Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009, 3:16 PM | 19 comments |
 

Iverson's return likely Dec. 28
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Today at 76ers practice, all indications pointed towards point guard Allen Iverson sitting the next two games -- tomorrow night at the Washington Wizards and Dec. 26 at the Utah Jazz -- and returning the following game, Dec. 28 at the Portland Trailblazers. The Sixers said Iverson would not travel with the team this afternoon to D.C.

Iverson has missed the past two games with arthritis in his left knee. Sixers officials and Iverson are saying that rest is the only thing that's truly going to make the knee feel better. Since his Dec. 7 return against the Denver Nuggets, Iverson had the knee drained three times.

Today, Iverson said he hopes that his return on Dec. 28 will be for good: that he won't have to sit out any more games.

Also from Sixers practice today, Eddie Jordan said he was likely going to start a backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Lou Williams tomorrow night. Jordan said Williams, just back from a broken jaw, did nothing to lose his starting job and Jordan felt he deserved it back. Starting lineup will likely be Holiday, Williams, Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, and Samuel Dalembert. Jordan said he liked his "studs" off the bench: power forward Elton Brand and center Marreese Speights.

--Kate
Posted by Kate Fagan @ 3:16 PM  Permalink | 19 comments
19
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:40 PM, 12/21/2009
    speights is a stud. brand was a stud
    — GetMeToThePlateBoys
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:15 PM, 12/21/2009
    For once I agree with Jordan, except for Dalembert; Holiday and Williams should continue to start, provided Holiday can improve his shot, as Williams can not and should not lose his starting position due to injury. Why bother to start Dalembert, however, unless the Sixers are trying to unload him and hope he plays well enough to influence another team (preferably one that does not engage in advanced scouting)to take him off their hands. He has been worst than useless lately, picking up stupid fouls, providing little or no offense, and few boards or blocks. Might just as well start Jason Smith, if Jordan prefers Brand and Speights off the bench. Smith is soft, admittedly, but has shown in the past that he can shoot from the outside, which might open up the inside for the slashers, Iguodala, Young, Williams, and even Holiday. All those posters who insist that Iverson should start, keep in mind, he has not practiced, has arthritis in at least one knee, his conditioning is not going to improve in street clothes, and he will be gone after this season.
    — chuckw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:49 PM, 12/21/2009
    Iverson's injury won't affect things much at all. If Lou is healthy, he will do everything that AI had been doing and more. The biggest issue will be when Iverson comes back and determining his role. The Sixers have AI, Iguodala, and Lou who all dominate the ball so I don't see how Holiday will have any role whatsoever once Iverson comes back.
    — jdr527
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:15 PM, 12/21/2009
    Arthritis in the knee won't improve- the words "make the knee feel better" are well chosen. I'm sure he has degenerative stuff going on in his knee(s) and ongoing playing is just going to add to the pounding they've had through the years. Either bring AI off the bench and significantly limit his minutes (if the goal is to keep him as a player through the season) or cut him. Starting him makes no sense as there is no way he can play starter's minutes and not continue to experience the symptoms that have caused him to sit.
    — doctorj
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:45 PM, 12/21/2009
    doctorj: agree 100 percent; if Iverson is smart, he will play limited minutes off the bench and retire to a grand sendoff when the season ends and will then go into the Hall of Fame for another celebration. I don't see Jordan benching Holiday and starting Iverson and Williams; too small a tandem and too porous on the defensive end.
    — chuckw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:50 PM, 12/21/2009
    Okay, so Brand, who was averaging 20/10 in the games directly before hurting his hamstring, deserved to lose his starting job, yet Williams didn't? Jordan is just a bad coach.
    — rswknight
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:11 PM, 12/21/2009
    what a waste having a player like Brand, who can defend, rebound, and score (when given the chance) with this moron of a coach. Iverson is now redundant, but the team's offensive and defensive schemes are ridiculous.
    — riprepulski
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:48 PM, 12/21/2009
    Elton Brand off the bench? Eddie Jordan is just plain and simple -- a terrible coach. Why? 1) His team has a horrible record. 7-20? You have a talented roster and can only muster a 7-20 record? I don't care if there were a few injuries here and there...you have plenty of talent on the team except you just don't know how to use them. 2) A good coach evaluates the talent of his players and maximize it for the benefit of the team. A bad coach tries to fit players into a "system" regardless of their talent or skills. Coach E. Jordan falls into the latter. He sits Elton Brand, the guy who clearly dominated both Boston Celtics and the LA Clippers in their last 2 games, on the bench rather than start him. He doesn't draw up players for him or get his guys to feed him the ball when it's clear he's unstoppable. Sixers need to fire Eddie Jordan and hire a REAL coach. Not only does the 7-20 record stink, but Jordan clearly doesn't know how to coach or win.
    — Ellidyr
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:12 PM, 12/21/2009
    rswknight, riprepulski, and Ellidyr -- I totally agree. his handling of Brand is atrocious.
    — FKD215
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:45 PM, 12/21/2009
    Brand was not benched because of his hamstring injury; he was benched because Jordan either has a beef with him, although the reason is mysterious, or truly believes he is better coming off the bench, a move Donyell Marshall, who is not a homer (as anyone who watches the pre-and post-game shows realizes) strongly supports. We can argue, and have, over that move, over whether Williams should or should not start, over whether Iverson should or should not start and whether he should or should not get extended minutes, particularly with an arthritic knee(s) and over whether Iguodala is or is not an all-star, but four things we all generally agree upon: 1. Dalembert just can't cut it as a starting center in the NBA and should be traded, the sooner the better; 2. Iguodala, while a lightning-rod for many of us, is the best all-around player on this team; 3. Jrue Holiday looks like he can develop into a solid starting point guard; and 4. Eddie Jordan just is not the right coach for this team, period, full-stop.
    — chuckw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:10 PM, 12/21/2009
    So apparently when this team got to 20 games and opponent three-point shooting was still an issue, it was going to be addressed. Has it been addressed? Are they working on fixing these issues in practice or is Jordan busy trying to make this roster fit his offensive system?
    — jefuuetsukusura
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:29 PM, 12/21/2009
    Defense? Defense? Defense? We don't need no stinkin' defense!! I have to laugh (and often do) when Zumoff and Pinckney are astounded at the great three-point shooting of virtually every club against the Sixers. Hate to be the bearer of bad news,but most pros can hit three-pointers when not defended, and one thing the Sixers under Jordan do particularly well: NOT defend the three. Any team with solid three-point shooters goes off against this club. Remember, Jordan said early in the season that he did not think defending the three was a priority, but presumably over-emphasizing the setting of screens (which almost got Speights hurt again last week during practice)is important. They better beat the Wizards tomorrow night or this could be a disastrous road trip (lottery anyone?)
    — chuckw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:49 PM, 12/21/2009
    A.I. should come off the bench - when he is healthy. Jrue and Williams in the backcourt; Iguodala and Young at the wings, and Speights in the middle. Dalembert and Brand are too iffy and inconsistent. Jordan has made poor choices...Morale is also a big concern. You seem them in the 4th quarter and this team hardly knows how to finish.
    — pearl71959
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:25 PM, 12/21/2009
    Ditto on Brand. Jordan's handling of him is unprofessional. Brand's basketball IQ is definitely higher than his coach's. The team is too hard to watch right now... I used to attend 6-8 games at 4 tickets per game but I refuse to support this team until changes are made. Our supposed best player Iggy is pretty good through the 3 qtr (except for how many shots he puts up) & then melts. Poor defense, rebounding and & way too many turnovers. Does Iggy & Thad get stripped of the ball more than most players driving to the hoop? I like the way Jrue Holiday distributes and defends. His shot will improve. He plays the game right... If we win 25 games we will be lucky. Hopefully 2010 will be better for Sixers
    — Bringbackteamplay
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:49 PM, 12/21/2009
    Bringbackteamplay: love your moniker.
    — chuckw


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About John Mitchell
John Mitchell is in his first 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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