Liberty Ballers: All Posts by Jake FischerHonestly have no idea what we’re arguing about anymore.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50717/lb-fav.png2017-04-28T08:00:07-04:00https://www.libertyballers.com/authors/jake-fischer/rss2017-04-28T08:00:07-04:002017-04-28T08:00:07-04:00Sixers Tinder: TJ McConnell has proven his place
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<img alt="NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OStXPFHPOkav_NOf0zd0LX1qOMY=/0x533:2916x2477/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54503789/usa_today_9980947.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>He has gritted, hustled and pure point guard-ed his way into the NBA</p> <p id="oAni83">There’s a trope I often find myself saying when discussing NBA Draft point guard prospects: “He could play his way onto a roster like TJ McConnell.” It’s an idea that’s simple in theory. Historically — well, at least in modern NBA history — teams have reserved their 15th roster spot for a break-in-case-of-emergency third point guard. </p>
<p id="ZyUZMY">The Cavaliers did it this season with Kay Felder. The Rockets rostered Tyler Ennis for a specific reason before flipping him for Lou Williams. The Celtics carried Demetrius Jackson all season. Jose Calderon damn-near personified the role for the last few years before seemingly resuscitating his career in Atlanta these playoffs. The third point guard is typically an easy way to make a living, analogous to the backup quarterback in the NFL. And when teams aren’t harboring a ball handler as a safety net, they use that spot to shuffle in point guards on 10-day contracts. </p>
<p id="T1oPRH">So, if you’re a moderately athletic, moderately skilled lead guard, you’re going to have a chance to play your want onto a roster like TJ McConnell. But taking the colossal leap from making a roster to contributing... and then soaring from contributor to starter? That’s a distinction reserved for few and far between. Yes, McConnell’s rise into the starting point guard of a measly 28-win team is far from the pinnacle of NBA success. But the context surrounding that label equally helps his case. </p>
<p id="a5YOyI">McConnell finished 8th in the league in assists this season, 7th in assist percentage, 4th in assist/turnover ratio, and led the damn league in total passes. The man spreads the wealth, and, cliche as it may be, makes his teammates better on the offensive side of the ball. In today’s pick-and-roll era, the ability to keep your dribble alive has grown increasingly more valuable. And there might not be a better present-day Steve Nash impression, darting into the paint, circling under the basket and dashing back out, while surveying the entire floor and maintaining a forceful dribble than that of McConnell. He probes and pesters defenses, milking every last second of the shot clock, holding out hope to find a more skilled scorer to loft a shot. </p>
<p id="s7GUKV">That’s a rare ability. When NBA action is whirring on both sides of the ball, it’s nearly impossible to remain patient for an entire shot clock. There are multiple reads to make, instructions from a coach to hear over a screaming crowd and an incessant, red timer ticking down literally ever second. McConnell has that. It’s innate. You’re going to wake up one day and smile when you log onto Basketball Reference and realize, <em>TJ McConnell has been in the league for 11 years? </em></p>
<p id="oftI5i">He’s a coach’s dream. He directs endless traffic. He develops symbiotic relationships with his big men. He used to<a href="http://www.libertyballers.com/2015/11/3/9661580/t-j-mcconnell-nerlens-noel-76ers-roster-2015"> text Nerlens Noel videos of Nash and Amare Stoudemire high pick-and-rolls</a>, claiming they could emulate the prolific duo. That’s chutzpah you want in a point guard, regardless of his role. And that’s where McConnell’s fate begins to grow murky. </p>
<p id="vnEaNL">He’s most likely not a starting point guard, despite the role he played this season. While his statistics show he was likely top-10 in the NBA at the position in terms of production this season, those assist numbers are fairly easy to compile within Brett Brown’s voraciously-paced offense. He’s often far physically-overmatched by his opponent on the other end of the floor. His three-point percentage plummeted from 34.8% in his rookie year to 20.0% on 55 attempts this season. When you watched McConnell tee up from distance, you hardly ever expected it to fall in. </p>
<p id="8Yha78">I believe those issues stem from a lack of cohesion between his arms and legs on jump shots. On his epic game winner against New York, his rhythm looks fine. He gathers, jumps and begins his motion all in unison. </p>
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<p id="SdW7G2">He uses those mechanics whenever defenses surrender his midrange pull-ups. And he shot a remarkable 46.1% from 10 to 16 feet this season. But when he steps behind the three-point line, or even in the long-two zone, his conversion rate nosedives. Even on his three-point makes, McConnell shifts the ball above his head before he begins his jump. </p>
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<p id="zwHyUx">That’s like cocking a ball behind your head and pausing before throwing it. You’re instantly going to lose power and accuracy. The prolonged wind-up also makes it that much harder for McConnell to get it off in space. He knows that, and it’s evident when he turns down relatively open looks in favor of attacking a closeout. That happened far too many times with the clock dwindling and limited time remained to hunt for a better look. McConnell needs to shoot more from distance to keep defenses honest and stretched. The Sixers’ staff should have plenty of opportunity this summer to make his long-range jumper more fluid, however. That gorgeous new practice facility will house hours and hours of development this offseason. </p>
<p id="bA5N5V">The current product is still very promising. I’ll take McConnell on my team any day. He’s getting married this summer. Coaches around the league typically say point guards take a leap in their third year, especially when it comes to mastering pick-and-roll negotiations. I don’t believe he will mature into a legitimate starter. But Timothy John has a true path to backing up the Sixers’ franchise point guard and providing quality minutes for a long, long time. </p>
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https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/4/28/15466000/sixers-tinder-tj-mcconnell-has-proven-his-placeJake Fischer2017-03-15T01:39:24-04:002017-03-15T01:39:24-04:00Sixers Win Moral Victory At Golden State
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<img alt="NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Golden State Warriors" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lAGp-jV6aWI_qZwzGVIYt4iI_XU=/0x0:3234x2156/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53706579/usa_today_9943222.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Dario Saric continued his Rookie of the Year bid and Jahlil Okafor was... good?</p> <p id="4xKgtB">For the masses who fell asleep before the game’s final buzzer, yes, the Sixers blew a huge third quarter lead to the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> at Oracle Arena. A 19-2 Warriors run that spanned the third and final frame erased the Sixers’ 16-point advantage with 1:54 left in the third quarter. </p>
<p id="MoVA6q">And since we’re amidst the fourth-straight season where game-by-game results in March don’t necessarily matter, I’m jumping right into player-by-player notes:</p>
<p id="fokVNZ"><span><strong>Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot</strong></span><br>TLC put forth a pretty tremendous effort in his fourth career start, compiling a team-best +14 while adding 10 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. He’s competing defensively at a far higher level than many draftniks would have anticipated at this point of his career. He knows when and when not to attack closeouts and isn’t afraid to take big shots or attack the giants awaiting him at the rim. His huge three-pointer and strong drive deep in the fourth quarter was really all you needed to see from this kid tonight. He’s a gamer. He’s still just 21 years old. He’s going to be a stud. </p>
<p id="w6fW9E"><strong>TJ McConnell </strong><br>The Arizona product flirted with a triple-double with 7 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists while fellow Wildcat Steve Kerr looked on approvingly. Forget the numbers, though. It remains incredibly impressive how McConnell nightly battles elite point guards on both ends of the floor, consistently manipulates pick-and-rolls to create for his teammates and leads on the floor. </p>
<p id="JqKRSe">Even still, the man needs to iron on his three-point stroke this offseason. He’s shooting just 22.5% from deep this season after making 34.8% of his outside attempts a year ago, and his hesitancy to pop from beyond the line really suffocated the Sixers’ offense down the stretch. He has to be ready, and able, to shoot from distance. Especially when <span>Ben Simmons</span> and <span>Joel Embiid</span> are sharing the floor. </p>
<p id="ReKZRJ"><span><strong>Jahlil Okafor</strong></span><br>Truly a solid effort from [witty insult redacted]. His 22 points came on an efficient 8-15 shooting, and the majority of those attempts came within the flow of the offense and out of the pick-and-roll. He only managed to grab 6 rebounds, but Okafor was certainly active defensively, and you could especially see his effort boxing out and rotating around the paint — to the tune of 4 blocks. </p>
<p id="EpGs1j">It’s a nice highlight reel to show potential suitors this offseason, but hopefully teams interested in his services didn’t watch the final 5 minutes, when Okafor needed to retreat to the bench, visibly gassed. </p>
<p id="Q7cRoB"><span><strong>Robert Covington</strong></span><br>Another miraculous rebounding effort for the swingman this evening, corralling 9. Even though his offense never got rolling, Covington continues to find ways to impact the game on both ends of the floor, and especially wreaked havoc on defense. For more on his incredible defensive development, <a href="http://www.si.com/nba/2017/03/09/robert-covington-defense-philadelphia-76ers-brett-brown">check out my deep dive on </a><a href="http://SI.com">SI.com</a><a href="http://www.si.com/nba/2017/03/09/robert-covington-defense-philadelphia-76ers-brett-brown">.</a></p>
<p id="R1oo1b"><span><strong>Richaun Holmes</strong></span><br>The baby-faced rim protector continues to provide energy off the bench. Holmes always provides entertaining minutes at this stage. He’s either riding a surge of momentum, bringing violence to the rim on both ends, or appears dangerously close to a deer in headlights. He’s perpetually toeing the line between dynamic and disaster and I’m here for every second of it. </p>
<p id="Bdpyov"><span><strong>Dario Saric</strong></span><br>I have an inkling the Sixers staff has started splicing some <span>Dirk Nowitzki</span> footage into Saric’s film work. <span>Brett Brown</span> and his development team likes to use established veterans as inspiration for their individualized development plans (remember the Stauskas-as-Ginobili experiment?). There appears to be increasingly more and more high-post, isolation touches baked into the Sixers’ sets, not necessarily as a go-to option, but as a safety-valve. That’s what teams do for established, high-scoring veterans. And this kid is a 22-year-old, instinctual passer. </p>
<p id="9XQoIH">Saric’s maturation into a crafty NBA scorer <em>this soon </em>is so, so awesome. He’s figured out how to use his size against smaller defenders and quickness against bigger opponents. This expedited learning curve is really, really, mesmerizing. 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks for The Homie. </p>
<p id="bpNtRc"><span><strong>Draymond Green</strong></span><br>Saric’s only kryptonite this evening seemed to be Draymond Green, who put on a Defensive Player of the Year-type performance down the stretch. His defense single-handedly held the Sixers scoreless for over 5 minutes during the majority of the Warriors’ 19-2 spurt. He blew up pick and rolls by disturbing pocket passes; he allowed certain ball handlers a step past him, only to poke their handle free, he tallied 6 blocks, ripped down some soul-crushing-possession-ending rebounds that seemed destined for a Sixers’ arms; and he fouled Saric with 2.6 seconds remaining and the Warriors nursing a 3-point lead. It was an ingenious effort, regardless of how you feel about his offensive flails in the final minute. </p>
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https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/3/15/14931856/sixers-warriors-final-score-close-loss-moral-victory-dario-saric-rookie-of-the-year-richaun-holmesJake Fischer2017-03-14T19:00:01-04:002017-03-14T19:00:01-04:00Sixers-Warriors Preview/Game Thread
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<img alt="NBA: Golden State Warriors at Philadelphia 76ers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DkjP6g12lbzFMHmbgww-U5A6tBo=/0x0:3534x2356/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53701723/usa_today_9905253.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Can Philly take advantage of the struggling Dubs?</p> <p id="2Hov6n"><strong>Game Info:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="AdVj2r">Date: March 14, 2017</li>
<li id="DVmA3B">Time: 10:30 p.m. EST</li>
<li id="RKUqLf">Place: ROARracle</li>
<li id="iMfqlG">TV: CSN</li>
<li id="WasKz7">Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic</li>
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<p id="8hPf79">The bad guys: <a href="http://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State of Mind</a></p>
<p id="bSjUCQ"><strong>Probable Starters:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="vU6SHP">Philadelphia: TJ McConnell, <span><strong>Nik Stauskas</strong></span>, <span><strong>Robert Covington</strong></span>, <span><strong>Dario Saric</strong></span>,<strong> </strong><span><strong>Jahlil Okafor</strong></span>
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<li id="7qGcDX">Warriors: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Patrick McCaw, Draymond Green, Zaza Pachulia</li>
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<p id="k5rCHt"><strong>Season Series</strong>: Sixers lost on February 27th, 119-108. It was a heck of an effort from Brett Brown’s scrappers back in Philly. It will be tough to replicate all the way across the country. </p>
<p id="GvHSGV"><strong>Notes</strong>:</p>
<ul>
<li id="Inc4Zf">Kevin Durant remains out with a left knee injury. As he’s been sidelined, the Warriors have gone just 5-5 in their last 10 games and have slid into the No. 2 seed in the West.</li>
<li id="VCbq1Y">It’s a snowday in the Northeast! What better way to spend the night with some spiked hot chocolate and a bushel of three pointers?</li>
<li id="opaUGx">Bovada has the Warriors as -4000 favorites. Dang. </li>
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https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/3/14/14928808/sixers-warriors-preview-game-thread-kevin-durant-oaklandJake Fischer2017-01-03T21:55:30-05:002017-01-03T21:55:30-05:00Sixers 93, Wolves 91: Don’t boo Robert Covington
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<img alt="NBA: Minnesota Timberwolves at Philadelphia 76ers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CACTSngi3VPV063ZUo-q5kGINlg=/228x0:2877x1766/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52582395/usa_today_9787118.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="bd4mdR">He laid on his back in exhausted jubilation. Robert Covington, plagued by 3–13 shooting from the field and 1-9 shooting from three-point land all evening, finally was serenaded by a chorus of Wells Fargo Center cheers on Tuesday evening. </p>
<p id="Mr1kbh">He curled off a screen from Joel Embiid, caught a lob from Dario Saric mid-air, and banked home the game-winning layup to power the Sixers past the Minnesota Timberwolves 93-91. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Booed all night, but comes up with the game-winning play.<br><br>Terrific finish by Robert Covington here on a great set play by Brett Brown. <a href="https://t.co/rngSdUVBfy">pic.twitter.com/rngSdUVBfy</a></p>— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/rich_hofmann/status/816472653666119680">January 4, 2017</a>
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<p id="wzW42m">“These fans are going to boo all they want, I’m still going to play as hard as I can.” Covington told CSN Philly after the game.</p>
<p id="zqjPe6">Stop booing Robert Covington. </p>
<p id="6nyuHt">His stroke from deep as been painfully and obviously erratic this season, shooting 28% from downtown. But his strengths as a slasher have continued to benefit the Sixers’ offense, as has his developing off-the-dribble game and improving finishing ability around the rim. </p>
<p id="VndMBH">Stop booing Robert Covington. </p>
<p id="ML0s60">The swingman has morphed into an elite wing defender. He grabbed 10 rebounds—9 curtailing Minnesota possessions on the defense end—collected 4 steals and delivered a crucial crunch time block on Andrew Wiggins. He’s averaging a career-high in blocks this season. Covington ranks third in the entire NBA in total deflections. He’s an absolute nuisance for opposing wings to deal with. No dribble drive is safe from Covington sliding over from the weak side and poking your handle clean. </p>
<p id="5WnkOJ">Stop booing Robert Covington. </p>
<p id="xnra80">I believe the three-point stroke will return. And even if it doesn’t, Covington has emerged as a tenacious enough defender where that’s still ok. A longer, stronger Tony Allen with the ability to guard 1-4 who can shoot a baseline 28 percent from three is a perennial All-NBA candidate and a 10-year starter in the league. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Brown: "I wished everybody would see what we see defensively. Andrew Wiggins was 2-15. Think about that. And that's Robert Covington."</p>— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerekBodnerNBA/status/816477508547805184">January 4, 2017</a>
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<p id="8S9nTY">Stop booing Robert Covington. </p>
<p id="96fe0c"><strong>NOTES</strong></p>
<ul><li id="LsczlP">With just over 9 minutes remaining in the second quarter, Embiid head-faked Zach LaVine out of his shoes, drove and kicked to Nerlens Noel, who promptly twisted a pass around Minnesota’s defense back to Embiid. He was fouled, drained both free throws and motioned for the crowd to crescendo their cheers of “Trust The Process.”</li></ul>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here's that entire sequence. Nice interior passing from Embiid to Noel draws a foul and "Trust the process" chants. <a href="https://t.co/u1SR7fLQNQ">pic.twitter.com/u1SR7fLQNQ</a></p>— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/rich_hofmann/status/816445583498080256">January 4, 2017</a>
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<p id="q4s5HL">We didn’t see Noel again until the fourth quarter. This pairing is far from a trainwreck offensively and was an absolutely terror on the defensive end. We’ve had our taste. Now we want the whole damn pie. </p>
<ul>
<li id="59keYO">The Sixers built a large lead well into the 20s, and it quickly began to evaporate as Jahlil Okafor took the floor. I’m not harping on it anymore. I said at the draft I would have swapped him to Chicago for the No. 14 pick and many laughed at the return. It doesn’t look so bad now. </li>
<li id="33eNCC">Timothe Luwawu is an NBA player. He will be a good NBA player. He may one day be a very good NBA player. His defensive footwork on the perimeter is already making prolific strides from the beginning of the season. He’s grasping NBA defensive rotations and team schemes. Hollis Thompson’s minutes have suffered as a result, but I’m all for the TLC project. </li>
<li id="OZRyNB">Stop booing Robert Covington.</li>
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https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/1/3/14161218/sixers-93-wolves-91-dont-boo-robert-covingtonJake Fischer2017-01-03T18:00:02-05:002017-01-03T18:00:02-05:00Sixers vs. Wolves Game Thread: The first game of 2017!
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<img alt="NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Minnesota Timberwolves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HgEsqS9bnA2v5fN_qVkyuIQ7buU=/2x0:4667x3110/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52579245/usa_today_9698239.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="uW9EkH"><strong>Game Info</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="0SGntS">Date: Tuesday, January 3, 2017</li>
<li id="UYJcVy">Time: 7:00 PM EST</li>
<li id="5VHBqs">Place: Wells Fargo Center, PHILLY</li>
<li id="jApGco">Channel: Comcast Sportsnet</li>
</ul>
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<p id="9ywC8f">The Bad Guys:<a href="http://www.canishoopus.com/"> Canis Hoopus</a></p>
<p id="pVY6sd"><strong>Probable Starters</strong> </p>
<ul>
<li id="n5TFro">Philadelphia: T.J. McConnell, Nik Stauskas, Robert Covington, Ersan Ilyasova, Joel Embiid</li>
<li id="G2Omdy">Denver: Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, Gorgui Dieng, Karl-Anthony Towns</li>
</ul>
<p id="yh3HoE"><strong>Officials</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="oaslR3">James Capers (#19)</li>
<li id="EMJDoS">Karl Lane (#77)</li>
<li id="IPcBpi">Rodney Mott (#71)</li>
</ul>
https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/1/3/14160046/sixers-vs-wolves-game-thread-the-first-game-of-2017Jake Fischer2017-01-03T09:00:06-05:002017-01-03T09:00:06-05:00LB Roundtable: Reflecting on the Jerami Grant trade
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<img alt="NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder at Atlanta Hawks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ypruFm-_TTAqSQ_3tlxYx83aJSQ=/0x61:4476x3045/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52565157/usa_today_9728143.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="iutXtj">It’s been just over two months since Jerry Colangelo loved Jerami Grant so much, he sent the bouncy, rawer-than-a-spicy-tuna-roll tweener free. The Sixers swapped Grant on Nov. 1 for Ersan Ilyasova and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 1-20 protected 2020 first round pick. </p>
<p id="FAk8yn">Through 31 games in OKC, Grant is essentially posting his career-average numbers per 36 minutes, but has thrived alongside Westbrook, shooting 42.2 percent from three on 45 attempts. </p>
<p id="Z92Oy1">The writers of Liberty Ballers don’t have much else to do, so to spare you a longer introduction, the following is a quick roundtable discussion reflecting on the transaction some 60 days removed. </p>
<p id="R9jCyp"><strong>Xylon Dimoff</strong></p>
<p id="5AwWKf">I thought the trade was a bit bland and unimaginative at the time and I mostly hate it now. A lot of that has to do with how Philly never had a chance to properly utilize Jerami (kinda out of their control given the roster) but he's flourished in OKC and I'm not exactly thrilled with Ersan so far.</p>
<p id="uPrd9G"><strong>Marc Whittington</strong></p>
<p id="VOn3DO">Has he flourished in OKC, though? I’m seriously asking—I’m not going to pretend I watch a lot of that team. But his stats look nearly identical on a percentage basis to how they did with the Sixers, only he’s being asked to do less, so his creation and TO’s have dropped. He’s shooting well from distance, but it’s probably fool’s gold a la January 2015, especially given his FT% is below 60% on the year.</p>
<p id="psraQm"><strong>Dimoff</strong></p>
<p id="oBXJ8S">I realized "flourished" was the wrong word the moment I hit send, but he's been put in the kind of idealized role I always wanted to see him play in Philadelphia. I remember mentioning on the Hoop76 account maybe this time last year that I'd like to see him get burn at the 5, and immediately like four people responded to me saying that's crazy/he's too small/etc. Now he routinely (I haven't had a chance to watch them so much yet this year either, but anytime I do watch them) gets minutes as a backup 5. </p>
<p id="fSxeLt">And they even experimented with him running the pick-and-roll when he got there, which I always thought was a missed opportunity in Philly last year: not only is he fairly adept at drive/kicking, but it would've been nice to have an alternative last year when, you know, Ish Smith was running the offense and chucking 10 misses per game. His numbers as a PnR ball handler have fallen off it seems (expected considering Russ runs everything in OKC), but Jerami has the kind of athleticism/skillset that is worth toying around with. In Philadelphia he was basically your typical small-ball 4 who didn't really get to showcase his athleticism or ball skills, but as a 5 with shot-blocking/ball handling ability he can be a terrific backup big/7thish man. Maybe like a Walmart version of what Dario at the 5 is for the Sixers now?</p>
<p id="gWj2s9"><strong>Sean O’Connor</strong></p>
<p id="AqbjUf">If I'm not mistaken, Jerami has played all three front court positions at times for OKC. The trade is/was fine even if the Sixers are way too reliant on Ersan, since especially now Jerami would have struggled for playing time.</p>
<p id="cQ67J4"><strong>Jake Fischer</strong></p>
<p id="5Nn7f1">I guess it's more about optics than anything else. Watching him tear the rim down and swat a shot into the stands on Christmas and then playing as a small-ball four next to Enes Kanter in Miami last night, I got really nostalgic. He's just so entertaining to watch. I tweeted it last night: He might be a Top 50 most entertaining player in the entire NBA, no? You just never know what he's going to do. He could finish a ridiculous one-handed alleyoop or dribble a sure-fire fastbreak off his face and out of bounds. I miss that a hell of a lot when Ersan Ilyasova incessantly launches head fake, one-dribble, step-back threes. </p>
<p id="xRCsaK">When the trade went down, my initial thought was Ilyasova will of course spread the floor and there's no guarantee Grant ever materializes into anything legitimate. But man do I miss those wild nights. </p>
<p id="YapmHN"><strong>Wesley Share</strong></p>
<p id="QG62OO">Agree with Marc. Also, not sure what else was to be expected of Ersan. Just a source of spacing who's opened up the floor for the best player on the team when none of their other front-court players have shown a reliable ability to provide that yet. </p>
<p id="u91MDM">Grant was mostly useless here given the team construct and probably made them actively worse in the half-court offensively (don't have the numbers in front of me, but seems pretty obvious). And they still managed to get solid return for him. I have no beefs with any of it really. </p>
<p id="2IhIgj"><strong>Dimoff</strong></p>
<p id="9lxtPN">I don't mind Illyasova at all for helping out the young guys (although there's games where I wish he'd take like two or three less shots), but I grind my teeth anytime he's not on the floor with Embiid. I couldn't care any less about the Okafor-Ersan pairing because neither of those guys have significant long-term futures here, and that's time that easily could be going to Saric/Holmes/Noel. If it persists once Simmons returns and ultimately cuts into Saric's playing time then, to me, it's reached the point of unnecessary pervasiveness. </p>
<p id="3jqO90">I don't have an issue with the pieces individually: Ersan helps the prospects if used correctly and Jerami was never gonna materialize to anything here anyway. But the totality of the deal leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and I'm not particularly sure what the endgame with Ersan is here—the Sixers either traded Jerami (who could've progressed into a better asset, maybe not) for about 70 games of a spot-up shooter or we extend Ersan on a team where there isn't a frontcourt minute to spare. And I like the idea of "Ersan Illyasova, 15-20MPG floor-spacer," but I'm not sure that Ersan Illyasova likes that.</p>
<p id="115Ci4"><strong>Whittington</strong></p>
<p id="joltNd">I do think it’s important to note that the Sixers <em>didn’t</em> trade Jerami for about 70 games of Ersan, even if he walks this summer (which I hope he does). The Sixers also got a potential late 1st or two 2nd’s out of the deal. I would never have guessed Jerami was worth that on his own, let alone that plus Ilyasova.</p>
<p id="Hvn1zd"><strong>Fischer </strong></p>
<p id="t7SMmd">The picks are huge, even if that Thunder pick is going to be in the late 20s. That was incredible value. </p>
<p id="I7wqmm"><strong>Dimoff</strong></p>
<p id="42fTGv">In a way I would've preferred just getting the picks. I see Ersan's on-court value but I don't trust that Bryan will handle him in a way where it won't cut into valuable playing time. If he's getting about 27mpg even two months from now I'll see the deal as a failure on our end. </p>
<p id="1UzcIv"></p>
https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/1/3/14151050/liberty-ballers-roundtable-reflecting-on-the-jerami-grant-tradeJake Fischer2017-01-03T00:03:37-05:002017-01-03T00:03:37-05:00Sixers-Wolves Preview: JoJo vs KAT Part II
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<img alt="NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Phoenix Suns" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/w7XgKKpDThPXpHCKFuXinopNpvo=/0x34:4659x3140/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52564523/usa_today_9772039.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="olkcHf">The Philadelphia 76ers return from their annual Disney On Ice road trip with another victory and several hours of bowling-inspired team chemistry. </p>
<p id="Ivp9zT">An intriguing matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves now awaits back at The Center, with the second clash between Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid set to highlight League Pass streams across the nation. </p>
<p id="dCWWZT">The Sixers rested Embiid on the first half of a back-to-back in order to give NBA heads the first clash of the league’s most promising young centers. It was one of Embiid’s worst performances as a professional; his 10-point, 10-rebound double-double not nearly enough to mask his obvious struggles from those who tuned in. </p>
<p id="e9NtRW">Towns, meanwhile, was nothing short of fantastic, hanging 25 points on 12-18 shooting and gobbling 10 rebounds with 2 blocks. </p>
<p id="nVWxR1">Embiid is a far different player now. He adds another move to his offensive arsenal each game like a Pokemon trainer teaches new attacks to his Pokedex of creatures. And now, we’ll see both Towns and Embiid paired with another 7-footer in the frontcourt as the Sixers forge forward with experimenting with a twin towers approach—although a Jahlil Okafor DNP-CD against the Nuggets afforded both Embiid and Nerlens Noel ample opportunity as the solo 7-footer. </p>
<p id="zFPUVE">The Wolves’ often use Gorgui Dieng to defend opposing premier big men, saving Towns for the offensive end and hiding him as a backline and weakside rim protector. With either Noel or Okafor on the floor, perhaps it will force more organic Embiid vs. Towns possessions. Come on, Thibs. Give us the matchup we’re all thirsting for!</p>
<p id="HrBKWH">Here’s to starting off 2017 right. </p>
<p id="kO787X"></p>
https://www.libertyballers.com/2017/1/3/14150902/sixers-wolves-preview-jojo-vs-kat-part-iiJake Fischer2016-12-06T23:04:23-05:002016-12-06T23:04:23-05:00Grizzlies 96, 76ers 91: The End-of-Game Blues
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<img alt="NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Memphis Grizzlies" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UfSqj1V7VTNNxWcjCE8HALL3Hk4=/0x0:1864x1243/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52170641/usa_today_9729392.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="07eQnc">Brett Brown screamed. He slid in almost a defensive stance down the sideline and kicked his left foot in the FedEx Forum air. </p>
<p id="5ledTQ">With 32.5 seconds remaining in Tuesday night’s 96-91 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Nik Stauskas fouled Tony Allen despite Brown’s pleas for his team play defense and not gift the Grizzlies a trip to the charity stripe. </p>
<p id="1JSkr5">Allen fortunately missed both, but the Sixers could not capitalize with the ball, trailing only 94-91.</p>
<p id="Lx2Trr">On the next possession, Sergio Rodriguez dribbled the air out of the ball instead of trying to sneak past Marc Gasol on the wing. (This has been Rodriguez’s biggest problem re-adjusting to the NBA this season. When he draws favorable switches on pick-and-rolls, he rarely attacks from the get-go, often appearing to weigh his options while yo-yoing for a few moments before making a move) His lallygagging forced Dario Saric into a tough three-point heave with the shot clock quickly winding down.</p>
<p id="oUvN8d">As Saric’s miss floated above the rim, the Sixers had not one, but two tries to tip a rebound through the net, only to came up empty. Zach Randolph emerged form the scrum with the the ball to be fouled. </p>
<p id="3Rh81V">Again the Sixers caught a lucky break as Randolph missed both free throws, setting the stage for the increasingly common Brett Brown after-timeout inbounds plays. </p>
<p id="adXkw3">Ersan Ilyasova was tasked with inbounding the ball on the left sideline. Rodriguez was stationed at the top of the key as Saric and Richaun Holmes staggered at the right elbow, clearly preparing to set a double screen for Stauskas awaiting the whistle in the far right corner. </p>
<p id="2x4osG">Stauskas curled off the double screen as Holmes sneaked across the baseline to the strong side block to receive the inbounds pass. As Ilyasova inbounded to Holmes, Stauskas continued bursting off Rodriguez’s pick to set his own back-screen for the stretch-4. Ilyasova wasn’t open, as the Grizzlies doubled him off the pick, allowing Stauskas to leak wide open to the corner. Holmes made the right read, finding Sauce Castillo in the left corner, but his shot rimmed short. </p>
<p id="8d8Bip">It’s a 34.5-second microcosm of the Sixers’ late-game situations this season. This may have arguably been Brown’s most effective play design of the season, creating multiple organic options through succinct movement in ample amounts of time. Even still, Browns’ players were unable to convert. </p>
<p id="euXUUp">It’s been the tune all season for the Sixers down the stretch of close games. Yes, Brown has had some blunders—just as players miss open shots—but he’s mostly been very effective down the stretch of close games: Mixing and matching offense/defense lineups and attempting to target weak spots in opposing defenses. But the Sixers clearly do not have the talent to consistently produce in those moments. I will die on this hill if I have to. Brown has done more than an adequate job in the games’ most pressing moments. It’ll be a joy to watch him coach with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid sharing the floor in those moments. </p>
<p id="S23Kbk"><strong>Notes </strong></p>
<ul><li id="SlPcMy">Ilyasova had an insanely inefficient 23 points on 4-13 shooting from deep. He head fakes into a step-back threes far too many times when the lane is open after the pump. We’ll never know what opportunities Ilyasova is forfeiting by refusing to attack the rim. </li></ul>
<p id="mH8LSO">-Holmes was a bushel of fun, playing 34 minutes with Embiid and Okafor sidelined. He scored 10 points, the six defensive rebounds are a little troubling again, but you have to love the energy he brought with three blocks, and being the lone rim protector on the floor often took him out of position to compete on the defensive glass. </p>
<p id="zixyCF">-Although my lede certainly picked on him, I thought Stauskas had a really nice game. He made plays off the bounce that didn’t necessarily turn into points, but his ability to create off the dribble really helped the Sixers conjure some offense without a go-to scorer active. </p>
<p id="GBgKED">-Timothe Luwawu! A career-high seven points on 3-6 shooting on 1-2 from deep in 16 minutes. Robert Covington’s injury has opened up some minutes for the young Frenchman, and I can really get behind him playing some regular minutes when Covington returns as well. The less Gerald Henderson plays, the better. He’s the one who’s sacrificed the most, playing just 16 minutes tonight as well. </p>
https://www.libertyballers.com/2016/12/6/13864408/grizzlies-96-76ers-91-the-end-of-game-bluesJake Fischer2016-12-06T18:22:01-05:002016-12-06T18:22:01-05:0076ers-Grizzlies Preview/Game Thread: A stage for the Marc Gasol show
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<img alt="NBA: Memphis Grizzlies at New Orleans Pelicans" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ixHQvqJB0tLLK-Y_DVY-iOjRhno=/0x0:2851x1901/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52167567/usa_today_9728113.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="oK2WZu">The 76ers travel to Memphis to take on Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies on Tuesday night. Or, at least two teams where “76ers” and “Grizzlies” on their chests will square off at the FedEx Forum. </p>
<p id="ruOqlM">The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor tonight, leaving Richaun Holmes as the team’s only active center. Meanwhile the injury list for Memphis is longer than the list of Sixers victories this season, and the Grizzlies are fresh off a double-overtime game in New Orleans last night as well. </p>
<div id="hrHEI7">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz">@memgrizz</a> injury report:<br><br>OUT<br>Carter (R hip)<br>Conley (Low back)<br>Ennis (R calf)<br>Parsons (L knee)<br>Wright (L ankle)<br><br> Z-Bo returns </p>— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrizzliesPR/status/806238982740779009">December 6, 2016</a>
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<p id="LqzX1G">If anything, the game will provide a stage for Marc Gasol wizardy. </p>
<p id="TtKD5Z">Watching the 7’1 Spaniard produce a 28-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist triple double against Anthony Davis last night was absolutely spectacular. And while enjoying his all-around offensive brilliance, I couldn’t help but think about the lessons Embiid can learn from Gasol’s smooth scoring arsenal. </p>
<p id="MsvGHC">His head fakes are damn balletic. Gasol is, in all likelihood, the most lethal passing big man when feeding cutters out of post double teams. The jumper is more than wet. His trickery deceiving defenders out of pick-and-rolls. The more I attempt to describe his game the great a disservice it will be. If there’s any modern-day player for Embiid to model his game from, it might be the game’s most underrated center. </p>
<p id="fCZjyG"><strong>Game Info</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="0SGntS">Date: December 6, 2016</li>
<li id="UYJcVy">Time: 8:00 p.m. EST</li>
<li id="5VHBqs">Place: FedEx Forum</li>
<li id="jApGco">Channel: CSN</li>
</ul>
<p id="EAuHD4">The Other Guys:<a href="http://www.grizzlybearblues.com/"> Grizzly Bear Blues</a></p>
<p id="13CpJ0"><strong>Probable Starters</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="n5TFro">Philadelphia: Sergio Rodriguez, Gerald Henderson, Nik Stauskas, Ersan Ilyasova, Richaun Holmes</li>
<li id="kiE9IH">Memphis: Andrew Harrison, Troy Williams, Tony Allen, JaMychal Green, Marc Gasol</li>
</ul>
<p id="NUfOkA"></p>
https://www.libertyballers.com/2016/12/6/13862436/76ers-grizzles-joel-embiid-marc-gasol-game-threadJake Fischer2016-11-16T21:58:03-05:002016-11-16T21:58:03-05:00Sixers 109, Wizards 102: Victory tastes sweeter with some Sauce Castillo
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<figcaption>Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Six Sixers scored in double figures to clinch the team's second victory of the season. </p> <p>What if I told you <span>Joel Embiid</span> sat the first end of a back-to-back to rest before a national television game and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.libertyballers.com/">Philadelphia 76ers</a> still went out and won two-straight home games?</p>
<p>It was arguably the team's best offensive performance of the season. Six players scored in double figures as the team posted 111.2 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would rank second in the NBA on the season.</p>
<p><span>Sergio Rodriguez</span> and <span>Nik Stauskas</span> were bushels of fun all game long. Rodriguez led the team with 12 assists, consistently pushing the tempo, finding cutters and not shooting below 50 percent from the field! Stauskas, as absurd as it may sound, truly filled a Manu Ginobili-lite effort off the bench. Seriously!</p>
<p>It's something Brett Brown discussed in the preseason, in which he revealed to reporters he showed Stauskas Manu film during the offseason and training camp in an attempt to emulate the Argentinian's game.</p>
<p>"He's going to have to, or he's not Manu, and we can all just walk away right now," <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/article/Brett-Brown-using-Manu-Ginobili-film-as-teaching-9691965.php" target="_blank">Brown said</a>. "We're all born different ways, and I want him to be Cocky Nik. I want him to have an edge to his game."</p>
<p>Stauskas led the team in plus-minus, posting a +17, starring in the bench unit's second-quarter explosion that built a lead as large as 24. He knocked down open three-point looks (2-3 from deep) and attacked the rim with reckless abandon off the bounce. Sauce Castillo only finished with 2 assists, but had at least 5 other assist opportunities by my count and attacked closeouts to move the ball like a savvy veteran.</p>
<p>He's been cutting tremendously off the ball this season as well. I mean, the dart to the rim here and the finish is just incredible:</p>
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<p>What a turn of events for a guy many, including myself, lobbied to be left off the 15-man roster. He's providing activity off the Sixers' bench like Darren Sproles changes the pace on third downs. Bench effectiveness is vital for contending NBA teams. Look at the difference between this year's 9-man-deep <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a> compared to recent iterations that couldn't strike anything outside of their core four players.</p>
<p><span>Dario Saric</span> and <span>Hollis Thompson</span> joined Stauskas with double figures off the bench. Saric was relegated to the pine for <span>Ersan Ilyasova</span>, clearly a move to provide more spacing for <span>Jahlil Okafor</span> with Embiid resting—another example of <span>Brett Brown's</span> acumen, but I imagine that argument will settle down following a second victory.</p>
<p>The Sixers no longer own the league's worst record with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">Pelicans</a> dropping a close one to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a>. It does feel pretty good, man.</p>
<p><i>Editor's Note: Didn't feel right having this recap up without a shout out for Okafor's play tonight. This was, fairly easily, his best performance of the season so far. He was the team's pacesetter with 19 points on 8-11 shooting, and as Brown mentioned in his post-game presser, he showed an assertiveness that has lacked at times. Whether that meant taking it to Gortat on the block or making decisions on defense, he played at a quicker pace than he has all season. Turning his obvious skill into instinct is the key moving forward.</i></p>
<p><i>He also pulled back the curtain on some friendly banter from Joel Embiid after fouling out:</i></p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Okafor on fouling out: "[Embiid] made fun of me when I got back here. He said I was the only player who could foul out in 20 minutes."</p>
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleNeubeck/status/799086345352314881">November 17, 2016</a>
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<p><i>After a rough outing on Monday, the man deserves his kudos tonight. </i></p>
https://www.libertyballers.com/2016/11/16/13658760/sixers-109-wizards-102-victory-tastes-sweeter-with-some-sauce-castilloJake Fischer