Deep Sixer

I was watching the game against the Nets and heard Vince Carter verbally ribbing Dalembert about his injury. He was saying stuff like "Who do you think you are, Rocky Balboa" and other trash after he hurt his shoulder. Looks like teams try to get in Sammy's head because they think they can take him out of his game. Looks like he's showing them its not going to work.

where are all the sam bashers ? one of 15 players giving you 10/10 and 2.5 blocks a game to boot. Boy does he suck...is he a rhodes scholar ? no...but living in philadelphia it's not like many of us are

whatthe,

Well said!

He has no post game, but he has really learned to stay on the floor and be more aggressive at blocking shots in the 4th quarter!

All teams would want him...glad to have SAM!

He's a good guy too, little goofy perhaps, but a good, caring guy!

Hope Sam can outplay Perkins tonight.Its a team game but against Boston its usually a given that you won!t win 2 of the 3 positions where they have all star level talent. We have to win the p.g. and center battles. Start Carney and Iggy or Thad and Iggy at the 2 and 3 positions tonight, please, give us a chance to slow down Pierce and Allen early.

We'd better get the 6' 9" Josh Smith in the off-season.

Imagine this: Iggy, Sammy, Thad, Josh and Andre with Reggie, Lou, Rodney coming of the bench.

We need some size and a scorer. Smith would give us 17ppg and is a strong rebounder and shot blocker.

Ed, go get him!

Suede,

Have to agree with the suggested lineup. I know Boston has 2 bigs (Garnett, Perkins), but I just don't like Reggie starting. He seems much more effective coming off the bench. Our offense seems to stagnate when he and Sam are on the floor together. Reggie is a 15-20 minute per game max player to me. I love his energy and work ethic, but we lose too much on offense when he is in the game. He can't create his own shot, can't finish with regularity inside, and misses too many free throws.

Suede, the Perkins/sammy matchup was interesting last time. Sam had just had his little blowup and it looked like he was consciously trying to prove something agaist Perkins. Now dont get me wrong, i think its great that sam is trying to improve his inside game, but his attempts to post up against perkins seemed like the definition of forcing it to me. Did you notice that as well?

I'm thinking the real challenge for Sammy is to be aggressive and smart at the same time. You're right in observing we need him to produce, but seems to me that it just plain hurts us if he tries to play outside of his abilities... Sammy's offensive strenghts are catching lobs, getting put-backs, and hitting that mid-range jumper - for my money, i'd like to see him play to those strengths in terms of his positioning on the court rather than trying to take perkins "down into the weightroom"...

"...and I’m trying to shoot a little..."

Hopefully he won't try shooting a little too much with those outside jumpers like he started off with last game. That was an ugly start for the Sixers, and they definitely can't be pulling any of that tonight.

K.M., by outplaying, I just meant defensively and being an opportunist on offense. He did seem like a fish out of water trying to post up 3 straight times at the beginning of last game.People mentioned bringing in Olajuwon to work with him, but I would use the "simple" approach. Get him to learn one simple move, the jump hook, and bring in Caldwell Jones to teach it to him. He loved his beer, who knows, a couple 6 packs and some game tickets and he could keep it simple, definitely up Sam!s alley.Zebra, I!D still start Reggie, he seems to get on Garnett!s nerves.

Suede - i hear you, was pretty sure thats what you meant. I was just kind of generally commenting on the matchup...seems like we're in agreement. Agree with the keep it simple approach too. good plan, by the way, haha.

Also agree about reggie - i believe it was the first boston game this year where he got garnett into quick foul trouble, which i would argue had a lot to do with how close the game stayed into the 3rd...

Andre Miller and Thad are the keys to this game. Teams that can run and push the ball give Boston trouble, and it all starts with Miller and Thad getting out on the break. I saw the Celts/Mavs game, Kidd was doing a great job keeping the game close. The Celts last 6 losses were:

Hornets, Jazz, Suns, Warriors, Nuggets, Raptors

The things those teams have in common: point guards who can score and push the ball and outside shooting. Two of their most recent close games, vs. Mavs and Spurs, you had Kidd and Parker.

Tonight's game isn't the time to slow things down, slowing down plays right into Boston's hands. Reggie seems like the obvious choice to start at PF, but Garnett usually gets his, so if Garnett is gonna kill anyway, why don't we get as much offense as possible out there? Also, start Carney over Green, to get even more horses and outside shooting in the lineup.

I just want Sam to focus on boxing out Perkins/Powe, and get as many rebounds as possible. I do not wanna see Thad and Jason at the same time, we need to rebound against this team.

iSPEC,
Here's a dollar... $... go buy a clue.

Garnett has killed the Sixers this year (shooting at a 63% clip) and if I remember correctly most of his points have been coming on 15-18 foot jumpers. He has taken Reggie outside and taken advantage of the space that Reggie has to give him. I would roll the dice and see what Thad can do...I don't think it could hurt. We are 0-3 against them already.

Zebra, I agree this is our last game against them till playoffs [wishfull thinking, eastern finals?] but I!m more concerned with getting Garnett away from the basket on defense, he causes so much havoc defensively. If Thad and Jason could stay outside and hit some jumpers that would be a plus and I would definitely try something different tonight.How!s this for a starting lineup?[ Sam, Jason,Thad,Iggy and Dre ] The Celts wouldn!t know what hittem!!

suede,
I thought you wanted to start Evans on Garnett? I like the line-up though, but I don't think the surprise will last beyond the tip off.

Yep, Thad and Dre both need to start, and whether Jason or Evans start at PF, I'm ambivalent. Either one of them is gonna get schooled by Garnett, again, but Evans probably has more of a fighting chance given his willingness to play dirty.

Whatever the case, I'm on record as thinking Green shouldn't start, but that applies to every game, not just this one. Willie should be playing against fellow backups. So should Evans and Smith, of course, but we don't have any other options at PF whereas we do at SG.

... adding that Thad is obviously an option at PF, but not against Garnett, who is just too big for him.

We finally beat the Nets and it's about time we got over the hump that is Boston. I have so few problems with Sam right now that I don't really feel the need to bring him up. The matter of who you start at the 4 is still open for debate.
To me the 6ers have a few options. One, start Thad at the 4 and let Reggie come off the bench. It seems as if he plays well with Sammy once the game has progressed but when he starts the offense can be a little stagnant. Starting Thad also gets him into the game mentally and he seems more focused.
Two, if they do not start Thad at the 4 then sit Willie and start Thad at the 3 IGGY at the 2 and Reggie next to Sam.
The bottom line is both WG and RE seem better suited for coming off the bench. It's just a matter of which one gets to start.
If there was more time left in the season I would even think of sitting them both and putting Smith in at the 4 to start the game for his offense with Thad, Iggy, AM and Sam. Sadly for Smith, once we finally get a true Back-to-the-hoop PF Smith's window as a starter may have closed. Which wouldn't be that bad for the team because it would mean that our bench would be even deeper than it already is. And how many teams are as deep as ours?
Barton

Ben, Zebra talked me out of starting Reggie. I would like to see Jason get a 30 minute oppurtunity some game. Seems he is never given that chance to get in a shooting rythm and he gives effort every game.Two athletic 7 fters, why not?

Against a team like Boston, you need to match height, so I would go with Smith and Dalembert, Young, Iggy and Miller.

The real key is to press Boston, and make them work hard for every shot on offense. The other key is to be patient on offense yourself, to make them work extra hard to stop you.

That means no quick shots, unless they're breakaways. Force Boston to work hard to defend you and expend energy there.

I am not impressed with Boston's backcourt, and that should be the Sixer's focus. Get on Rondo and stay on him the whole game.

Thad should be a good matchup with Pierce. He is the real key to their offense with his driving. If Thad or Rodney can stay in front of him, and force him to work on the defensive end that would give us a shot.

Barton, A team that starts Reggie Evans is not a deep one. A large rotation is different than a high quality one. At least 10 teams are deeper in NBA but I don't have time to enumerate.

Jumpin':

Agreed. A team that brings Reggie Evans off the bench for 15-20 high energy minutes is a deep team. A team that could dust off Willie Green every now and again to score 10 points in 10 minutes is a deep team. But you can't call a team that starts both of them a deep team.

Can't argue with the concerns about starting Reggie, but I LOVED Reggie against the Celtics two weeks ago. Reggie is not what makes or breaks us tonight. It is about HITTING @#$%*& jumpshots! So let's go Willie, Rodney, and the Andre I. And also stopping them from hitting so many three's. Good latebreaking news is that Posey is not playing for Boston tonight. That's less D on AI and fewer 3's. I like our chances, baby. Go Sixers! I love it! I''m watching it all live tonight for only the third time all year. Let's go get it!

One '3 for 17' and people are bailing again on Willie Green. He was raising eyebrows, getting positive blog revisions as recently as 3 weeks ago with a good stretch of solid performances. But now it seems it's doghouse and berating time again. Fickle Philly fans.

When we play very, very tight D, we're good. No more open looks for Allen and Garnett.

Did you notice the inspiring Iggy leadership? Walking up floor with sour puss, bitching at a teammate after Allen hits a corner 3 with him in vicinity. Even if rotations or switching was improper, that doesn't cut it.

JJG,
I wrote that if we get another 4 who can start then we are a deeper team. That starter would not be RE, Smith or someone who we already have.

6ers 31 Boston 31 end this game right now!
Barton

Yeah, Jumpin', but Iggy's playing some good D on Pierce. Sammy is by far the biggest problem so far.

Jumpin':

I didn't see the 1st quarter, but Dre had a great first half, really kept the team in the game.

Von Hayes:

You're just salty about your own treatment here in Phila. If you paid attention, you'd notice that Willie is not a starting quality SG in the NBA, and barely keeps his head above water even if he is hitting his shots.

Speaking of Willie, I'd like to again ask what pictures he has on Mo to play 16 minutes in the 1st half, while needing 5 shots to get 2 points. Meanwhile Lou gets 4 points on 1 shot and only played 6 minutes? And while Thad gets 7 points in 9 minutes? And while Carney plays only 7 minutes and gets 5 points?

Bobby, Granted, some good D, but Iggy journeys a lot, when he should stay home. 3 Pierce 3s -where's Iggy? If he's getting between ball and basket - OK. But that's not been the case.

Morty, He's gettin' juiced with Pierce trash talk and challenge; had a strong offensive 2nd quarter, was sleepy in the first.

80-80
They were down 10 and I went to get a soda and I come back and it's tied. Maybe they are starting to believe. I want to say that I do but to be honest at 10 behind I wasn't feeling it. Gotta love Thad and LWill and what they bring to the table. GO SIXERS!!!
Barton

I am speechless. I am without speech.

Abbiamo vinto a boston 95-90!!! siamo fortissimi

Savoring the 95-90 victory...oh yea...good way to end the day with your favorite team winning...

No quit!

These guys are amazing.

That's it! I am truly convinced that this team is only two pieces away from having a record like Boston has. They are beating some pretty darn good teams people. Boston, Detroit, Phoenix, San Antonio, Denver, Dallas, geez luiz!! I wouldn't want to face them in the first round....

Hey Morty:

Cheeks never plays Green in the 4th quarter, Lou is the man and Green has a bad back. Love the rotation right now, everyone plays, and he puts the most effective guys from that game on the floor together in the 4th. Brilliant!!!

A man's game from Dre. Huge.

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!!!
I love beating Boston. Body count just keeps growing and Iguodala is becoming that very player we all wondered about. That throw-down after the ball bounced off the ref's foot was just mean, love that attitude. What a game!

Jumpin Johny,

Go jump off a bridge, moron

BB:

That's kinda my point. If Green is never good enough to finish the game, he shouldn't be good enough to start.

Some of the very best I've seen from Dre.

There is certainly some magic surrounding this team right now. What a win. Down 11 in the fourth against the best team in the NBA on the road? Are you serious? I went into the other room to make a phone call at that point and when I walked back in it was 80-80. I thought I was hallucinating.

Andre Iguodala was by far the best player on the floor tonight. Against three of the best players of their generation. Pay this man right now. If he keeps playing like this, I don't want to him to see the market at all, even as a restricted FA.

Green was an asset as loyyery insurance. That now has no place here.
Dont mind him starting, but unless he makes half baked at a minimum decisions, he should not see more than 15-17 mpg.

Dude cannot play as a team player, period. Think he leads the NBA in shots blocked too, cannot pass, etc.

Time to gracefully, and quickly, get him off the Court. He cannot defend ANYONE other than maybe 2 SGs of equal height; a total liability.

Just start Iggy and Thad w Sam, AM, and whomever else fits that day. ENUF WG. He is a bench, energy guy, only.

Great finish, boys. Am never surprised anymore. At least BK can flash a proud smile in NBA Central. Good for him; he deserves it.

Biggest win of the Season, beating the Celtics in their own building. Until this, I sort of figured that they were in a league of their own, so far above a team like Phila. that we couldn't expect to compete.

If they can do this to Boston, they can win the Championship. Basically, they completely shut down the Celtics offense in the fourth quarter, and scored with relative ease, by stealing the ball, running on misses and rebounds, and executing in the half court when they had to.

That is what it takes to win a Championship, and they have now done it to Detroit (Fmr. NBA Champ.) San Antonio(Curr. NBA Champ.)and Boston (Heir apparent to the Champ.) in succession.

Which E.C. team wants to get matched up with the Sixers now? Big big games coming up with Cleveland and Phoenix.

Morty:

For now that's what we have to deal with. We all know next year Thad will be a full time starter and Iggy will be the 2. He's not a starter, but I would rather have him start then having Lou start this late in the season. Pick your poison, if both of them are not hitting shots they are useless because neither of them are great defenders, although Lou is starting to show he has quick hands. And you better not say start Carney :)

Sorry, meant LOTTERY INSURANCE re Willie.

Yessssssssssssssssssssssssss!!! What a gutsy win.

In addition to a great win and continual momentum, hopefully you got to appreciate the one Celt's player that I would love to see in a Sixers uni next year - Leon Powe. A gritty, hungry 2nd year player from Cal trying his hardest to make an impression on a loaded team but continually getting disrespected by the organization. The announcers and fans love him but he continually gets stuck behind Big Baby, Tony Allen...you name it. He kills the Sixers. For a guy getting darn near the minimum, the Sixers could do worse than pay $2 mil to a guy who hustles, rebounds, shoots a high %, and always is around the ball.

How sweet it is. Sixers played that 4th quarter with a ton of energy, not just Iggy, who manned up big time, but Thad and Lou making plays on both ends, Miller being Miller, and Sam made some noise on defense. I think they won this game on the defensive end, by contesting shots in the second half and grabbing rebounds. And then, of course, running a real good fast break.

I thought Boston had us when they were up 11-they were moving the ball well (watching the way Boston passes and moves without the ball should be great instruction to the Sixers) but then Doc Rivers sat his starters for way too long in the 4th quarter. In his post-game press conference, he said he was trying to get his bench more minutes heading into the playoffs. But you gotta wonder. We're watching Pierce, Allen, and Rondo yuk it up on the bench while the Sixers took the lead back. Not that I'm complaining, mind you, and regardless, the 76ers just flat out took advantage of every opportunity.

So it's a great win and proof that good things lie ahead as long as the team continues to play high energy AND in control. If we can play with some smarts and energy in the half court set, do a better job of executing switches against teams with 3-point shooters, and get Sammy to start using some Moses Malone post-up moves, we'll do some damage.

And by the way, Jumpin' and the rest of you guys who continue to slag Iggy, come on. It's the same stuff people used to say about Paul Pierce. He is a great all-around player who gets frustrated when his teammates let him down. Remember this guy JUST TURNED 24 and this is first full year as the team's leader (along with Miller). We get ourselves a PF, allow Thad, Lou to mature, resign AMiller, and you will see Iggy become a definite all-star. Guaranteed.

Go Phila!!

Rick:

You are 2-3 years ahead of yourself and the rest of us!! No championship this year, if the make some amazing deals in the offseason maybe. In the playoffs experience matters, not youth and quickness. It's a different game dog! I love how they are playing but the intensity goes WAY up after April.

For the record, Boston just got back from a road trip and the first thing to go is the legs. When the legs go, the brain goes, and the hands are all that's left. That's why we got to the line frequently tonight...

Dear Tormented in Beantown, make those Green son of !@#~!$%#^^ buy You a tall one!!! Sam, great job. Iggy, that!s how you get the max!! Thad, you sure your only 19?

Haha, Suede, it's funny you mention Iguodala getting the max. Watching him play tonight got me thinking he's playing for a max contract. Hey, if Rashard Lewis got one.....

JYURK, Up until about 2 weeks ago I thought A.Miller was our leader but I!d say we have coleaders now. He!s going to the hole more instead of settling for the jumper.

I dunno if this was the most significant win of the year, it really doesnt matter. The comeback in Chicago was a confirmation that these guys just wont give up. ORL was any teams periodic stinker, although they appear a bad matchup, sure.

Props to Iguodala; few have the size heart this dude has; and no one has his freak athleticism.
Sometimes I wonder whether he is even focused on the FT Line; then remember he plays 44 mpg in games that come down the stretch, and delivers, his way. If he effs up at the FT Line, dude comes back and compensates in some other way. Total freak, and a winner.

Great mentor for Thad and Lou.

BB:

Igoudala is the future (and present) SG, and he should be starting at that position. I like Lou off the bench. Thad should be the starting SF. And the starting PF comes this summer. Carney and Green can battle for time off the bench.

And I could bitch all day long about Mo's rotations, substitutions and so forth, but get the man some more players, because he has control of this team's psyche. The players have no memory and no fear.

Tormented:
I like Powe also. He had a fantastic athletic block on Lou, and always seems to be around the ball.

I agree with Morty, there is no reason to start Willie Green. I think the Sixers are much more potent with Iggy at the 2 and Thad at the 3. It creates matchup problems for the other team, for a change. Going with Evans at the 4 is all right, but (I know this is a little off-the-wall) I would start J Smith at the 4. He provides better offense than Evans, and his lack of rebounding is compensated by having Sammy, Thad and Iggy in there.

Thing is, when you win at this recent clip, its irrelevant who you start. Its who you have playing in Q 4.

Anybody think Iguodala wants to play the 9 minutes of a gamne with Willie and Reggie, for stat collection?
Its miraculous his Assists havent dropped more; Sam has selective hands, WG has zero consistency, and Reggie is busy pump faking.

For the first 9 mpg, the Andres have only each other to consixtently dish to. After each has his 5 mins break, they can dish to all the kids= Thad,Rod,Lou, Jason, etc. Strange.
Yet, Mo seems so far to have the Q4 rotation, if at worst down 10, to overcome all, most all, deficits w the kids, rested.
Hard to quibble there.

Thing is, when you win at this recent clip, its irrelevant who you start. Its who you have playing in Q 4.

Anybody think Iguodala wants to play the 9 minutes of a gamne with Willie and Reggie, for stat collection?
Its miraculous his Assists havent dropped more; Sam has selective hands, WG has zero consistency, and Reggie is busy pump faking.

For the first 9 mpg, the Andres have only each other to consixtently dish to. After each has his 5 mins break, they can dish to all the kids= Thad,Rod,Lou, Jason, etc. Strange.
Yet, Mo seems so far to have the Q4 rotation, if at worst down 10, to overcome all, most all, deficits w the kids, rested.
Hard to quibble there.

Ummmm... Holy freaking crap! For some reason, I was sure that they were going to beat the Celtics, too.

Now this is more like it.

If only I lived in Philly and could actually watch the games.

I may have to get League Pass next year...

Keep up the good work, Sixers. Awesome.