Bogged down at work right now but wanted to get something up quick so you guys can get the Game 2 talk started in one place. When I get off I will probably add to this post or just join in the comments.
To jump thing off I will say this…
The Sixers need to remember – they won the first game. Regardless of regular season success against the Magic, they are 1-0 in the playoffs against this team.
I thought Dileo had a solid defensive game plan that gave the Sixers a chance to win. So while I understand the Magic will (should) come out fighting for their lives and playing some better basketball, it’s not us that needs to make the first or dramatic adjustments.
Dileo should focus on what things they could improve on from game 1 in executing his initial strategy (that won) and to a lesser degree attempt to anticipate what Van Gundy has planned for game 2. The worst thing he and the Sixers can do is over-adjust before really seeing how the Magic will come out and attack us.
No need to change what worked until the opposition makes you change.
The most important thing for tonight’s game is to be mentally prepared for the Magic’s energy and initial push. This team and its coach has started to get a repuatation for being talented but lacking in the special sauce that is mental toughness and a championship level will to dominate. By withstanding their initial push and staying right there in their faces, the Sixers will have an opportunity to break them.
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{ 60 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m optimistic about this one, cant wait to see what 9:30 brings around.
Great article on Iguodala, any of you that have ESPN insider, its definitely worth reading.
Regardless of the game 1 win, we were down by 18. That can’t happen tonight because I guarantee we won’t come back this time. Hoping for a great game tonight and Miller has to get on track tonight.
Well Andre Miller listened to me. He’s lighting it up so far. Even though he got crossed again by Alston. That time he got crossed by Derrick Rose was so funny.
what’s up Ryan F, guest, I just tuned in
Good move by Van Gundy to put Pietrus on Iggy and Lee on Miller. 6ers, it’s your move.
Hey Zack,
The two fouls on both Ratliff and Sammy were huge! They are killing us on the glass and Reggie can’t guard Howard. We need to continue to push the ball, but continue to keep our focus and try not to give them a big lead.
End 1st Quarter. All I have to say is that we are lucky to be tied. We started great, but this kind of sloppiness is the same thing that happened to us in the 3rd quarter last game. We have to take advantage of every opportunity.
The Magic are making a concentrated effort to get back on defense. I love Thad’s athleticism. On Deep Sixer I tried to push “Spider-Man” as his nickname, he can get from spot to spot so quickly, both horizontally and vertically. That was a great play he made getting that Iggy pass and putting it in.
Sammy in foul trouble again? I don’t know if we can get away with that more than once.
Dwight Howard’s presence in the paint is felt so greatly on offense. Iguodala has Turkoglu clearly beat to the basket, but has to pass out to a shooter because Dwight helps out. His shot blocking ability causes problems for our offense. And by the way…Reggie Evans should not be doing spin moves in the lane. He is now 0-3 on layups.
Orlando had great spacing on that dunk by ___ (not Howard). In they’re forced into a half-court set, they should just do that every time, especially with Lou Williams getting so easily confused and mixed-up with good passing.
So much for the Sixers-as-gladiators. Tonight’s effort has been half-hearted so far. Lame.
Speights looks more comfortable.
Come on Sixers, don’t waste my time.
Is it possible that Marshall plays better after halftime than before? It sure as heck seems like it. His aim has been way off, we might as well have Reggie Evans shooting those 3s.
guest, so much for Reggie Evans as the black David Lee, too.
A what-if: the Nuggets were selling their 1st round pick last year. The player they were interested in, Ty Lawson, decided to go back to school so they weren’t interested anymore. We could’ve bought that pick and taken this Lee kid.
Lee is a really nice player. Sixers need to find one in the draft this year.
Orlando still can’t make threes consistently. Sixers need to take advantage of this while they can.
I’m glad Lee embarassed Iggy by stealing that ball. Iggy stop playing the way you’re playing now, step back and re-focus, get your mind right. I want this game.
Dannie, the Sixers are playing that boring type of basketball again. Who’s this year’s Courtney Lee?
by an announcer after Hedo draws a foul on Willie: “They don’t know where to hide Willie.” ha ha ha
I’m going back to the locker room, too. All in all, Andre Miller seems to be the only one who cares. DiLeo needs to do something about Lee, but not sure what. Task Willie Green and Royal Ivey with keeping the guy in check? I dunno.
Defense looked pretty good but can we win without Lou and Iggy scoring. Zack, the name is M. Thornton.
We have played a first half like this before. We are capable of coming back and having a big second half. It needs to start right away. No more whining, no more stupid fouls, and no more wasted possessions. Thaddeus needs to be more aggressive and Ivey needs more playing time. Insert Marshall midway through the 3rd and try to cut this deficit down by the 4th quarter. Van Gundy is the master of panic. But we have to give him a reason to.
This game is just like the first game. Orlando is scoring on two pointers and missing their threes. Sixers are not focused defensively and lack aggression on both ends of the court through the first two and a half quarters and are digging a hole. Will we see the same end of the third and fourth quarter performance?
Zack - Potential “Courtney Lees” of this years draft:
Why does Thad not get one touch until he picks up a loose ball to score. We need scoring and we are wasting him right now.
Sixers, take advantage of Lee’s injury and make your run NOW! suede, I feel you – more Thad!!!
It would be typical Sixers that they beat the Magic with Lee and Howard, but they might lose to a Magic team without those two.
Not that Turkoglu is the Turkish Larry Bird, but that was pretty good defense by Thad on the guy late in the 3rd. Thad becoming a better defender… Hmmm… I like it!
Lee is out, will we see a Redick sighting!!
HUGE FOUL!
Spider-Man (Thad) with the long-range attack!!!
That’s f’ing disgraceful Lou got that layup. I’m sorry. I am happy for the 2 points but he clearly made no effort to get up and get back to help his team.
This is the most exciting ugly playoff game ever! Or the ugliest exciting playoff game ever! Take your pick.
Dwight just picked up his 5th. This is the time to take advantage on the offensive glass and pick up the pace. And what a series that was. Lou missed the layup, Iggy lost control on the putback, Courtney Lee missed the layup on the other end, it goes right to Iguodala who threw it down court to Cherry-Picker Lou.
Dannie, good insight into that play, I was just thankful.
suede, I can’t believe Orlando is holding on to Reddick like he’s gold and not using him.
Iguodala is playing like he’s point-shaving.
jesus christ is anyone guarding this kid? He is clearly been the best player on the floor for Orlando.
Needed that three for dala to stop the bleeding.
I can’t believe we can’t get a run started with Howard on the bench. I can’t believe DiLeo is doing nothing to address the Courtney Lee-is-killing-you problem. I can’t believe Sam isn’t in there.
Lee has done a hell of a job on Miller since they put him on him.
Way to go after Howard immediately. Now is the time to attack the rim hard every possession.
Huge call. 3 minute opportunity to steal this game.
DiLeo, Sam is your best rebounder, you moron!!! Get him in there!!!
Has Sam fouled out? No, right? These offensive rebounds by the Magic are devasting.
To think I had the Green-Lee match-up is ridiculous, this kid has to be stopped.
And that offensive rebound just iced the game I think. Ratliff hasn’t done anything. Im getting pissed off right now watching this. I just don’t understand some of the things that are happening. Whether they have a lot of offensive rebound I don’t know, but two that have hurt us: That one just then, and the one right before the half… ON A DAMN MISSED FREE THROW. They followed that up with a 3. And they just pushed the lead to 7 with that rebound.
Was that really a designed play for a Lou Williams three attempt?
GAME OVER
Is it me or does Lou Williams NEVER look serious?
Offensive board. Where is Sam? Whose block out was that? Thad?
Dannie, Lou never looks serious to me either. To me, he is a talented kid who has a very, very low basketball IQ. You can see what a high basketball IQ does for a player like Andre Miller.
Dannie, I don’t know what to make of this game. Did the 3-day layoff mess with the Sixers’ heads, even the coaches’?
Last note – Thank you Andre Miller and Thaddeus Young, for giving me some great individual play to watch today.
I can’t believe DeLio didn’t put Sam in for rebounding after Howard fouled out. He tends to ignore Sam after he picks up a couple of fouls
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GAME 1 AND GAME 2
Last game we shot more shots than they did.
This game they shot 5 more shots than we did.
We HAVE to rebound the ball on both ends if we want to win any games. It starts and ends with how many minutes Sammy plays. We have to get Dwight in foul trouble early so he doesn’t get our players in foul trouble.
What a let down. It’s the little things that won this game for the Magic.
Guys,
Hold on to all the “Why isn’t Sammy playing” talk. In 9 minutes he had 0 rebounds. I just realized that.
I been realized that. You’d have to look at rebounds available in the 9 minutes. Andre Miller made every shot to start the game so there certainly wasn’t any offensive boards available.
Dannie is that still not concerning to you? When I see Evans has 4 rebounds in 8 minutes (all defensive) I don’t know how Sammy didn’t get any. Also considering Evans was also in on Dwight Howard.
No it’s not concerning. Because at the end of the day did Ratliff or anyone else prevent critical Magic offensive rebounds at the end of the game?
Lou was getting a hot dog from a vendor before that layup, amazing!!!! Does he care about winning!! More Royal at the 2 next game to cover Lee, at least HE will give effort!! I don!t know why Sam gets forgotten, he ought to sit right next to Deleo when he leaves the game, coach, put me in!!!
I will post what concerns me in my post game.
Dannie, I will be intrigued. We should have some interesting conversations after this game.
I hate to bring this up again but if Lou and Willie are not giving you anything AND you are getting outrebounded AND Lee is killing you go to a bigger lineup with Iggy on Lee and Thad on Turkaglu and Spieghts on Lewis, who killed us on the boards in the 4th quarter. Can Spieghts cover him, I would like to find out.
Main objectives for Sixers:
-Keep contesting that perimeter
-GET THOSE OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS (especially when Howard sits)
-TAKE BETTER CARE OF THE BALL
-IGGY MUST START OFF BETTER!! (then it opens things for others)
The Sixers MUST take care of their games at home and they need an all around effort from EVERYONE!!
Lou has to look back to Game 1 and see where he went right and look at Game 2 to see where he went wrong.
The free throw disparity is big.
Sixers: 12/18 (66.7%)
Magic: 22/30 (73.3%) w/o Howard: 19/23 (82.6%)
The point is the Sixers MUST be more aggressive and drive to the basket, especially when Howard is NOT on the floor. They had a tendency to settle for JUMPERS!! That is NOT Sixers Basketball.
Iggy must get off to a better start. That way it opens things up for Lou, Marshall, Ivey, and even others for possibly those perimeter shots, like in Game 1. The perimeter shooting was nonexistent in Game 2.
The Sixers had an opportunity to win this one and they did such a great job on Howard, Lewis, and Turkoglu. Ratliff and Dalembert in early foul trouble hurt us in that first– we could have made a huge run there. The key is to get those offensive rebounds and take better care of the ball. Really, DiLeo should have inserted Dalembert after Howard fouled out, that way he could get the rebounds and perhaps score on a couple lobs over Gortat.
NOW CALLING ALL SIXERS FANS, WE NEED EVERY SEAT TO BE FILLED FOR ALL POSTSEASON HOME GAMES!!!
GO SIXERS!!! WE HAVE HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE NOW, MAKE THE MOST OF IT!! DON’T GIVE UP GUYS!!