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Some notes from this one:
- The Sixers should give Kendall Marshall some minutes over Ish Smith down the stretch here. Cinderella Ish was a blast in January but at this stage he's a volume scorer who shoots a gross amount off-the-dribble from mid-range for a guy who, well, can't really shoot off-the-dribble from mid-range. He's 19-of-63 (30.1 percent) over the past four games and 2-of-12 from long range, including an abysmal 2-of-15 effort tonight. Marshall's weaknesses are well-documented and things certainly haven't panned out how the team hoped this season, but as a bare minimum, you know he'll run pick-and-roll, get his teammates involved and stretch the floor (at least in theory). Now that the clock has just about struck midnight on the Ish-Nerlens pick-and-roll offense (unsurprisingly, sliding under and zoning up your big is quite a cure-all), maybe it's time to experiment with some other pieces for these last 11 games.
- Carl Landry is going to make for a nice ninth man on a good team next season. It won't be in Philadelphia, but he can compete on the block, pick-and-pop from mid-range and give you really strong effort on the glass for 10, 15 minutes per night. He'll be a solid Raptor next season. Oh, and:
- You already know this, but Myles Turner is really, really good. He's not the most outstanding athlete in the world, but he brings so much to the table across the boards. His feel, his IQ, the blossoming jump-shot, the shot-blocking, how hard he hits the glass, he's just a super well-rounded player. Right now he's a 4/5 who can score from 18-feet extended, beat you on the low block and protect the rim (with the luxury of playing in the space Paul George and Co. creates for him, of course). If he extends that touch to the three-point line (and at 19 time is on his side), he could be an All-Star. Indiana's fall from grace over the past three or so years has been a bummer, but they're in great shape to make a major jump to the top of the conference over the next couple years.
There are 11 contests left to play, people. This has been an especially painful year for fans and the organization, but the light's at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there.