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Mostly positive reviews for Sixers' rookie Holiday in Orlando Summer League
Mostly positive reviews for Sixers' rookie Holiday in Orlando Summer League
"He should have been closer to the basket a lot more," Jordan said.
Close or far, apparently it won't matter to Speights. "It's something I've been working on the whole summer," Speights said of expanding his range. "Whenever I get it, I feel like I can shoot it, I'm going to shoot it."
That philosophy helped him in the Las Vegas Summer League last year, when he averaged 18.2 points and 10.2 rebounds. He then scored 7.7 points and pulled 3.7 rebounds in 79 games with the Sixers last season, but his learning curve was slow enough that he was virtually absent in their playoff series against the Magic.
Stefanski also delighted in Holiday's four steals and two clean blocked shots.
"He really likes to defend," Stefanski said.
He really likes to run the point, too. Can he?
"From this?" Stefanski asked. "I don't think you can make any decision on what he can do and what he can't do."
"I did have some bad turnovers," Holiday said. "It's my first game. I'm probably the youngest one out here [he was]. But again, everybody makes mistakes."
Not everybody has them as easily forgiven.
You talkin' to me?
All-American rookie Tyler Hansbrough, the 13th overall pick by Indiana, certainly brought his high-energy game from North Carolina to the NBA - or at least to its summer league.
Hansbrough did not start. However, his forearms, hips and elbows wreaked a measure of havoc in the second quarter, until consecutive fouls by Hansbrough on Speights earned him a seat next to coach Jim O'Brien, not to mention Speights' displeasure.
As Speights toed the free throw line, he yapped toward Hansbrough. Hansbrough was poised to defend his honor as he left the court, but starting center Roy Hibbert, coming off the bench to replace him, cut between Hansbrough and Speights. At the same time, an official spoke to Speights.
Nothing more came of it, though Hansbrough was demonstrably less wild as the game continued. He finished with a team-high 17 points on 6-for-13 shooting, with five rebounds . . . and five hard fouls.
"We were just being physical," Speights said afterward, smiling. "He's tough. I like how he plays out there. I was just talking trash to him, because he's just getting into the league."
"I don't really care," Hansbrough said. "There's nothing wrong. People are going to talk smack because I'm a rookie or whatever. There were no heated tempers or anything like that."
Right.
Six shots
