positive if you are playing a superior opponent, but on most nights he is just putting too much pressure on his teammates to cover for him given that he is just a role player.

Theo, on the other hand, has similar linitations on offense, but plays a very conventional game.  he does not demand the ball or take crazy risks on defense.  He brings his positives and tries to hide his weaknesses.  That makes him a great role player and doesn't hurt his teammates when he is out there.

[Skates]

Reggie should be injected into games when the other team is beating us up physically or when our team is playing in a moribund fashion.  He is a very physical, energy guy, those situations fit his skills and he can be quite effective in thise scenarios in short bursts.  More than 5-10 minutes of fil-in time per game on a regular basis for him means you don't have a good team or at least don't trust your alternatives.

[tk76-]

Brian at Depressedfan.com has made some good posts on how Reggie is more useful disrupting good teams, but is probably a net negative against other mediocre teams.

[RickyPryor]

Reggie plays way more minutes against other teams' big studs than does Speights.  Big big difference.

His man defense is superior; his rebounding laughably better.  He makes mistakes...but also can take over games.

Yes, he plays too many minutes (that's DiLeo's fault, not Reggie's).  But Speights' ability to hit jumpers isn't quite good enough for me.

[DuckyNinja]

Reggie plays way more minutes against other teams' big studs than does Speights.  Big big difference.

His man defense is superior; his rebounding laughably better.  He makes mistakes...but also can take over games.

Yes, he plays too many minutes (that's DiLeo's fault, not Reggie's).  But Speights' ability to hit jumpers isn't quite good enough for me.

Reggie simply plays more minutes than Speights.  They generally guard the same people much of the time.  His man defense isn't superior because he's out of position 3/4 of the time because he's too busy running around the court like a chicken with its head cut off.  His o-boarding is better, his d-boarding isn't much better.  I've never seen Reggie Evans take over a game, but I have seen him give away a game.  And the fact that Evans plays too many minutes is the result of Brand being injured more than anything else.

[tk76-]

I have seen Reggie take ore a game- or at least turn a game- with his defensive energy.  Remember fans chanting REGGIE earlier this year and in the playoffs?

I just don't think Evans is a net positive on most nights, and he puts strain on his teammates with his style of play.

[rickortreat]

Reggie is a net negative as a player, meaning that the team's output suffers when he is on the floor.  He is a very marginal player in the NBA, and this is probably his last season in Phila.

He has played a significant role because of the injury to Brand, and because Thad Young isn't a 4 when it comes to rebounding and blocking out.  Also because of the shortage of big players, Speights is forced to play out of position about 90% of the time he's on the floor.

In truth, the Sixers would be much better off letting Speights make mistakes and put in 15-20 pts. a night, then play Reggie Evans as the backup 4. 

This is one of the great coaching mistakes the Sixers are guilty of: not making the development of a young talent that fills a specific weakness for the team a priority. The lack of consistent minutes has hurt his development more than anything else. The lack of a stable line-up around him, and being grouped with marginal NBA players like Ivey and Evans is also seriously detrimental.     

[RickyPryor]

Reggie is a net negative as a player, meaning that the team's output suffers when he is on the floor.  He is a very marginal player in the NBA, and this is probably his last season in Phila.
 

...which tells you a bit about Speights value, given the fact Reggie is better.

Just look at the two tonight - on the floor at the same time.  For every basket Speights hits, Reggie has a rebound.  In fact Speights - at halftime - has ZERO rebounds.  Zero rebounds.  Not one or two.  Zero.

Is that even physically POSSIBLE?  Jesus Christ. By ACCIDENT one should fall in his hands.

Yet Speights will get tons of credit.  "See?  He needs minutes!!!  Ten point at half is GREAT!!!"

He hasn't even FOULED anyone.

Dear lord.  I haven't even seen him in the LANE for a goddamn rebound.  He's faggy and makes me sick.

[rickortreat]

Evans -6. Speights +8.
               Min.  FGM/A FTM/A Obds. Dbds. TotB. Asst. Stl. Blk. Total pts.
Evans     20:05  3-6      2-2     2       4       6      0      2    0      8


Speights 25:23  6-13     4-4     2       1       3      2      0    0     16

Ricky, there is something seriously wrong with you, dude.

[DuckyNinja]

Reggie is a net negative as a player, meaning that the team's output suffers when he is on the floor.  He is a very marginal player in the NBA, and this is probably his last season in Phila.
 

...which tells you a bit about Speights value, given the fact Reggie is better.

Just look at the two tonight - on the floor at the same time.  For every basket Speights hits, Reggie has a rebound.  In fact Speights - at halftime - has ZERO rebounds.  Zero rebounds.  Not one or two.  Zero.

Is that even physically POSSIBLE?  Jesus Christ. By ACCIDENT one should fall in his hands.

Yet Speights will get tons of credit.  "See?  He needs minutes!!!  Ten point at half is GREAT!!!"

He hasn't even FOULED anyone.

Dear lord.  I haven't even seen him in the LANE for a goddamn rebound.  He's faggy and makes me sick.

Okay, I'm perfectly okay when you hate a player that other people love.  I do it too.  But there is no reason, and I mean NO REASON, to resort to low blow insults like you used in the last line.  On anybody.

[bebopdeluxe]

Ducky:

Dude...that is CLASSIC Ricky.

It's his "raison d'etre"...

[DuckyNinja]

Ducky:

Dude...that is CLASSIC Ricky.

It's his "raison d'etre"...

I'm aware.  There's a reason I had him on ignore on Philaphans.

[RickyPryor]

Evans -6. Speights +8.
               Min.  FGM/A FTM/A Obds. Dbds. TotB. Asst. Stl. Blk. Total pts.
Evans     20:05  3-6      2-2     2       4       6      0      2    0      8


Speights 25:23  6-13     4-4     2       1       3      2      0    0     16

Ricky, there is something seriously wrong with you, dude.

Thank you for proving my point.

In LESS MINUTES, Reggie pulled down twice the boards (including four times the defensive ones); had 2 steals to Speights zero, oh, and shot a better percentage.

Thank you.  I didn't realize he had played THAT much better.

[RickyPryor]

Okay, I'm perfectly okay when you hate a player that other people love.  I do it too.  But there is no reason, and I mean NO REASON, to resort to low blow insults like you used in the last line.  On anybody.

And so...when a player's play in fact makes me sick...how might I word that better?

[DuckyNinja]

Okay, I'm perfectly okay when you hate a player that other people love.  I do it too.  But there is no reason, and I mean NO REASON, to resort to low blow insults like you used in the last line.  On anybody.

And so...when a player's play in fact makes me sick...how might I word that better?

...Say that a player's play makes you sick without using other unnecessary words?