It was March 14, 2011. The Sixers were in overtime against the Utah Jazz, Andre Iguodala had gone scoreless in the extra session after scoring 14 points in the 4th quarter. He and Lou Williams led a furious Sixers charge to force overtime. Williams had scored on a layup and a jumper to bring the Sixers to within one 108-107 with 1:04 remaining.
It would be Williams’ final field goal – as well as the Sixers final points.
Iguodala would miss two three pointers in 31 seconds, while Andrei Kirilenko scored three points from the line to close out the Sixers 112-107.
March 27, 2011 – The Sixers had gone back in forth in a dogfight with the Sacramento Kings, the team had lacked energy and the bench had uncharacteristically struggled. Point guard Jrue Holiday scored 16 points in the 4th quarter and Williams, who was 0 for 
11 for the night, knocked down a three at the buzzer to force overtime. In the overtime there were two hot hands for the Sixers and both scored in overtime. Holiday and Jodie Meeks were knocking down open shots and deserved an opportunity to close out the game. But once again, Collins chose to go with Iguodala who came up empty and the Sixers lost a game that they really needed.
I’ll be the first to say the Sixers played terribly – undeserving of a victory and this sequence wasn’t the determining factor – for this game.
Collins was visibly bothered by the loss yesterday and made that crystal clear. He also removed any doubt concerning who would have control of the ball when the game was on the line.
Our go-to-guy is Iguodala!
“The ball is going to be in his hands – he’s going to drive to the basket, he’s gonna make a play for us.” Collins continued, “He’s either gonna get fouled or score. He has the size to set up over people and if they’re smothering the pick and roll, I feel confident that he can make a play out of that.”
I’m not here to rip into Iguodala as much as I am to question Collins rationale for sticking with Iggy come hell or high water. In the fourth quarter, Holiday was getting to the basket at will, Meeks has turned into a decent scorer that knows how to get to the line – Williams had a bad game until he had forced overtime.
I would count on the slashing ability of Thaddeus Young in some scenarios. What I can’t count on is Iggy’s dribbling the clock down and praying that his step-back jumper finds the bottom of the net. There are enough good scorers on this team to look elsewhere if you get them in the right position. As complex as some make this game out to be, sometimes it goes back to one of the unwritten laws – stick with your hot man.
And I thought nothing would rival Andy Reid staying with the run in this town.
