Craig Brackins Back From D-League
by Michael Levin on Feb 7, 2011 6:55 PM PST
in Philadelphia 76ers News
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PrintFor the second time this season, Craig Brackins has returned from a D-League stint with the Springfield Armor. According to the Sixers website, Brackins is 7th in the (D-)league in scoring at 19.9 points per game. In his last three games, he averaged 25 points and 11 rebounds. He went to Springfield with the intention of improving his rebounding, defense, and interior game -- at least the rebounds were there. He shot 19 three's in those three games, making 5 of them.
What role Brackins will play the rest of the season in Philly remains to be seen. If he comes up just to rot on the bench, he may as well be in the D-League. But if he's back here to get 10 or so minutes, then that's something. With the disappearance of Marreese Speights since his 23 point night in Toronto, there's a chance Craig could jump Mo in Doug's rotations.
I doubt it. Tony Battie and Spencer Hawes will still be looked to for minutes over both players. Hawes I have less of a problem with because, though he hasn't shown much potential, he is still just 22. Battie hasn't gotten much playing time, but every second he gets is an indication that the coaching staff and management value experience over potential. Speights and Brackins should be getting all of his playing time, while lowering that of Elton Brand. For a soon-to-be 32 year old veteran with an extensive injury history, 35 minutes per night is too much. Especially when you consider how dependent the team is on Elton to be the big man, he's getting overworked right now.
Bringing in Speights and Brackins will lessen the load on EB and give the staff an idea of what these two can offer on a nightly basis. Otherwise expect them to lure Jamaal Magloire out of retirement because of how much "experience" he has.
Anyway -- hope Craig gets some run.
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RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!
I know everyone thinks we’re a playoff team, but our big man situation is a total atrocity, outside of Brand. Anyone who is more than 6’8 and can stick his arms in the air has to be at least checked out to see if he can contribute a little bit. A halfway decent big could have made an enormous difference in a few games that were lost this season.
I’m not talking about a Dwight Howard here. I’m talking about a Sammy, even. Having a legitimate rim defender who can rebound would have been huge.
I’m pretty sure Brackins isn’t the guy. But he can’t be any worse than what’s already out there, especially in conjunction with Brand. I wouldn’t stick him out there with Thad or Speezy, but he could possibly at least do what Thad does.
Question
How much of a step up, if any, is the D-league supposed to be from college ball? I’m sure it partly depends on what kind of NCAA conference you’re talking about, so assume we’re talking about one of the top conferences.
No matter the answer, I agree that if he’s just with the team to sit on the bench, they might as well let him continue to play in the D-league.
This is weird
I didn’t remember him being assigned three times, but if that’s the case, that means he can’t be assigned to the D-League again this season.
Looking at his averages, you’d think he might be too good for the D-League. He wasn’t/
Take note that in his 29 point performance on February 2, he shot 11-26 from the field and his team lost 113-72. Two games prior, he shot 3-20 (0-7 from 3) in another loss. His defense wasn’t outstanding either.
Miss you guys!
I write about basketball players with Ridiculous Upside. I know you'll love it.
so collectively that is 14 of 46 from the field. Yuck. Do you think he improved his game at all or was he just playing the same way the whole time he was in the D-League?
formerly jdcvr6
"When I'm dead and buried, and my time here has passed. I want them to bury me upside down, so my critics can kiss my ass." - Bob Knight
I don't think his focus was on development this time around
More just playing, trying to help the Armor win (which isn’t really conducive to him working on his weaknesses). The biggest problem with the D-League is that players often regress to what they know rather than actually develop the lesser parts of their game.
I write about basketball players with Ridiculous Upside. I know you'll love it.
by Scott Schroeder on Feb 8, 2011 12:40 PM PST up reply actions
Reading comprehension is a lost art on me. Fixed.
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by Michael Levin on Feb 7, 2011 10:17 PM PST up reply actions
You had me worried.
I write about basketball players with Ridiculous Upside. I know you'll love it.
by Scott Schroeder on Feb 8, 2011 12:41 PM PST up reply actions
experience has value
hey i dont comment much on here, and i’m in no danger of getting any DONG awards or anything (great idea btw), but i dont see a problem with playing brand or (sparingly) battie.
we’re at the point with the sixers where these young guys could get some real playoff experience. thats important. what if they actually win a playoff series? that’s huge for the development of these young kids.
i want them to learn how to win, and to get that taste of blood after they eliminate a team and move on. for that, they must gel as a team, and if we need battie to occasionally get a few fouls and rebounds to make that happen, then we should let him do that.
No one here has a problem with playing Brand. Battie, on the other hand, is a different story. We normally play Battie for his bigness and his closerness lol but it normally comes at the expense of not playing Mo Speez and we need to try to bring him along more (he’s young, way more upside-think future).
All that playoff talk may sound good but you have to consider the fact that there is a very good chance that Melo may go to the Knicks. If that happens, kiss the 6th seed goodbye. If were not getting the 6th seed, were most likely going to play Boston or Miami. If you think we can “get the taste of blood” against one of those teams, your nuts.
Speights
Why not send Speights down to the D-league to get better?A player only gets better by playing not sitting on the bench.
i like the idea but he's ineligible
due to being in his 3rd year:
http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/assignments_101109.html
i actually think there are other ways to develop a player besides playing in games (“we talkin’ bout practice??”).
and if work ethic is the problem, then a steady diet of minutes tells the player he can coast and keep getting his PT, whereas being benched in favor of a journeyman like tony battie says “you’re going nowhere unless you shape up and work as hard as this guy”. the d-league could similarly be a wake-up call.
of course, both the bench and the d-league might tend to kill trade value…
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