Sixers Showed Little Urgency In Loss To Pistons
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The 76ers played like a team that was satisfied with a split. Despite the Sixers being more athletic and having younger legs, it was the Detroit Pistons who looked fresh and certainly rejuvenated during Wednesday's 105-88 wi
Sixers Showed Little Urgency In Loss To Pistons
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The 76ers played like a team that was satisfied with a split. Despite the Sixers being more athletic and having younger legs, it was the Detroit Pistons who looked fresh and certainly rejuvenated during Wednesday's 105-88 win over the Sixers to even their best of seven series one game apiece.
"They not only hit us, but continued to hit us," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said.
Everybody knew the Pistons would come out with their best shot, playing with a sort of desperation that they haven't shown in the final few weeks of the season, when they had already clinched the No. 2 seed.
With their collective backs to the wall, the Pistons showed pride, not to mention pretty good defense.
Now it's the Sixers turn to counter, but it won't be easy if 40 percent of their starting lineup is MIA.
Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert have shot a collective 8 for 40 in the first two games.
Iguodala had just four points in Game 2 and appears to be getting frustrated by the defense of Tayshaun Prince.
Prince is among the better defensive players in the league and he is causing Iguodala to force shots.
Dalembert has had his trouble on offense, but what is more cause for concern is his defense. While he made some good defensive plays in Game 1 and had four blocked shots, Dalembert didn't block a single shot in Game 2.
In two games, Rasheed Wallace has taken Dalembert to school, scoring a total of 40 points.
So the Sixers have a lot to work on before Game 3 on Friday. This was the type of thorough beating that can demoralize a team. Now the Sixers have to show the same resiliency that Detroit displayed after lbeing stunned in Game 1.
Comments (55)
Please don't give AI max money, not worth it.— The Greek- Didn't get a chance to see the game but spoke with Tuna and he filled me in. Sounds like my recommendation of staying with Sammy on Sheed didn't work so well. Pistons drew sammy out and just got layup after layup. Per Tuna, Sixers must make some lineup tweaks(JSmith may need some time for his length) to counter the Pistons attack. Please comment with recommendations or opinion.— sfw
- Marc, I don!t think it was from lack of effort, not many teams, let alone one lacking in experience as we are, could of handled this back to the wall effort by the Pistons. Shooting wise, Sheed had the best back to back games I!ve ever seen him have. Their length at most positions is hurting us. All year long Sammy has had our players backs defensively, yet Wallace continues to pull him away from the basket. I expect more of Evans on Sheed as the series goes on although Mcdyess may try to do the same. Mo is also being evaluated by E.S. and I don!t expect a lineup change next game but if we see the same matchup issues and similar results, I!m curious to see if Mo goes to a bigger [Thad at the 3, Iggy at the 2 ] group. N othing against Willie, I thought his effort was great out there but the size difference is hurting us at all positions on the boards. As far as Iggy, I was not so much upset with his offense, he is going to have bad nights, but he didn!t seem to help in other ways like steals and hitting the boards. If Hamilton and Iggy switched teams you would see Rip have difficulty scoring also when Sam and Reggie are out there together. Next game , after watching the film, Mo will probably start the same lineup but his adjustments during the game may have to change.— seude
- Marc, I agree, our big men need to rebound with some fierceness, especially if we're gonna shoot like THAT. One bad thing that's looming over Friday's game - it's Friday, for some reason they have a hard time winning on Fridays.— sixerzguy
- It seems like the sentiment of Iggy being a max type player is disappearing quickly...but to be honest sfw, I don't think we have anyone that can really guard Wallace. To solve the Iggy problem, more burn has to be given to Thad so he has the chance to go off. I think with this, perhaps Prince can be matched up on him and Iggy can do a better job matched-up with Hamilton or something. Or perhaps a quick double on Sheed is called for when he's near the post (Reggie and Sam, or whoever is the 4 and 5 at that point) and live with the jump shot. Lou did have a nice game though, expect him to have another 12-17 pt. game back in Philly. He needs to be more aggressive with none of the Piston guards quick enough to stay in front of him. (Maybe Hamilton but we'll see about that.) Andre Miller didn't have a good game by his standard, just 3 dimes. If he's not distributing the ball, we're gonna be screwed. Not to mention Iggy had only 4 dimes...I at least expected him to have 10 assists/10 boards/some steals if he can't score...that's what leaders are supposed to do and that's kinda what he did last game. Let's see how he reacts for next game. Should be highly interesting. But I would be lying if I said that this one didn't hurt my heart...— Mercurial41
- Mercurial41 and friends, I'm a fan too. But, please, realize, the Detroit "problem" will NOT BE "solved." They're a better team, with better shooters, with more experienced, more confident, more talented players. We are AVERAGE. We did not lose last night because of tactical errors, a bad shooting night, or a previously-unseen weakness in our team. They're better than us, and we're not as good as die-hards at this blog have been thinking we are. Maybe some of the 19- and 20-year olds will blossom. Miller is a proven (and aging) stud in this league. Beyond that, we've got an overpaid hot-and-cold and exceptionally dim-witted center, Willie Green, who's streaky and less than exceptional, and Iggy, who is in no way worth more than 8-9 million but who has been encouraged to think he's a premiere player. We're losing this series and we should be open to ANY trades or moves that makes us tougher and that gets us consistent shooters.— Hobbes
- Since I don't have NBA League Pass, i was unable to watch the game but I did heaqr the WIP web-cast. I won't pass any judgment on the game other than the fact that I'm not surprised that the Pistons won the game. They did win 59 regular season games after all. And while I beleive the Sixers can win the series, I never thought they could sweep the Pistons. Back to Philly tied at 1-1, I'm hoping the Sixers can figure out a way to deal with the double teams on Andre Miller that obviously took the ball out of his hands in the half-court. And they will need to do a better job on the glass. Can't wait till Friday night.— SwollCracker
- So, what I saw, on offense, was a bunch of players forcing the issue and taking shots that are not part of their game. Sammy, Green, Igoudala all played terrible. The only player who brought it was Lou.— Morty_
- This format stinks.— Morty_
- No, really, it stinks.— Morty_
- Yes, this format stinks. One of my posts got lost.— Hobbes
- You'd think from reading these comments that the Sixers were behind in the series 3-0 instead of tied 1-1, with homecourt advantage. I take it most of you think the Sixers won't win another game in the series. I think that's being overly pessimistic, but we'll see. (NEW PARAGRAPH) What the Sixers definitely need to do better, and I know they are capable of it, is to rebound better on the defense glass. Last night, they took 15 defensive rebounds and gave up 14 offensive rebounds. That's around 50%, whereas acceptable is around 65% and good is around 70%. Detroit isn't even that good at offensive rebounding. Many have suggested the most logical starting lineup of Thad-Evans-Dalembert-Miller-AIG, which would add size and help the rebounding. If the Sixers can't control their defensive glass, they can't get the fastbreak started, and they basically have no shot over the long haul trying to match the Pistons in the halfcourt. (NEW PARAGRAPH) As for Iguodala, I'll give him a pass for one off game, though it seems I'm alone in doing that. The best way to begin Game 3 is to use him as a decoy, throw it to him in the post and let him penetrate and distribute. Let him get into the flow of the game before trying to make fadeaway/step-back jumpers.— Statman
- Statman: I think the Sixers will win at least another game. I expect them to take one of 2 at home, hopefully tomorrow since I'm going. I still think the alternative lineup is for the best. I still think splitting minutes between Carney and Green, according to who is playing better, is the way to go. And I still think this format stinks. Philly.com should improve it, or we should go elsewhere. It's a big internet. Sorry for any typos, but what can you do?— Morty_
- and no paragraphs breaks? Is this format left over from 1997? C'mon! Philly.com's tech people should be embarrassed.— Morty_
- Agree with Marc that there was a lack of effort from out guys. Especially in the rebounding dept., it looked like they weren't even trying to get position, let alone pull anything down. Very painful to watch. Dre still seems to be bothered by that ankle thing, limping slightly around btwn plays. He also needs to play SG so we can match up better, there's just no two ways about it. Also tired of watching him force shots, let thad try to take Tay down in the post with his little hooks. Need to have Sammy, reggie, thaddeus, and dre all out there at once. SFW, agree that i'd like to see more of JSmith, especially with our jump shooting woes and so we can spend more fouls just hacking sheed up everytime he gets a look.— K,M
- Agree this format is terrible - i had to click "view all comments like 3 times before they came up. Seems like the tech boys managed to kill the link to "team statistics" section of the sixers page too. very professional. So I didn't see your comments about the rebounding, statman. looks like we were on the same page on that.— K,M
- Marc, Iggy is averaging 10 points in 2 games and the Sixers still got a split. He has to drive and put his body on the Compton Prince. He should penetrate instead of shooting fade away rainbows. I did like the matchup of Carney on Hamilton who struggled with Carneys athletic ability. Carney needs more time on the floor against these guys. Sixers must protect their home floor, I hope the Philly faithful comes out in force and supports these guys. Thad continues to impress. Jason- Los Angeles— JASON RINGLER
- I almost took a job with the Inquirer about 4 years ago - but I turned it down at the last minute. Now, I know why I turned it down. As for the game - you had to expect that a game like that was going to happen. Morty, I see that you are calling for what I have been all year - Iggy at the 2 and in the post. Glad to see you are coming around. With Iggy and Thad at the 2 and 3 - Hamilton has to guard one of them - whichever guy he is on should post him up. I think we would have some success here. This is also where it helps having some of the requisite skills required to play at the elite level of the NBA. Skills like shooting usually help. Pistons in 5.— hugh
- I almost took a job with the Inquirer about 4 years ago - but I turned it down at the last minute. Now, I know why I turned it down. As for the game - you had to expect that a game like that was going to happen. Morty, I see that you are calling for what I have been all year - Iggy at the 2 and in the post. Glad to see you are coming around. With Iggy and Thad at the 2 and 3 - Hamilton has to guard one of them - whichever guy he is on should post him up. I think we would have some success here. This is also where it helps having some of the requisite skills required to play at the elite level of the NBA. Skills like shooting usually help. Pistons in 5.— hugh
The format before was much better. It's one of those things, if it works, -why- change it? Half of the reason I read this blog is to read the comments and now there are less. Anyway I have a feeling the Sixers are going to bounce back in Game 3. I don't know why everyone writes off Iggy after one bad game, you have to let the series play out. I think we need Reggie Evans to hit more fade away jumpers if we are going to win the series...what I mean is, just some big nights from the role-players. Reggie needs to be in the game...in many ways I think he's better at guarding Wallace and he is a better rebounder than Sammy.- The format before was much better. It's one of those things, if it works, -why- change it? Half of the reason I read this blog is to read the comments and now there are less. Anyway I have a feeling the Sixers are going to bounce back in Game 3. I don't know why everyone writes off Iggy after one bad game, you have to let the series play out. I think we need Reggie Evans to hit more fade away jumpers if we are going to win the series...what I mean is, just some big nights from the role-players. Reggie needs to be in the game...in many ways I think he's better at guarding Wallace and he is a better rebounder than Sammy.
- hugh: Not coming around at all. Been there on Thad at SF and Dre at SG for about as long as that's been floating around. Especially against the Pistons, this lineup makes too much sense. Still like us to take 1 of 2 this weekend. This format sucks.— Morty_
- Marc: your regulars are trying to stick with you, please stick with us by working to improve the format of this blog. The best thing you have done is to read your commenters and respond. The best thing about this blog, and the reason you have a loyal readership, is the comments section. Don't let philly.com ruin it. Personally, I'm not having much patience.— Morty_
- Marc: your regulars are trying to stick with you, please stick with us by working to improve the format of this blog. The best thing you have done is to read your commenters and respond. The best thing about this blog, and the reason you have a loyal readership, is the comments section. Don't let philly.com ruin it. Personally, I'm not having much patience.— Morty_
- Iggy is a whiner and a punk. maybe he should learn how to dribble before contantly complaining to teh refs. In two years, he will be our 3rrd best palyer, behind Lou and Thad. I would take Andre Miller and Thad over him right now as the Sixer's best players. He played horrible against LeBron in that choke against the Cavs last week and has been AWFUL the first two games. Where are all the company-line, Zumoff-esq commenst about how he contributes it "so many other ways when he is not scoring" today. That is what you backers said after Game 1. Half of those "rebounds" from Game 1 were from getting the ball back after getting blocked. It was unexcusable for Mo to keep him on the floor the whole first half. the way he is punked out of this series, they are better off playing without him. I think his defense has been way overrated this season. I don't think he has been an excellent defense player since his 1st or 2nd year. Look at how many off. rebounds the pistons are getting because Iggy refuses to box out his man. Stef, LET HIM GO !— Zeke
- This format is woefully inferior and initially pancaked my enthusiasm, but I'm rebounding like Jumpin'JohnnyGreen, for the talk is good. Not sure I'll stick with it though as the change is annoying. Friday's crowd will bring a burst of energy to on-heels Sixers; should be a close one. AI & Sam & AM can't play worse than gm 2, the silver lining. Morty, I disagree that LW brought it--most of his "damage" was done in garbage time (last 20 min. of game). I commend him though on 9-10 FT shooting. Hugh, AI doesn't have much of a post-up game (requires a poised mind, trunk balance, array of shots--he & LW are about getting somewhere in a hurry before 'the weight' arrives). Also, you put LW, AI, Thad, Sam on floor at same time - a lot of turnovers, poor cohesion in a half-court set is my projection. Tomorrow night: Sixers have a good chance but only with concerted defensive & rebounding effort for most of 48.— jjg
- Marc, like Morty said we the regulars are sticking with you but it would be nice if you could tell us why your blog has changed? It was terrific before, now the format is terrible. You know I was kidding when I called you and Willie Bowling buddies right? It's as if Philly.com told you to distance yourself from your loyal followers. Also, if Iguodala and Thad are both natural SF'S then you know where the buck stops. It's just a shame that there isn't as of yet a superstar the level of Garnett who wants out. I sign and trade Iggy for a boozer type of PF. The easiest thing to aquire in the draft is a sg, there all sg's in college it seems.— The Greek
- Is anything more annoying then Sammy grabbing a rebound and either throwing it out of bounds or to the other team? Nothing makes me curse faster in 2 languages then this.— The Greek
- JJG: Can't blame Lou for the times he was put into the game. That's on Mo. You can say he was the only Sixer attacking the basket, as evidenced by the FT attempts. That's what I was praising. Unlike the rest of the team, he was making use of what he does best. That said, despite the offensive woes, the team still ended up around where they usually do against Detroit. The big difference was the defense. Sammy has been terrible these 2 games.— Morty_
- My earlier post never got posted. I would distance myself from posters who call Iggy a "punk," as I suspect that's way off the mark. However, I have said many times before on this blog, and I'll say it again now, that he is NOT a viable #1 or #2 on ANY team in this league. His 3-point shooting average is 32%; he's weak when going to his left, he tends to throw up garbage when contested seriously, instead of going hard to the basket to get a foul. And, most importantly, his shooting average is 45%, but just under 50% of his points come from the immediate basket area. The math, there, suggests that he shoots about 25% from outside the paint, which, when wathching him, sounds just about right. He's a sturdy defended, a decent passer, a hard worker, but his offense is all hops (fast breaks and dunks) and they leave you as you age in this league. He's a 7-8 million man, no more. And, also said many times this year, this team is NOT what many here want think it is! It is not a premier team, nor is it necessarily an up-and-comer. Miller is a top-tier point guard. Nobody, I mean nobody, is a top-tier anything else on this team. Dalembert lacks heart and IQ; Green is streaky and not much more than a bench player. Williams is okay, but he's not a true point guard and he doesn't have the offensive versatility to be a shooting guard. Maybe Thad will grow into another Iggy--athletic, hard-working, a solid #3 or #4 offensive threat. But ANYONE should be on the table for trades this summer. We're a long way from being a contender, even in the woeful east. Sorry folks.— Hobbes
- Hobbes, Why you dismiss the fact that Iggy is a "punk." A punk in my book is someone who sucks, and constantly complains to the refs about getting cleanly stripped or blocked. Also, a punk is someone that wears an IPod to a Phillies game so that no kids will bother him (last week). And what evidence do you have that shows he is "hard-working." A "hard-worker" would learn how to driible. A punk is someone who thinks they are a superstar when they are NOT. Besides, that your analysis is spot-on. EXCEPT, it is ridicously stupid to say that Thad will only be a #3 or 4 offensive option in the future. He is 19 ! I don't think it is a stretch to think that he will be an all-star one day.— Zeke
- Morty, You're right about LW floor time - he can't choose it. And he was assertive, offensively, when on floor. Didn't mention before but imo 4-12 shooting isn't "bringing it," it's just shooting it. Of course, all shooters have nights of those numbers. Given his HS Super background and forfeiture of a strong college coach and related experience, he'll never have a problem with cranking 'em out I'm afraid. He's learning, but, at this juncture, too weak defensively for my taste. Offensive heads are common and don't win championships without mucho support.— jjg
- JJG: I think you are, perhaps undervaluing consistent FT attempts. It's how better players help their team even when their shot is not falling, as I'm sure you know. Witness Kobe, LeBron, Iverson and even our own Igoudala. It's the main reason Lou is a better offensive player than Green. If Green has the shooting night Lou did, he ends up with 8-10 points.— Morty_
- I'm not disturbed by the inability to stop Wallace. What is disturbing is our inability to rebound, defend the paint, or show some urgency. Guess we're all discovering Iggy isn't an All-Star. Yes, the Pistons are a great defensive team, but true Superstars have multiple ways of scoring and helping their team. Iggy should have helped out on the boards. What's glaringly obvious is that the team suffers without consistent scoring from anywhere other than Andre Miller. When Iggy wasn't scoring last game, W. Green and R.Evans picked up the slack. Hopefully, Iggy will get untracked (and Mo will figure out ways to help him) and Sam will remember that he's making 12 mil a year to guard the paint and rebound, not wave at Sheed from 10 feet away. But really, we need another scorer/hero other than Reggie Evans. Lou? The ever enigmatic Rodney Carney?
- Zeke, sorry if I offended. I guess I just reserve "punk" for players that cause trouble on the court, in the locker room, and outide the gym. I won't name names, but you know the ones. I don't get the impression that he's guilt of all three. On the "hard working" comment, I would point to the general respect Iggy gets by analysts (Hollinger, etc.) and players (Kobe has remarked as much) regarding his defense. His rebounding stats are respectable (nine a game). Some guys consistently loaf on one side of the court, and I don't really see him doing that. But he's a 8-million man, that's it.— Hobbes
- Iguodala played about 5 minutes in the 4th quarter and had 2 assists and was 0-1 from the field in that time. Cheeks took him out and put Thad back in when the Sixers were down 21. I think part of it is a confidence thing, but I also think it is also a "he may not be ready for this stage" issue as well. He doesn't need to be dominant but he can't be 5-24 in two games either. One on one he can't get good shots against Prince right now. That's not max-deal player performance even a little bit. Hopefully getting back to Philly will blow some life into him. Because the series is over if he continues to play this way. That's just reality. http://www.reclinergm.com— ReclinerGM
- Oh, and, no, I'm not willing to announce that Young is destined to be a superstar, or even an offensive stud. He did not become a serious scorer this year. He didn't make the rookie all-star game, he doesn't not have a go-to move, is not yet a bonified post-up player or shooter, and has a weak right hand dribble. He did shoot well at Georgia Tech, so there's potential and I suspect there's lots of upside. But the "stupidity" that you mention should be reserved for people who want to make preposterous predictions about his destiny, having only one year to base their predictions. He's athletic, has upside, is energetic, and can do a little bit of everything. And he's 19, so there's lots of time to grow. That doesn't mean he'll be great. The only thing it means right now is that he was a good pick and that he can probably do what Iggy does. That's it, for now.— Hobbes
- Another thing: can we please stop calling for J.Smith to get more burn? Everytime he's out there Detroit takes advantage of his defense. and if we're going to pay Iggy 12mil a year, shouldn't that mean we require him to develop at least one go-to move? Thad looks good but isn't really being called on to do much - Mo and ES have done a good job of bringing him up and putting him in a position to succeed. The reason we don't start R.Evans and move Iggy to the 2 is that it would weaken our bench, give us less outside shooting and clog the lane (b/c nobody from Detroit would have to guard Evans). And does everyone see now why we should be fielding offers from anyone and everyone to upgrade our talent? It takes at least one true superstar to succeed in this league, and we don't have one.
- Can we please stop using the term "burn"? Please? JJG - Iggy must develop his post game - he is one of the bigger guards/SFs in the league and it is a big advantage that he is not using. If I was faster than the guy guarding me - I would use my sped to blow by him - if I was bigger and stronger, I would post him up. That is not as profound as it might sound. I hate to complain - but this format is pretty weak - lol - I am actually enjoying reading everyone's complaints though.— hugh
- This is not that big of a surprise. What will be interesting is will Mo be able to make some effective adjustments ? Lets face it , they have more bullets than we do. I'd like to see JSmith and LouW get some earlier minutes or better yet move IGGY to the 2spot so that he can get away from Tayshaun Prince. JSmith could at least follow Sheed out to the perimeter and leave Sam inside where he belongs. Just a thought.— thurman
- To Neldogg77: If I'm not mistaken, we did offer Iggy a 5 year/57 mil contract, which would be roughly 11.5 mil a year on average...so assuming he wants more than that, well you can determine the rest. (New Paragraph) But yea, this whole new site is somewhat of a disappointment...reiterated i know but still...and I kinda think everyone knows that we may be a couple of years (trades, drafts, development, etc.) from being able to make some real noise in the postseason, speaking realistically. Our main offensive weapon has pretty much been defunct and I've unfortunately seen some of the things that Hobbes has pointed out when watching Iggy. I mean, he managed to get it done but it doesn't seem like he'll have the pure scoring ability a max contract SF/SG should have as his offense seems...awkward. Not wanting to bash him cuz he is our best player but...(New Paragraph) Moving on, Sam's been a bit disappointing as he seems to have regressed from when the last time Philadelphia was in the playoffs vs. Detroit...he actually played quite well in those five games (12 pts, 13 rebs, 1.5 blocks, 55% FG per game) and I kinda expected him to put up similar numbers, given his increased numbers this season, his "breakout" year. That's it for now...waiting until next game...— Mercurial41
- Hugh, I agree with you in theory - a 6'6" guard with fairly long arms should take advantage of smaller opponents by posting up. However, Iguodala doesn't have the on-court patience and skill to actually do it. Hell, he's off-balance plenty when facing the basket and shooting. And though he carries a sculpted frame, he's got pretty skinny legs and his lean athletic appearance doesn't translate to heavy roadwork inside. Back-to-basket isolation and block work requires balance and strength (legs, trunk, shoulders), footwork, along with repetitive drilling and applied practice. Iguodala is light in some of these respects - and noted others.— jjg
- This format is terrible, indeed... I still have hope for this series, let's take it one battle at a time... The person who absolutely killed us was McDyess, I think he was the wildcard the Sixers were unprepared for. Sammy was tasked with Rasheed, how about Reggie and Jason are tasked with McDyess, to make sure that he doesn't have as good a game as he did yesterday. During the Sixers' comeback in Game 1, McDyess wasn't on the floor. I'm fully aware that's not the answer, but I'm sure it'll help, keep the game a little closer.— sixerzguy
- I'm sure everyone remembers the last game in Chicago, right? Remember the Sixers were down - who did they turn to? Jason Smith and Rodney Carney. Jason for his ability to do something, anything down low, and Rodney for his outside shooting. Does Mo have better offensive options? If the Pistons have to respect Carney, doesn't that spread the floor a little better for the Sixers?— sixerzguy
- Not just Jason, but also Reggie should get more touches down low. I thought his low post scoring was decent in Game 2. One strategy I would try is to just get to the line as much as possible. I loved what LouWill did in the 2nd half, just drawing foul after foul. How about starting that a little earlier? Let's start the parade to the line from the get-go, I want the first shot NOT to be a jumpshot, I want something where someone takes it down the lane strong and tries to draw a foul. Give the ball to Thaddeus against McDyess, over and over again, like how Detroit keeps giving the ball to Sheed against Sam. Speaking of the Haitian, I DON'T want to see a play run for Sammy. It's Game 3, first home playoff game in a while, and the first play Mo runs is something for Sam... that'd be... ugh...— sixerzguy
- Sixersguy, I agree, if Carney's droppin' his j, he's a good bet to help spread the floor and help dog some crafty Pistons on the other end. Problem is, Detroit plays D too well; they know who to get out on and who to invite. I'd throw a true wild card like Randolph in, to bang around, mix it up for awhile, take some fouls (see what he does with some prime time minutes), especially if another of their very iffy frontline needs a bench perspective.— jjg
- I think the first quarter will tell you everything you'll need to know about the game. If the Sixers come out, and they haven't changed anything up on either offense or defense, then I'm with Negadelphia up above, they have no shot, and I'll be disappointed as a fan. Give it your best try, but it's gotta be a smart try. It's the playoffs, it's the time to do things you wouldn't normally do, to do anything you need to do to win. This is the most valuable lesson Mo can teach the guys right now - in the playoffs, do whatever you have to do to win, but it's no knock on anyone.— sixerzguy
- This "No paragraphs!" format sucks...— sixerzguy
- Morty - are you going to be wearing a white T-shirt at the game tomorrow? What is the whole white out thing all about by the way? -------- What are you guys thinking in terms of evaluating Cheeks right now. Haven't read much talk about this aspect. Remember he only got a 1-year extension. Now I don't know if Stefanski is expecting the Sixers to win this series but I believe he is expecting to compete at a very high level so a good or bad coaching job by Mo could help or hurt his chances of being here long term. If they win I think he is locked in. ----------- Right now I am underwhelmed by his adjustments or lack thereof through the first two games. I don't believe Iguodala is good enough to win a one on one battle with Prince defending him so it is up to Mo to change their offensive strategy to put him in better situations to score. So far I think Mo has left Andre kind of hanging. Its the coaches job to recognize what his players can and can't do. And its pretty clear Iggy can't score one on one vs. Prince. ------------- This no paragraph break is pretty ridiculous now that I am actually typing a lengthy comment and I have more to say and I have to stop because this is getting more annoying. If you guys end up leaving because of this change we can continue over on my blog www.reclinergm.com.— ReclinerGM
- "Detroit plays D too well" - jjg, that's what I'm thinking about, what is their achilles' heel? Chicago beat them 3 times this season, Sacramento twice. Do we need a white point guard to beat them (Hinrich, Udrih)? jk... For sure, we need to outrebound them to have a chance. Was it the energy of their big guys? Do our big guys need to out-energy theirs? Do they secretly have an engine, like Andre Miller is to us, and if we shut that engine down, that improves our chances? My gut feeling from watching Game 2 is that Detroit goes as either Prince or McDyess goes - I felt that at certain points, if we could just get a stop RIGHT NOW!, we could go on a run, but along would come Tayshaun or Antonio and, with a field goal, quickly put an end to those thoughts.— sixerzguy
- I think Mo's pullin' a fast one (on "charm") and still doesn't know his X from his O, tactically speaking. To paraphrase more earthily and concur with a recent poster on old blog, time to stop kissin' '83 arse. Get an elite coach, Ed, if possible.— jjg
- JJG - agreed to the 10th degree. Mo is not an X and O guy and never will be. He does not run any plays. I remember when he first got here - I used to have to turn games off because it was like watching a pickup game. Maybe he should be hired in Denver - they don't seem to run too many plays. This team really needs a Rick Carlisle or Jeff Van Gundy, who know the Xs and Os and who won't get out-coached by Flip Saunders. I never liked this team as constructed - it is a poorly put together team - too many of the same player and players who don't have good fundamental basketball skills. A much overpaid center, who is getting abused thus far in this season. He looks like a deer in the headlights out there. I have to admit - Detroit has the kind of team that I love to watch. They make few mistakes - shoot the ball well. They are not overly athletic butthey play very smart basketball. If they still had LB, they would be my favorite to win it all. Conversely, the Sixers are only athletic - limited experience and b-ball IQ - poor fundamentals (free throw shooting, fg shooting, etc.) and there is very little added from the bench on this team. I have always thought that the worst thing for some teams is success despite major flaws, because there is a tendency to overlook these flaws with the mindset that they are getting by ok. Bottom line is this - Mo is a good coach for young guys, but he will never get us to the elite level. Stefanski knows this, and this is why he only got extended for one season. There are not enough smart, skilled players on this team. We need guys who can shoot the basketball and don't have to rely on their athleticism, because you see what happens when Iggy's athleticism is neutralized - little impact made. Finally, Evans and Green as starters on this team is a joke - bench guys at best. Sam stinks - I have completely gone back on the few baby steps I took from extreme hatred to just general distaste.— hugh
- Guys, if you told me we would be 1-1 after 2 road games, I would of gladly taken it. Hugh, you say Cheeks can!t coach, then give a lot of reasons the team isn!t any good. Well , the best way to measure a coach, I think, is to ask this question, has this team overachieved , played at its level of talent, or underachieved. I feel they have overachieved. As far as Iggy, like Willie being put in a role he!s not talented enough for, Iggy is not a #1 scorer but Mo has to play the hand he is dealt. I will be disappointed if no changes are made if Det. comes in our house and wups us but as of now how can we not be happy. Wash. isw clobbering Cleve. after getting hammered twice on the road, home court can make up some of the difference in talent.H— seude
- Last one for the night... Just looking at the different lineups the Pistons threw against the Sixers in Games 1 & 2, the Pistons' best lineup by far was the starting 5. It didn't matter who the Sixers put on the floor, as long as the starting 5 wasn't together, the Sixers competed. I'm more convinced now - we definitely have to get their starters in foul trouble as early as possible. Here's my adjustment - LouWill starts over Willie Green, Reggie starts over Thad. They would be our best options for drawing fouls. I bet Mo is going to try to get Iggy going early on, which I think would be a horrible move. I think the best way to use Iggy early on is as a spot-up shooter. Take a page from Rodney Carney's book and hang out on the wing. He SHOULD NOT take 6 shots to start off the game like he did the previous two. Let's have him save his shots for the 2nd half - when that jumper finally fell for him in Game 2, it was in the 3rd quarter - maybe he's so hyped up for the playoffs that he needs time to get more relaxed and comfortable.— sixerzguy
- a real sign of what the 6ers have will be evident after tomorrow night. i just hope igoudala understands that you can't be a max contract player and TOTALLY STINK IN THE PLAYOFFS. nothing made me more angry than watching igoudala try to establish that broken j of his. even if he turns it around tomorrow, the only thing that will show is his playoff inconsistency. no matter how this season ends i'm counting on e.s improving on the team for next year.— dbeas
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About this blog
John Mitchell is in his second year covering the 76ers for the Inquirer after joining the paper in November 2011. He covered the Washington Wizards for the Washington Times from 1998 to 2008. He's also worked at the Philadelphia Tribune, the Wilmington News Journal, Courier-Post, Trenton Times and Elmira Star-Gazette.Born and raised in West Philadelphia - not too far from Will Smith - he graduated from Overbrook High School the same year the 76ers won their last championship. He's a proud graduate of Howard University and the proud father of two sons, Jared and Jordan.
ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI
Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.
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