I didn’t get a chance to watch the Sixers on New Years eve which was disappointing since it was their first win in 4 games. Tonight they have a much tougher test. Dallas is 19-12 and has been playing very good basketball since an early 5-game losing streak.
I am really interested to see the three match-ups.
- Kidd vs. Miller
- Howard vs. Iguodala
- Nowitzki vs. Young
Kidd and Miller should equal each other out. As should Iguodala and Howard.
Where the Sixers could win or lose the game is with Thad. Dirk is obviously going to get more offensive touches than Young so it’s more about defense in this match up. I’d love to sit here and fantasize about Thad getting more opportunities to go one-on-one against the bigger, slower defender in Dirk and potentially get him in foul trouble. But we all know that isn’t going to happen. So Thad will need to focus his energy on making Dirk work for position (get him off that damn elbow and mid post area) and force him into difficult shots. In an ideal world the Sixers should play this match up straight up – no double teams. Jason Terry, Howard and even Jason Kidd are all shooting above average from three and we know that has been a major disadvantage for the Sixers. If they do double team I would suggest sending a bigger defender in Dalembert. Dirk has the tendency to simply turn and shoot over shorter guys even if being doubled. Maybe Sam’s length can bother him and make Dampier a scorer.
Another game determining factor will be containing Jason Terry who at 31 and in a sixth man role is having a career season. He is scoring 21 ppg off the bench which is phenomenal. I’ve read on the blog that Terry is what Lou Williams should strive to be like. I would agree with that. Tonight though, Lou can’t get in a personal scoring battle with Terry by simply trading baskets. The Sixers need stops. That means Willie, Lou and Ivey should all be taking turns chasing Terry and keeping him in check.
Lately the Sixers have been playing pretty well but still losing. They are getting out on the break and shooting a bit better from the field. But the discrepancy in three point shooting is killing the Sixers. This is an area that really needs to be shored up ASAP.
As usual leave your thoughts in the comments.
Sixers vs. Dallas Game Notes
Sigh
Sixers played another solid two quarters and 3 minutes of basketball and of course that isn’t good enough to get a victory. Sixers built a 12-point lead early in the third quarter. Then were outscored 54-32 over the last 21 minutes of the game including 31 fourth quarter points allowed by the Sixers. Sounds like the Denver game a bit. The question is why?
Maybe it’s just me but I see a trend. The Sixers get lax on defense when they have a lead. The problem with that is they aren’t good enough offensively to win games that way. The way they build leads is with their defense and that was no different tonight. The Sixers came out in the second half with great defensive intensity by everyone, anchored by Sammy. They contested every perimeter shot and I think that contributed greatly to Dallas’ poor shooting. When guys did get into the lane Dalembert was there to alter or block shots in that third quarter.
The problem as always is the Sixers inability to maintain that defensive level. Enter Jason Terry. I said before the game the Sixers needed to keep him in check. He has been the spark for the Mavericks all season and he did it again tonight. He hit three straight 3-pointers to cut that lead to 7 but more importantly he stopped the bleeding and gave his team some confidence. He got off because the perimeter got lax. He was wide open on many occasions tonight especially in that third quarter.
The other problem I see is offensive execution (lack thereof) especially in the last few minutes of close games. Particularly the last 5 minutes. Dallas got back into the game and only trailed by 2 going into the 4th and I was like uh-oh. Why? Because I didn’t think the Sixers would be able to score enough points to win the game. It was a matter of time before Dallas started making more shots, especially Dirk.
5 minutes left in the game and the score was 78-78. That means the Sixers only scored 8 points the rest of the game. Again the question is why?
Here are the main plays I saw.
- Iso for Iguodala defended by Kidd
- Post up or Iso for Willie Green defended by Terry
- Pick and roll with Louis Williams and Theo Ratliff
I don’t know how many close games this team can win if those are the go-to plays when the team needs to score.
Random Stuff
- The Sixers WILL NEVER WIN A GAME with Andre Miller taking 4 threes and having 8 turnovers. And there weren’t end of the shot clock or quarter attempts. He shot them like he forgot he shoots 20% for his career from three.
- Marreese Speights doesn’t get in the game? Probably because he only had 3 boards and 0 blocks in the last 48 minutes of game time. Did Dileo go a little too far on that or was his benching a justified lesson for the rook?
- I must give credit with all the bashing. Iguodala playeda complete game tonight. 22 points on 9-17 shooting and ZERO turnovers.
- 15-14 edge in fast break points. Sixers can’t win with that small a margin in this area considering their offensive struggles.
- I have no idea why Sammy didn’t play much in the fourth quarter. I think he came out extremely active defensively and on the boards in the third quarter and only had 2 personal fouls. I really find this strange.
- For The Greek: I was tracking Thad’s “impending unstoppable post game” particularly the “unstoppable hook.” By my count he was 1-4 with the “unstoppable hook” tonight including getting one punched by Brandon Bass. haha just having some fun with ya.
Basically another opportunity where the Sixers showed signs of playing good basketball against a winning ball club only to fall short again. What’s extremely distressing to me is the regular post game comments about losing focus or having mental lapses. Whose to blame for that? And I ask: How, if at all can they change the outcome in these games that they show signs of winning basketball but still lose?
Next game: Tomorrow against the Spurs
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{ 54 comments… read them below or add one }
Actually, Thaddeus Young v.s Josh Howard would be the more interesting matchup. I actually think Thaddeus Young has the potential to be a Josh Howard type of player minus the recent attitude. Thaddeus Young started in the league the same way Howard did by doing the little things: rebounding, scoring in the paint, and then worked on their jump shots overtime. Tell me what you think Dannie!
I think not Dannie, but I’ve become quite the pessimist lately, hopefully Im wrong.
Call me crazy but I think that were going to win tonight. If the sixers look for Thad streaking tonight then he could be in for a huge game. Dirk is the slower then slow, something to look for.
Dannie, If we give Sammy away from nothing ofcourse we could take a hit this year but imagine what we could do with that cap space. Dude were all hurting right now, all of us die hard fans. The trade that Ed makes by the deadline will be monumental in the shaping of our team. He can’t/won’t stand pat right? Also this looks to be a rockstar draft for point guards!
Here are the stats comparing Thaddeus Young and Josh Howard:
Josh Howard
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/stats?playerId=2006
Thaddeus Young
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/stats?playerId=3244
Rob – Thad is playing power forward so his likely match up is Dirk so I ran with that.
Also, instead of going against a big bruising power forward that stays in the paint all game he is facing an elite power forward with an inside outside game (which is the type of game we all hope Thad will develop).
I want to see him face a star and see how he does. Tonight he will have no choice. What I mean by that is in other match up when we thought we would see Thad against an elite forward the Sixers would simply put Iguodala on him. At least when the starting line up is on the court DiLeo can’t do that.
We all want/hope Thad will become a star we need to start seeing him matched up against other stars. Tonight is a good opportunity for that.
Greek – I have a deal I have been thinking about but still am not sure it makes sense or the other team would do it. I think I am going to propose it to another blogger of that team and see what they think and then I will do a post on it.
Of course Dannie that is true. But I’m only talking technical here with Thad truly as a SF, but both Thad and Howard play that similar game though.
Dallas has lately been a little complacent against the sub-0.500 teams at home. They have had to have huge comebacks to win those games, something that Carlisle can’t stomach well.
I think though there will be some switching between Thad and Iggy while defending Nowitzki. Dirk has had trouble with the quicker, athletic players guarding him at times. And Tony DiLeo used to coach the German team, so he might be familiar with Dirk’s game. He in fact scouted Nowitzki and thought about drafting him, and you know the rest of the story!!
I think the Sixers take one of the two remaining games on the trip. Dannie, I think they have been playing better also. If they get a good return on Sammy and Elton comes back I hope they can gel quickly. This could be a Sammy destination, Cuban loves him although the pieces in return wouldn!t be the greatest.
Suede - There is no one on the Mavs I would want at this point outside of Dirk and we know that isn’t happening.
Greek….“If the sixers look for Thad streaking tonight then he could be in for a huge game.”……I don’t know that Thad would play that much better if he were naked, but I guess it’s worth a shot.
Just busting your chops. It struck me funny and I thought I’d try to lighten the mood a bit.
Bski, how do you know he’s huge????????
bski, only kidding……………………………………….
Good first quarter. Lou Will seemed to enjoy playing against a player smaller than him. Andre M looking for that next contract.
you guys…haha
Not bad so far, lets see if they can keep it up and maybe start shooting a better percentage
How does Dampier have time to do all those State Farm commercials, and I thought S. Brooks was coaching the Timberwolves.
The urge to play Theo too many minutes is scary, I forgot the effect he had on the 2001 team, he just makes everybody better.Dannie, I!m seeing the same trend I saw with Mo, when Sammy leaves the game it is tough to put him back in, we just seem to play better.
best 2.5 quarter team in the nba
Regarding Theo’s use could be one of two things. Either they are using Theo as an example to Sammy of what he should be doing on the court(Maybe Mo wasn’t doing this) and holding him extremely accountable OR seeing how Theo looks in extended minutes in case they trade Sammy. It could be both.
Mike, may be some truth in that but they are playing better. If they keep it up they may make a run against the weeker teams.
i mean i’m as big a sammy hater as there is, but as soon as he went to the bench in the 3rd dallas made their run. not guarding jason terry didn’t help obviously.
Mike: great point. Sammy= 21 minutes, 9 boards (3 offensive, 3 blocks; Theo= 24 minutes 6 rebounds (0 offensive) 0 blocks. Why did Theo play the entire 4th quarter? Didn’t add up to me.
Iggy seems to be getting back to the player he was in the last month last year, that player may be worth THE contract. Thad, even at his young age, really seems passive out there sometimes, I thought he should of attacked Dirk more.
Oh, and by the way, Andre Miller simply killed us tonight. Almost got that triple double with TO’s – not gonna help your trade value that way.
Sammy had a great 5 min. effort, but that is the problem, consistancy.
Suede: Agreed, but does that go to Thad or what the coaching staff is telling him to do?
Suede: any team playing Theo Ratliff 24 minutes a night in 2009 is not going anywhere (just like the Sixers…). I’d prefer to try and get Sammy back to where he was last season – at least his trade value would be higher.
Morty, I feel unless Sammy gets you 15 reb. and 4 blocks a night he doesn!t help us win because everything else he does is hurting us. He doesn!t defend as well as Theo, who is way past his prime. He is below avg. in outletting the ball, screening and watching Theo on offense compared to him as far as positioning, well what can I say. I want to see us play without him and I!ll be surprised if we don!t improve.
For the game Sammy was -4 and Theo was -6. For the season, Sammy is shooting 47% FG and 71% FT; Theo is shooting 21% FG and 40% FT. Per 36 minutes, Sammy gets 12 rebounds, Theo 8. Theo sets a better pick, passes better and blocks more shots (tonight expected) 3.6 to 2.1 in 36 minutes respectively. Overall, I can’t agree that Theo gives you a better chance to win.
Morty, its not about Theo and Sammy, I!m just saying we!ve looked better without him more than with him, whether its Spieghts at the 5 ,Elton or Theo. Sam has his moments against certain players and in a 20 minute run like tonight he did well but what do you think happens if he only gets 20 min. a night, that is part of the problem also.
Morty – I agree 100% with your comment in 28. People are obsessed with bashing Dalembert at this point so regardless of what he does people find the negative with him and the positive with another Sixers player in the same position.
Suede - Your comment 27 is a perfect example of that Sammy blindness in my opinion. How does he get 15 boards and 4 blocks in 20 minutes? With 9 boards and 3 blocks in that time sure looked like he was on his way to your desired production – correct? So why didn’t he play? Makes no sense.
I am cool with Theo playing 15 minutes no more. Offensively you guys can say what you want but Theo provides very little in that area and no more than Dalembert. All he can do is dunk – same as Sam.
Again, about the screening please watch the man using the screen. I see guys rushing again around screens when Theo and Sam were setting them.
Morty, if I coached this team Theo would get no more than 16 min. a night, he has broken down the last few years and getting 16 min. out of him to me is plenty. When Elton comes back he is good for 10 min. a night at the 5 and the way Reggie is playing I believe Spieghts only court time is at the 5 because Thad is our 3rd p.f. Would Sammy, you think be happy with 15 to 20 min. a night according to matchups, if so I may not move him but I think there in lies the problem, what do you think?
Dannie, some guys are better than their numbers ,some guys numbers are better than what their giving you; we are playing without a low post player now and Theo twice got dunks on the baseline and Sammy seemed to drift around the perimeter. I thought with Elton, Sammy had no clue when the elbow was taken what he should do and even with shooters we may never be a championship level offense with him on the court for more than 20 min. a night, that!s just my opinion and I hope he proves me wrong.
watch iguodala have a horrible game tomorrow night, at least shooting wise. he made a lot of jump shots he normally misses tonight, and i’m guessing he will fall in love with his jumper at least for the next 24 hrs before shooting something like 7-20 in san antonio.
I think Sammy played well last night. I’m also don’t know why Theo played the entire quarter. Just speculated in a previous post. I think our head coach(with the GM in his ear) is holding the players to a higher level of accountability. Sammy’s inconsistencies have been pretty obvious in the past and I’m certain that’s being addressed.
Looking around at the boxscores there are a lot of floundering teams. If we stand pat and continue to play with intensity for 48 minutes, we are going to win some games. I know it’s not our preference to tread at that just above .500 level but that should happen with this team. Also, it indicates that many teams will be looking for change sooner than later.
S.F.W., lets hope we have the G.M. we think we have, Dallas was a hot team and we gave them a tough time on their court, but I said I wouldn!t settle for morale victories.
I have confidence in him. I suspect we’ll have to give up one of our young guys to pull off a change that significantly upgrades the Sixers.
S.F.W., I didn!t understand Theo!s long run either, when Diop was in the game I thought Spieghts was an option, pull him away from the hoop and no threat to score, will read post game comments, hopefully a reporter asks the right question.
Was anybody else as frustrated as me with our “offense” in the 4th quarter? DiLeo must have wanted the ball in Iguodala’s hands as much as possible. I felt that the almost single-minded focus on getting him the ball hurt us though. We had no rhythm or flow and by the time Iguodala got the ball, we were getting pretty deep into the shot clock.
To his credit, Kidd denied Iguodala the ball on a few occasions. He got a couple steals. He forced Iguodala further out on the perimeter. He also forced him to take a few tough shots over him.
I understand that Iguodala was having a good game and I’d be ok with this strategy if it was working. If he had a clear advantage and the Mavs couldn’t stop him then, by all means, keep going to it. The thing is that even though we weren’t getting much out of it, we kept trying to force the issue and make something happen. It just never did.
Also, when I read Mike’s #33, I got to wondering how we would feel about Iguodala if tonight he played the exact same game as last night but shot 7-20.
Iguodala took some tough shots that I wish he didn’t take last night. Since he made them, does that make them ok? Is that how it is with him? Iguodala plays basically the same game every night. The thing is that he doesn’t shoot well every night. He usually takes a handful of questionable shots almost every game, so is it really that simple? We say he had a good game when he shoots 9-17 and he had a bad game when he shoots 7-20?
I’d like to see him take better shots. Not settle for the jumper so much. Not force things when he doesn’t have them. You know? I think a big part of the reason he does these things goes back to what I said in my previous post. I think DiLeo wants him to have the ball and to make plays, especially since Brand is out. I also think Iguodala still sees himself as possibly the best playmaker on the team, again especially since Brand is out.
I see it as Iguodala taking a lot more upon himself, trying to be the guy that makes things happen, and shouldering the load for the team. In the process, he ends up forcing things a fair amount of the time and it just doesn’t work out in our favor.
Dannie….Thad might not have had an “unstoppable post game”, but you have to admit that he didn’t settle for the jumper very much. Thad used a shot fake and took it to the rim a bunch of times last night. He seemed better in that regard, at least to me.
BSKI – Just a little joke for the Greek, don’t take it too seriously.
bski, I see that with this team in general. one man with the ball looking to go one on whoever. Whether it be Iggy, Lou, Willie, Andre or Elton when healthy. Last night the offense looked good until it went stagnate in the 4th quarter. That is one thing I think Suede hit on that Sammy doesn’t exactly help with ball movement on offense. That may not show up in the statistics.
Not at all, Dannie. I followed the back and forth you had with the Greek. I got it. I only brought it up because, since we talked about it a couple weeks ago, I’ve been keeping a closer watch on Thad with regard to settling for jumpers vs taking it to the rim.
sfw...Yeah, the one-on-one stuff drives me nuts. Too many times I get the feeling that when someone gets the ball on an iso, they have in their head that this “set” is for me, it’s my shot, and I’m taking it, regardless of who is defending me or where I am on the floor. You can just sense it from them, can’t you?
Like I said before, if somebody has an advantage (an actual, not a perceived, advantage) and it’s working for us then you definitely keep going back to it. That was not the case last night. We (mostly Miller) had a really tough time just getting the ball to Iguodala (it had to be forced in more often than not). On top of that, Iguodala couldn’t do much with it when he finally got it. I could see trying it but, after we got nothing out of it the first couple times, we should have stopped trying to force it and gone to something else.
Bski, very funny! Although if i did see Thad streaking naked down the street, thats the day that I wouldn’t be seeking an autograph!
Dannie, what’s the trade bro? I am dying in anticipation!
I’m also dying slowly watching this team, year after freakin year just dissapoint me. Why wasn’t Speights playing yesterday? I don’t have the energy to bash Sammy anymore, at least not this weekend.
Also I posed this ? to my friend and he was stumped.
Is starting Willie Greene a move for the present or future? Because for the life of me I just can’t figure it out. Is the true answer that your team just flat out sucks when you have to start Willie Greene?
Greek…..I think starting Willie is for the present. Other than Speights, I can’t think of anyone who’s time on the floor is based more on the future than on right now.
As for everyone else, I think the coaching staff asks themselves what gives us the best chance to win now and we are watching their answer on a daily basis. That’s why Willie starts, why Iguodala is the go to guy, etc…they figure it’s the best shot we have with what we’ve got. Not easy to take, I know.
Theo doesn’t help with ball movement either. When the offense went stagnate Sammy wasn’t even on the floor so I am not sure how he is to blame for that.
Sam isn’t the damn problem on offense.
The Sixers play pick up basketball on offense. They have no structure when their talent level dictates structure is necessary/mandatory to have consistent success. I would be fine with an open style offense where the mentality is “take em” if the had really good individual offensive players there were actually good at “taking em.” They don’t. Lou is probably the best and he isn’t even all that great or consistent with it.
Coaching has all the impact on offensive system and that is were a lot of blame should be directed.
It’s not Sam’s fault guys can’t shoot from the perimeter, have limited offensive games and make bad decisions when the game is close and the Sixers need the guys with the ball to make plays. He does exactly what he is suppose to do most of the time. Get out of the way.
People say he is floating on the perimeter like that is a bad thing. Yes, he is because he shouldn’t be attempted to establish post position (do you want him doing that?) OR clogging driving lanes (would you rather him do that?).
Sam would be maximized offensively as a short corner and elbow shooter as a release if nothing is there on drives to the basket and when his man naturally helps protect the rim. Keep it simple. Catch and shoot if you are open. That’s it. That is were I would position Sam offensively. Those shots I think he can make consistently when open (not when he catches with his back to the basket then faces up and shoots it like he does now) and would be best served focusing his individual development time on offensively – not low post work. I would feel much more comfortable with him taking those open shots than him catching with his back to the basket or trying to squeeze passes to him in traffic.
Now I have now clue what the Sixers coaching staff works on but that’s what I would do with Sam. Turn him into a short corner and elbow shooting big. That way he isn’t clogging the lane or taking post position from someone better suited to be down there. Also when he is in the short corner he is in perfect position to continue to receive the lobs when guys penetrate and his man helps. At the elbow he is in good position to follow up misses diving down the lane for offensive boards. Then keep it simple. Rebound, defend and screen. Period. Pipe dream? Maybe, maybe not. He isn’t a post player never has been and never will be, he’s just not. Very rarely do bigs who come to the game late develop the footwork and moves necessary to be successful in the post. I think the Sixers early on and maybe even still try to develop his post game. I personally just never think that is going to happen. But I do believe he could make shots at the foul line and short corner when open and no pressure.
Dannie, Wasn’t that how Larry Brown used Theo?
Sounds like they are working on that offense. From the daily news.
Assistant coach Jim Lynam, who has been an NBA head coach and general manager, suggested that eight games “is not a good sample” to make any judgments on DiLeo as a head coach, but he described DiLeo as “very organized and very thorough, and I think those are two different things.”
“I think he has tried to present things to the players in a fashion where they appreciate the importance of those two things, where they understand exactly what they’re trying to do with offensive or defensive concepts, and at the offensive end understanding second and even third options on a play, that it doesn’t have to evolve into a one-on-one play all the time,” Lynam said.
I want my starters to look like they know what to do with the ball -without rushing, panicking, dominating it, dribbling/pounding it, kicking it, throwing it out of bounds or into an opponent’s hands. I therefore nominate the following as starters for Spurs game tonight: Willie Green, Royal Ivey, Thad Young, Donyell Marshall & Marreese Speights. Let the egomaniacal, multi-millionaire ‘geek squad’ (persistent, sourpussed referee-baiters) sit and watch for a loooong stretch … might learn a thing or two about pace, humility and a sum being greater than individual parts.
Of course, there’s zero chance of my hypothetical occuring, given braintrust’s caution and timidity towards upsetting “stars” sensibilities and emotional balance/psychological comfort, along with business concerns for customer expectations. Another L, right this way. “Remember the Alamo!”
Disagree with you bski: Sixers’ poor record is more the result of highly-sporadic defensive play and sloppy ball management than shooting inaccuracy, though the latter factor is certainly contributive. Bob Cousy, K.C. Jones and Bill Russell couldn’t shoot – but their Celtic squads won due to great team play and defensive diligence when it mattered. Sixers are emotionally immature and mentally soft, not up to strong challenges. Yes, watch these athletes fly often – out of position, and off the handle!
To close on an upbeat note: After the Sixers canned their nepotistically-inserted head coach, Cheeks, for losing the team’s ear through basic incompetence, their replacement head coach, DiLeo
(who learned defensive concepts from Paul Westhead – egad!), has
instilled staunch West Germanic dual gender championship ideas that pre-date Live Aid at JFK , and he’s steered the team to the 19th best record in the NBA! “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall!”
sfw...I read that too. I don’t know if Stefanski, DiLeo, and the rest truly believe that focus, determination, and better execution will turn this group into winners or if they are just trying to get the most out of what they have.
jjg…Since there are several reasons for our “struggles”, I don’t need poor shooting to be at the top of the list. You pointed out a couple good ones, so I could live with poor shooting being in the top 3.
Stefansky, DiLeo: A win vs. the Clippers, a good fight versus the Mavs, this is good, let’s build on this. Focus on the next game, the next opponent. First off, look at your record, then your players. I’ve got a point to rally around: Remember Rodney! He thought he was good enough to get playing time, but Willie Green outplayed him in preseason and in practice, and when he did get in a game he seemed to only focus on was getting his three-pointers up there. All the fans were down on him, including me (but not suede). But he slowly turned things around. He became more concerned with making plays on both the offensive and defensive end, and started buying into the concept of doing the little things teams need to do to win. And before you know it, he was helping the team win games.
Look – if Carney can do it, this team can do it! Come on, Sixers!