Posted: Thursday, December 31, 2009, 6:50 PM | 4 comments |
 

Thank Goodness For Pete Carril
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I'm shocked.

Shocked, I tell you.

The 76ers need a point guard. Pete Carril, the Sacramento Kings assistant and former Princeton coach, says the 76ers could be a better team with a point guard. (And, no, it doesn't necessarily have to have been Andre Miller.)

The Sixers have tried to tell us that, in coach Eddie Jordan's version of the Princeton offense (even though we haven't seen a lot of it), a two-guard front makes up for the lack of a designated point guard. But in the Sixers' remarkable victories in Portland and Sacramento, it was clear that, most of the time, either Jrue Holiday or Lou Williams or Allen Iverson was at the point, directing things. Worked nicely, didn't it? Might be nice if someone had that as a fulltime job.

Which brings us to tonight's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Just a few quick thoughts:

Is it me, or is Iverson playing a style that we haven't seen before? He's getting his offensive opportunities, but he's distributing the ball, he's doing his best to keep Samuel Dalembert involved. (Premise: Get the big man a few touches at one end, he's more likely to bust his butt at the other end.) I don't think he's playing that way to insure that his contract will be guaranteed Jan. 10. He might not like his limited minutes, but he has to like the results.

Is it me, or does Iverson seem more comfortable with Elton Brand than he ever was with Chris Webber? It's early, but it seems as if Iverson-Brand can be successful. I remember Webber's debut in Philadelphia: As Iverson stepped on the court together for the first time, I heard Iverson say ''Come on, Chris, let's make history.'' For whatever reasons, they never did.

Is it me, or does Brand seem like an angry (in the best sense of the word) young man? He's making his first appearance with the Sixers against his former team in L.A. (he has faced them twice in the Wachovia Center), and it just seems as if he wants to prove he's far better than some team's sixth or seventh man. And if he has to be that tonight, it seems as if he wants to be the best one he can be..

In any case, happy new year and good hoops everyone.

 
Posted by Phil Jasner @ 6:50 PM  Permalink | 4 comments
4
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:52 PM, 12/31/2009
    I wonder if Ed Snider reads the newspaper. It's clear from the articles that the scribes consider Eddie Jordan to be a mediocre coach at best. It's clear from the content of the comments sections that accompany the articles that the fans consider Eddie Jordan to be a mediocre coach at best. As they say, millions of people can't be wrong. Thanks to Phil Jasner, Bob Cooney, and especially Kate Fagan for the excellent Sixers coverage this season. It can't be easy covering a team in such disarray. It's even harder to be a fan. Happy New Year!
    — BillyBoy70
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:48 AM, 01/01/2010
    Sixers are 7-23 when shooting under 55%(Thanks TNT). Yet, Stefanski insists there is a "defensive emphasis". When you suck unless you shoot the lights out, doesn't that equal no D?
    — rswknight
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:45 PM, 01/01/2010
    I don't care what STIFFanski says there defense stinks. Thats why there losing games. They score enough points to win. Last season they gave up 97.3 points per game while averaging 97.4. This season they still average 97.4 but they give up 101.68 ........ Its simple math.
    — BigVilFromWestPhil
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:59 AM, 01/02/2010
    Eddie Jordan is a dum as if he really believes you don't need a true point guard to run the Princston offense or any kind of offense. Sometimes coaches try to re invent the sport. I'm so sick and tired of coaches who think they can re invent the sport, which ever it is. Eddie Jordan was not successful in washington. The most success he had was in New Jersey. And who did he have at point when they were good? He had hall of fammer Jason Kidd their. This is basketball people. This isn't rocket science. You don't need a college degree to play the game of basketball. These coaches need to keep the game fundamentally simple and stop trying to re invent the game. The winning coaches in NBA history keep the game simple for the players they have on their roster. The Larry Browns and Phil Jacksons in the world win titles because they keep the game simple. Jackson may run the triangle offense but all it really is is just guys sharring the basketball from the inside out. Guys moving with out the basketball. Passing. That's all basketball really is. Simple fundamental playing. Eddie Jordan not needing a true point guard is a stupid statement. Something that is the norm with the sixers organization. STUPIDITY. Stop trying to re invent the game of basketball. This isn't rocket science here. Eddie Jordan is yet another bad coach in the sixers history of bad coaches. Any coach that doesn't understand the true importance of defense, than you are a bad coach. The sixers continue to make bad basketball decisions with coaches, players, etc. This princston offense is a fancy name that doesn't do sugar honey ice tea for anybody. Why can't the sixers make an intelligent decision for once in their misserable life. I know everything to the sixers organization is rocket science, but somebody down their has to have some form of intelligence when it comes to basketball. Somebody. Everybody can't be this STUPID down their. I don't know. Princston offense or not, this team STANKS
    — evensteven


4 comments
About Bob Cooney
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.

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