Sixers defeat Knicks 93-85
by Jordan Sams on Oct 13, 2009 7:03 PM PDT
25 comments
--Thaddeus Young has an uncanny ability to release after a miss and score easy buckets. It truly is an underrated skill. Besides committing six fouls, Thad had a great game. He was scoring in a ton of different ways: fast breaks, put-backs, jumpers, etc.
--Sam Dalembert's first quarter consisted of two goal-tends, a travel, a badly missed jumper, an awful outlet, a jump shot blocked by Darko, a defensive 3 seconds, and approximately 14 dumbfounded looks. I know I predicted that he'd have the best year of his career, but I'm having second thoughts. He steadily gets worse every season. It's unfortunate that no one will step up and take his job.
--New coach, new system, same poor perimeter defense. The Knicks shot 41 threes tonight and a lot were uncontested. --Elton Brand still doesn't have his explosiveness. He missed an easy layup after a beautiful feed from Andre Iguodala, one that, if it were 2006 he would've dunked on Darko's skull. He was also swatted by Al "not known for my defense" Harrington. However; despite the lack of explosiveness, he still found ways to score. The jumper was smooth. He's adequate and will still help tremendously -- just don't expect 20-10. --Jason Kapono can shoot the lights out. He needs to realize this and be a little less hesitant. --Lou Williams played an excellent point guard tonight, and even though he shot 3-12 from the floor, I was thoroughly impressed. Here's why: Lou Williams played 28 minutes tonight. During that time he, himself, only turned the ball over one time, and the team turned the ball over 9 times. During the 20 minutes Lou was not playing, the team turned the ball over 19 times. When Lou was on the floor the offense looked much crisper, much cleaner, and much more efficient. Is this a testament to Lou being that good or a backcourt of Green/Ivey being that bad? Lou also rebounded well and got to the line 10 times. He's turning me into a believer. --I'm not 100 percent sure why Andre Iguodala is turning the ball over so much this pre-season, but it could because he's throwing lobs to Primoz Brezec! I'm still not concerned. In other news, his jump shot looked solid. --The entire bench was sloppy and painful to watch. --Number of the night: 0, for the number of minutes Jrue Holiday played. Brandon Bowman, Dionte Christmas and Royal Ivey combined for 21 minutes. Jrue played zero! ZERO! There is no explanation for this unless he was injured. After what I've seen this pre-season, there's no reason Royal Ivey should receive more playing time than Jrue Holiday -- ever. I don't care how old he is, or how much Eddie Jordan dislikes rookies. --Overall, the Sixers did some good things, and some bad things tonight. You'll take a win any time you can, and the great play of Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young heavily out-weigh the bad in my opinion. Sixers remain undefeated!!!
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About Lou and the lack of turnovers...
I think with Iguodala and Lou on the floor, Lou is more of a competent scorer than say…Ivey/Green. Both Ivey and Green are incapable playmakers as well. To any sixers fan, this is obvious.
Why this isn`t obvious to the coach is beyond any reasoning. I`m not really sure what he`s thinking. I`m not really sure how much he needs to see a pair of backcourt players suck together before making adjustments, but I sure hope it happens before the season starts.
I don`t mind seeing Ivey come in for crucial defensive situations. I don`t mind Green coming in during a stagnant offense when they are down 15 points, either. But some players just shouldn`t be paired together.
I am hoping that having such a bad 2nd team tonight the coach will realize how bad Bill Green and others are when they are in. Hopefully they will start moving out some of our painful to watch players, opps, I mean, team members.
I also voted that Sam will have a great year. I am really confused about all this positive talk about him by the coach! I am starting to worry that Eddy Jordan needs to get glasses!
I am not really worried about Iguodala’s TOs right now. He has this interesting concept that he discussed with CSNPhilly.com. Makes sense to me, almost like a real-time film session.
“Iguodala is trying to get all his turnovers out in the preseason – he wants to get them out of the way. But he said he is creating some of them on purpose.
"Half of them, I am throwing a pass where they are not even open. I think I learned that from Jason Kidd. One game, he threw a pass right to me and I caught it and said, ‘Who were you trying to throw it to?’ He said, ‘I am just letting a guy know where to be next time and he’s going to be open."
Brian from Depressed Fan was at the game and had this report
http://www.depressedfan.com/basketball/sixers/sixers-move-to-4-0.php
Additionally – that strong 3rd quarter? According to Kate Fagan – they gave up on the PO in the third.
So – to eddie jordan – learning the system isn’t as important as the win in the pre season – i’m glad he’s so dedicated to that.
I still have heard no explanation why Holliday did not play last night.
I also voted that Sam will have a great year. I am really confused about all this positive talk about him by the coach! I am starting to worry that Eddy Jordan needs to get glasses!
Don’t say I didn’t warn you…they are just trying to make sam feel better about himself – he still sucks
Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned
by jemagee on Oct 14, 2009 7:01 AM PDT reply actions
That's weird.
The gave up the PO after the first quarter? Well they had 3 turnovers in the first, and 25 in the last three — if that means anything.
The third quarter I thought?
BTW – the worst part of brians recap was the stuff about Speights.
I hate when the ‘rumors’ are right.
Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned
by jemagee on Oct 14, 2009 7:08 AM PDT up reply actions
First quarter….
I talked to someone at the SL who worked with Speights pre-draft and he said, “Dude has all the tools, but is as dumb as a brick.” So not only is he lazy, but not smart. You know who else has all the tools, but is lazy and dumb? JaMarcus Russell.
by Jordan Sams on Oct 14, 2009 10:29 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Dumb as a brick is pretty easy to distinguish during the draft process…if he really is dumb as a brick – i’m not concerned that maybe dileo is more lucky than good
Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned
by jemagee on Oct 14, 2009 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions
If he’s not smart than I highly doubt he’ll ever play a significant role on a championship team, especially one trying to run the Princeton Offense. He either A) needs someone to light a fire B) a really good coach or C) both.
by Jordan Sams on Oct 14, 2009 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions
If he ain’t smart A & B won’t help – work ethic can be fixed – dumb is dumb
Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned
by jemagee on Oct 14, 2009 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions
jefu is dead-right.
Green and Ivey are marginal players, having one of them on the floor is fine, having both of them on the floor is asking for trouble.
Very disappointed that we’re not seeing more Jrue, particularly considering how poorly Ivey and Green were. Ok, maybe he isn’t ready for the NBA yet, but give the kid a chance to learn!
Also, I’m a bit concerned about how ineffective Smith and Brezec were even in around 8 minutes they were 9 in +/. If Speights is the only spare big man we have off the bench we have a problem.
Not completely worried about their inability to work the PO just yet. This was a .500 team without Brand and now you’re adding a 20-10 guy to the roster. Getting rid of Miller was addition by subtraction. He can play, but he isn’t fast and he isn’t a great passer. Lou can get the ball up the floor much faster and is just as good if not better at breaking down his man and drawing fouls. Even without the structure of the PO, this team should still be able to score against a set defense.
Liked the comment from Iguodala. If he is throwing the ball to where the player ought to be in the PO, that’s fine. Not being able to watch them play- thanks COMCAST you cheap bastards!-it’s hard to know what’s going on.
Considering they abandonded the PO after one quarter, I am now concerned.
And Andre Miller was a really good passer.
by Jordan Sams on Oct 14, 2009 10:31 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
After thinking about it, I am not concerned just yet. Jordan talked about installing some basic NBA sets as a security blanket anyway. Maybe, he figured with this would be a good time to work on them in live game situations.
Besides, both the Bulls and Lakers would break away from running the triangle from time to time. The Triangle(& the PO) are equal-opportunity offenses and those teams would break away from it to actually create more opportunities for their primary options in their hot zones, without needing to rely on reads or flows or movement.
Again, Rome was not built in a day. Color me not worried
by MojoPharoah on Oct 14, 2009 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions
I’d reply to this but Brian already had a nice reply to it when you posted it on his blog :)
You gotta know the system before you can effectively break away (and back into) it…this wasn’t from time to time – this was the majority of the second half – not because it wasn’t working well but becaue it was poorly executed and it’s not getting better.
If they don’t learn it now they sure as hell wo’t pick it up during the season…
Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned
by jemagee on Oct 14, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions
One of the drawbacks to the PO is that it does not allow you to directly exploit matchups, especially when you are still wearing training wheels. The Knicks are bad-matchup central, so working on attacking that directly is not necessarily a really bad thing, especially given that Jordan has said that he would do that during the year anyway. Plus, like I said to Brian, I did enjoy the fact that their crutch of a ‘standard’ offense actually resembled the PO more so then the Mo Cheeks stuff they’d run for years.
Nobody should really expect them to pick the PO up that quickly, anyway. I certainly did not think they would have it down by end of Preseason. That is just plain unrealistic. The PO, like the Triangle, requires each player to make reads and react based on not just what the defense will do, but what their teammates will do as well, for flow and spacing. That takes time to build that level of familiarity and rapport. If they are still struggling by the ASG, then we can start to worry.
by MojoPharoah on Oct 14, 2009 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Getting rid of Miller was addition by subtraction. He can play, but he isn’t fast and he isn’t a great passe
one out of 3 ain’t bad.
It’s not addition by subtraction since the replacement is a worse passer
he’s a much better passer than you give him credit for
He knows how to run an offense
I hated Andre Miller but this team is worse off because he’s gone because the sixers didn’t go out and get another point guard.
They’re still a 500 team
Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned
by jemagee on Oct 14, 2009 8:35 AM PDT reply actions
I think they are a better-than-.500. In the four games I’ve seen, the player who has impressed me most has been Lou. Given the way they are going to run the offense, I think he will be just fine. If Iguodala is not still using TOs for learning opportunities, then their starters will be effective. Barring injury, I expect them to be at 45-50 wins.
by MojoPharoah on Oct 14, 2009 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Reading anything from these 4 pre season games ia a mistake.
NJ and NY suck
Toronto wasn’t playing bosh or hedo…not exactly a strong team.
Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned
by jemagee on Oct 14, 2009 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions
You might not be able to know for sure, but you can certainly begin to form some hypotheses about things, given enough observation, especially if the thing in question has been fairly consistent, like Lou has been thus far.
Then again, I figured them for 45+ wins coming into the year anyway. I’ve seen nothing that would alter that opinion thus far.
Falling behind in every pre-season gae – against crappy teams – or incomplete rosters – and having to work doubly hard in the second half just to squeak out wins is encouraging to you huh?
Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned
by jemagee on Oct 15, 2009 7:41 AM PDT up reply actions
I don’t agree. You can certainly begin to form some idea of how players are reacting in a given role, especially if that role is different then their usual. One thing I can definitely say is that Lou seems fairly comfortable so far, and is not really forcing the issue. New Jersey, in particular, features two solid points for Lou to be matched up against.
I’d actually argue that TOR was better defensively w/o Bosh & Hedo, especially when they exchanged Calderon for Jack.
Uh huh…Toronto is a bettere defensive team without Chris Bosh – that’s an argument you can make – you can’t prove it – it’s not a strong argument – but you’re entitled to make it – I’d just like to see you prove it.
Not to mention that Toronto might be one of the worst defensive teams this year when fully healthy.
Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned
by jemagee on Oct 15, 2009 7:42 AM PDT up reply actions
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