Posted: Tuesday, November 24, 2009, 11:11 PM | 5 comments |
 

Lou talks about last shot
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At the buzzer tonight, 76ers point guard Lou Williams missed a step-back jumper that would have given the 76ers the win. Instead, it rimmed out and the Sixers (5-9) lost to the Washington Wizards (4-9), 108-107. The Sixers had the final possession, but it kept getting chopped down, first by a foul that made them take it out of bounds again. Williams said the play was for him to run off a high on-ball screen, but in the final 11.5 seconds, he decided not to use the on-ball screen.

Williams said that at first, the Sixers wanted to take the best, quickest shot to leave them some time, but that once it got down to 11, Williams figured they should hold for the last shot.

Check out the Deep Sixer video -- in the player below on the right -- of Williams talking about the shot in the locker room after tonight's game.

Couple more things: Elton Brand sat the game's final 16 minutes, 14 seconds with a sort right hamstring. He was evaluated by the doctor after the game and is officially listed as "day-to-day" with right hamstring soreness and tightness. He shot 1 for 9.

For the first time since I've been covering the Sixers, Andre Iguodala was on the bench during the game's most important minutes. He finished the game shooting 2 for 10 from the floor. He did check into the game for Williams' final shot, but other than that he spent about the last 9 minutes of the game at the end of the bench. Here's what he said about that afterward: "I think I'm one of the best all-around players out there, on both ends of the floor. I don't know what it was. I guess it wasn't making shots. But I feel like I defend better than anybody out there and give it 100 percent on both ends."

Needless to say, Iguodala was not pleased. Sixers gave up 40 points in the third quarter. Both Iguodala and Williams said they've been doing stuff like that "all year" and they need to figure it out. Agreed.

Last thing: rookie Jrue Holiday (11 points) was pretty darn good tonight. Seems like he can't keep pulling DNP's. Getting late, check out the video. Tomorrow the Sixers are at the Boston Celtics. Gulp.

--Kate

 

 
Posted by Kate Fagan @ 11:11 PM  Permalink | 5 comments
5
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:54 PM, 11/24/2009
    "Gulp" is right! Could be ugly tomorrow night, but loved that last quarter tonight, with pressing defense, energy on offense, team feeding off Holiday, Young, and Smith's hustling. Would like Smith to take his shot more; looked hesitant, often made one pass too many. Would have preferred Williams to drive, but admittedly refs do not call fouls inside on last shots. Iguodala will be a real puzzle for Jordan, who has given him plenty of minutes, but he still looks lost in the offense, and his jumper is not NBA quality right now. If Brand is hurt again, then even more trouble for Stefanski. Ironically, Sixers looked good with Dalembert and Smith, Young, Holiday, and Williams. But as many posters know too well, Dalembert will give you a tease game now and then, and disappear the next game.
    — chuckw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:13 AM, 11/25/2009
    chuckw: Iguodala's jumper has not been NBA-quality for the last 3 games; it was fine for the first 11. Far from being lost in the offense, he's getting good shots, just not hitting them. "Lost" describes Thad in the Memphis game or Brand in the first 10 games (or, if you want, Iguodala in the first month of *last* year), players not even getting off good shots. Iguodala's shooting slump could be a blessing in disguise: I thought his improved jumper over the first several games of the season had caused him to "settle" for jumpers too much. He is at his best when he is attacking, which we saw signs of tonight in the 3rd quarter (unfortunately overshadowed by the horrible defense). As for the 4th quarter comeback, it was really a mirage predicated on some unusually hot shooting (6 made 3's), combined with a little D. The Sixers still gave up a whopping 9 offensive rebounds to the Wizards in the 4th quarter, and the Wizards scored on 4 of their last 6 possessions. The one thing to build on is Holiday's excellent defense on Arenas and general hustle everywhere. Let's hope Holiday will earn more minutes ahead of Green as time goes on.
    — Statman
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:46 AM, 11/25/2009
    Lou's last shot was a bad decision. Take it to the rack. Jordan lets these guys get away with settling for the jumper too much
    — rswknight
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:49 AM, 11/25/2009
    If you not a jump shooting team, don't take jumpers. The third quarter got away because they were hoisting shots instead of attacking. When the other side is on a run you have to slow them down by getting to the line.
    — pyleiton
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:18 AM, 11/25/2009
    I can never tell whether athlete's apparent unwillingness to hold the mirror up to their own flaws is just the public persona of not wanting to appear "weak" or unconfident or is actually blindness. A player who earns the maximum salary he can earn in the NBA whose free-throw percentage has plummeted from a respectable 80% 2 years ago to now a paltry 66%, who was just part of a group of players giving up 40 points in a quarter and who is shooting 2 for 10 for the night can't understand why he's sitting???? I give credit to Jordan for playing the lineup in the 4th that he did. That group did a very nice job offensively against a Wizards team that was probably coasting at that point. They did not get many stops, however. If Speights was healthy, he probably would've been in there instead of Sam. I'd be fine with a lineup of Speights/Smith/Holliday and move Young/Iguodala/Williams in/around them with Brand and Dalembert as needed to spell the bigs. Let the kids play and build for the future.
    — doctorj


5 comments
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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