I am fired up for this game tonight. Are you? You should be. You know why?
Because we’ve gotten to the point with the Sixers where most games are can’t win propositions. If they lose to .500 or below teams, we kill ‘em. When they win, we shrug it off as not a big deal “they should have won that game.” And quickly move on to the next foe. Not tonight.
This is a game for true fans. This is a game when you really get to see your team tested. You get to see what they are made of. Find out if at least for one night they can compete with the big dogs. And we saw our Sixers do just that, stand up to the big dogs for about two and a half months last season. This season on the other hand has left us wanting. Waiting for them to show us something. Give us a real reason to look towards the playoffs and not past it at the NBA draft and free agency. Will they step up? Make this game worth watching past the 3rd quarter? Push the mighty Lakers to the brink of a loss? Can they actually close the deal if they do?
I don’t know about you but I need answers to those questions and we are only going to find out in games like this against the leagues elite.
Can the Sixers Win? How?
I am going to start from the premise that the Sixers have no chance to beat the Lakers if it’s a scoring contest.
The Lakers are the best offensive team in the NBA at 113.8 points per 100 possessions. They are the 5th best shooting team at 51.7% eFG%. They are 4th in the NBA at taking care of the ball with a turnover percentage of 12.3%. They are the 3rd best offensive rebounding squad (right behind the Sixers ) this point is a very scary one for us. All of that and they are 5th in pace factor which means they give their potent offense a ton of opportunities to put points on the board.
What about the match ups?
- Green on Kobe
- Miller on Fisher
- Iguodala on Ariza & Kobe
- Thad on Odom
- Sam on Gasol
Confident going into this one? Hard to be right? So what can the Sixers do to stay in the game and give themselves a chance to win?
One strategy from the comments was to play a zone. I am not sure a zone on it’s own the answer, but it could be an effective strategy when the Lakers have certain combination of players on floor. As a whole the Lakers are only 17th in three point shooting with Derek Fisher being the most prolific of the bunch at 41.9%. One risky strategy would be to play all zone, baiting the Lakers into take a lot of three pointers and hoping they are hitting at a sub par rate. Doing so would also help to fuel the Sixers fast break game if they are able to rebound well out of the zone. Longer rebounds, quicker run outs = more easy baskets. Could that be a winning strategy?
Let Kobe Get His?
Do you play him straight up with Green and Iguodala and focus on not letting the other guys beat you? Or do you double, triple Kobe and force the other guys to make shots? Even if you did double him are we good enough defensively to stop him?
In an ideal world you play defense straight up with strong rotations when you get out of position. But considering the Kobe and Lakers offensive prowess that seems like a losing proposition, right? So the strategy I would lean towards is doubling Kobe on all ball screens, whenever he is in the corner, every time he catches it in the post (especially against the shorter Willie Green), whenever he is in a iso situations at the top of the key or late in the clock and generally always have a player shading towards him when he has the ball. I would try to funnel perimeter shots to Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza (although he is coming off a career high 26 points including 3-5 from three) and especially Luke Walton whenever he is in the game. Now I don’t mean leave these guys wide open. But when you rotate out to them don’t close to hard and allow them to penetrate. That’s exactly what they want to do and are good at. Close out short with a hand up and make them take jumpers all night.
To Run or Not to Run, That Is the Question
The Sixers thrive on fast break points. But the Lakers like to get out on the break as well. They are 5th in the NBA in pace as stated above while the Sixers are only 17th. Do we really want to run with them? Increase the number of overall possessions in the game? Now I am not saying don’t run at all. When the opportunity is there take it. The question is should we play slower than we are accustomed to as well as implementing some full court pressure to take more time off the clock each possession and make it more of a grind it out, low scoring game based on getting stops more so than scoring a lot of points?
I am torn on this one because I am not at all confident the Sixers could score enough in the half court against a Lakers team I think matches up well against us defensively. I think their strongest defenders; Kobe, Fisher, Farmar, Ariza and Odom will all be defending our strongest offensive players. The typically advantage Thad has over slower PFs or smaller small forwards won’t be the case with Odom guarding him. This strategy could be successfull based on two things. And these two things are my keys to the game…
- Forcing turnovers - The Lakers don’t turn the ball over a lot, but the Sixers will have to find a way to make it happen if they want to win this game. How? Effort. Their effort level not only needs to be high and consistent. It needs to be smothering. They need to get to every lose ball, have their hands up and in passing lanes at all times, their defense needs to be darting and physical. The one knock on the Lakers is their physicality and at times mental toughness. The Sixers need to come in and put their hands on the Lakers and wear them down by just leaning on them. Hopefully that will lead to some sloppy and lax play that will translate into turnovers.
- Defensive rebounding – This is HUGE. The Sixers are not a good defensive rebounding and the Lakers are a fantastic offensive rebounding team. And where I am extremely concerned is with Thaddeus Young’s ability to box out Lamar Odom. Watch for it.
OK 30 minutes until game time. Hoping for a good game. I just really want them to come out with some energy and pride and not get rolled over tonight.
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The Sixers haven’t had much luck the past 5 or more years in California. Back when they were good I’d go see them play the Clipper who were awful. The Sixers would almost always get run out the gym. I’m debating whether or not they are worth the $100 or more to see them against the Warriors.
I’d like to see the team give the Lakers a good run and make them sweat. Hard to imagine them beating the Lakers but crazier things have happened. I’d like to see Gren/Iggy work Kobe hard. T Young have another stand out game, Speight get some run, and Lou, just show up.
I deliver the same message to our bigs (not named Elton Brand), that Jack Nicholson delivered to “the Chief”:
“Put it in the basket!”
“Hands up”
“Fastbreak…Defense”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b96eamEj988
Our frontcourt is MUCH deeper than the Lakers and they must capitalize when Gasol rests and his backups come in. I remember games when Dalembert would defend Gasol well one-on-one and Gasol would run out of energy. Then again, that was when he was the man in Memphis. Also, Bynum is out, meaning that is one less threat to deal with down low. We have to win the frontcourt battle, somehow!
Lou Williams– your great streak started against these Lakers. Please get that “showtime” back if we have any chance of shocking the NBA world, as well as give the Sixers a chance to jockey for that 5th seed!
Also, I will be counted and tracking the celebrities that will attend the game to see not only the Lakers, but us as well. It’s a lot of money for those tickets, but it is chump change to them!
GO SIXERS!!
The Mavericks played the zone last Sunday to make quite a run against the Lakers. It really did bother them, until Kobe made some big baskets to close the game, if anybody saw that game after our victory over the Heat. I wouldn’t say the Mavericks are a great defensive team, but that stretch really worked! We do not shoot like the Mavericks do, unless Donyell Marshall gets minutes and it opens things up for the other Sixers from downtown. The way we hit our threes is through dribble penetration. Lately, Miller has been setting up his teammates more, which is a great thing. But the Lakers are probably going to make him be the scorer. I hope he can do both, and somebody better help Miller. If Miller can get some substantial help, then perhaps there might be chance…might!
I think the zone could be good but they have to mix it up, keep em’ guessing. I would like to see the Sixers do some trapping when Kobe brings the ball up and just one on one pressure full court D when Fish or Farmer bring it up. Oh and it be good if they made easy jumpers and FT’s
This sucks a bit so far
My god, we’re tied going into the second half. Sam Dalembert is trying to be a force inside. And Thad and his sweet shot.
Marshall is in, can he do it again?
we are a different team with Marshall. More confident.
unreal!!!!!!!!
wow!
Completely worth going to work on 4 hours sleep.
I just watched Gametime’s coverage and all they are doing is talking about how the 6ers didnt deserve it. I cannot stand Chris Webber.
Oh well, nice win however it happened.
I can!t believe I can say this,” Iggy kicked Koby!s ass”.
WOW! Game of the year for the Sixers. I thought the Sixers were finished after digging a 10+ point hole at the end of the third against a Kobe-less Lakers lineup. Evans, Marshall, and Iggy played great down the home stretch and that final shot by Andre had me doing the Koy Detmer dance in my living room.
Finally, we win at the buzzer, defense, never gave up, Lou looked good,Donyell wow, props to Iggy for stepping up. Its a good day