It’s already well known that Elton Brand is out for tonight’s game as well as tomorrow against the New Jersey Nets. Mo Cheeks has already said Marreese Speights will be the starter at power forward for the Sixers.
I like this move a lot because I prefer more development for Speights then have Reggie Evans or Willie Green back in the starting line up. I just think Speights, like Thad last year is good enough to give him minutes now to accelerate his development. This is the perfect time being early in the season with the team struggling out of the gate. More importantly I think Speights development this season is very important if they want to do anything positive come playoff time. When Brand leaves the floor Speights becomes the only offensive alternative in the frontcourt for the Sixers.
It is also a nice confidence boost for a young player coming off the worst game in his rookie season. Let’s hope he responds – and Mo Cheeks runs some offense through him so we can see what he’s got.
This Detroit team is going through a similar adjustment period as the Sixers. They have struggled since the Iverson trade on both sides of the ball. Iverson is being asked to do less for the first time in his career. He doesn’t need to score in bunches every game, create shots for scrub teammates, carry a team on his back offensively or played 45 minutes a night. I think he is having a hard time adjusting to that, but by the end of the year this team could be very good if they figure it out.
I am just looking forward to a good game. Right now that is all the expectation I have for the Sixers.
Question: Do you guys still root for Allen Iverson?
I too like the move. I was thinking they would go with the lineup from last year but I like this better, I am curious to see how it works out.
I still root for Iverson until he is on the opposite bench of the sixers. I love him but I still smile everytime I think of the play where he fell over Miller and landed on his back. With the negatives he sometimes brings, he will play as hard as anybody, and is possibly the greatest basketball player at 6 ft that has been and ever will be. I wouldnt mind seeing him finish his career in PHL in some fashion, just not for the tune of 20+ mill. Hopefully tonight he has the worst game of his life and so do the rest of the “BAD BOYS”
Dannie, I said last night what I thought Mo would do but this I like better. Let!s see how involved they get him and how he attacks versus what Elton would do and also, is this telling us that going small is not the way to go ,unlike last year because this lineup is what we wanted to see in the playoffs, minus Reggie for Marreese.
Iggy is really playing well lately; L.Will. is FINALLY up on the ball defensively; Mo, you have two backup p.g.!s and two backup 2 guards, don!t play them each together, geez !!!!
Dannie, L.Will. didn!t shoot outside of the lane,Donyell played 1/2 decent “D” and Theo played well. The 20 game mark is here and the last 3 games make me feel better.