Deep Sixer

Good call by Mo. Any lessons the team has not learned by now will not be suddenly revealed in one game against a lottery bound team on the last day of the year. In any case the players who need the most education will be playing.

Bring on the Thad Young Show!

I'm all for Willie Green getting extended minutes tonight, perhaps he can get his grove going headed in to the playoffs.
I also would mind seeing Shav Randolph get some playing time tonight. Before his injury, it looked like he was starting to develop.
Get Louis Williams, Carney and Jason Smith work on their games. Maybe even give Booth and Ollie some minutes before the playoffs start. At the end of the game I expect to see:

Smith
Randolph
Carney
Green
Williams

Bring on the Thad Young Show is right my blogging friend, can't wait for him to get 15 shots tonight.

I really hope they do try to feature thaddeus a bit in this game...very curious to see how he responds. Also hope to see lou get a good long run at point, and some plays called for smith - both in the post and some 18 footers. Haven't heard any herb hill talk in a long time...anyone still riding that horse? I didn't see much summer league myself, so no opinion on that here.

KM,

I was supporting that whole Herb Hill push, but only kind of half-heartedly. But then I started reading the scouting reports on the guy, and then the scouting reports of other late-in-the-draft big man finds (Landry, Powe, Turiaf), and it sounds like he's just like those guys, so now I'm very hopeful that he gets a chance next year, I hope he can stay healthy.

But Joe Dumars and his crew are ALMOST (see: Milicic, Darko) draft geniuses. I don't know the heck they knew Amir Johnson was gonna be a player.

KM:

Strange as it might sound, I can't wait to see Thad next year after a full off season with conditioning and skills work, and with an expanded playing role.

Herb Hill showed a lot of skill in the summer leaague. He showed more back to the basket skills in those few games then all of our big men not including Thad did the whole season.

Morty, there is nothing strange about that. Imagine what he will be in year 3? I am thinking that might be the year that he cracks the 20 ppg barrier, that is unless willie green is still starting.

The Greek:

Guess I just meant the timing going into the playoffs. In 2 more years Green will be still be making 4 mil/ year. That's all I could foretell.

I'm fine with whatever Cheeks does tonight, the game means nothing in terms of the teams goal now, which is to defeat Detroit on Sunday.

If the player want the rest, that's fine, but since they won't be playing again until Sunday, if I was them I'd want to play, and I'd want to take it out on Charlotte for the way I got robbed.

I would want to run it down their throats and get back to Sixer basketball, steals, stiffling defense, and running.

Whoever is playing, I want to see that killer instinct, and the unrelenting desire to score more points.

Cheeks can also use this game to experiment with different line-ups to see how they compliment each other. How would Shavlik Randolph do as the starting PF?

How strong would the front line be with Smith, Randolph and Young? Would they be able to hold their own rebounding, blocking out and scoring?

If Herbert Hill can play it would be nice for him to see some PT for once this season.

Playing this game just for the purpose of saying..."We'll we were 500 for the year is a losers mentality. It's like already saying that we wont do much in the playoffs so we can hold on to this moral victory. NO! Weak minded people look for signs Great people just work hard. There is nobody in the east I am willing to say the Sixers can not beat. Even tho Orlando and Toronto worry me they can get it too. The focus has now shifted to the playoffs not beating Micheal Jordan's lottery team. If I want to focus on end of the year accomplishments, how about how many teams we sent fishing with Ernie, Kenny, and Charles...

If I was Cheeks I wouldnt worry about what the media had to say about my team. Isnt like they gave him much credit or attention away. Most of them are johnny come latelys. And they also dont believe the Sixers have a chance in hell to beat Detroit. If I was Cheeks I'd tell the Edgar Allen Poe crew they can kiss my @$$. They dont coach. They dont know the pulse of the team. We arent competeing for recognition we are competing for POSTSEASON WINS.

So what happens if the Sixers actually try hard to win this game with starters and still lose because of exhaustion and nagging injuries. Then what happens to that momentum caused by the Cleveland game? What happens to a tired young team facing a refreshed well rested Detroit team? Sometimes I dont know who's side the media is on. Is Philly so used to negativity that they create it to have something to talk about too?

Louis Amundson is a bum..He should never eva eva eva eva play sheesh...

So what did making Igoduola play all of those minutes prove? Not a damn thing..

TV shot of the season: "Coach" Dalembert instructing Jason Smith after JS fouled out. Whatever was said, I hope Jason doesn't carry it into the offseason.

WILLIE! WILLIE! WILLIE!, HAIL!

Willie saved his best for last, good game . I hope the 3 pt. barrage was a look into the future for this team. Wish Jason was allowed to post up a little more instead of all the high screens but the 9 rebounds was nice. Thad with a good J looks scary!!!!

Willie had 27 pts AND 7 ass., Thad 5 ass.; wow!!! Hey Jumpin, I think Willie is almost a finished product, do YOU see much upside ?

I don't question some of the recent losses, particularly the Cleveland "win", but I'm not happy with the final outcome. The final tally speaks volumes as to the state of the team and there's nothing impressive about 40-42. It says "we backed into the playoffs."

I do think the second half Sixers would have picked up a few victories the first half Sixers didn't, but this recent spell of games, after the Atlanta game, isn't very inspiring.

I will say this: The Sixers are a team that is offensively challenged during the "blah" time of games, for example the midway point of the second quarter through the third quarter. I do like the fact that the cap situation will allow them to pick up an additional piece, whatever that might be. With expected improvement of the young guys, this team should be a better offensive team next year.

All that notwithstanding, I wanted more of a statement made at the end of the season. I want further proof that some of those big wins of a couple weeks ago weren't a hungry team jumping on a tired, not as desperate team.

Of course the Detroit series could change all that, but it's really hard not to project beyond 5 games. Six would be a success, but I'll save that prognositication for someone else.

All in all, some great games this regular season. Some of thoese victories were classic games. Glad I joined the fun. I just wanted it to carry on for the remainder of the regular season.

suede, I think Jason needs to get up there more if he's gonna make it in this league. He seems to get this with blocks, but with rebounds and shots, everything needs to happen just a couple inches higher. He'll think he has a rebound, but a guy goes up just a little higher than he does and snatches it away.

Sixersguy

I noticed the same thing but I believe its a matter of strength and being able to hold on to the ball. He just gets pushed around alot and he light off his feet. There arent too many people who have good body control when they are getting shoved in the back or fouled every single time they touch the ball. Amundson should never play for us again by the way. He cant even finish wide open layups he just goes into his "I'm hustling routine". That guy is horrible

Sixerzguy, seems the level of competition in college has made it a tough transition for Jason, I don!t think he will ever be a physical, overpowering type player but I love his form and fundamentally he seems sound. Pick and pops when we get a low post threat could be a nice weapon in the 1/2 court next year. We don!t have a lot of 3 pt. threats but from 18 ft. in we could be a pretty good shooting team. He seems to have a high release pt. but pump fakes could be a tool he mauy have to relie on.

On Jason Smith: Colorada State is to the NBA as Shippensburg is to North Carolina. Seems like a nice kid; probably works hard, but he's lacking in essential toughness and premium athleticism. (Recent Sixers "excitement" commercial cameo helped me in my conclusion.) Will contribute moderately throughout moderate career. Not bad, off the bench.

Suede, Willie is 3 months short of his 27th bithday. Sure, there's upside. Don't suppose he'll ever be an all-star but stranger things have happened. He's not, at this point, a finished product; this year's performance bodes well, despites naysayer's criticisms and scapegoating commentary. Willie is solid, though he disapponts me, defensively, on occasion. His passing ability is underestimated. Restating an old conclusion, he's got a spot on my team anyday. That being said, if moving him helped Sixers in broad picture, I'd do it.