Eddie Jordan’s former team has owned the Sixers so for this year and they are going for the hat trick tonight.
This a good game for the Sixers. They are facing a mediocre team after a successful (by their standards) road trip and the Wizards are spiraling out of control.
This should be a lock Sixers victory at home. So the result will suggest something to us one way or another. Either they have started to embark on a better track OR they do what they’ve been doing which is disappoint and lose a game they probably shouldn’t.
Bad match-up all over the place tonight as will be the case in most games with an AI/Lou backcourt. One of those guys will have to defend Caron Butler. How the hell is that going to work out?
We should see a lot of Jrue, Willie or Carney in this o because of this match-up issue.
This is your game thread. I’ll be here on and off throughout the game.
Loading ...
{ 90 comments… read them below or add one }
blah, blah, blah, blabalabla, blaaaa, blaaa, blabal, blaaaaaaaaaah
sorry Dannie, not meaning to undermine your post but thats just how any sixers pre-game talk sounds to me.
just felt that i should share that.
lets see what ethy will do tonight.
will be funny to see EJ standing up and yelling in the refs’ ear all night. he looked like he really wanted that last game.
Is it just me or is it weird to see Gilbert Arenas still out on the court? I know he hasn’t been charged, convicted, or proved of doing anything wrong yet, but it seems to me like he would be sitting out in the mist of all that is going on. I don’t know.
jkay – That’s exactly why I don’t go into much depth or analysis pregame anymore.
Sammy is good to go.
should have suspended Arenas for a few games w/out pay. whether it was malicious or not, that was severely retarded.
Dammit guys letting the Wiz go on a run with 2 many easy baskets, and on the offensive end mad bricks.
So basically the Sixers can’t beat anyone unless they are missing their top 2 or 3 players. Sounds promising.
Once this game goes official the Wizards will have 11 wins, 27% of which are vs the Sixers. Pretty awesome.
They blew an 18 point lead… I wish I could be angry right now. It’d be a nice step down from how I really feel right now… I’m now officially all for blowing up the whole squad.
Yeah Thunda I think they need to blow this up.
I think maybe a full scale rebuilding should be in order for this franchise, esp if they luck into position to get Wall, However a first step would be the Iguodala move
20 and 20 for Sam. He showed up.
Amazing. Honestly, I am not one of the Sam Haters. Like I said before, how many teams have a legit true power center? Not many. Sammy can be the guy to clog the middle that they need. I really don’t think he is the issue. I’d be all for keeping him here at a much, much, much lower salary. But obviously that won’t happen.
inexcusable loss for the sixers tonight. someone should be either fired or traded for this loss, and i would start with lou williams. no one will ever take willie green from us and lou williams is a defensive liability. if we get rid of him now and take a xavier nady or john wall in the draft (or any other young promising pg for that matter) we could have a good young backcourt for the future that might actually play defense.
Sammy showed up.
Iguodala showed up.
both were good to go. game got away from sixers once they took both off the floor. did not go to Brand either and settled for dumb shots.
turnovers? cant blame that on anyone specifically. is a good thing that they tried to look for the extra pass.
ultimately is defense. as usual. we are now feeling the effect of Iverson on the floor. check out Nick Young’s stats. all they have to do is just rise up against him and shoot.
gotta defend. final play of 1st half. Iguodala steals and dunks. ensuing outlet pass, sixers caught napping. Jamison three. summarises the whole game.
hot shooting is ephemeral. defense can’t be.
one positive thing tonight: EJ is mad. swept by his old team. maybe he will start getting serious.
Guys, Willie!s replacement is here, his name is L.Will., the NEW overpayed 9th man.
To whom it may concern:
Your coaching hire is lowering what little fan interest this team had.
Your coaching hire is not putting his players in a position to win games.
Your coaching hire is not developing your young players.
Your coaching hire is lowering the value of any tradeable pieces you have.
Your coaching hire sucks.
Yours truly,
Everybody that cares
Sucks, rooting for the team to lose!
personally I am willing to give up John Wall if they can just fire EJ.
another thing: i saw Speights pull out a rebound in traffic. yay!
jkay – Why exactly? To maybe spare you for the remainder of this season?
The players are still a major reason this team sucks, lets not forget that.
Already having to talk about the draft in January… yuk.
This team blowing a big lead at home against the Wizards… yuk.
Poor coaching rotation again. Is EJ saving minutes for a strong playoff push? 18 point lead keep the starters on the floor until they get up 30 then sub. Let’s be real any other coach would be fired by now. His only saving grace is he’s ES friend. OR is he losing or throwing these games? Its almost as if he’s coaching really bad on purpose. He can’t be this inept.
yea i saw that too RRose. It was about half way through the third, everyone on the floor was a sub. no one could score at all and they refused to pass the ball in the post to EB, who was the only legit scorer on the floor at the time. Willie Green is not a legit scorer.
Well the first half was enjoyable.
If this were any other team in the city of phila the media would be in a frenzy. The media is just as complacent as the team itself. ES, EJ, FU. This stinks.
I really don’t think this team is ever enjoyable to watch. They get leads when they shoot exceptionally well. But the defense is usually still pretty horrible. And often times the defense is horrible even if the opponent is missing shots. They are getting open looks but not converting which usually means they will at some point in the game. That usually coincides with the Sixers coming back to earth with their shooting and you have what we had last night. Story of the season.
So any enjoyment is more about results in the moment than the totality of their play.
Dannie: i never forget that. all i know is for one minute that are an athletic one dimensional group of mismatched and overrated players and now they are a really pathetic bunch of losers who cant seem to win a game when they’re really trying.
i dunno what has changed but I am quick to blame Jordan for that. i hope its him cos otherwise…
that was ugly. Personnaly, I think they ran out of gas in the second half from the long roadtrip more than anything else. Normal schedule and they would have closed it out. All their shots were coming up short in the 4th. My 11-4 January took a bit of a hit. Still see 10-3 the rest of the way possible.
Phillyfan - All I have to say is don’t disappear in January when this team inevitably continues to loss vs. mediocre to really bad opponents and your 11-4/10-3 prediction proves out to be what it is, a laughable expectation for a horrible team.
You severely overrate this team with no cause or reason. Even after a performance like last night. It’s very strange.
jkay – That is the question for Stefanski. How much of this is the coach and how much is the players? How can you accurately determine that?
Inspector’s recommendations:
1) the Sixers’ Ed-ifice will not do – on ground floor and upstairs – “Myrtle, schedule the wrecking ball asap”
2) in view of his career game vs. ferocious Senor Oberto, Dalembert should catch the next flight to Buenos Aires, become a south of the border smash
3) the grand Elton Brand’s meltin’ last night – 1 rebound in 23 min, 3-8 from charity stripe, torched by Jamison - wasn’t worth 14.8 cents; proud 6′ 7″ hack; excess lumber – haul it off when you get a chance
3) playmaking triad of Iverson, Williams & Iguodala creatively converted 15 possessions into turnovers (scoring opportunities for opponent), putting the Sixers in a strong position to blow an 18 point 3Q lead; their miscues had everything to do with THEMSELVES, not the coaching staff watching from courtside - increase accountability by decreasing minutes of the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to breathe free
4) Lou Williams possibly played the worst 8-13 shooting game in the history of basketball; rounds into defense like the late Moms Mabley (but she was a lot funnier); the sweet limber young player (term used loosely) is made of mush; scrap ’em for another team’s scrapple while the griddle’s hot
5) the maladjusting maestro’s musical chair substitution rotations has fans bellyaching; quiet them down, serve warm cookies & cold milk, read them a chapter from the 1966-67 World Championship Season, and assure them that dreams do come true
Simply put, a team performing this poorly has to receive shock treatment in the form of player movement or administrative/coaching movement. To remain static (“patient”) is to tacitly approve of conditions, regardless of lip service. I wouldn’t be surprised if some team members harbor a strong wish to move on to another city and franchise. The chemistry - including the Iguodala/Brand ego clash – is conducive to a blow up.
Of course accomodating the significant egos of Dalembert, Williams and Iverson is no walk in the park either.
jjg: the Wizards has 6 total offensive rebounds for the game. the fact that EB could only manage one has more to do with Sammy and co. eating ‘em up than his lack of effort or boxing out. Jamison was continually wide open (down low and outside) because of bad rotations. did u just look at the box score or watch the game.
Eb was’nt very good but not that bad.
re: comment #31 – in full agreement.
jkay: Did watch. Butler came to sleep. Haywood didn’t play. Blatche is inconsistent lane resistance. Oberto is Oberto. A total of 1 rebound for a power forward sucks, especially against that crew. Agree, Sammy “The Hoover”
somewhat limited Brand’s available orange pickings. Also agree, my assessment made maximum use of his crummy numbers. As for his defensive efficiency, can’t blame 32 points solely on rotations. I’ll upgrade EB’s rating to 1 1/2 tomatoes (from 1).
jkay, Do you realize that you’re making excuses for an indulged and pampered (except by old school meanie EJ) athlete who is making $40,708.14 PER DIEM (!)
this season (a daily number to be topped by the one of next season and the one of the season after that and the crowning number of the season after that)? Is ‘a few rebounds and some anticipative sweat & quick lateral movement on defense’ too much to ask “Sir Elton Brand” [Zumoff, what an arse kisser] on a Tuesday night, even if it was cold outside? The rumor of his strong defense is, on certain nights, just that.
RRose, you hit the nail on the head. Poor coaching rotation again, which snowballed out of control into the fourth quarter. We need to run, Jordan is bring the worst out of our players.
Jordan, Jordan, Jordan. To point the finger only at him is myopic. These players – Iverson (11 yrs), Dalembert (8 yrs), Green (7 yrs), Iguodala (6 yrs), Williams (5 yrs) – have failed under numerous coaches and varying motivational & technical tacts
(excepting Iverson with L. Brown). They are what they are – moveable. Please.
That said, Jordan is doing a poor job, going on the premise that he’s being directed to structure a team and win games.
Brand (10 yrs and three different teams)
Sir Elton’s defensive rebounding % (percent of available defensive rebounds he grabs when on the floor) is down to 15.6%.
Strange given last year he was 23% (near Sam’s career 24% which is elite) and career he is 19%. Not a perfect stat, but shows that he is grabbing less D-boards then he used to.
Also D-boards for 36 minutes:
This year: 4.6
Last year: 6.9
Career 5.9
Sam is 8.6 this year (7.5 career)
Typo: 639 should read 6.9
So tk76 in other words he isn’t playing up to form and its been just one season ago. Its hard to understand how highly paid athletes don’t give it there all every game. I know they all worked hard to get to this point in their careers and often times they are 20x’s better than the average guy playing hoops. But to use excuses like they traveled from Denver and they weren’t ready or legs were dead is crazy.
Why are other teams in the NBA capable of doing it? They play the same types of schedule the Sixers do. This team has gotten worse in every facet of the game in just one season. Besides Jrue, Kapono and Ai this is relatively the same team. So who is at fault, hmm.. EJ? My so called superstar of this team says we don’t communicate during the game and we don’t understand the defensive scheme says a lot about coaching. I’m going to call the Sixers front office and fire EJ tonight. Somebody got to do it.
One question that doesn’t really have much 2 do with the post but…
Who is the Sixers international scout(if they have one)? Im looking at teams with these good international players, and it seems year in and out the Sixers don’t or can’t draft well internationally(Slap yourself if you mention Sammy!) Im not talking Dirk quality guys either, but good contributors like Jerebko, Ilyasova or Casspi, guys like that
I am not a big foreign player guy. Regarding the Sixers it has a lot more to do with where they are picking than anything else.
Is a foreign player the best or one of the best option as their draft position?
I don’t think they have missed out on guys because they are clueless. I just don’t think they have been in position to draft some of the better foreign guys.
They could have selected Dirk (or Pierce), but Larry Brown promised Larry Hughes he would take him. That is less about scouting and more about stupidity on Brown’s part.
Other than that when have the Sixers been in position to draft a good foreign player (without needing to acquire another pick) in the last 10-15 years?
I don’t know I would have to look but I am thinking it’s nothing consistently glaring but I could be wrong.
They drafted Daquan Cook and traded him for Jason Smith when Rudy Fernandez was still on the board. That was a colossal mistake when you consider Cook AND Fernandez are better players than Smith.
We actually drafted two foreign guys (who never played for us):
Petteri Koponen and Kyrylo Fesenko ahead of Marc Gasol.
Louis Williams over Marcin Gortat.
Sam Clancy over Luis Scola
jjg, I will point my finger at Jordan. That game showed how incompetent he really is and I am not being narrow minded on this subject. His substitutions have been a mess all year. Thats why we have a losing record. When Jordan gets fired, Stafanski should have to pay Jordan’s salary.
Sam Clancy over Scola> yikes. Clancy had an injured knee I believe coming out of college. Correct me if I’m wrong. Smith over Fernandez, ridiculous.
Johnnylaptop, You’re entitled to your opinion. I don’t think Jordan’s funky substitution “pattern” is the major reason for the losing record, though it contributes. A lot of blame to go around throughout team and organization.
I remember we drafted Jiri Welsch then immediately shipped him to GS, I just think its some pretty good international talent that are key contributors that can be found later on. Clancy over Scola, holy $***! Fesenko is alump of garbage, i dunno how we pick him over Marc, who i remember NBAdraft.com having him projected as a late 1st rounder(25-30) and slipped to 48 because he was thought not to have enough “potential”
I forgot the Sixers also drafted Sefelosha
BTW in my previous post I wasn’t saying Welsch was Good…Meh, shows how this season is going, im rambling about international draft picks.
Yeah Dannie but Elton also led his high school team to two state championships, took Duke to the finals in 1999 (they only lost two games) and almost singlehandedly got the Clippers into the Western Confrence Finals the year they lost to a very good Phoenix team in seven games. Think about that for a second.. he almost got the worst franchise in the NBA to the Western Confrence finals….
Really when you think about it the only other winner on this team has been AI the one year we made it to the finals. Andre isn’t a winner… we haven’t won since he has been here and his Arizona teams were mediocre.. Willie Green went to detroit mercy.. hasn’t won since he has been here… Jrue Holiday did nothing to help UCLA win games… he is a terrific defender but as far as im concerned his offensive skills are horrid… Thad Young.. he is a softy … none of these guys have any winners intangibles
Steve, gotta disagree on Holliday; U.C.L.A. is struggling mightily defensively this year with the loss of their backcourt. They put him on many a big scorer last year and played a tough schedule. Dannie, I just want to go back to basic basketball, no score off turnovers, no moronic switching defenses; we have some ingredients here and a top ten pick coming so hopefully Louko or Snider just cut ties with the other Ed!s and just move on.
i know i am one of the idiots that advocated tanking and landing John Wall or whatever messiah is in this year’s draft but this is too much. I cant stand to watch this for another 43 plus games. they need to start playing better. Let them go on a run and finish 11th or 12th and miss on the top draft picks, and the playoffs too. I dont care anymore. Cant keep watching an NBA team play like this. Once upon a time, some of us actually liked some of these players.
What will it take to wake this team up? Is it some kind of public statement from one of the players? the coach (yeah right!)? the GM (he’s in hiding)? the owner (non-chalant)? media (in a self-induced coma)? or is it fans that have been screaming themselves hoarse for so long?
I know I will feel better in about 2 days and will go and watch that damn Raptors game and in all likelihood will be thrown further into this pit of nausea.
…..geez they’re really killing me.
i think i am in love with Kate Fagan, by default.
jkay #57 – I agree with you wholeheartedly. Its hard to know what to think of this teams situation, and as a fan I don’t even care which is the bad part. It’s as if the organization doesn’t care much about the product they are putting out on the court. And the core of this team is a squad that made the playoffs last year. Just hard to know what to think, And if we don’t luck up and get the #1 pick, Who do you draft? Favors? Motiejunas? To make PF log jam? Wes Johnson? Another swing? Willie Warren? Another undersized high volume shooter? Or would you try to get a good proven player by trading the high pick? Im rambling again, when it comes to the Sixers im about as focused as the organization itself.
You draft the best available player. If there are a few players ranked about the same you have some forethought about what players on the current roster you plan to keep and choose the player that is the best fit.
So talent first, then fit if you have a clue about what players will be around for a while and which won’t.
Right now my list is this:
After that I haven’t considered. Wall is clearly a no brainer. The other two are very high current talent and potential players who fit what the Sixers need. Legit wing scoring, perimeter shooting, size and defensive capability and willingness.
Celtics’ balance last night: 5 starters, each taking between 10-12 FGA, each scoring between 16-25 pts. They beat Wade-centric (44 pts., 15-34) Heat in OT at Miami, despite their 25 turnovers, despite being down 89-78, having made 8 straight FGs in 4th to drive their comeback, having tied it in regulation on Rondo alley-oop basket off a Pierce in-bounding pass with 0.6 on clock. The guys in green play ball as it was meant to be played. I wonder how many Sixers players were watching.
i know I was.
let’s see, if it was the sixers; after having expended all their timeouts trying unsuccessfully to inbound the ball, lou williams ends up shoving it to a ‘wide-open’ Iguodala 10 feet beyond the arc, who then heaves up an incredibly-looking athletic, aesthetic, off balance shot that sails into the stands. Whereupon #9 immediately goes with his favorite grimace, and the media emerges with a story about how the sixers ‘almost’ won a game.
Wade is an incredible individual talent. probably plays with more intensity than any other superstar.
I just figured it out. EJ and ES are planning a media conference that’ll go something like.. After a big hearty laugh from the both of them. They will kindly state this was all part of some large elaborate joke! After a few minutes we will all collect ourselves and laugh along with them. Because we can’t honestly believe they are serious right now.
This is tanking without telling us they are tanking. EJ is purposely blowing games. No plan, no direction, no set rotations, player confusion. This just has to be some kind of joke. Eddie Jordan Eddie Murphy..
Agree, he’s a mighty talent. Don’t like teams so dependent on one though, as in the cases of Wade & Paul & Lebron. San Antonio, Orlando, LA or Boston are better instructive examples of the game’s intended means to winning.
And the Pistons, though in a down cycle, have the hang of it too.
Iverson and McGrady are in line for an All-Star game start! What a farce fan voting is. The NBA is a mess.
Don’t blame the NBA. Blame the dumbass fans.
stu, I’m not surprised. I think NBA teams and the NBA have done a bad job of cultivating superstars and making them more recognizable and marketable. Think about it – off the top of you head, who should get the nod ahead of Iverson and T-Mac? Hyped-up young guys who haven’t really done much? Why not Iverson and T-Mac? Would you rather WATCH T-Mac or Andre Iguodala in an All-Star game? Derrick Rose/Rajon Rondo or Iverson? This is another thing the Sixers don’t get about Iguodala – no one wants to watch this guy; I feel like they’ve forgotten that ultimately the NBA is entertainment. (to be continued…)
Durant over T-Mac. T-Mac hasn’t played so anyone is a better choice than him.
Maybe a guy by the name of Chris Paul over T-Mac.
Maybe Deron Williams.
(cont.) Dannie, people know Chris Paul is good, Deron Williams is good. But what kind of theater have they provided in their young careers? How many “Do you remember when Chris Paul/Deron Williams __________” moments have they produced? Kevin Durant, too. Sure he’s very very good, I love the guy, he’s got this freak body and shooting touch that gives him the potential to be one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, but he’s not there yet, it’s still just hype.
Also, what should the All-Star game be? Is it a reward for the players who’ve played best in the first half of the season? Is it a WWE-type of show? If it’s the former, then T-Mac and Iverson don’t belong anywhere near it. But if it’s more the latter, then I don’t see why fans can’t vote for the players THEY WANT TO SEE; why does that make them dumbasses, just because they aren’t hardcore NBA junkies?
Zack: your point would be a lot more valid if either had been healthy, playing well and/or playing at a high level. both are washed out superstars who have not played more than 23 games this season.
thats just dumb.
You don’t have to be a hardcore NBA junkie to know Tmac hasn’t played. And AI has played very little. T-mac shouldn’t have even been on a ballot in the first place so that’s the NBA’s fault for letting the dumbasses do what they do.
And let’s not get it twisted. T-mac is getting voted in because he plays with Yao and everyone in China are voting for him.
And I don’t know what basketball you are into or what basketball you watch but there have been plenty of did you see what Paul, Williams or Durant did in their short career. Just because you don’t doesn’t mean they haven’t happened. Matter of fact when was the last time you said that about AI or T-mac? Are they even capable of doing that anymore?
The NBA is about entertainment in general so that element is always there. But being an all-star is a personal accomplishment for the players as well and the good ones should be rewarded for their play. I don’t mind some level of favoritism based more on career accomplishments then current accomplishments but that shouldn’t be the end all be all which it is for most fans when they vote.
How are the up and coming players ever going to become the new stars when dumbass fans are voting for players who either haven’t played or don’t play at a high level anymore?
T-mac is supposedly healthy and his own team doesn’t want him, that grants him a trip to the all-star game? Give me a break. It’s a joke.
(cont.) How do people feel about this statement: the NBA is NOT as entertaining as it used to be. For me, it’s definitely NOT. For example, take Friday’s game against Toronto -
THE SIXERS VS. THE RAPTORS!!!
If you were promoting this, how would you hype this game up? Way back when, there was always something about each team you could easily hype up, and that team would deliver 9 times out of 10. Even the bad ones could bring some theater… How much could Mitch Richmond of the Kings score on you? Watch the Pacers’ Reggie Miller’s sharpshooting! Come on in and watch the Denver Nuggets light up the scoreboard – can your team keep up. But now?
“THE SIXERS VS. THE RAPTORS!!!
What’s there to hype up about this game? IMO, I think the spike in attendance at Sixer games towards the latter half of 2007-2008 was 100% related to the team developing an identity: the Sixers will run on you! It was so simple, so obvious, so easy to pick up; I still don’t get how Stefanski didn’t see this…
“Hyped-up young guys who haven’t really done much?”
What exactly has T-Mac done? Iverson?
I know Rondo was the starting point guard on a team that won a championship. I know he averaged a near triple double in a playoff series.
This is actually an interesting conversation. I’m with Dannie on ‘dumbass fans’ not voting in the Durants and the Pauls of the league. But I might part ways with him when he says “don’t blame the NBA” because, actually, they might help to produce those dumbass fans. According to the TNT schedule for the remainder of the season, the Thunder don’t get a single showing to a national audience. I mean, that sucks!! The Hornets? Twice, but presumably because of who they’re playing (Orlando and Denver) more so than who they are. The Suns get for televised games, and while I love ‘em and all, I wouldn’t mind giving up a night of seeing Steve Nash, again, to watch Durant once!
Of course, Stern might not have total control over the TNT schedule. I’m sure he doesn’t. But for whatever institutional reasons, the young guys just don’t seem to get enough face-time when it comes to many things promotional.
Simply put, I don’t think the NBA does a good job, at all, of promoting the younger talent–which might have something to do with the half-assed voting trends.
Dannie, first off, I wanna get this straight – in no way, shape or form am I saying tmac and ai are better than the young guys…
(cont.) Dannie, you summed it up well with this statement: “I don’t mind some level of favoritism based more on career accomplishments then current accomplishments but that shouldn’t be the end all be all which it is for most fans when they vote.” But it goes beyond that a little bit more. Yes, it’s clear people aren’t trying to vote in the people who deserve to be in the asg – they’re voting for the players THEY WANT TO WATCH. But unlike you, I don’t think there’s anything dumbass about this. It’s like preferring to watch Will Smith rather than Don Cheadle in a movie; Don Cheadle is the better actor (usually), but Will Smith has that star quality and fame that make people wanna watch him over Don Cheadle.
Following this analogy, you’d get better basketball from having Paul and Deron in the game over tmac, but you’d probably get better ratings with tmac in the game based on his Will Smith-like “star quality”.
Zach has a point. The players that get the votes are the ones who’ve been put out there the most through marketing and the media. Let’s not forget that there’s no such thing as bad press as long as they spell your name right. T-Mac has the whole of China behind him anyway, like Dannie said. But think about it, throughout the first few months of this season, Mac and AI were all over the sports media. They were hyped up (albeit in a negative manner) since opening tip back in October. People love drama and that could play just as big a part in the voting as anything else.
Is it fair to the Durant’s and Paul’s out there? Hell to the no. BUT that’s the way it has been until Stern and the scheduling committee see what the next generation of championship caliber teams, like the Thunder (give them time), have to offer to the world outside of OKC.
And let’s face it, Mac already said he’s sitting out whether he’s voted in or not. AI is getting his 10th start and that’s that. The people want what they want. And how often do they ever want the right thing? Look at the NBA Fan Night. Damn near 80% of those games are LeBron or Kobe.
My point is that fan voting for the ASG is stupid (IMO). I’d much rather the players and coaches and a select few media members vote. However, the fan voting gives the people the show they want to see. They want the “stars” and the “stars” bring money which is what it really boils down to.
I’m impressed that you guys have so much passion for this franchise, so I figure there must be some basketball junkies on here. Figured I’d post this since I just found out 2 days ago that Versus is televising some NBA D League games.
<<Basketball fanatics are probably aware that NBA TV carries action from the minor-league circuit, the D-League (short for Developmental League). Well, Versus will be adding a package of late-night Saturday telecasts starting Jan. 16.
Jan. 16 — Fort Wayne at Sioux Falls (11 p.m.)
Jan. 23 — Los Angeles at Sioux Falls (11 p.m.)
Jan. 30 — Bakersfield at Idaho (11 p.m.)
Feb. 6 — Reno at Rio Grande Valley (11 p.m.)
Versus will also be carrying a weekly game from the American Basketball Association (no, not the one that Doctor J made famous). Like the NBA D-League, these games will appear on Saturday afternoons at 2 p.m. starting Jan. 16 through at least Feb. 13. The actual matchups have yet to be determined.>>
Fan voting was not always a part of the all-star game was it? I think it is a game to showcase the best current talent in the NBA from both conferences playing each other.
You have guys like Brandon Roy, or Kevin Durant who would get screwed over with T-Mac taking an unrightful spot. And even though it’s down the line that all-star stuff actually matters when HOF consideration comes into play. I also think even though the fans want to watch T-Mac, the T-Mac they want to see is circa 2005. That guy that play those last few games coming off major surgery has no explosiveness and it pains me to say but looked like a carbon copy of post injury Penny. However it was a small sample as Adelman gave him no tick.
Another question whenever they scroll the all-star starters on the ESPN/NBATV ticker They add in a 2nd center or a 6th name which is Shaq? Now he isn’t gonna beat out Dwight, but is the second center also voted in? Or do they show that just to show how close/far behind he is from the leader,because I think B. Lopez should be the big off the bench, but he’s playing on a team that wouldn’t make the D-League playoffs.
Reserves are not voted in. Coaches choose.
Zack – “they’re voting for the players THEY WANT TO WATCH”
I get that. And that’s why I am not completely against fan voting. It’s a smart marketing tactic because it’s an involvement device which is a powerful way to engage the audience. BUT, that doesn’t mean they should get 100% of the vote. I think it should be split partial fans and partially players.
Also, the reason I call fans dumbasses because IMO the majority are. People don’t really have a clue what’s going on from basketball standpoint and most, if not all of their opinions are based on what the media tell them.
For example, I want to watch T-mac play but know he is injury and not playing right now in the NBA, why then would I vote for him? It’s illogical. That tells you two things: Either people are voting and not actually watching the NBA so they don’t even know T-mac isn’t playing OR they do know and vote for him anyway which is 100% illogical/irrational.
I don’t at all mind people choosing who they want to play in the all-star game as fans. But they shouldn’t do so blindly. There should be some level of thought put into it.
I actually think it suggests people aren’t watching much NBA and only voting for names they know about from when they did watch.
i knwo reserves aren’t voted in, but im curius because the always show a second center on the NBATV/ESPN tickers
Yo Dannie, do you think the way they do the balloting is flawed? There are names on those ballots that really should be. Should they wait a couple weeks or even a month to set the ballots before voting can begin instead of having it set pre-season pretty much?
Jimbo – A lot of times it’s a judgment thing. Like if a player is hurt at the time the paper ballots are ready to be created but may or may not be back before voting ends should his name be on the ballot? I don’t think the NBA has any hard or fast rules for this I think it’s just up to their discretion.
It’s hard because often times there are players that are hurt to start the season but will play a good portion of the first half games. That’s why I always return to the fans. I just don’t think they are thinking when they vote. Nor do I think many people actually watch a lot of NBA basketball.
Any casual fan should know T-Mac hasn’t played at all, yet they still vote for him. I can’t begin to fathom this logic. Maybe if he was 25 and in his prime. But his own team doesn’t want him to play and most basketball people think he’s lost his explosion for good. If that’s the cause is he really a draw for an up and down All-Star game?
I just think people don’t think and the NBA is always in a tough spot with the paper ballots because once they are done they are done. They could change the electronic ballots, but I don’t think they do that either.
I am willing to bet if Yao was on the ballot he would still get votes even though there is no chance of him playing. Same goes for AI. If he wasn’t playing but his name was there he would still get votes. It’s irrational.
I think they show the second or third place all-star players for comparison and to show the voting distance between spots.
I haven’t followed the enitre All Star conversation you guys have had, but if I were T-Mac, I would consider giving up my spot in the starting line-up for someone I felt deserved it. I’m not sure if that’s what he is planning to do or not, but it’d be similar to what Vince Carter (I think) did a couple years back when he let Michael Jordan start his final All Star Game (Tmac and Iverson both offered their spots also if I’m not mistaken).
I just finished Marc Stein’s Weekend Dime. Check this out:
As for Washington, one source close to the situation said in the wake of Gilbert Arenas’ indefinite suspension this week: “The Wizards are 100 percent going to try to void Gil’s contract, and they’re 100 percent going to clean house. There is now not a single player they wouldn’t trade.”
Our head coach used to be the Wizards coach… The Wizards don’t have a really good GM… Coach EJ and Stefanski are under pressure to win now… Coach EJ and Stefanski are secret lovers, Stefanski will do anything for EJ… EJ doesn’t like our roster… The Wiz traded away the 5th pick (Rubio), for immediate help (Foye, Mike Miller), and if they’re rebuilding they might be looking to recoup that lost young talent… So, Caron Butler to the Sixers???
This works: Jason Smith + Thad + Lou Williams + Willie Green FOR Butler + Dominic McGuire + DeShawn Stevenson.
Anyone think anything’s gonna happen on this front? Isn’t a trade with the Wizards – if there’s going to be a trade – the most likely?
My goodness, I don’t know why but I feel so sure that trade is happening…
Here’s the new Sixer lineup + bench:
Sam, Brand, Iguodala, Butler, Iverson
Speights, McGuire, Carney/Kapono, Stevenson, Holiday/Ivey
Come on Ed & Ed, make Butler a Sixer, come on come on come on what r u waiting for?
One thing – the Wiz might insist on Speights instead of Smith. In that case I don’t know if I do the trade.