Sixers Raps 10-07

[anklebreaker]

You have to enter this contest...

http://www.nba.com/sixers/contests/

and they email you a voucher to pick up 2 free tix for tomorrow's game.  Takes 2 seconds. 

[rickortreat]

The only thing I read about Speights is that he added 8 lbs. of muscle to his frame.  That and he was taking shots more than passing, because he wasn't comfortable with the Princeton yet.

That he added 8 pounds tells me he was working, or at least eating!  I'd like him to spend a lot of time watching old tapes of Kevin McHale and trying to imitate his moves in the post. And, I'd also like him to work on moving his feet on defense and working hard for rebounding position.

Last season he got pushed around in the paint a lot. Haven't seen him play against anyone big since, so we don't know if he's strong enough to work inside yet.

I think he could become a very good player with work. Has has the size and the quickness just needs repetition so he can execute those moves against upper echelon talent.  It's good that he has an outside shot, but that's not what we need him for.

[jemagee]

8 pounds indicates he may have been working on his body - that's not the same as working on his game

I think he could become a very good player with work.

As do I and I was very psyched when the sixers drafted him but the 'knock' on him was his work ethic/dedication to the game which i wasn't going to judge until I saw him in season two - if he got better - nto fully developed - but improved where he was weak.

One of my huge problems with Sam Dlaembert is that he never seems to improve what he's weak at (his 19 footer desn't count - he shouldn't be working on a 19 footer)

[rickortreat]

8 pounds indicates he may have been working on his body - that's not the same as working on his game

I think he could become a very good player with work.

As do I and I was very psyched when the sixers drafted him but the 'knock' on him was his work ethic/dedication to the game which i wasn't going to judge until I saw him in season two - if he got better - nto fully developed - but improved where he was weak.

One of my huge problems with Sam Dlaembert is that he never seems to improve what he's weak at (his 19 footer desn't count - he shouldn't be working on a 19 footer)

Sam's biggest problem is his hands, and his lack of ability to put the ball on the floor. It limits your ability to post up when you keep dribbling the ball off your foot, or end up with an entry pass bouncing off your hands. If he could be trusted to protect the ball, he'd get more touches.  If they can make him into a passer that would be truly amazing.

[jemagee]

Sam has a litany of problems, but I think his biggest problem isn't one of ability but of recognition.  He doesn't recognize/realize how bad he is at the simple things (passing is one of them, but watch him dribble, it's scary)...he doesn't recognize that working on his 19 footer isn't a good addition to an empty arsenal when he doesn't have the basics down.

To me - it all starts with that recognition of what needs to be done and then the dedication to get it done - those are two bigger problems than the actual problems - hands, dribbling, boxing out, counting to 3, learning where to be on defense, these are things that can be fixed but not without a recognition that they need to be fixed and a dedication to getting them fixed - that's a failure by Dalembert but that's a failure by the sixers as well...i know he's a grown man and working ajob but sometimes you have to find a way to motivate an employee

[Skates]

Iggy is always a TO machine early in the season the last few years, with a new offense and the ball likely being in his hands even more I don't expect that to change early this season.  Lou sounds a lot more like he is playing SG once the ball gets past half court, than PG, which is a fit for him.

Holiday sounds like he really has all of the physical tools and just has to learn the game.  Supposedly he is a bright kid and will pick it up.  At only 19 yo and having played SG in college he should be expected to be a bit lost, but it sounds like despite all of that he is impressing with his natural abilities.  If he learns the game he may be the steal of this draft.

[anklebreaker]

I was expecting Holiday's shot and handle to take a lot of time to develop, but they both appear to be better than I expected.  Still need to see more to determine where he's at, but I thought those parts of his game stood out.  He still needs to learn the offense and weed out the mistakes, but its all an orientation for him and screw ups are inevitable.  His defensive stance is solid and I'm loving his size at pg on that side of the ball.  Assuming he does develop into our starter, we'll have some nice perimeter defense for awhile between him, Iguodala, and Young. 

I've seen him split a few traps and get to the hoop to draw contact, which is pretty crafty for a 19 year old.  You can see the potential.  Hopefully he was a steal. 

[tk76-]

Sam has a litany of problems, but I think his biggest problem isn't one of ability but of recognition. 

Agree.  He would be an above average center if he knew how to play to his strengths and avoid his limitations.  He has never show the ability to play within himself for any extended period of time.

Basically he thinks he is Chris Bosh.

[DuckyNinja]

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20091009_Dalembert_often_the_hub_of_76ers__new_offense.html
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/deep-sixer/Ivey_out_of_practice.html

1.5 articles about Dalembert.  Seems like they're putting an awful lot of effort into making Sam Dalembert happy, but if those articles are true, Dalembert may finally be tapping into his potential.  Still a scary thought to see "offense going through Dalembert" though.

[anklebreaker]

I think its way past time to throw potential out the window with Sammy. 

[jemagee]

I don't buy any of this preseason conversation about Sam as more than Spin and PR - making Sam happy in the media maybe trying to con teams into still trading for him.

We'll see what happens once games count and the offense stops going through sam because he doesn't know what to do with the ball once he gets it.

[Skates]

The scariest part of the Sam as hub of the offense article:

Jordan said Dalembert has the second-best shot on the team, behind forward Jason Kapono, who is one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA.

Please let taht just be Jordan blowing smoke up sammy's butt, otherwise he doesn't think very highly of anyone else's shooting ability on this team.

This stuff/quote by Iggy was more realistic:

Swingman Andre Iguodala, who through two preseason games has initiated the offense probably more than anyone, said Dalembert has always had the ability to pass; he just occasionally made the wrong decision.

"Sam has always had a knack to want to throw passes, backdoor cuts," Iguodala said. "So we knew he could do it. We just needed him to make the read at the right time. I think it's a happy medium: Give him those options to make those passes but keep him under control."

[jemagee]

Andre's quote could lead to some interesting interpretations.

I still can't tell if he BELIEVES sam can actually make those passes - just that he likes to try

[anklebreaker]

Imagine if we still had Reggie Evans on this team.  Imagine him trying to make decisions with the ball... so glad he's gone. 

[Skates]

Andre's quote could lead to some interesting interpretations.

I still can't tell if he BELIEVES sam can actually make those passes - just that he likes to try

I think he is trying to talk himself into believeing it...with mixed success.