Link Me Baby One More Time
by tsteidel on Mar 16, 2010 11:44 AM PDT
11 comments
Is there any better way to start the day with a Britney Spears reference? If there is, I've never experienced it. Fresh back from a job (or is it pronounced yob - like a soft j?) interview and I'm ready to be stronger than yesterday. The game yesterday was less entertaining than Drive Me Crazy starring Vincent Chase Adrian Grenier except if you solely concentrated on Jay-Rue (or wanted the dance team poster - ladies, I'm a slave for you). No run-on sentences for you guys from me, don't want to cause any nose bleeds or head trauma. I'll lead that task up to Mikey B and the Funky Bunch because that's my prerogative. I'm just rambling on now and I have no idea why. I must have been exposed to something toxic but I'll hit you up with some links anyway because I was born to make you happy. Womanizer.
Phil Jasner Wants New Blood As Head Coach, No Retreads
Mike Budenholzer is Gregg Popovich's top assistant in San Antonio and was a finalist for the Phoenix job a couple of years ago. I know a lot of people view NBA TV analyst Eric Snow as arrogant and as a guy who has never lost a debate, but he was also a terrific intermediary between the incredibly strong personalities of Larry Brown and Allen Iverson, and was the only player who had any level of control of Iverson. At least hear him out.
People in Portland rave about Monty Williams and onetime Temple assistant Dean Demopoulos. See what Mark Jackson, the TV analyst, has to say.
Lou Diagnosed with Lower Back Spasms
According to Sixers officials, Williams' back problem had been lingering and was exacerbated yesterday afternoon.
*Same Article* According to Eddie, Jodie Meeks Does Not Have a Good Shot at Playing Again
"It's going to be hard for him to get a real comfort level and we're trying to win a game," Jordan said. "When we're up 30, he'll play a lot more."
Elton Brand Not Confident that Sixers Have an Identity
"When you play a team that shoots a lot of three-pointers, you kind of fall into that trap," Brand said. "I think we did a little bit too much of that in the third quarter and they caught up really fast because that's their style of play. We have to figure out what ours is."
*Same Article* Thaddeus Young's Thumb Hurts
Forward Thaddeus Young cracked the nail on his right thumb in the first quarter, but returned and started the second half. He reopened the wound early in the third quarter, leaving a trail of blood which caused about a 5-minute delay.
Rodney Carney Has No Faith in Tanking, Kelly Dwyer Does (yes, I know Mikey B posted it yesterday but it's a valuable link)
Everyone tanks, and there's nothing wrong with that. This league is designed around the idea that teams have to develop at their own rate and only truly get great once much of one team's core hits their prime at the same time.
Silly Sir Charles Barkley Pictures
Some of the photos in the collection were in a post a long, long, long while back but this album has a few more, including one that looks like Charles inspecting an official for lice.
Completely Un-Sixer-Related News of the Day, Part I: Chris Paul, Filmmaker
I guess being injured gives you a lot of free time.
If you don't like NBA Jam, there's something wrong with you! I'll take the Orlando Magic tandem of Penny Hardaway, Nick Anderson, and Horace Grant.
11 comments | 0 recs |
That's Tanktastic!
by TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsMichaelBourn on Mar 15, 2010 7:38 PM PDT
25 comments
My new favorite team, the Gneu York Knickerbockers, took care of bidness on the road against our Philadelphia 76ers, who are reportedly not tanking. Despite an 11 point halftime Sixer lead, the home team's sub-30% second half shooting brought the Ca-Knicks back in the game before the final fourth quarter surge that pushed NY over the top. The Sixers now sit tied with Detroit for the 7th seed (they're down 30, I'll give the Celtics the dubya), a full game worse than the Knicks, who they'll face again on Friday. As of this writing, the Wizards are struggling to stay with the Jazz midway through the game. If the Wiz win (not to be confused with wiz wit, which is how I like my cheese steaks), we'll be smashed into a 3 way tie for the 6 spot, the magical spot according to Human Target lookalike Derek Bodner. Dream big.
Let's go to the game action shall we? We shall. The entire Sixers season was generously, metaphorically, and metaphysically jammed into one single play down 9 with the game basically out of reach with under two minutes to play. Andre Iguodala (who?) had the ball on the far side foul line extended with about 15 seconds left in the shot clock. Thaddeus Young was on foul line extended on the near side, and Jrue Holiday stood in the near corner. As 'Dre jab stepped baseline and power dribbled to the middle of the lane, Jrue and Deus made cuts to the same exact place. The two guys off the ball bumped into each other and the guys guarding them, while Iguodala pulled up just shy of the awkward bumpage and took what looked like a two handed floater (isn't that a jumpshot? whatev, cbssportsline) that made the ugliest sound off the back rim/backboard I've ever heard. It was uncoordinated, disgusting basketball emphasizing this team's poor communication and guess-and-check offense without any direction or purpose. And it made me laugh because I'm just too tankalicious for you baby.
The Knicks are the worst rebounding team I've ever seen. Or at least tonight they were, I won't claim to have watched them a ton this season, because frankly, snarkysnarkysnarkysnark <-- I'm assuming there's something funny I could say there. Philly missed 53 shots from the field and 9 from the line, picking up 21 offensive rebounds in the process. I will award us no credit for that, and place all of the blame on the softest frontline in the league named David Lee, Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington. It hurts just to type those names together. Offensively? Sure. They're plenty talented. I think Harrington could be a top 25 player in the league if he improved his shot selection and defense. But he's been in the league for 12 years and been on 4 teams (and a second stint with Indy) so I'm gonna go ahead and say itsnotgon'happen. Anyway.
Once again, our vaunted three-point defense held the Knicks to JUST 44% from three, which is better than we could do, so I guess we should commend them for that. Wide-open looks were a result of lazy double teams and random rotations. I can't tell you how many times I've seen Samuel Dalembert run out on an open three from about 15 feet away with a worthless hand in the air. Actually I can ballpark it -- a bunch. But again, I was rooting for them to be open and go in so I'm cool as a fool in a swimming pool.
Final thoughts in a horrendous run-on sentence! Willie Green scored well and did everything else horribly, good thing basketball is only about scoring NOT and Jodie Meeks apparently maxed out his minutes last night and will be paying overage (that's spelled like the opposite of underage but i meant it pronounced over-ige -- clear? Crystal) charges for at least the next bill or two I think Toney Douglas can play and always have because he and Isaiah Swann were cashmoney at Florida State but Jrue played lockdown D on him for a good part of the game speaking of Jrue he looks so much better than he did earlier on this season that it's foolish to call him a rookie anymore and I expect we'll be seeing 18-8-6 from him for years to come and Dalembert looked pretty solid on the boards but again it doesn't make any sense to cyberstroke him when he's outrebounding Alice from the Brady Bunch and Iguodala really really really couldn't find hay in a stack of hay (that's obviously a metaphor for his 5-22 shooting night but that was for our metaphor-deficient readers out there HEY GUYS!) although Jason Kapono's shot looked great when it went in he is still without doubt the worst pirate I've ever heard of But you have heard of me all-around basketball player I've ever seen oh and hey if you predicted Kapono would snag more defensive rebounds than Elton Brand tonight than you sir are a sorcerer and I applaud you PERIOD
Reference roundup:
1. Silent G's
2. Hockey
3. Cheese Steaks
4. Elementary Mathematics
5. Destiny's Child
6. Sarcasm
7. Seinfeld
8. South Park
9. Borat
10. AT&T
11. A Few Good Men
12. Obscure College Basketball Players Only I Remember
13. Pirates of the Caribbean (HT mopey)
14. Family Guy
Find 'em all! God that's awful, eclectic writing that has very little to do with the Sixers. Here's hoping this doesn't ruin our bloglationship! For Jordan's sake, at least read what he writes. He tries so very hard.
UPDATE (seconds later): From commenter yosoysean, here is your new 2010 Sixers theme song, to the tune of the Jeffersons.
We’re moving on down
It’s a free fall
We have one of the worst records in basketball
We’re moving on down
It’s a free fall
For a slightly better chance at John Wall
Does it get any better than that?
25 comments | 0 recs |
Knicks @ Sixers game thread
by jsams on Mar 15, 2010 3:29 PM PDT
100 comments
Mike Bourn is running late. He's just now leaving Tyrone Hill's house. They were recording a song for their new album, 'Rone and Me - in stores April 20, 2010. Or he's just stuck in NYC traffic; I can't remember.
Anyway, this is one of the most important games of the season for the Sixers - a rare must lose. Losing is the only chance the Sixers have at WTF (Wall, Turner, Favors). The good news is, the Knicks aren't tanking because their pick is owned by the Jazz. But according to Rodney Carney, the Sixers aren't tanking either. Wink, wink. I think you fooled 'em RC.
I predict the Sixers win this one and shatter my dreams in the process, but a little back-and-forth via Twitter with my boy, bandwagonknick gave me a glimmer of hope. He reminded me that the reason the Knicks won their last match-up with the Sixers was because they went to a "college-zone" and forced the Sixers to shoot from the outside. I don't see why that wouldn't work again, and since D'Antoni seems to know what he's doing, I expect he'll do just that.
Plus, Bill Walker owns.
Update: No Lou Williams (back spasms) or M16 tonight (knee).
Go Sixers!
100 comments | 0 recs
Franchise altering week
by Derek Bodner on Mar 15, 2010 7:22 AM PDT
12 comments
Every now and then a franchise faces a point in time that could drastically alter its fortunes going forward. A point in time when two or three games could be the difference between turning the franchise into contenders rather than extending the window of mediocrity another five years. The Sixers are sitting at such a crossroad.
The last time the Sixers were in such a position was during the 2006-2007 season. After a dreadful start which led to jettisoning disgruntled and disgraced superstar Allen Iverson, the Sixers were 5-19 through 24 games. Trading for veterans Andre Miller and Joe Smith led to a late season surge that left the Sixers with a 35-47 record and the 12th pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. In the end, netting Thaddeus Young wasn't awful, but it wasn't the franchise altering addition Kevin Durant or Greg Oden -- if healthy -- would have been. The Sixers were close, perhaps closer than they realized, only three games back in the standings from Portland (#1 pick) and 4 games behind Seattle (the #2 pick) in a bunched up final standings.
Those late-season wins were hollow, the impact they would have on the Sixers young core overstated. In the end, talent wins, and a lack of talent will doom a team to mediocrity, experience be damned. It's true that the Sixers have no shot of catching New Jersey, Minnesota, or Golden State, the three worst teams in the league, but they are within two games of the 4th worst record in the league. Besides the fact that picking 6th provides significantly more opportunity than selecting 10th, history has repeatedly shown that in order to truly be involved in the lottery 6th is about as far down as you can fall. In my opinion, this team needs an Evan Turner or Derrick Favors -- or, obviously, John Wall -- to turn around their future. Cole Aldrich could be a nice roleplayer, but he doesn't turn the Sixers into contender status, either next year or in five. This week will define the Sixers chances.
12 comments | 0 recs |
Sixers Lottery Standings 3.14
by jsams on Mar 14, 2010 11:11 PM PDT
13 comments
Lottery
Team
Record
GB
10
Clippers
25-42
3.5
9
Knicks
23-43
2
8
Pistons
23-43
2
7
Sixers
23-43
2
6
Kings
23-44
1.5
5
Wizards
21-43
1
4
Pacers
21-45
--
This week's games:
Clippers: Hornets, Bucks, Kings
Predicted record: 1-2
Knicks: @Sixers, @Celtics, Sixers, Rockets
Predicted record: 2-2
Pistons: @Celtics, Cavs, @Pacers, @Cavs
Predicted record: 0-4
Sixers: Knicks, Nets, @Knicks, Bulls
Kings: Lakers, Bucks, @Clippers
Predicted record: 1-2
Wizards: @Jazz, @Nuggets, @Blazers, @Lakers
Guaranteed record: 0-4
Pacers: Bobcats, @Cavs, Pistons, Thunder
Predicted record: 1-3
-------------------------
This is a franchise-altering week for the Sixers. Either they solidify the 10th spot in the draft lottery, or keep hope alive for Wall, Turner or Favors (WTF). They have 16 games left in this dismal season. Of those 16 games, 5 are against sub-.500 teams. And all four come this week!
This is it folks. 0-4, I'll be jumping for joy. 1-3, I'll be satisfied. 2-2, I'll have delusional hope. 3-1, I'll stop caring about lottery. 4-0, I'll ... I don't even want to go there.
I'm pumped.
13 comments | 0 recs |
D-Wade is Good, Sixers are Not
by tsteidel on Mar 14, 2010 7:35 PM PDT
8 comments
Going into the game we know what is wrong with this team, what we have to look forward to in the future, and that we need to lose as many games as possible to get more ping-pong balls (no we are not playing beer pong). As entertaining as the game was on Friday, this one was just as much a dud. The Heat had control of the game from the get go and controlled it throughout. The closest the Sixers got to being competitive was at the end of the 3rd quarter when Andre nailed a fadeaway before the buzzer to cut the deficit to five. The Sixers turned right back into the Sixers making only one field goal in the first four and half minutes of the fourth. The Heat took advantage and posted a 14-3 run in that time without Wade on the floor.
Some Notes from the Game:
- Jrue Holiday started the game on Q Richardson - he was going under screens nonchalantly and giving Q open threes - soon switched to D-Wade (tough to evaluate his defense on Wade because nobody can really stop him) - gave way to much room to Carlos Arroyo in the second half which allowed him to get pull of jumpers without contest - the boy is straight cash homie from long range hitting all four of his attempts - seemed to lag off the ball concentrating more on who has the ball than staying with his man
- More on Jrue (can you tell who I paid most attention to during this game?) - the court vision was there and it was spectacular; especially on a first half fast break where he found Andre on a half court bounce pass that lead to an Iguodala slam - when Heat went to a zone, he split the defenders on a gorgeous find to Thad in the middle for a floater - got into the lane extensively, many times looking to pass rather than draw a foul or pull up - one instant he drove and drew the double-team immediately finding Sammy for an oop
- Thaddeus Young had a nasty box-out on Udonis Haslem, I thought I would never see the day (maybe he does have the ability) - couldn't grasp the concept of getting a hand up on perimeter shooters allowing clean looks for the Heat - struggled on pick and roll situations when he was at the 4; of note, Haslem set a screen for Mario Chalmers and instead of showing on Chalmers, he ole'd and allowed Mario to easily get to the bucket - still has some sweet shoes (no black but still sweet)
- Jodie Meeks played 9 minutes and air-balled his only shot attempt
- The Heat went to a zone midway through the first half and were content with Sixers jacking up threes - Sixers did a pretty nice job with this hitting 11 of 24 but gave up on the inside game - early on Elton Brand got the ball down low on the first 4 possessions (two fg's and drew a foul)
- Jason Kapono started the second half over Lou Williams - my only guess as to why is in an attempt to break the zone with an outside threat? your guess is as good as mine - he took the second most shots (one behind Iguodala) and hit his first threes of 2010 - to quote the great @derekbodner "Jason Kapono's hustle stats: 1 rebound, no assists, no steals, no blocks" - when the big story out of the game is that Kapono got 25 minutes and took 14 shots, chances are you lost
- Andre Iguodala had pretty solid numbers getting 15 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists but on 15 shots and 5 points from the line; not exactly efficient scoring - kept settling for pull-up jumpers rather than taking it to the basket and getting fouled (when he did drive, he got fouled or finished the majority of the time)
- Dwyane Wade is extremely good - if somebody ever tells you NBA players don't try, show them a tape of D-Wade - he abused everyone who attempted to guard him, ran the break to a T, was aggressive on defense generating 5 steals, got through double teams easier than the Situation on a Saturday night (hey-oooo!!!), and was unstoppable in the P&R
- Sam Dalembert's biggest contribution was getting elbowed above the neck (never showed it but host of SportsNite said that's what occurred) leading to Jeramaine O'Neal's ejection.
- Jordan's boy Joel Anthony started
- Marreese Speights' dress attire was subpar
- Billy-Bob Green got 0 minutes tonight. Maybe Eddie read Kate Fagan's latest column?
8 comments | 0 recs |
The Artist's Picks
by TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsMichaelBourn on Mar 14, 2010 2:24 PM PDT
in Previews
20 comments
We're all friends here so I figured you could stand a bit more college basketball talk minutes before Selection Sunday officially gets underway. Whatcha think?
20 comments | 0 recs
Sixers @ Heat - Selection Sunday? More Like Selection FUNDAY!
by TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsMichaelBourn on Mar 14, 2010 1:00 PM PDT
123 comments
Though I'm writing this the day before, it is not hampering my rectum-tightening excitement for this game Selection Sunday. Joy, heartbreak, excitement, pain.... it's like seeing the opera performed by Greg Gumbel. For free! I plan on filling out my own bracket before the Selection Committee comes out with theirs, so we'll see how I do compared to ol' Joe. I recommend @DerekBodner does the same so we can compare penis size after the fact. Also, join our Liberty Ballers March Madness Pool For Pride (LBMMPFP) at CBS Sportsline.
What'd you say? Oh this is a Sixers blog? I had no idea.
Sixers/Heat. I predict a huge loss in light of how well (well?) they played against the Cavs. Still impressed by 'Dre and hope he brings it again tonight, but I think the letdown of losing to LeBron despite Cleveland's lack of effort will result in another ping pong ball. By the time you see this (I'm going all visionary here, don't piss yourself douchebags Lost fans <-- sbnation better not "expletive" that, I was referencing the cleansing device), the Wizards, Pistons, and Knicks will have beaten the Magic, Hawks, and Mavs (respectively). And tonight (tomorrow for me) Indiana is at Milwaukee and Sacramento hosts Minnesota!!! That's like money in the bank (Tanner whatchu drank?).
(NEXT DAY UPDATE: Some of these things happened. Oh and Tanner's got the recap tonight, treat him nice and click on his linkies)
Eh-knee-way, go Heat, go college basketball, and go Jay Bilas's comments about everybody's tremendous wingspan.
Out.
123 comments | 0 recs
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Atlantic Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boston
|
42 | 24 | .636 | 0 | Won 1 |
|
Toronto
|
32 | 33 | .492 | 9.5 | Lost 5 |
|
New York
|
24 | 43 | .358 | 18.5 | Won 2 |
|
Philadelphia
|
23 | 44 | .343 | 19.5 | Lost 2 |
|
New Jersey
|
7 | 59 | .106 | 35 | Lost 4 |
(updated 3.16.2010 at 1:06 PM PDT)
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