Deep Sixer

Marc's right, all you Rodney Carney detractors: He had his best game of the year in the team's biggest win of the year. And he's playing solid D.
If the 6ers can go into the offseason secure knowing Thad/Carney can man the 3, and Iggy/Green can man the 4, all Stef has to do
this offseason is find a low post scoring 4, and possibly a pure 1 to groom if they don't re-sign Ollie (which I hope they do).

Only one game behind the Wizards to secure the No. 6 seed! This team would make an opening round series against the Magic interesting!

Ouch, 1 for 10 shooting from Sweet Lou tonight.

I have to say that I am really impressed with this win tonight by the Sixers. Detroit is an elite team and the Sixers were able to overcome them with an injured starter missing and an in-game injury to a key player down the stretch.

Rather than looking at the individual numbers I think its important to comment on the amazing chemistry that this young team has developed in such a short amount of time. Five of the top eight tonight are 24 and under. And they just beat a team that has won an NBA Championship! With defense!

They still have a bit of a tough road ahead of them. But it sure is fun watching this young team grow.

76ers Prove They’re No Fluke Against Detroit:
http://reclinergm.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/76ers-prove-theyre-no-fluke-against-detroit/

Very important win for this team. Proved they can win ugly, banged up, on the road, after a disappoint loss against a good team. More and more it looks like this team is very close to being a real contender.

I'd agree that this was one of the biggest wins of the year. In the grand scheme of things, though, I still think the 16-point comeback win against the Rockets to break their 7-game losing streak in January was more important. With Boston coming up after that game, they could easily have had a 9-game losing streak and simply given up on the season (and Andre Miller would definitely have been traded), and we would never have seen this great run.

Some comments about this game ... Carney played probably his best game as a pro, and he showed how good he can be if he's hitting his jump shot. In the 4th quarter, Carney was 4-5 (all jumpers, though one was a floater) while the rest of team was 1-12 (only one Jason Smith jumper, while Iguodala went 0-6 and Lou went 0-4). And Carney's help defense on Billups on the final play was invaluable.

I had pointed out last week (check the March 4 archives) that the Sixers can compete with the Pistons this year because they have better defensive personnel than in previous years, and tonight it showed (actually, the Sixers have played the Pistons close in 3 games now). Morty was the one who suggested giving Green's minutes to Carney for a hypothetical Detroit series, we saw how effective that was tonight. The Pistons are also essentially a 5-man team this year (the very average Jason Maxiell being their 6th man), so if you get even one of their starters in foul trouble, their performance suffers.

So, if someone had said before the game that the Sixers would be missing both Miller and Green down the stretch, that Iguodala and Lou would both have cold shooting nights, and that the final score would be in the 80's, would anyone have guessed that the Sixers could win a game like that? It was strange to see, but here's how it happened: (1) the Sixers got into the bonus early, thanks to three early fouls in the 4th by Detroit's bench; then they went 7-10 on free throws in the 4th, most of them shot after non-shooting fouls; (2) the Sixers rebounded well, with 6 offensive rebounds; (3) the Sixers defended well, holding Detroit to 5-14 [and no 3-pointers] with 5 turnovers.
Lou's block of McDyess was huge at the time, and Iguodala was great on defense (he should definitely get some all-defensive team votes this year).

What makes this stretch so difficult is that the Sixers are playing teams ranked 1-2-3 in opponents' PPG and 1-3-7-8 in opponents' FG percentage. It's good preparation for the playoffs, though.

One final thought: the Sixers are now closer to #5 Toronto than #8 New Jersey. If Bosh's injury turns out to be more serious than expected, don't discount the Sixers' chances of passing the Raptors as well (assuming that the Sixers' own injuries aren't serious).

This was the biggest win of the season for the 76ers. They played the big, bad Pistons ( who were at full-strength) on their homecourt and beat them while being shorthanded.

The win was impressive, but it was how the 76ers beat them that was even more impressive. This was far from the 76ers A game, but they grinded it out by playing physical, playing great defense and certain unexpected players stepped up (Carney and Reggie Evans).

I noticed a couple of things about this game. First of all, Iggy is a beast as a 2-guard. He was just too strong and physical for Rip on offense and gave him a lot of trouble on defense. Also, Thad was a much better matchup on defense against Tayshaun Prince than Iggy. This was the first game that the 76ers played the Pistons in 3 years where Prince didn't actually kill them.

Where are all of the Steven Hunter fans now? Reggie Evans set the tone early for this team by laying the wood on the Pistons and all of the other 76ers fell in line. I have NBA League Pass and the Detroit announcers talked openly about how glad they were when Evans got his 4th foul and had to sit down in the third quarter. I don't think anybody in the NBA has ever said that about Hunter his whole career.

Also, Willie Green is a bigger part of this series than most people think. If there is one team that Willie Green plays well against in the NBA, it is the Pistons. Since they were his hometown team growing up, he seemingly is dialed in a little bit more whenever they play the Pistons. A final point is Lou Will has played 2 of his worst games of the year back-to-back. Hopefully he learns how to still help the team when his shot isn't falling.

I think Flip Saunders' days are numbered as the Pistons coach. This loss tonight was pretty bad for them. They won't beat Boston in the Eastern Conference finals if they don't bring more to the table than that.

Seeing how the 76ers played tonight made me think about how much of a handfull they would be if they had a low post 4 like Zach Randolph who could do work on the block. If the Knicks still want to unload him, I'd be all ears if I'm Stefanski. A nice fall back would be a combination of Charlie V. and Ronny Turiaf.

Your thoughts?

The NBA game is very mental. You don't get yourself mentally prepped for an opponent and the threes don't fall and the free throws don't fall and the defense is just a step slower.

I'm glad the Sixers were able to take advantage of that. Here's an arguable assertion: this win shows the team has turned without Allen Iverson. Allen used to kill the team in grind it out games because he had no support in the half court offense. Without Green and Miller the Sixers almost looked that part with Iguodalal having to force a couple shots in the last two minutes (looked like he got fouled on the layup). Anyway, this would have been a loss in the Allen Iverson era, perhaps, but now there are more emerging weapons (Williams, Carney, Young, even D'bert). Hopefully that translates to a bright future.

I think what gave the Pistons the most problem is the strating 4 of the future... Miller, Iggy, Young and Dalembert... and if they get a the power forward there looking for this team will be scray next season

Thanks for the 15 rebounds but Sammy is easily the DUMBEST on court player in the league.

Shame on everyone who was so quick to brand Carney a bust in his second season. This kid has great talent!

Also, I had no confidence in Iggy's little pull up late in the game, he needs to take it to the cup in the 4th.

God bless Reggie Evans for giving this team heart and toughness. That is contagious, except for Sammy, who is so basketball dumb. Hey Sammy I love those no look awkward over the shoulder hook passes.

Wow! what a season this has been, this is great stuff. Never prouder to be a Sixers

I wonder how many minutes Carney gets next game if Willie comes back. It's so apparent that the only way they can be effective is if they are given each other's minutes.

That Carney floater over Rasheed Wallace in the 4th was beautiful. That's a hard shot to hit!

And I like how Lou was able to drive by Billups in the 4th. We got some ridiculous quickness on this team.

Good points by all, whatever 4 gets signed in the summer better be ready to work his @#$#%^& off when training camp starts, Reggie will be waiting. Being an undrafted player I wonder if the previous 2 teams put any effort into developing Evans game or just were happy with what he gave them.He seems athletic and as Dean pointed out last night , work on his foul shooting and overall shooting could keep him on the court at the end of games more.Who!s the last Sixer to have such an effect on the game without having to score?

Great game, no complaints, no bitching. I only have glowing things to say about the Sixers today! I'm really enjoying these games lately. The 76rs are a TEAM- No doubt about it!

Great win by the Sixers tonight, but hold on one second...

1) Carney should not be on our roster next season. Yeah, he had a great game and we surely needed it to pick up the win... but he is NOT a good basketball player and cannot be counted on for consistent play night in and night out. Shame on you, Jersey, for making such ridiculous statements.

2) LouWill is a real toss up for next season. Like a number of people here, I don't see him as a key player in the Sixers championship machine of the future. He's too erratic with an extremely inconsistent jump shot (on a team where outside shooting is one of the biggest problems). Some tough choices have to be made in the offseason in terms of finding (a) a consistent outside threat and (b) a scoring power forward. So, if some other GM offers LouWill more than, say, $2 million/yr, do you really think Ed will match it? I certainly hope not.

Just to close on a positive note... you have to appreciate the Sixers will to win last night. They gave it all they had and came out on top. Congratulations to one of the hardest working teams out there!

I have to agree about Sammy.. He's seems a bit hesitant whenever someone throws an elbow in his chest. He'll shoot from 20 ft out, but will attempt to pass the ball when he's 3 ft away from the basket... go figure...

Mo Cheeks! Mo Cheeks! Mo Cheeks!

Leader of young men, understands D comes first, quiet strength!

This is a Mo Cheeks team...we are VERY fortunate to have him!

My first thought last night was: Biggest win of the season.

This team is well ahead of the development anyone had hoped for.

No matter who is brought here this summer, I hope Reggie Evans remains. How many other NBA players (at 2 and 3 times the price) give what he does EVERY night?

The future, to me, is AI2 at SG and Thad at SF.
Great length, which is one reason DET has been so successful.

And while some may agrue he is not a great head coach, Mo is the one steering this ship. Credit is due.

And now only 3.5 behind TOR for 5th.

Congrats to our sixers for a tough, grind out game against a very good opponent. They took advantage of poor free throw shooting and played well. Carney stepped up.

Jersey- bad timing to be so negative. This team played together last night, and is that all you have to say?

Marc,
you said the team could have come out of this trip 0-4, but 2-2 is a real probability. Our chances against SA is slim to none. Coming out .500 in this trip is huge. They have some tough games at home, but if they can play like they're playing- like they care, with some grit, we still have a real shot at being a 6 seed.

I would agree about this being the biggest win of the year. Phoenix was not playing as well as Detroit which is a tougher match up in style as well.

Carney? What the hell do you do think about him when he shows up like he just did? Wasn't he billed as a good 3 point shooter out of college? And our other head case, Sammy, had a great 4th quarter rebounding the ball.

Lou and Dre again had awful shooting nights, but Dre did get to the line, and did anyone else notice that Lou played excellent D on Billups throughout the 4th? In fact their D was really good, especially Carney and Dre. They really shut down Hamilton.

Question: was the improved defense because of Willie's absence, or just super motivation? I won't take a position after just one game, but I don't think Hamilton has the game he did with Green on him for 25 minutes.

One last observation. Jason Smith got pushed around a bit on the glass and got stuffed bad at one point, but he kept his composure and hit two very needed jumpers in the 4th. Of course, I think he continues to set the best picks on the team. Nice job.

Well, i said flat out that detroit would outclass us, and i was shown up. We beat them at their own game. Back in november, who'da thunk we be hanging our hat on defense. Have to credit Mo.

And now that he's seen what this lineup can do, maybe we'll start to see a little variety, depending on matchups. If we can play that way AND play the break, we have a very bright future for a long time to come. Also credit to BK for assembling the cast and Ed for having the patience to see what they're made of.

To all the Rodney Carney groupies, don't get carried away by one game. It's the law of averages: Iggy and LouWill had off shooting nights, and while that's not uncommon for Lou, it's unusual for Iggy. Don't be surprised if Carney doesn't show up for Chicago and Iggy gets it going, which is what usually happens. But it's nice to see the guys picking up for each other, that's the trait of a great team. That's what needs to be focused on, not that this is Carney's breakout game, but when the main guys are struggling, other guys can step up.

One more note: someone mentioned this above, and worth repeating again - Flip Saunders is in trouble, Detroit was NOT this soft when Larry Brown was the coach. His coaching against LeBron and Cavs last year was atrocious. He's got a good young bench but doesn't know what to do with them, doesn't trust them, like Mo does with the Sixers bench. Jason Smith should NOT have a bigger impact on a game than Amir Johnson, Rodney Stuckey, or Jason Maxiell. Joe Dumars needs to give Larry Brown a call.

The SIXERS w their most impressive victory of the season...and the lousy Flyers losing yet another one gets the top sports headline on Philly.com...get a friggin clue....Iggy&Co are for real and only getting better..wake up Philly!!

Datruth:

The thing that worries me about a Randolph or Charlie V. is their defensive skills. 3/5ths of next years starting lineup (Thad, Dre, Sammy) and 2 players off our bench (Evans, Carney) are good defensive players. So, I'd like to make sure that whoever we bring in as PF can at least approach that level of defense, meaning be better than average.

The Sixers with Young at the 3, Iggy at the 2 and Miller at the 1, can play with anybody. In fact, the Sixers' backcourt outplayed Billups and Hamilton, and that was the big reason for the win.

Usually Detroit's backcourt is the aggressor and sets the tone. The Sixers were so much better at these spots that the Pistons were too busy stopping them to be able to score effectively. Even Prince had troubles, being matched-up against Young.

This game is very big, because it shows that the Sixers can compete with the 2nd best team in the EC, and probably the league.

Of course, we fall a little short when it comes to the 4 and 5 spots, but The Sixers did outrebound the Pistons and most of Wallace's scoring was from the outside.

It should be clear to everyone that this line-up gives the Sixers the best chance to win night in and out. It should also be clear that we need someone at the 4 spot who can perform as well as the three at the 1,2, & 3 spots.

The team is way ahead of where I thought they would be. The growth of Young and Williams along with Miller and Igoudala has been phenomenal. They can win against most teams and they outwork everyone. I really thought they needed another player or two to compete, now I think the right 4 and or 5 would give them the ability to contend for a title.

I also think Detroit would like us to move up in the standings. After last night, I don't think they want to see the Sixer in the postseason.

San Antonio could be a winnable game. They got destroyed by Chris Paul and David West, and they even lost to Denver last week.

Quite the week for the Sixers. Who's making this schedule!?!??!

This was by far the biggest win of the year. I Went to the Sixers Clippers game in Los angeles this year, and these young guys are exciting. Maurice Cheeks should get a look at coach of the year, especially if these guys end up in the sixth spot. Carney looked like the true All American that we drafted out of Memphis. The key word is patience with this group, but they are playing great. A little national television exposure is long overdue.
Jason Los Angeles

Great win, the intensity never stopped and perhaps earlier in the season the 76ers might have folded to Detroit's pressure.

Two quick notes

Jason Smith particularly early in the game was in over his head, and it showed when Antonio McDyess basically got a free offensive rebound and slam, while Smith stood and watched.

And secondly the Sixers got no respect from the refs. Any contact we committed instant whistle, Iggy gets called for carrying the ball (Do you think Chauncey or Rip would have been whistled for that?) and if the Pistons wanted to shove Reggie or Sammy D. out of the way to get a rebound no foul call.

The non calls got me more angry than the calls that went against us. But a win is a win and it showed true character.

Whoo! Go Sixers. I love how we outrebound other teams now (thank you, Mr. Evans). I remember the past two years when we got outrebounded nearly game.

Go Sixers. And oh, please bring back the classic Barkley-era uniforms. I'm going to keep requesting that for as long as I have to.

Morty you're right about LouWill's defense. That can't be overlooked. Think about his biggest flaw earlier in the year. He couldn't cover anyone. What a turn around. He is a very bright young player. I think he just might be able to develop those point guard skills.

Dave:

Of course Jason Smith looked overmatched. He was a rookie matched up against a veteran starting forward on an elite NBA team. But somehow by the 4th quarter, Jason was able to be one of two Sixers to actually score a field goal and drew an important early foul as well. Somehow for all of the overmatching going on, Jason finished the game as a +3, the second highest +/- on the Sixers last night.

There isn't a guy on the Sixers last night who didn't get beat at least once on the defensive end. But somehow they managed to play together enough for 48 minutes to defeat an elite NBA team.

Morty, I hear you on your Randolph and Charlie V. concerns. I think most people want Stefanski to get Superman instead of a serviceable power that can score or draw a double team in the summer. Zack and Charlie V. aren't great one on one defenders, but the 76ers are evolving into a great defensive team.

The thing I like about both of them is that they can both score and rebound and Zach is a monster on the block. Charlie V. has a more cerebral game and would be the type of 4 that could help spread the floor. Since when has the 76ers had a PF that could go for 48 points in a game, as Charlie V. has?

If you want to add a great defensive 4, then we can sign Ronny Turiaf in free agency for that role and trade a pick and a player to get Charlie V. from the Bucks. That gives you defense and scoring from that 4 spot, along with a good backup for Sam when he gets in foul trouble.

If Stefanski came away with a combination of Charlie V. and Turiaf, or Zach Randolph, then I think he would have done a great job. I think the E. Brand, Shawn Marions and Josh Smith's of the world are pipe dreams at this point.

Also, how can you guys talk about getting rid of Carney after the game he had last night? Next to Evans, he was arguably the best 76er on the floor. He's only in his second year, you got him 3 more years for cheap and he still has a lot of upside. Remember, Iggy didn't begin to turn the corner until almost the end of his third year.

Let's give the young players the time to work on their games and improve. A bench next year of Evans, R. Turiaf, Jason Smith, Carney, Lou Will, Willie Green and Herbert Hill doesn't look that bad to me.

Your thoughts?

Wow this is the team that Billy King put together and they are destined to make the playoffs if they keep playing ball this way. As noted, Mo is the quiet leader we knew him to be and he has his teams respect so they are playing their tails off. Too bad Ed Snider didn't allow Billy to enjoy the final year of his contract. He earned the right to and in the end he did a great job!

I'm proud of you Morty good accurate assessment with no negative overkill. I enjoyed Rod Carney's play and Lou will's good position defense on billips. I felt the refs tried to give the game to detroit but they couldnt take it. Based on Detroits rotations i came away from the game thinking they are really worried about us. More so for the future than last night's game. It also became apparent that Detroit thinks alot of thad young on defense. Minus Sheed nobody seemed willing to try him. Thad is going to be a NBA STAR with a heavy allstar resume. This became blinding obvious to me last night. Wasnt sure how good he would be but now I see he is REALLY special. Might be the best player this draft produces that isnt named greg oden. I will go on record and say even better than Durant and close to Horford. Reggie gave us another great effort but I still want to see Smith develop in2 a better rebounder. I want to see Rodney get to the fouline 2 take his jumper. I think he can lethal there if he makes that his spot

DaTruth, usually agree with a lot of what you have to say. Question for you though - If i read you right, you want to add two power forwards? where does that leave reggie, do you not see him fitting in?

Just curious, for myself i love reggie as our backup PF next year...

I said a week ago that the Sixers were going to surprise people in this stretch..just like they have surprised people all year.
This is a group of young studs who believe in themselves. Woe to any team who looks at the Philly game and logs a win. They are in for a fight. This is what it's all about.

No quit in this team.

Despite all that has been written and said about them, the Sixers have just kept plugging away...thus far, working hard the entire season. Boy, oh boy, playoffs or not, you've got to be proud of these guys.

Go, Sixers!

Dartuth:

I don't necessarily think we need a superstar at PF, but we do need someone who can play 30 minutes and get us 15 or more points, 7-8 boards and plays above average D. If we add that player plus a SG off the bench who can play D and shoot the three (could Carney develop into that player, our Bruce Bowen?), I think we would have a shot at 45-50 wins next year, given the lower quality Eastern Conference.

sfw:

Lou doesn't bring it like that on D every night, but last night shows he has the potential. He needs both more strength, and more consistent mental intensity, which I think accounts for last night's showing. But he's got the physical ability with his quickness and long arms. I mean, he really locked onto Billups for the last 6 minutes, stayed in front of him.

ES, you've got some ha-UUUUUGE decisions to make in the next few months that will effect this team for years to come.

And I believe it all starts with Thad.

If you put Thad at the 3, that means Iggy goes to the two and the outside shooting of this team will remain a weakness. If I'm playing against this lineup I take a step back and let them shoot 38 percent from the field, and continue to have little or no 3-point threat.

If you put Thad at the 4, then you are playing one of the cornerstones of your franchise out of position.

So where do you spend the 10 million, ES? Low post 4 or sharp-shooting 2? I think ES is privately hoping Thad grows at least an inch and puts on 20 pounds over the next three and a half months.

In the words of our not so good pitcher J.D. Durban, the Sixers are "The Real Deal". You have to be impressed with how they are playing. And KM - the Sixers have been a good defensive team all year, not just recently.

Don't just write them off against the Spurs either. They are capable of beating that team if we can keep our turnovers down, play solid D, and rebound the basketball.

Anyone wonder why Carney was all business last night? Why you never saw him smile, why he looked so serious? Even at the end when Iggy was hoping to get an excited reaction out of him when the final buzzer went off and he was much less enthused?

Answer: Last year when they played Detroit (chime in if you remember this story), Rasheed Wallace joked about Carner during a game and said "Who doe's he think he is, D-Wade?" He said this when Carnery tried to make a move and looked foolish but got bailed out by the ref and shot a couple of throws. Then you could hear and see other players on their team laughing at him. You could hear it because of the mic that is above the basket. I was angry and disturbed that the Sixers did not back him up and did nothing. We got embarassed that game, but Carney was even more embarassed. Last night I think that was still in his mind and was replaying itself over and over again. A lot of players play their best when they are angry! He did not play in the Detroit game earlier this year, at least not much but I bet it would have been the same kind of result.

You'll see, on Friday against Chicago he will be more relaxed and back to his "average"self again. I give him props for showing up in a big game because is no where near a big time player. If he does not improve from this game I don't know what else to say about the guy.

BB:

How much better a team would the Sixers be if Carney could bring that type of game to the arena every night?

Good point, hcatchings. Right now, Thad is a tweener. Offensively, he is more comfortable near the basket, with his little hook shot and floater, as well as put backs a la George Lynch. Defensively, he can cover the smaller 4s, but is overmatched by the bigger, more physical ones. I think the best solution long-term is to have Iggy at the 2 and Thad at the 3. Defensively, they will overwhelm whomever they are playing (like last night), and I think Iggy is a mismatch offensively against most 2s. Naturally, Thad will have to work on his outside game, but I'm sure that will come.

So, I think Ed will go for the low post 4 for the starting lineup. Maybe later get the 3-point shooting 2 to come off the bench. Who knows, perhaps Lou or Willie or Rodney can blossom into that player, although I'm not holding my breath.

So...how did Thaddeus Young fall to #12 again?

I never got to watch him play at GT, but what did guys like Spencer Hawes, Noah, Brewer, and Acie Law(who might have the record for most injuries in a season) have that Thaddeus didn't?

Eventually, Thad is a future 4. His present is as a 3, but in about 5 years he's a 4 similar to a cross between Shawn Marion and Josh Smith.

IMHO, this team is crying for a low post scoring 4. Brand would be perfect, but there are other options.

An explosive scoring 2 would be interesting as well, if this team is going run and run and run. It'll rack up wins, but in the playoffs you need 20 points nightly from someone on the block.

Great win last night, and it's great to see this team moving even quicker in the right direction.

BB - OK, maybe i did overstate my case a bit about the defense. We havent been shredded much, overall pretty good though a little soft on the perimeter at times. But if you told me at the start of the season that we could hold Detroit to 15 in the 4th to close out a tight game, I wouldn't have believed it.

They've come a long way - maybe its really more a question of maturity than defense. Even before yesterday's game, i was still just cautiously optimistic. But yes, definitely looking like the real deal now. Last night and the phoenix game proved a lot. Still maybe a few ups and downs ahead, but its looking like more ups than downs.

By the way, that's an interesting insight about carney. He's showed up to a few other games this year too...but agreed, unfortunately does not usually show up the game after.

"A bench next year of Evans, R. Turiaf, Jason Smith, Carney, Lou Will, Willie Green and Herbert Hill doesn't look that bad to me."

Yeah, it's a pretty good group, except for a few things:

1) Evans, Turiaf, and Smith are all Power Forwards (unless you're planning to use one of them as Sammy's backup at Center). Why would we need all three on the roster?

2) Of Carney, LouWill, and Green, only Green has a semi-decent, semi-consistent outside shot. Carney and LouWill are assets, more than anything, for the energy they bring to the court. So, as above, I can't figure why we'd need all three... and why we'd need Carney, in particular.

3) Who's our sniper... the guy coming off the bench who we can trust to knock down an open jumper when called upon to do so? Maybe Green... maybe... as long as he recognizes that that's his main role... the thing we value most about his play. Even then, I'm not so sure he's the right man. During his time with the Sixers, he's always demonstrated that he plays his best as a starter and not as a role player off the bench.

Just some things to think about... and, of course, they're just opinions.

Agreed that adding Turiaf makes Jason Smith or Evans probably superfluous. Also agreed that if Dre is the starting SG, that only two of three of Carney, Green and Lou are necessary.

I'm fine with Smith and Evans as our big men off the bench, especially if Smith can add to his strength and skills this summer.

For guards, Carney and Lou have bigger upside than Green, so I would prefer the two of them step up their games. I also would not mind drafting another guard with our 1st rounder to add to the mix.

I think our outside shooting is fine. Williams, Young, Igoudala, Green and Carney can all shoot the three, but they can all dribble and score too! (Something Korver could never do)

You don't need long-range shooting to beat a team. Just consistently make 10-15 ft. shots. Those shots are open on every offensive series.

As I see it the Sixer's are fine with Miller and Williams as the points, Igoudala and Green as the 2's, Young and Carney at the 3 spot, Evans and Smith at the 4, and Dalembert at the 5.

The young players will only get better, Williams and Young have tremendous upsides. I'm not ready to give up on Carney either, he played very soundly last night, and came up big on defense at the end.

We need to add a low-post scoring 4 that can get us 15-20 and 10 bds. We also need another Center to either back Sam up or start ahead of him.

Considering the team has been playing at a .700 clip over the past 20 games, they really deserve a lot of credit for coming together. It has been great to watch them grow up, learning to play together, working hard on defense and scrambling, and even executing in the half-court.

Their only real stumbles of late were Golden State and Boston. The Sixers get another shot at Boston soon, and it would be nice for the Sixers to be prepared to execute against Boston's defense- which is actually the league's best. If they can execute against Detroit they should be able to contend with every other team they face over the next 2 weeks.

It seems to me it is a mistake to talk about trading players away when they are playing .700 ball!

Draft a scoring 2 guard,[ Douglas-Roberts or L.Hudson] and trade Willie and our 10 mill. in cap space for Z.Randolph. Knicks get out from under his contract and finally give Lee the position. Between Evans pushing him and trying to show all the Knick fans he can play plus being on a winning team next year he should not be a problem. [ 28 min., 20 pts., 8 reb.] would be nice numbers.Don!t think we need 2 p.f. added. Minutes wise 28 for Randolph, and 20 between Evans,Smith and Hill would be fine.Think J.Smith will get most of his time at the 5; with a low post 4 his shot will open things up.We need a stud scorer; concerns with his defense may not outweigh his effect on the team. Bring back Ollie for league min. if we can!t sign defensive pt. already in the league [R.Ivey?]

Anonymous

I agree about the timing. But you what dude I was thinking about the future, and Sam does the stupidest things on the court. The herrendous passes, the shots off the wrong foot, 16-20 jumpers. You have to admit that he is basketball dumb.

And also, why so quick to judge Carney. The dude is a world class athlete who has more three's then anyone in Memphis history. Let him develop. Don't you remember how horrible aron mckie used to shoot when we first got him? He is a good kid, not a thug. Give him a chance.

Morty
Great point on Smith getting pushed around. I was watching that game last night and thinking that this need needs to hit the weight room hard core over the summer.

But you know what dude I was thinking about the future........

That's what I meant to say before I got hit with Sam-itis, and it's a very important point. We need solid people like reggie evans. Players who have heart like thad, and play the right way like dre miller.

The reason I like Ronny Turiaf is that he is a PF/C, who could start at the 4 next year or be Sam's replacement off of the bench. Stefanski would be able to get him probably for about $6M a year because it would cost the Lakers $12M a year to keep him because of the luxury tax. And don't forget, they still have to pay Bynum while currently paying big money to Kobe, Pau and Lamar Odom.

Charlie V. could be had for the 76ers no. 1 pick this year or the Utah pick next year and a player (Willie Green, anyone?). I would take a chance on Zach Randolph, but the two guys above could match his production and you wouldn't be saddled with his big contract or questionable attitude.

Turiaf would make this a VERY STRONG defensive team, and Charlie V. would make this a very dangerous team in the halfcourt offense and on the break. Both players are good rebounders. Charlie V. would also create some offense for Sam since he can put it on the floor and drive and then dish to Sam for easy buckets like he does for Bogut.

There are options to get better. I have the feeling that Stefanski thinks he has a young enough team and wouldn't mind trading a pick or two for some young veteran help.

Oh, one shooter that I like for the team coming off the bench is Roger Mason of the Wizards. He can play PG or SG, is big at 6'5 and can stroke it. He's in the last year of his contract and the Wizards will have to spend big money to resign Agent 0 and Jamison.

Your thoughts?

My thoughts are that Thad's hook shot/floater are unstopable. Notice how when he rips a board, the gets up in the air faster then the defenders can get off the air. He is a Qucik jumper, just like Sir Charles was. Love it, THAD IS A FUTURE DREAM TEAMER. Book it!

Also dattruelife, with Reggie and Smith as our backups next year there is no need for Turiaf unless we get rid of Sammy somehow. I would rather have Turaif then dumb sammy in the middle.

Still need a low post player. I want Thad at the 3 next year, away from the basket. Turiaf has a similar game to Haslem, short jumpers, and C.Villanuava!s game is similar to Jason Smith. Love Turiaf defensively,[ Ty.Hill like]. Just think we need a stud scorer but Randolph does have issues; seems winning solves a lot of that.

Don!t forget, Thad!s father was 6!11" and anN.B.A. player.He may grow yet. Think with his character, basketball I.Q., and low post skills he is a better fit at the 4 for us than Josh Smith if he grows to 6!9"!s or bigger.

Suede

Now that I really think about...Zack Randolph would be perfect for our team. He plays average defense and nobody is outbounding Zack. When you look at his numbers on any given night...you'll be hard pressed to find that the opposing pf outworked him. It just doesnt often and for him to still put up those numbers on a retarded team like the knicks says alot about his professionism. He moves extremely well for a man of his size and can finish with both hands. He is a underratted talent. My only concern is would he be the best max out possibly for our cap space. But i really like his game. Like a baby Moses Malone with a jumpshot and high bball i.q. I wouldn't be upset to acquire him but i want to max out the possiblity for this summer and i'm not sure he is our best possible option.

Quick question for everybody...If you had the sure choice of picking up Zack Randolph, Josh Smith, or Charlie V from the Bucks heading into the future with the Sixers..Who would you go with and why? I'm really interested in reading everyones take on those 3 guys and who would fit better for us?

Didnt mention Brand because he is like 30 years old with knee injuries and my gut says he has already peaked and he cant play his brand of basketball in the east. He's too small and their is not enough spacing for him based on the sit at home defense the eastern conference runs. He's only going to be effective in space at this point of his career.

Zeru, I think Brand is E.S.!s first choice.

To Jason from LA: I agree about how