Liberty Ballers
by Jordan Sams on Apr 30, 2009 7:45 PM PDT
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Where Donny-Ice happens. Where YouTube clips, hot girls and "YES, OH YES!" happens. I'm proud to call myself a Liberty Baller.
None of this would be possible without the readers, so I want to personally thank anyone who has ever read, commented, or posted on the site. You guys made it all worthwhile.
Give me a day or two to gather myself and I'll come back full force to dissect the off-season. We have free agency, the draft, the summer league and potential trades to look forward to. It should be fun.
And a special thanks to my loyal commenters: Ben, Tanner, Eric, Sexy T-Rex, John, Saul, doubleh, phillyhoosfan, Jeff, soman319, zfg, sixersforlife, YoSixers, Justin, tk76, Ron, stillhotish, DeanH, Ricky, MikeBourn, ajay, Remis, The Legend, Whodie and Fuqua.
I love you guys and hope to see you in the off-season.
88 games later here we are. Mucho analysis on the way. Until then...
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I’m so focused on getting out of debt i save the 24 dollars every two months and just have my gf cut my hair – she does a good enough job and i get to put that cash towards a credit card :)
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on Apr 30, 2009 8:27 PM PDT up reply actions
I’d just like to say tht in balance – this team is no better than the team that lost 4-1 to the pistons. I’m sorry – they just aren’t. 1 extra win, first round loss with 2 ‘wins’ that were luck more than anything else – games given away and not showing up for a game 6 that was there’s for the taking.
Overall – season – you got steps forward by Young and Iguodala (and next year anyone bashing Iguodala after a week owes me 100 dollars )…but Louis Williams isn’t as good as a 5 year deal – now is it because he was playing for a contract next year or becuse no one knew who he was and he was surprising people.
Willie Green is still terrible and shouldn’t be in the rotation of a team winning the title.
They fired mo and possibly hired a guy worse than mo – but at least they didn’t hve to pay any one more money – so now they gotta look for a coach again.
Sam Dalembert still stinks and can’t even be traded to Oklahoma City when a guy with the same contract has a trade fall apart to said team.
Andre Miller is a year older and the sixers still have no back up point guard – and who konws what’s going to happen with Miller.
You got ‘quotes’ that indicate that the sixer are more worried about the luxury tax than building a better team
You got a salary cap going down
you got a low teens draft pick and do you reallly think they can strike gold 3 years in row? This is a weak draft folks – there’s blake griffin – a couple other guys MAYBE and then a lot of guys who wouldn’t even be first rounders in a solid draft – don’t think the solution is coming there.
Oh yeah – Reggie Evans really stinks – and now EVERYONE knows it – so let’s try and find a taker for him ok?
The only quality 3 point shooter on this team is DOnyell Marshall who is 8,000 years old – and if he proved nything – a team that has a chance at a ttitle might offer him some money for spot minutes to make a 3 on a team with title hopes.
To me this team is no closer to a title than it was at the end of last season.
Factor in new coach and STILL having to integrate Elton Brand and right now my hopes aren’t much better for next season…the sixers still need A LOT of work and have to hope that ‘SG Iguodala’ and ‘SF Young" are just as good as ’SF Iguodala’ and ‘PF Young’
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on Apr 30, 2009 8:03 PM PDT reply actions
The Sixers won two games against the Pistons.
I agree with everything else. The fact that they’re more worried about the tax than a better team really scares me.
As much as I hate to say it, I think the best case scenario is to package one or two of the bad contracts with one of young guys for something… anything.
Damn – for some reason I thought it was 5 – my memory is shot and full of so much crap that the small things slip (i remember they lost – not which games) – sorry about that
As much as I hate to say it, I think the best case scenario is to package one or two of the bad contracts with one of young guys for something… anything.
Unless your packaging Young (contrary to what’s posted below most people in the league probably still love him) – you aren’t getting anything back that doesn’t also suck.
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on Apr 30, 2009 8:13 PM PDT up reply actions
So we're basically stuck?
I’d rather re-build than be a perennial 7 or 8 seed. At least if we blew it up we’d rack up a couple lottery picks. I have a horrible feeling we’re going to waste Iguodala’s prime.
I believe I referred to this team as the island of mismatched toys (or something like that, it’s a plce in a story) at some point in the season – and i think they are – HOWEVER – a good catch can get the best from all the parts he has – but you gotta hire the right coach (and no i don’t know who it is and you (all of you) probably don’t either)
THe sixers CAN be contenders – in the Iguodala era but there are a LOT of ifs you have to consider
IF Iguodala can continue to refine his game and produce from the ‘starting SG spot’ which seems to have some sort of psychological hold on him
IF Young can take steps (bigger and faster) like he did this season and develop into the all star at SF a lot of people think he can be (Iguodala doesn’t HAVE to be the center of the team folks – he’d be fine with it – which is one of the great qualities about him)
IF Brand can stay healthy and continue to perform the way he did in Clipper land (though i would like a low post power forward)
IF Speights can develop some defense – his work ethic was always the issue – this off season is huge for him – can speights be a center – don’t just say no – try him and figure it out cause you have no center…
IF Miller can maintain this level for a few years or a replacement can be found
IF a MUCH BETTER bench can be built
That’s a lot of IFs – and i didn’t even bring up Willie, Sam, Lou, and Reggie and the coaching.
If you disagree with me – that’s fine – but i see about 10 issues that all have to tilt the same way greatly to the sixers benefit to be a CONTENDER
Now – could they rebuild? I don’t see why not – the past two seasons have proven one thing – the sixers DO NOT draw when they are mediocre – even if they make the playoffrs (though I consciously watched none of tonights game so maybe the attendance was better) – rebuilding would be the smart thing -t he long term thinking thing (the celtics were laughed at – they were just accumulating assets, and when BK turned down a gift from the gods he allowed the celts to turn around in one season, the bulls were terrible for a while and people thought they had no clue – but maybe they did and just needed a tweek at coach) – but GMs lose jobs when you start talking rebuilding – and coaches don’t want to rebuild – they want to look impressive and win for themselves
So yes – because of circumstances – i think the sixers are stuck – cause as the celtics go down – the bulls are ascendant – lebron is better and the cavs are better – a healthy magic team wallops the sixers – the heat will be better – if the hawks can tweak that roster – they are ascendant as well
All these ascendant teams have much more ‘conditional’ success needed (in my opinion) than the sixers – so even if everything goes right for them – who says they can beat the cavs or the heat or the magic (and don’t look now but the gusy ‘behind the big 3’ in boston aren’t half bad either)
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on Apr 30, 2009 8:26 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't know if you guys will agree but.
The difference between us and the many other teams is the lack of mesh between our players. Every team has its own style of play and its own build. But when you look position by position, the players fit together and play off each others strengths AND weaknesses. By this I mean you can have an average defensive player who is a great offensive player offset by a great defensive player and average offensive player. I feel as though many of our players are on an equal playing field really maybe being a little better at one thing than another (Of course Iggy and Miller are better offensively than say Dalembert or Evans). again i’ll go into it all later.
I think you're right on the money.
We have a bunch of freakish athletes and a couple gutsy players. We have no shooters, no fundamentally-sound players, which is why some of our freakish athletes need to be moved for shooters.
Most of our players also lack basketball IQ. The Andres, Theo and Donny being the exceptions…. and maybe Ivey.
I'm still confident in Thad.
He looked amazing before the injury.
One more point. I don’t think our bench is that bad. They’re just a bad combination of players. Ivey’s a good role player. Lou can be a good role player. I think Jason Smith can be a good role player. And if Speights starts, Sam could be a really good role player. That said, we REALLY need a shooters.
Because sam is too stupid to understand that he’s a role player.
Like I said – island of misfit toys – you need a very special very smart coach to make this roster title worthy I think.
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on May 1, 2009 6:57 AM PDT up reply actions
And let me say it now
Jeff Van Gundy is not that kind of special coach…unless by special you mean wearing a helmet riding the short bus
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on May 1, 2009 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions
great blog
I really appreciate all your updates and thoughts.
Guys, Thad has to either learn to play defense or we need to give up on him. Watching him tonight defend was a joke.
My dream of staying are only Iggy, M16, Lou, and Royal. MUST LEAVE SAMMY, WILLIE, RUSH. After tonight, Miller’s defense was poor also, guys. I would still want him back, however.
I know most of you don’t like Lou but I really believe if he had played instead of Green this year, he would have improved and maybe had won this game for us tonight. He does not get enough shots to get in a flow w/ the 2nd team. But we can discuss.
And, we need a REAL coach.
You’ve now said this on two blogs and I’m going to contradict you on both of em.
It’s short sighted to say give up on Thad after one game when it’s a chance he still might not be fully recovered from the injury that most people forgot he had cause they have to blame someone (I said sit him the rest of the season regardless, i doubt he’s fully recovered, but they want say anything or use the excuse)
To dismiss a 20 year old kid who is only one of two players who showed positive growth this year is the short sighted kind of thinking that billy king does.
Royal Ivey is a useless luxury on a team that is so far from winning a title
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on Apr 30, 2009 8:08 PM PDT up reply actions
I can agree with you
on Thad. He is my favorite sixer. But, we different pieces. Don’t you agree either Iggy or Thad needs to go? If not, who can we “afford” to lose to get the piece we need? Thought?
That Iggy and Thad are fine together – the sixers are ‘fine’ at 2-3-4 as far as i’m concerned, the rest of the roster sucks – but like i said up higher – they still need to progress
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on May 1, 2009 6:57 AM PDT up reply actions
btw,
are you Jemagee on this and John on the other? Aliases? I am far from an expert and appreciate and agree with your thoughts. So, what are your thoughts to get a team together? My statement about Thad was he needs to learn Defense OR else, not give up w/out trying. Sorry if I was not clearer!
And thank you for your thoughts!
I'm talking about him in general.
The clumsy ball-handling on fast breaks. The clumsy, yet effective post game. The clumsy defense.
Sammy and Turk
I was at the “game” for the 2nd half. The best part was when Turk and Dumbert were tossed out, all cheered. When they reversed Dumbert to just a T, the loudest boo of the year went out by the fans!!!! Priceless!!!!
Players have bad games.
Unfortunately for us, that happens at the worst times which is when the other team is playing bad as well. I want to take this time to commend myself on being right about Andre Iguodala! Haha not to be an a-hole but his performance reaffirmed everything I felt about Iggy. This isn’t a situation where he is a good player and we need to surround him with people. This is a situation where his growth has been very progressive and regressive at times. Unlike the “stars”, Iguodala has not become that player we can expect atleast a 24-28 pts, even on a bad night of shooting. Miller played a heck of a game but like Iggy he has a problem with consistency.
This team is too streaky which put us in an already impossible situation to win the series. The fact that it was possible to win gave us false hope really. I mentioned that it was bound to happen that even on a decent night of shooting and such, the magic were bound to break out and go on a tear. With Howard out, they were to live and die by the three, and as we saw they didn’t draw the short straw. I’m going to end this now since I have a final in the morning and a paper due as well but I’ll probably post something in the next couple of days, as well. Great season guys even though we came up short in the end.
It’s true – you’re the only person who ever had faith in Andre Iguodala
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on Apr 30, 2009 8:27 PM PDT up reply actions
I’m not sure what blogs you’re reading – but your comprehension and expectation of Andre Iguodala aren’t unique, and like everyone else who feels that way (imo) demonstrates you have no understanding of all the good things andre iguodala brings to the game in all aspects of the game or the type of player he is and you’re probably obsessed with PPG and think Brandon Roy is much much better than Andre Iguodala (ignoring the fact that roy gets to play with a lot better roster)
The Philadelphia 76ers start TWO bench players – one of whom would never see time on a team with a chance to win a title – REGGIE EVANS gets solid minutes.
Basketball is a team game and a player is impacted by the players around him
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on Apr 30, 2009 8:32 PM PDT up reply actions
don't get me wrong.
I’ve said it time and time again. I love Iggy and he brings a lot to the game like his overlooked passing ability. We saw glimpses of it all during this series and throughout the season. I posted it below but I judge Iggy the way people regard him, as a star player. I totally agree, we don’t have the perfect team. I’m not a PPG guy but hell its a pretty sick stat line if you can average 20 something PPG along with all the other things.
Iggy
according to the stats is one of the BEST all around players in the league. I believe that people who crucify Iggy do not understand basketball. My opinion, nothing personal to anyone
no problem.
Opinions are opinions. I love Iggy, i just don’t like the high expectations that are set for him. And bottom line I have to judge him the way people regard him…as our star player.
People have different definitions of "star" players.
In my opinion a “star” player isn’t defined by his ability to score or make clutch shots. He’s defined by his all-around basketball ability and by how good of a teammate he is, and by that definition Iguodala is up there.
You can tell that it’s not in his DNA to take over games or score 30 points a game, but he’s the Sixers best option. The hope is that Thad becomes the scorer/player who carries the team offensively and allows Iggy to do what he does best — everything else.
Agree, perfectly stated.
now, how in the world do we get there?
of course.
Thad is that offensive player. Iggy is a great team player. A team is only as good as who is on the court. But everything starts with the guy in charge, the head coach.
It’s obvious DiLeo isn’t the long term solution but he did a valiant job at trying to piece the team together. Personally I think we let Mo go too early. Our early season woes were imo because we had trouble fitting Brand into our style. Brand went down a little after DiLeo was appointed and the after effects are more because of the return to the pre-Brand sixers not because of DiLeo’s coaching.
Side note: Miller has been great for us but anyone else get annoyed when he starts becoming a little greedy? That’s another story.
DiLeo did OK.
But I think we’ll realize how much better we could have had if we get a great coach in here.
As for Miller, he only gets greedy when no one else is scoring or he’s on fire. I’m completely fine with that.
LeBron v. Kobe would be epic.
I’m also looking forward to the Denver/Dallas series. I think either of those teams can give the Lakers a serious run for their money.
Artest v. Kobe as well.
anyone see that interview with artest where he felt like he was the best player in the world?
I forget the actual wording to it but it was on yesterday night on the TNT NBA postgame I think (the one with Barkley, Kenny Smith, etc). He came off as a complete idiot and felt like he was the best player in the world. He said something about MJ, etc etc.
Derrick Rose.
…has become one of my favorite players in this series. He has ice in his veins and has impressed me for playing like a pro.
The parts of the series I've seen have been fantastic.
I’m disappointed I haven’t seen more. However, however; no series (minus the finals) will ever top the Golden State series for me.
I waited all day to watch this game on replay...
and I’m very disappointed after having just wasted my time.
My gut feeling told me that the sixers were not going to come out and play this game. From the first quarter that is how their expressions looked.
The off season should be fun. I look forward to the following things…
Getting rid of sam dalembert, reggie evans, willie (yes he deserves to be called willie), ivey, and the bench warmer rush.
I also look forward to a new coach.
However, I will not be shocked if the sixers do not make changes to their roster.
If there is anything this season has taught me, it’s that they desperately need to make changes to the way they play their game. They need a new, aggressive coach that has lots of energy and can make them want to compete, but not just compete, compete to win.
I am still in shock that they let this team blow them away in their final game. I mean…blow them away.
Losing game 6 is one thing, but going out the way they did has just left a bad taste in every sixers’ player/staff/fan’s mouth.
I think they did decent this year and over came certain odds, but I want better and I think the fans deserve better.
Maybe then they will get the extra 4,000 plus seats filled in their arena next year.
Last but not least, thanks for thanking me jsams. You run a very good website and your posts/analysis are great. I enjoy having the freedom to posts my thoughts on here.
Thank you Jordan. This blog has been a pleasure to read and a wonderful addition to the SBNation family. Though I couldn’t spend as much time watching the Sixers and participating in game threads as I would have liked, rest assured that I have read every post that has been made since you came over here (thanks google reader!).
Keep up the good work and keep bringing the heat in the off season.
Jody Mac
Still a tool – 10 minutes in and i’m ready to throw up
A box score analyst with no clue
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on May 1, 2009 10:13 AM PDT reply actions
Criticizing Young, Iguodala and Williams extensively
No mention of Willie Green
Does willie green have hypnotic magic powers that make people ignore how terrible he is?
"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."
Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.
by jemagee on May 1, 2009 10:20 AM PDT up reply actions
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