Fouls, Meeks, and the 76ers
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Fouls, Meeks, and the 76ers
Every game the 76ers play seems to create more questions. Tonight against the Miami Heat, the Sixers played hard, they played pretty well, and they lost. It's tough to praise them too much for a solid effort, considering every NBA is jazzed to play the Heat, especially in South Beach and in front of a sold-out crowd. It's not quite the same thing as coming out scrappy at the Charlotte Bobcats on the second night of a back-to-back. But, nonetheless, the Sixers did everything they could to win the ball game, they just didn't win the ball game, which is sort of the season's theme.
The complaint in the final quarter of tonight's 99-90 loss was the officiating that went against the Sixers and went for Miami stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Basically the only statistical category (outside of the actual score) that the Sixers did not tie or win was free throw shooting. The Sixers went 12 for 21, the Heat went 23 for 29. Now, as written in the game story, if you're going to discuss the difference in allotted free throws as the reason for the loss, it's only fair to point out that the Heat were awarded eight more free throws than the Sixers, not quite enough to cover the final margin. And if you're going to consider the officiating as a reason for the outcome, shooting less than 60 percent on your own attempts hinders the strength of the argument. Making superstar calls is not a fresh idea in the NBA and we could debate at length whether it's deserved or not deserved -- kind of depends on whether or not the team you root for has the superstar.
Back to the question created by tonight's game. In past games, we've left wondering what Andre Iguodala's impact on the team's effectiveness actually is (see the victory over the New York Knicks), and we've left wondering what Doug Collins should do with the team's starting center position. (Among other questions created.) Tonight, the question revolves around Jodie Meeks.
Collins put him into the game with just under 9 minutes left in the second quarter. Meeks played the rest of the quarter, scored 18 points, went 4 for 4 from beyond the arc, and basically kept the Sixers in the game. In the second half, Meeks didn't come back into the game until the end of the third quarter. He made his first three pointer, swirled his second, and didn't score again. He finished with 21 points.
At halftime, sitting there waiting for the third quarter, I was definitely wondering whether Collins would start Meeks in the second half. There seems to be an unwritten rule in the NBA that, unless something drastic happens (more drastic than scoring 18 points), the unit that starts the game also starts the second half. So although I wondered whether Collins would make the move -- especially given Evan Turner's non-existent stat line -- the prevailing conclusion was that Meeks would not start the third quarter. And he didn't.
But the big issue in deciding about Meeks is answering this question: Do you believe he is a streaky shooter who can give the Sixers big nights when he gets hot -- and nothing more? Or do you believe he should be given a chance as the team's starting shooting guard?
Considering the team is 3-13, there really shouldn't be a set lineup or a set rotation. Clearly, nothing is working. Sometimes Lou Williams is scoring 18 points off the bench, sometimes he's 1 for 7 and rather unhelpful. Sometimes Turner looks solid and near a double-double, other times he looks like a bust. So although posing the question about Meeks might reek of desperation (Meeks as your starting shooting guard? A guy that spent most of the season deactivated?), the truth is it probably is desperate.
But of all the guys on this team, he's the only one who moves on the floor like a shooter. He drifts to open areas, he finds the creases, he works well off screens, he's smart about his placement on the floor. On one play tonight, Lou was running a fastbreak and he had Meeks running the right lane with him. Instead of angling into the rim for a bounce pass, Meeks slowed down, let the defense pass, and drifted a little behind Lou for the open transition three. Nevermind that Lou didn't initially understand what Meeks was doing (for some reason Lou thought Meeks should have slashed to the hole, which shows a worrisome lack of knowledge of a teammate's preferences), the play ended in an open three pointer -- and a made three pointer. The only other guy who can do that is Jason Kapono, but Meeks is a stronger defender and can do other things on the floor. So do you give him a shot?
Early flight in the morning, have to get some sleep,
--Kate
Each week, Kate will check in from the road and answer fan questions about the Sixers. Click here to ask Kate a question or e-mail her at kfagan@phillynews.com.
"So do you give him a shot?"
No! Of course not! And spoil the delicate chemistry that has developed on this team, through the season thus far???
What kind of madwoman are you anyhow????
— CarpGuy- Meeks can give us consistent play if he knows he is going to be in the floor. It is unrealistic to expect him to do what he did tonight every night without consistent playing time.— reveugene
A posting worthy of Meeks' performance, with so many gems that reading it becomes like an easter egg hunt. On Turner, "non-existent stat line", "other times he looks like a bust", and on Williams "a worrisome lack of knowledge"; are all nothing-but-net 3 pointers. But describing Williams going 1 for 7 as "rather unhelpful" best displays the unique zest and vision of this blog, easily a minor 3rd above anything else on this website. I'm in F Major.— Nuutron- Great observation showing you played the game as a shooter Kate. Meeks does "drift to open areas" as a shooter who wants to get the ball is going to do. To paraphrase Richie Ashburn, Meeks also "looks shooterish"!— JBP
- Great observation showing you played the game as a shooter Kate. Meeks does "drift to open areas" as a shooter who wants to get the ball is going to do. To paraphrase Richie Ashburn, Meeks also "looks shooterish"!— JBP
- I agree -- give Meeks some more playing time. Lou is really off his game. But nothing makes me more upset then to see the point guard that Holiday is supposed to be playing getting one open shot after another. Dru repeatedly played off him too far to get out on him on the weak side. Dru is accoomplishing nothing by playing so close the paint when the ball on the strong side -- except maybe a weak side rebound -- but most teams will rotate to weak side for open shot when Dru is 20 ft away from the man he is supposed to guard. Why doesn't some coach at least holler at him to guard the guy. He plays some good defense in spurts and then he goes aspleep.— gba
- Rebuilding with Doug and Kate - I would like to write "what a joy," but instead will write "what a less painful experience."— rruffin
- Kate, I agree that Meeks needs more playing time. He shined at the end of last season and looked great in the preseason and honestly I was shocked when he wasn't used early in the season. As much as he gives you offensively, he has also surprised me with his defense. Another thing that has surprised me is his ability to create off the dribble. I am not sure if I would start him yet, but clearly he should be the first guard off the bench. This is why I always thought there was no way Lou would be on this team this year. In my mind I felt that Meeks would take Lou's minutes and they would have traded Lou for some front court help or a legit backup pg. Last night they lost the game when Doug went with Lou at PG at the end of the third. This is a consistent theme for this team. Lou has had some big games, but more times then not, he comes in and the other team opens up the lead. He doesn't know how to run an nba team as he is primarily concerned with getting his own offense going.— Mattb
Meeks thought he was hot.. Until Miami stopped ignoring him.. He all of a sudden started missing.. "can't create his own shot. If you are going to be a spot shooter.. Come off of the bench give me 3 shots 9 points. Consistently/ EVERY NIGHT! At least 6 points. You will have my respect. You are not going to shoot like that every night I refuse to get suckered into 1 performance.. Iguodala good game. Lou.. Play a smarter game. Drive and pass.. NOT SHOOT! No ones biting the left dribble pump fake.. Time to show the left dribble pull up. Turner you are not rebounding.. I see you.— combocancer1975- I like Meeks and he should be playing. He averaged 24 ppg at Kentucky and that isn't easy. The thing that hurts is the lack of "real point guard play". When was the last drive and dish, or penetration into the lane and kick out ? Holiday has potential but appears a tad slow guarding quick guards and being able to create easy shots for team-mates. We walk it down, dribble around the 3 point line, make one pass and shoot a fade away. That's the offense. Free throws ?? 1st - we don't make them when they count 2nd - you have to go to the hole to get calls.....not chuck up jumpers— 7mel11
- Competition, Competition breeds success. One ball 5 players. If you want minutes contribute to:
Scoring - Teams need to know you are capable from scoring from all positions on the floor
Defense - If you can't stop someone what sense does it make to score
Intangibles - what do you bring extra than the other guys in your spot.
If you can help you play, if you cannot then you sit, regardless of the money you are making.— bsmallg1 - The remainder of this season should be used to see which of the young players are truly part of Sixers future. Play to win, but play the young guys. Join "Sixers Fans For Change" on Facebook.— ArtMooney
- Collins has an impossible job. The Sixers roster is made up of players who contribute one night and disappear the next. Meeks got you 21 against Miami; he may not score tonight against New Jersey. Collins never knows on a night to night basis who will show up to play. He is dealing with the same poorly assembled roster that Eddie Jordan had to deal with and is getting worse results. They say that a fish stinks from the head down. The head of this fish is Ed Snider.— syddan26
- I love Doug Collins as a Coach on a vet team or team with at least one superstar. He will improve a team if they have a decent set of players, but here I think he is overthinking things a little. He really needs to just go with what works. When Curry coached a couple of our only wins he went with what works. He might have been assisted in not having Iguodala thus creating more playing time for the rest of the team (which might make you think shortening Iguodala's playing time would be more effective for the team's chemistry). Simply put Holiday and Turner mesh much better without Iguodala on the court. The team's chemistry seems much better (maybe there is something to Iguodala's body language and/or attitude that negatively impacts the team).
That said, not putting all the blame on Iguodala's shoulders. He shouldn't have been paid a superstar salary without being a superstar (nobody else in the league was offering him near what we did so we should have matched whatever salary he did get instead of outbidding ourselves). It's ok to overpay a superstar, you almost HAVE-TO, but never overpay a star or role player because it changes the quality of the team around him. You can't get a better supporting cast if you overpay Iguodala. We're not winning with him. We never will. Experiment done, results = failure. We tried getting a team of nice guys. Guess what? Nice guys come in last. Some of the best winners in the NBA (past & present)are pretty unlikeable guys. Even MJ had his bad side (punching Steve Kerr, gambling etc) but those type of guys win as well. Look at Kobe. Most of the NBA fans don't like him, but the guy wins. Iguodala = nice guy, but only wins when having another star alongside him. A great supporting player for a Durant type player as we saw this summer. I'm thinking a lot of winning teams could use him, even if they are doing great right now. We need to start over and give the reins to the young guys.— joecooler2u - We need some more of these talented small guys. Maybe play 5 of them. I hope we pick up another guard in the draft.— CouchKing
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.
