This will be very short as I am literally writing this on my iPhone in the car on the way to the game.
Last game v. Danver was by far the worse loss of the season for me. I was off-the-wall furious after they blew that one. And that lost was to a Carmelo-less Denver squad. That us why I am not very optimistic going into this one. Melo has been playing pissed off having not made the All-star team. Furthermore I think the Nuggets have been quietly playing fantastic ball out West.
The Sixers blew a 17-point lead in the third quarter at the hands of the Nuggets’ three-point shooters, primarily J.R. Smith.
Obviously they will need to play much better defense than they did last night and not let all four of Denver’s primary scorers to get off. Royal Ivey should play a major role in tonight’s game. Billups is the floor leader and keeps the Nuggets under control. It would be in the Sixers’ best interest to jam him up and try to force someone else to initiate the offense.
Tough game tonight that is winnable if things line up for the Sixers. Looking forward to the Melo/Iguodala and Thad match-up.
Sixers vs. Nuggets Game Notes
This will be short because that game was disgusting.
Wow that was the worst shooting performance I’ve seen in a long time (ever?). 32.6% from the field: my GOD how does a pro team finish a game like that? Only 13 shots were threes so that wasn’t the issue. You look at the 18 offensive rebounds and think well they must have had a ton of second chance points right? NO, they only had 10. They missed and had blocked a ton of put-backs and lay ups. They looked soft as hell tonight outside of Reggie Evans.
Where the hell was Andre Iguodala? Someone let me know when you find him please. Because if it wasn’t for him getting knocked over and laying on the ground like he got punched by the bully and then fouling out I wouldn’t have known he even played. Zero impact. That can never happen from the team’s annointed best player.
My customary line: Lou Williams still stinks. But I will go a bit further today. Did you see the pass he made directly to Carmelo Anthony that led to a Nuggets layup at the 5:50 mark in the 4th quarter? The Sixers were on a 6-0 run cutting a 13-point Denver lead to 7 WITH THE BALL and streaking down court. The lead never got closer after that play. I have a proposition for Ed Stefanski and Tony Dileo: If you want a guard that jacks up shots, only shoots 39% from the field, turns the ball over habitually and not only doesn’t play defense, looks like he has no clue how to do it hire me. I’ll do it for $500,000 a year with no salary increases, and I guarantee I won’t look like a cocky idiot out there.
Andre Miller is said to have a calf strain and will have an MRI tomorrow. If that comes back negative he will have two days of rest and treatment before the game against Miami Saturday. I don’t give a shit about the games played streak, I have absolutely NO confidence this team can beat anyone without him in the line up.
Defensively the Sixers are wildly inconsistent. And the last two games offensively serve as proof they need a stable force on that end of the floor that can create his own “good” shots, is capable of making them consistently as well as drawing enough attention to create easy shots for the other guys on this team. At times it looks like no one on this team can make a shot or set a teammate up for an uncontested lay up. Not good for a team aspiring to get out of the first round.
The second half of the season the games get tougher. There is a greater sense of urgency and desperation after the All-Star break. Will the Sixers be one of the strong or weak? So far they’ve started off meek and unfocused. Need to get back on track asap before the .500 magnet pulls them under.
Next game: Saturday @Miami. This is the first game of a 4-game road trip.
Talked to Miller pregame. He doesn’t expect to be traded:
“Whatever happens, happens. That’s how I see it. I don’t think I’ll get traded, but like I said, it’s a business. It can happen to any player, so I’m really not worried about it.”
Not related to game – Rob, what would you do in this scenario:
I was going through the 2009 free agents list and saw two former Sixers: Rodney Carney and Kyle Korver. The list incorrectly reports Carney’s status – Minnesota actually has a team option for his contract, and since he’s played well for them recently, they may exercise it. But Korver can opt-out of his contract this year, and he COULD be missing Philly and wants to come back here… So here’s the question: if Korver opts out, would you pass on re-signing Miller and sign Korver? We go with Ivey, Lou and a rookie at the point. And this is assuming the money Korver’s agent asks for is reasonable.
Dannie I hope you know Carolina is going to get beat tonight. So prepare to be upset.
This team needs someone who can create their own shot. Last two games we have hit slumps where no one can even *take* a good shot. Could be Miller out of game tonight, but still. Who is that person?
Zack: (Know this was meant for Rob, but couldn’t help chiming in). I don’t think signing a three point shooter like Korver will solve a lot of our problems. This doesn’t mean we don’t need three point shooting…we desperately do, obviously. But I think our problem is we don’t have a guy that can A. Start and hit threes B. Play at least 27-32 mpg that can shoot threes.
This is why the construction of our team is so strange…if we sign a bench three pointer guy for a decent amount of $$, it’ll be like sticking a band aid on major problems we have. I don’t think a 15 mpg guy will really cut it (Korver). Also don’t think a guy that is completely one dimensional and lacks defense will help us that much either…for how much we’d gain by having Korver spread the floor, we’d be exchanging overall scoring, versatility and defense, IMO.
Right now, the best we can hope for is that Thad keeps REALLY improving his shot, to the point where he can become a reliable 38-40% 3 point guy. In no way should we want him to be only a 3 point shooter…but to have a future 6’8 SF that is athletic and capable of really knocking down 3′s would be an enormous asset.
This is why I was so high on trying to trade for another early 1st round pick in this past year’s 08 draft…I really thought DJ Augustin could have solved two problems by giving us our future PG to mold, while adding a good 3 point shooter to the mix. Also why Bayless would be such a nice fit…unfortunately, we have no shot at landing either player.
Now I’d be ok with signing a REALLY good three point shooter like Korver/Kapono are…if they could also play defense, a la a Bruce Bowen type. That way I’d feel more comfortable with them logging over 15-18 mpg, to be a regular cog in the rotation that adds something more than just shooting, where our defense won’t suffer. Again though, sucks because most of the players that fit that mold are already under contract, or teams wouldn’t be willing to let go.
As I’ve babbled about before, my ideal move for ES to make would be to come up with some kind of package involving Willie Green, Sweet Lou, Reggie Evans (even though I friggin love Reggie), future 1st, cash considerations…to land a second mid 1st round pick this year, so we can nab Chase Budinger…along with hopefully one of the Johnny Flynn/Ty Lawson/N Calathes PG’s we draft.
Wow, Zack that was quite unexpected. Maybe I should put a TM on my name. But kidding aside, those are some nice SF’s that can play backup minutes for Iggy. As evident today, we are really bad without any of the Andres in the game. Andre Iguodala has to fight adversity. This is the final third of a season and teams will continue battling for so much. I really hope he and the Sixers can recover in time and get a better seeding in the East. It is still possible, with Miami losing tonight. Now, the health of Andre Miller is CRUCIAL!! Our next game is Saturday at Miami, which is the start of a 4 game road trip!! Again, MENTAL TOUGHNESS is key.
GO SIXERS!! GET WELL ANDRE!!!
However Zack, Dave T is correct in terms of what kind of SF we need to backup Iggy. Someone who has that versatility and that defense like Iggy, but someone who can also shoot the ball extremely well!
Also, it looks like Andre Miller is staying!! This team needs him! The game would have been closer and more interesting had he stayed in the game and not suffered that injury!!
If Andre Miller’s status is not good at all, then we need to get a point guard through the waiver wire!!
Doesn’t sound like Miller is serious, though that won’t be known for sure until Thursday morning’s MRI. My guess is his league-leading consecutive game streak will reach 502 Saturday in Miami.
Lou Williams needs to go asap!
After the team’s performance the past 30 hours Ed might be re-thinking his position on not making a trade.
Don’t think anything will happen by Thursday’s deadline.
If the Bulls are thinking of moving Hinrich for cap purposes to Minn. [after acquiring Salmons] according to rumors on E.S.P.N. I would hope E.S. would consider a Hinrich for A.Miller trade. We would get younger, become better defensively and get a spot up shooter for when Iggy is playing distributor. As far as L.Will., Greek I totally agree, unlike Thad, there is no consistancy to his game at all. If Memphis has interest I would move him for Lowry because they are under the cap they can take on a little more salary and Royal could slide over to the backup 2 guard for the time being.
Tom, unfortunately I have to agree with you. It seems like they give L.Will. a lot of slack as far as turnovers, etc. . Do you think they expect his game to all of a sudden explode or something.
(groan, groan) another game where the sixers coughed up double digit leads and scored a miserable 6pts in bout almost a quarter of ball. was checking updates from my phone and i figured the Nets game effect must have been ailing them.
speaking of ailments, i’m ill but the ‘groan’ comes from the show this team is putting on. Just who are the Sixers really? i dont get this.
suede: bout Lou Williams; to justify a substantial contract he will continue to get PT. ALSO our guard position is VERY thin. 3 of them are starters (Iguodala included) so that leaves him or the offensively and handle-challenged (if you can say that) Ivey off the bench.
Somehow Lou has morphed from the guy I most wanted to see play to the guy who makes me want to turn off the TV in less than 2 years.
Back when he got hurt against Lee, I thought he got in a bad funk. More than a year later I’m all but convinced that the “bad funk” is just Lou’s funked up game. Bums me out given that at one point he was my favorite player on the team.
As for Miller- I recognize his value to this team, and that they might fall off the cliff without him.
But the fact is that they won’t be near contention in the next 2 years. Brand was supposed to push them up another level, be he is not their “Moses.” Speights and Thad are still 2 years away (I wont even mention Lou.) Only Iguoadala is really in his prime.
This team is exactly what you have seen since the AI team. An incredibly streaky (in games and over periods of weeks) .500 team. When you rely on core players under 25 and lack reliable post play and shooters you are going to be streaky.
Miller was a ping pong killer after the AI trade, and he is their glue right now… but holding onto him now when he might actually help your future instead of maintaining mediocrity is shortsighted. Ed might have to be shortsighted due to financial reasons and to keep his job, but can’t say I agree.
Iguodala’s one basket was very creative. Young played young and errant-aimed. Evans did a lot of pushin’ and smiling, not much productive hoopin’. Sam pushed his ‘on’ button to start game, petered as game went along (Nene said no-no). Williams played like 50 million bucks – - down the drain; surely, there’s a better alternative somewhere. Miller, an OFFENSIVELY-EFFECTIVE enigma wrapped inside “an indispensible label” for 501 mysterious reasons.
This team’s roster is the court equivalent of a turbaduckin (an exotic culinary amalgam of turkey, duck and chicken, wrapped in bacon). Guests toss polite compliments, then head for the exits. DiLeo lustre-loss evident since break; positive thinking is good, but rubber meets the road eventually where his team is concerned. Ed, you still have 8 hours!
Williams is a two guard with the body of a one. He’s much better off the ball and doesn’t have anywhere near the knack Miller has for running a team.
Plus, Williams is shooting 41-for-129 (31.8 percent) over the past 11 games. He’s forcing too many jumpers and too many shots in the crowded basket area.
The bench was 9-for-35 in the loss to Denver. Without Speights (5-for-11), the other reserves went 4-of-24. That won’t get it done.
Went to the game. Very depressing. In retrospect, denver is a very tough team for us to match up against. They are better than us at every position and mentally/physically tougher. We left them off the hook big time in the first half when we played lousy and they played worse.
Our coach’s NBA coaching inexperience showed coming out of the gate after the break. We haven’t been ready to play in either game. Also, really down on Lou Will right now. Like to see some trade to shake this group up a bit.
Tom: It’s obvious that Williams can’t run a team. Problem is, he’s not even a good 2 guard (as your 2nd paragraph vouching underlines). Stefanski (publically-speaking and contractually) curiously holds a high opinion of him. And Williams appears to like himself as a ballplayer. I’m having a hard time understanding their rationale. He’s a quick, long-armed, inaccurate gunner with a limited sense of the “right way.” Functions only under full green light conditions. A glorified pick-up player.
Much agreed on Lou, he is struggling but continues to but up terrible shots. Like against the pacers misses wide open three ball comes right back to him and he misses another. Also he loves to shoot “the worst shot in basketball” as our man Salmi loves to point out, cross over than one step inside the 3 point line he misses that regularly. Also last night when he passed the ball right to melo who seemed surprised than went down and dunked it. While the sixers are trying to make a comeback. He has not played well all year. Last year he played well this year has been terrible for him. Maybe he was the one player who was better under Mo Cheeks.
id have to agree with buba chuck#2… glad to see Miller wasnot hurt bad..