Posted: Monday, July 6, 2009, 3:42 PM | 15 comments |
 

Summer League Game 1
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It's halftime of the first game at the Orlando Pro Summer League. It's the Sixers/Nets vs. the Indiana Pacers. If you want to watch the live on-line stream of the games, click here: Summer League.

The Sixers/Nets team started: G Jrue Holiday, G-F Jason Ellis (Memphis), G-F Terrence Williams (Louisville), F Jason Ellis (Boise State), and F Marreese Speights.

Holiday spent most of the first half at the point guard spot, running the team. He looked a little rusty running point, throwing a couple of bad passes in transition and off pick and rolls, but he looked very quick and aggressive on defense. He also did a solid job getting the team into the offense. For much of the first half, he was guarded by Will Blalock from Indiana. Also, AJ Price spent a little time pressuring Holiday. Holiday took a couple of longer shots off the pick-and-roll. At the half, Holiday is 1 for 4 with 4 points, 1 assist and 3 turnovers.

Here are the final numbers for Holiday: 9 points (3 of 11 shooting), 2 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 5 turnovers.

Holiday is a very strong defender. He did make a bunch of mistakes at the end, but all of them seemed a combination of fatigue and rust (he hasn't played the point since high school).

Speights started on Roy Hibbert and looked much more aggressive and strong (and confident) on defense. He had a few tip ins (as he usually does) and a nice reverse finish, but also a took (and made a few) 18-footers. He was very aggressive on the offensive glass as he was this season for the Sixers. At the half, Speights has 20 points and 6 rebounds on 7 for 16 shooting.

Final numbers for Speights were 28 points (11 for 26 shooting), 11 rebounds.

Christmas didn't play much in the first half. Had one open look on the left wing that he missed. Christmas is 0 for 1.

Christmas finished 1 for 3 with 2 points in 16 minutes.

Check out the pictures, which give a sense of the Summer League's environment.

--Kate
Posted by Kate Fagan @ 3:42 PM  Permalink | 15 comments
15
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:15 PM, 07/06/2009
    yo Kate, Congrats on being elected to the Capital District Hall of Fame inaugural class!
    — albanykey
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:58 PM, 07/06/2009
    Holiday looked awful, I hope they don't plan on him being the starting point this year!!!!
    — Njtod10
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:12 PM, 07/06/2009
    Right- the first summer league game for a 19 year-old has a huge correlation with how his rookie season is going to go and what his career will be like. People, he's a kid, he's got a lot to learn, relax...hopefully this year is about beginning the process of rebuilding, not some lame effort to pretend to be championship worthy this season, only to get the 7th seed and exit in the first round (again)...
    — doctorj
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:13 PM, 07/06/2009
    Dude plays one scrimmage game and his career is already in question. Lame! I was excited to hear about the defensive game... or did some of you forget that it's part of the game as well?
    — dpell
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:13 PM, 07/06/2009
    It's not so much the negativity of certain posters (langx and Njtod10 for starters), but rather the IGNORNACE being shared by them. Old adage: 'tis better to be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt.
    — CarpGuy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:19 PM, 07/06/2009
    I suppose some posters forgot to read the multiple mentions of how good his defense was. Geez, not like the Sixers guards got crushed on defense last year...oh wait, they did.
    — JonKap
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:49 PM, 07/06/2009
    Doesn't it make you wonder why this guy dropped out of the lottery? The teams that worked him out passed on him and Stefanski (who didn't even work him out) drafts him. Holiday can't play in the NBA. He's a tweener just like Louis Williams and neither one of them can shoot. Does anyone watch the NBA? Your guards have to hit threes like Derek Fisher, Rafer Alston, Ray Allen, Chauncey Billups, etc. We have the worst shooting guards in the league and we just added another one. They missed the boat. Lawson, Collison, point guards. Holiday, last man on the bench.
    — Shenkman3
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:02 AM, 07/07/2009
    Holiday will be fine...76ers should sign Christmas (i really can see the guy contributing strong off the bench for them in about two years) I met Diote's parents and they speak very highly of him, especially about his work ethic.
    — SnowManDelivers
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:07 AM, 07/07/2009
    Shenkman3: as far as i know, holiday declined to work out for the sixers because he expected to go higher. for what it's worth, he didn't. however, he's here. the way i see it, he's high risk, high reward. the upside with him is great, but if he fails, he will fail fantastically. everyone remember: he's 19. a 19-year-old in any other sport would likely be in whatever would be considered the "minors," and gain some experience and seasoning. in the NBA, they're expected to contribute immediately. go figure.
    — jester
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:20 AM, 07/07/2009
    The kid is here, he's part of the sixers, he's 19 people, all of you folks jumping all over the guys stuff, I hope you don't have any kids, If you do, well, then I realy feel sorry for them!!!
    — DJ
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:39 AM, 07/07/2009
    Kate- that environment looks like summer leagues all over the country (minus the NBA prospects)- is it a high school gym? And congrats on getting into the Cap Dist Hall of Fame -- Speights is key to this team moving forward- you mentioned the tip ins ---and how he scored- did he hold his own defensively against Hibbert for the entire game?
    — buff1
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:56 AM, 07/07/2009
    Interesting, it seem like the coaches were real tough on spieghts for taking too many shots and for his defense. That's a great sign. Clearly the kid has offensive skills, but if he wants to be a legit player in this league he needs to have people getting on him about playing a complete game. People need to lighten up on Holiday. 4 steals and 2 blocks is great defensive production. It would be nice to have a lights out shooter, but a true defensive point guard would be a serious upgrade. even if you give up some offense, its better to try to lock teams down than try to outscore them. If he puts out that kind of production on defense in NBA games and plays within himself on offense, he'll be fine in the role that he's slated to play this year.
    — K,M


15 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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