Posted: Thursday, December 23, 2010, 12:09 AM | 34 comments |
 

The logic of only one go-to guy
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This is an entirely different post than the one necessary after last night's 45-point disaster at the Chicago Bulls. Last night, you couldn't really even say much because the 51-point deficit said a whole lot, more than anything anyone could add. But tonight, there's one thing in particular we'll attempt to tackle after the 76ers' 84-80 loss to the Boston Celtics, a game in which they led 74-70 with 4 minutes, 49 seconds remaining. By no means are we pointing this out as some kind of massive lead the Sixers allowed to evaporate, but rather as an indication that the Sixers were very much in position to win this game.

They just didn't. And, as is usual against good teams, the problem came when the possessions became more and more important in the game's final minutes. Really, the final three possessions. Now, since it was crunch time on deadline as well as crunch time in the game, and because Boston's play-by-play omits missed shots, we're going to draw the sequences from memory. It seems the only successful possession came with 1:19 left in the game when Iguodala hit Elton Brand for a little mid-range jumper that cut the Celtics' lead to 82-80. Those were the Sixers' final points of the game. What followed was a botched possession with about 50 seconds left, a turnover I believe, and then the final offensive possession that was designed around Andre Iguodala. Jrue Holiday dribbled the ball at the top of the key and waited for Iguodala to get decent position around the right elbow. Holiday got Iguodala the ball, led him towards the hoop, and Iguodala missed some sort of attempt at the rim. It's listed as a block by Kevin Garnett. Iguodala seemed to think he was fouled. After the game, Iguodala wouldn't really dive into the no-call, saying it was pointless to worry about whether or not he was fouled because the game was over. A few seconds later, Ray Allen was fouled and made two free throws for the final margin.

So, onto the one particular item we wanted to discuss: this repeated final possession scenario. We'll try to wrap some logic around what's happening with the Sixers. Or rather, use some logic to call into question the repeated calls at the end of games.

OK, here goes.

Most Sixers' fans would agree that more times than not, the Sixers go to Iguodala at the end of games. There are exceptions, but it's safe to say that about 8 times out of 10 the ball goes to Iguodala if there's a set play drawn up in the preceding timeout. It just doesn't make sense. Consider this: After tonight's game, Collins was talking about how his team just doesn't have that type of guy that can give you 25 points every night. We've heard that before. We all agree with that. Collins said this team is best when it gets seven guys scoring in double figures. Maybe seven guys is a stretch, but the point is taken: The Sixers are best when spreading the ball around and everyone is involved and contributing.

Then why, at the end of games, is it always given to the same player? 

If this team doesn't have a guy capable of scoring 25 points a night, then it also doesn't have a guy that deserves the ball every time in end-of-game possessions. Iguodala should certainly get the ball sometimes in these situations. Against the Chicago Bulls, he was in a rhythm. If that game hadn't be a disaster, it would have made sense to give Iguodala the ball in an important possession. But there's this sense that Iguodala should get the ball by default, and it continually haunts this team at the end of games. It defies logic, really, and it's reached a point where it should frustrate fans of this team. (Or rather it's well past that point?)

This topic was somewhat broached after tonight's game. First, Collins said that sometimes what happens is that Iguodala gets put in a bad position at the end of a possession or at the end of a shot clock because of a breakdown somewhere else. And that's certainly the case on some occasions. And Iguodala himself said that teams' defensive schemes are built to keep him out of the paint. And that's also true. He's doing the best he can with what he's being given, absolutely. The more important question is why keep going back to a guy -- we're talking dozens and dozens of times -- who is being forced into a low-percentage shot and you can gather from watching the previous 47 minutes of the game that he's probably going to be forced into that shot?

It feels like the Sixers are actually sacrificing games in the name of proving that Iguodala deserves the ball on the final possession.

Did I just write 800 words on this topic? I really should get a life. 

For anyone stuck at work tomorrow, we'll be having a Live Chat at 1 p.m. Also, the entirety of Iguodala's post-game availability should be embedded in the post below.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

--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.

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Posted by Kate Fagan @ 12:09 AM  Permalink | 34 comments
34
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  • 2 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:42 AM, 12/23/2010
    Kate: bravo! Welcome to the club; many of us have echoed this point for years. One could argue that teams do not need to go to one player at the end of games, except an unstoppable superstar, but run a play for any one of several players, particularly if those guys are shooting well when they get the ball in the right position. Jimmy Lynam, making excuses for Iguodala, blamed Young and Battie at the end for crashing the boards on Iguodala's futile drive and thus not leaving enough spacing and allowing their defenders to close on Iguodala, without leaving themselves open for a pass, although whether he would have passed them the ball had they spaced properly is questionable. Of course, as many of us have also seen, had Iguodala been fouled on that last play, he would have missed the foul shots. Brand, of course, had fouled out, although on a number of occasions before then, they should have run plays for him, as he was hitting that 12-footer from the left angle. In those last minutes, Iguodala had missed a wild jumper, lost the ball in the lane when he slipped, and missed the last shot. Earlier, he missed a wild three while Brand was screaming for the ball at the top of the key. Was anyone else open at all? Are all the Sixer's players afraid to take that last shot or shots? I have argued that a major problem for Collins is the lack of a veteran point guard, an Andre Miller, who can either score himself late in games (as he did a number of times when with the Sixers) or get the ball to a player in a position to score. The Sixers seem to devalue the importance of a quality passing (as well as scoring) point guard. Isolation plays at the end of games are infuriating, often taking a team out of its natural offensive flow and sets. Nonetheless, the Sixers need onr or more go-to guys they can trust and a point guard able to either score or facilitate.
    — chuckw
  • 1 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:13 AM, 12/23/2010
    Hi Kate, Someday you'll get a life. Meanwhile, know that a lot of us really enjoy the insight you provide. Thanks!
    — talknpraktis
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:09 AM, 12/23/2010
    Once again, Kate The Gawd writes another amazing article. I agree with every single thing you said. Iggy should be looking to force more contact when he drives to the paint, especially when he seems to get there with ease. Shooting jump shots is clearly not his bright spot, but the real thing that kills me is, HE KEEPS TAKING THEM! It kills me because he has the ability to be a great all around player, but he never commits himself to being better than he already is. It's just the saddest thing, as a die-hard Sixers fan, to witness.
    — Trend Settaz
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:34 AM, 12/23/2010
    You just knew that Boston was going to pull this out. It started with the Paul Pierce steal that led to a vicious dunk. It isn't easy playing at TD Garden and you could just feel the Sixers tighten up. They made some baskets when I thought they wouldn't, but it was the typical bumbled play after another in the final stretch. This has been a patter we have seen going back since Andre Miller was here. We would always say why not have the ball in Miller's hands down the stretch, but for some reason it was always in Iguodala's. For this team, Jrue Holliday showed some poise last night knocking down a key shot with a little over 2 minutes to go. Why not let Jrue create in these situations. Brand was having a huge game and I honestly feel if he had been in the game on that last possession that he might have ended up with an open look, but not to be.
    — Mattb
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:32 AM, 12/23/2010
    I think the Sixers and Doug Collins have taken the excessive (more than 10) bricking clankers away from Iggy for the most part, but I also think they've been trying to appease him with the 'best player' praise and torturous end-of-game calls for him. A trade has to be in the big plan....and I believe in Santa too :)
    — scmona
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:41 AM, 12/23/2010
    IGGY MUST GO!!!!!! all that money he get and cant put the team on his back when it counts!
    — bdouble
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:53 AM, 12/23/2010
    Great post....it looks like the Sixers offense is not moving the ball enough in general and is getting caught taking tough shots and guys trying to break down a defender one on one way too often. Maybe a result of opposing teams knowing more what the Sixers are trying to do in half court? But the ball has got to move more I think, if it isn't happening in the course of the game, it isn't going to happen in the final minute. Also, our players could have been distracted by Heinsohn's constant whining...
    — srvdove
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:59 AM, 12/23/2010
    A comment on Iggy, it does seem that he often has a first step where I think he can take another hard dribble and get his shoulder ahead of his defender, but he doesn't take it for some reason...is it just me? Also, could lack of open shots and ball movement be from not getting Brand established on the post (high elbow area) early in the game?
    — srvdove
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:15 AM, 12/23/2010
    Everything Ms. Fagan wrote above is true, and the way she goes right after a coaching error by a well respected Collins, and does it without animas, is remarkable. But I think 'scmona' is on to something. TooManyDala is good at slashing into open space. He can not create open space on his own. This is the main reason why he takes so many ugly jumpers: if his defender sets down and waits for TooManyDala to move, TooMany will feel his limitations and take the jumper. Collins is no fool. He must know this. So there is something else political, something other than pure basketball tactics, that is effecting the decision to repeatedly go to TooManyDala late in games. Don't know how you find this out, but finding it out would be quite the coup.
    — Nuutron
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:55 AM, 12/23/2010
    All these years of being substandard and we still haven't drafted, traded for or signed a ready for prime time player. We havent had a real player since AI who we picked up in 1996 that's 14 years of since we had a superstar on the sixers, prior to AI we had Barkley and it took 12 years to get Iverson. This team is well over due to landing a player or players that can down right dominate.
    — rayzoe
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:14 AM, 12/23/2010
    Another DNPCD for Turner. Things are not looking too good for the #2 pick. Some players have 'it' and some don't. ET's looking like he's in the don't have 'it' category.
    — OldCoach
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:01 AM, 12/23/2010
    At some point the coach must bear the responsibility for these late game meltdowns. To continually put the ball into Iggy's hands in the waning minutes shows either a misunderstanding of your team's capabilities or a lack of creative thinking. This is the same coach who couldn't figure out how to get the Jordan led Bulls to reach their potential. Nice guy but only an average coach.
    — OldCoach
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:15 AM, 12/23/2010
    Kate, I've been following the Sixers for over 30 years. You are the best Philadelphia sportswriter ever. If you ever have any doubt, remember your older colleagues were demanding the Eagles draft Ricky Williams.
    — dervin
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:29 AM, 12/23/2010
    Enough with the I love you Kate stuff everyday it's the same thing I think she get's the message by now. She is doing her job that's what she gets paid to do. If you want a date contact here on facebook!
    — rayzoe
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:15 PM, 12/23/2010
    U jelly?
    — Trend Settaz


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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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