Thursday, January 31, 2008
STRAIGHT DOMINATION
Had to say it because it hasn't happened in 25 years and it's funny this is the team that does it....win by 43 points. The Sixers just had one of those nights where everything went right and it just so happened to be on a night where the Bucks could do nothing right. Larry Brown once said that there will be nights where no matter what you do, nothing will go right and you will get blown out. You just hope that during the course of the season, it's offset by nights where things go right. Sixers had a things-went-right night last night. Sixers shot 54% from the field while the Bucks shot 38%. Sixers also were +11 in turnovers and that's pretty much the story of the game. Nice way to start the run of games at home.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Midseason Evaluation and Awards
It is just past the midseason point in the schedule and the Sixers are 11 games under .500. Before the season, many picked them to finish last in the Eastern Conference but this group has held strong and stayed in more games than expected. They are still hurting in many facets but they are progressing. The trade for Korver hurt the team because it took away some of the "instant offense" but it has allowed guys like Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith to get even more playing time. There are still questions about who is really part of the core team going forward and who will be dealt at the trade deadline. It is apparent that Ed Stefanski is looking to pursue a decent free agent with the way he is managing the payroll. Many people talk of Elton Brand or Gilbert Arenas wearing a Sixers uniform next season, but I want him to make a smart decision based on who can add value to the team and help us compete at a high level relatively soon. Simply dumping all of the money into a non-impact player would waste all of the effort it took to clear the cap and the fans would ultimately suffer.
While we're talking about the halfway point, why not a couple of midseason awards?
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Jason Smith
First round pick Thaddeus Young is not playing poorly at all given his age and experience, but he is obviously still raw and it's hard to tell yet what we really have with him (think Louis Williams' first season or two). Jason has logged some quality minutes this year and, while he still makes some rookie mistakes, he has shown the ability to step out and hit a jumper, make a hustle play, and fearlessly take the ball to the rim. I'm happy about the game he brings and his size. He doesn't always need the ball in a particular spot even though Miller makes things easier for him. Also, he appears very willing to learn and apply the time needed to improve his game.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER - Louis Williams
Now I would almost definitely argue that you could put Dalembert here because for the first time under his contract, he is justifying his place on this team. He is one of 16 players in the NBA to average a double-double and that's always a plus on any team. My decision, however, was affected by the fact that Lou has doubled his minutes this year and gone from scoring 4.3 ppg to 10.8 ppg. He is quick, makes steals, drives to the rim, and has started to create his own shot. Definitely developing into the type of player that we drafted him to be. Hopefully there is plenty more to come.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - Andre Iguodala
This was an easy decision because Andre is now the focus of the team and his numbers have not suffered. Many wanted him to take it to another level and be like Kobe, LeBron, or Wade, but he isn't that type of superstar. Yes, he is more of a great #2 but we don't have a #1 for him right now. He has handled the ball in pressure situations and has become more and more reliable. He gets his assists, rebounds, steals, you name it. He also has to guard the other team's best player each night and can't take a play off at either end of the floor. The Sixers truly drafted well when they selected him a few years back.
I would also like to give some kind of honorable mention to Moses Malone because I feel that since he joined the team as an unofficial assistant coach, we've seen Dalembert's game change for the better. He has developed more touch, a higher basketball IQ, and a better knack for rebounding.
While we're talking about the halfway point, why not a couple of midseason awards?
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Jason Smith
First round pick Thaddeus Young is not playing poorly at all given his age and experience, but he is obviously still raw and it's hard to tell yet what we really have with him (think Louis Williams' first season or two). Jason has logged some quality minutes this year and, while he still makes some rookie mistakes, he has shown the ability to step out and hit a jumper, make a hustle play, and fearlessly take the ball to the rim. I'm happy about the game he brings and his size. He doesn't always need the ball in a particular spot even though Miller makes things easier for him. Also, he appears very willing to learn and apply the time needed to improve his game.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER - Louis Williams
Now I would almost definitely argue that you could put Dalembert here because for the first time under his contract, he is justifying his place on this team. He is one of 16 players in the NBA to average a double-double and that's always a plus on any team. My decision, however, was affected by the fact that Lou has doubled his minutes this year and gone from scoring 4.3 ppg to 10.8 ppg. He is quick, makes steals, drives to the rim, and has started to create his own shot. Definitely developing into the type of player that we drafted him to be. Hopefully there is plenty more to come.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - Andre Iguodala
This was an easy decision because Andre is now the focus of the team and his numbers have not suffered. Many wanted him to take it to another level and be like Kobe, LeBron, or Wade, but he isn't that type of superstar. Yes, he is more of a great #2 but we don't have a #1 for him right now. He has handled the ball in pressure situations and has become more and more reliable. He gets his assists, rebounds, steals, you name it. He also has to guard the other team's best player each night and can't take a play off at either end of the floor. The Sixers truly drafted well when they selected him a few years back.
I would also like to give some kind of honorable mention to Moses Malone because I feel that since he joined the team as an unofficial assistant coach, we've seen Dalembert's game change for the better. He has developed more touch, a higher basketball IQ, and a better knack for rebounding.
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