New Orleans
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New Orleans
Here are a few photos I promised. Fear not basketball junkies, there are a few hoops ones sprinkled into the mix. If you're looking for strictly X's and O's about tonight's game against the New Orleans Hornets, check out my blog from early this afternoon. Should be right before this slideshow.
I call this photo essay "New Orleans" ... and I remind everyone that I claim no photography skills.
--Kate
Comments (12)
Wow, what a frustrating game to watch. We saw the terrible 3-point defense in the Knicks game, but that combined with bad free throw shooting, their own bad 3-point shooting (first time in a while), and 21 turnovers was too much to overcome. There was one play that epitomized the breakdown in 3-point defense: Ryan Bowen got the ball in the post, got surrounded by 3 Sixers, and *he* kicked it out to a wide-open Peja for 3 (his 3rd of 5 3-pointers in the first 4 minutes of the 4th). I know the Sixers are probably told to collapse on penetrators, but they really needed to have one defender stay with Peja/Posey/Butler at all times (and especially not do the Willie Green special: take one step toward a penetrator, not affect the penetration, AND not get back in time to challenge the 3 attempt). I thought DiLeo got caught with a bad lineup against this version of the Hornets, with the incredibly ineffective Brand/Evans combo. How could Speights only play 3 minutes in this game? He wouldn't have improved the defense, but the defense couldn't be any worse, and he certainly would have improved the offense over Brand & Evans. I thought there were two positives in this game: Miller made Paul work and never backed down from Paul (notice they took Paul off Miller eventually), and DiLeo worked to exploit the Thad/Peja mismatch at the beginning of the game (I like that DiLeo pays attention to matchups). Iguodala had a good first half but got too bothered by the officials in the second half. If he wants to evolve from a good player with great talent to a great player, he's going to need to keep playing well through adversity, because the team needs him to succeed. Finally, I'm all for getting Brand back into the flow, but they can't throw away games waiting for it. His three post-up isolations were three too many (he couldn't even score on Peja). At this point, he should be shooting jumpers and putbacks, that's it.— Statman- Not much else to say...Just a sloppy, sloppy second half. I was wondering what happened to speights myself - I missed the first few minutes of the 3rd quarter and was wondering whether he got himself in foul trouble or something when i was on my way to the neighborhood watering hole... I really hope Brand's minutes are not going to come at his expense. If anything i'd rather go with a bigger lineup that does not include one Mr. Green, who is unfortunately regressing lately. We also witnessed a good amount of the LeBron Effect, which is know to afflict refs at times...symptoms include being blinded by the glare of certain star players and thus not noticing that their defenders did in fact have their feet set, or other things of that nature. That said, I completely agree that Igoudala needs to just learn how to deal with it...— K,M
- KM: great point about Paul, he seems to get calls on both ends actually. There was one play where he basically assaulted Miller, but wound up stealing the ball with no call. Comcast kept on showing him calmly talking to the officials during timeouts, and I'm thinking this is the strategy Iguodala should use (instead of openly berating the officials during the game). Iguodala does get some borderline calls on D (esp. on "slap-downs"), but I think he would get more if he talked to them instead of yelled at them (refs are only human too).— Statman
- Iguodala does seem some games to get absolutely mugged repeatedly without getting any whistle, during aggressive drives to the Hoop. I agree he absolutely needs to better maintain composure, which I think he has improved sopmewhat from last year, while at the same time, as in this game, the whistle appeared one directional, and SOMEONE has to get vocal, Coach or Player, to express displeasure to ref crew. Was that Joey Crawford there, or a look alike? Joey's been issuing Techs at a rapid pace once again. Some games, just leave a fan scratching his head re whistles; for me, this was one of those. Not that it would have mattered, changed outcome. Still, call it the same both ways best you can, it didnt appear the case in Nawlins. Cant blame players OCCASSIONALLY for whining if he believes it to be WAY outtawhack, as long as its infrequent, not daily.— Sausalito Slick
- On ref topic, some Coaches ride the Refs for 48 minutes, Sloan,Doc,Pops,etc( or at least until sense too close to boiling point) while others, as Mo appeared, and diLeo as Newbie gotta get a handle first, seem more Observer. At times, imagine that players, feeling victim of whistle void, prefer his Coach take the Ref issues up themselves in support of players. Regardless, it is key that a player constantly be mentored to develop optimum methodology to develop rapport most helpful to his cause-assume there are scouting reports on every Ref on league.— Sausalito Slick
- Statman, i remember that Miller play, it was pretty egregious. I also think Ivey got a couple bad calls that were probably the reason we saw so much of Willie (I havent checked the box score, but i feel like he got an inordinate amount of burn last nite). And yeah, I think if igoudala were more diplomatic, he would get better calls. i get the (completely unscientific) impression that guys who argue too much get more bad call than those who don't. I'm not saying the refs are biased, except that i sort of am saying that :)— K,M
- For Statman, or any quantitative types- Any significance to this comparative Stat; 2 yrs back, Iguodala averaged 7.25 FTAs per game, while this YTD, his FTAs have dropped almost 2 to 5.35 pgm. I dont think, could be wrong, that he is less aggressive going to the rim this yr, and their Won Loss is better this yr, normally translates to more charity stripe visits. Yes, there is more team balance now, but he has put more on his shoulders too, albeit w more 3 point perimeter shots than yrs prior, while still attacking it seems the rim very aggressively. Seems a drop of almost 2 per game, for him, is odd. Thoughts?— Sausalito Slick
- For Statman, or any quantitative types- Any significance to this comparative Stat; 2 yrs back, Iguodala averaged 7.25 FTAs per game, while this YTD, his FTAs have dropped almost 2 to 5.35 pgm. I dont think, could be wrong, that he is less aggressive going to the rim this yr, and their Won Loss is better this yr, normally translates to more charity stripe visits. Yes, there is more team balance now, but he has put more on his shoulders too, albeit w more 3 point perimeter shots than yrs prior, while still attacking it seems the rim very aggressively. Seems a drop of almost 2 per game, for him, is odd. Thoughts?— Sausalito Slick
- Sausalito: let me attempt a mostly non-quantitative answer to your question, based on observation. I think there are three factors at work in Iguodala's drop in FTA: (1) self-preservation - few players maintain a penetrate-aggressively philosophy without getting injured often and shortening their careers [think Tiny Archibald, or power running backs like Earl Campbell in football, or contact-first boxers like the late Diego Corrales] - hence his focus on developing a consistent jumper and his tendency to shoot more jumpers; (2) evolution in his risk vs. reward thinking [06-07 was his career high in turnovers, now he will often pass or shoot a jumper when there is too much traffic -- taking it all the way might increase foul-drawing chances, but at the cost of greater turnover chances]; (3) most importantly, other teams have a solid scouting report on him now, and teams are prepared give help on penetrations [remember, 06-07 was his first year as a primary offensive option, and he probably surprised a lot of people, much like Thad does now]. All that said, the referee factor can't be ignored. Here in Boston, the feeling was that Antoine Walker got shafted many FTAs over the years because he was such a complainer. I hope Iguodala doesn't become Walker-like (like you say, I think he has gotten better in that regard this year).— Statman
- Great,comprehensive response, Stat. Not a thing to add. Thx for thoughts— Sausalito Slick
- guess am bored working today...Stat, your self-preservation angle got me thinking; I fully subscribe to it as an integral part of the whole, as player durability is vital both to player and franchise, within parameters,variance, rather clear. Then there are DWade, Iverson, whom may subscribe to one extreme re "reckless?" abandon, that can both succeed and fail, depending on one's color lenses, and distance (metaphor for career years insurance?); contrasted w others unwilling to play w a blistered toe, or a headache, etc. Behaviorally, While he has improved his manner this yr w zebras, while just as chatty seemingly more objective than confrontational, Dre needs , And is too smart not to understand, sharing more HONEY w the Refs, and a concerted effort to smile, laugh, yuk up w em as well, can only help him. By now, or soon, I expect Ed to challenge him to some behave modific as a bet, etc. Ed, GM and horse guy, Ed.— Sausalito Slick
- I wonder if that kid from Atlanta is available?— murph31
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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.Local display advertising by PaperG
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