The Lineup Game

The leadup to the 76ers season is coming to a close. If you missed any of the preview coverage, here are a few links.

To read about the Sixers' mis-matched roster in the latest Inside the Sixers, click here: Round Pegs.

To read about the necessity of a hybrid game from swingman Andre Iguodala, click here: Iguodala v3.0.

To read about Evan Turner, star or bust, click here: The rookie.

To check out the comparison between Iguodala and the rest of his salary class (i.e. making around $12 million this season), click here: Peer Group.

The Sixers are one practice away from opening the 2010-11 season against the Miami Heat on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center. Iguodala participated in only non-contact drills today in practice, but expect Iguodala to play on Wednesday. Still, there is still no set starting lineup. Here are five options, with pros and cons.

1.) PG Jrue Holiday, SG Andre Iguodala, SF Thaddeus Young, PF Elton Brand, C Spencer Hawes.

Pros and Cons: Solid defensive unit, on paper. Big lineup, which should be able to defend the interior (although Hawes' post defense remains to be proven). A fast backcourt of Holiday, Iguodala, and Young that should score a ton of points in transition. No outside shooting, so halfcourt execution would struggle.

2.) PG Jrue Holiday, SG Evan Turner, SF Andre Iguodala, PF Thaddeus Young, C Elton Brand.

Pros and Cons: Small lineup with very little interior defense. Would struggle defending on the block, but a quartet of Holiday, Turner, Iguodala, and Young should create turnovers and attack the rim. Transition effectiveness would be hightened, but the ability to run would be hindered by lack of rebounding. Still no outside shooting and an abundance of players (Holiday, Turner, and Brand) that need to dominate the ball.

3.) PG Jrue Holiday, SG Andre Iguodala, SF Jason Kapono, PF Elton Brand, C Spencer Hawes.

Pros and Cons: Added shooter would open up the offense, both in transition and in halfcourt. Kapono spreads the defense in a fastbreak (he's a great trailer and runs wide) and in the halfcourt. His presence would open up lanes for Holiday and Iguodala, something only Kapono's shooting ability could do. One less rebounder on the floor, Kapono, would give the opposing lineup an advantage on the boards as well as in attacking the rim. But this could be the best of all the lineups.

4.) PG Jrue Holiday, SG Andre Iguodala, SF Jason Kapono, PF Elton Brand, C Tony Battie.

Pros and Cons: The good and the bad with this lineup is very similar to the previous. Kapono still spreads the floor, but Battie gives you veteran presence inside. He knows how to defend the pick-and-roll as a big man, he knows how to get hard rebounds, and he's a smart defender. It's unlikely he'll start, because Doug Collins needs to limit his minutes, but later in the season Battie could be an option if things fall apart inside.

5.) PG Jrue Holiday, SG Evan Turner, SF Andre Iguodala, PF Elton Brand, C Spencer Hawes.

Pros and Cons: Still no shooting with this lineup. Turner's addition would make this a very strong-rebounding lineup, but there would still be no halfcourt offensive execution because there is no shooter on the floor.

We'll be in Boston for tomorrow's NBA season opener between the Boston Celtics and the Heat.

--Kate