Despite the win yesterday, I still don’t think the Sixers are going to come back and win the series over the Miami Heat, but the win on Sunday will help to speed up the maturing process for their young players. Yesterday’s win showed them that they can play on the big stage against the “Big Dogs” and get the job done.
This series has been great for twenty-year old point guard Jrue Holiday. He’s getting a taste of what it takes to win in the NBA playoffs. The competition is tougher. The points are harder to come by. You can’t take you foot off the gas for a split-second or you lose. He’s going to be tougher for it.
He only scored 10 points in the game and dished out 5 assists, but the youngster stuck a huge three-pointer with 47 seconds to play on the clock. This put the Sixers within range of getting the win.
This kid isn’t phased by the magnitude of the game. He will take the shots with the game on the line, which is a must for a big-time point guard. Holiday is getting schooled by the Heat’s trapping defense and how it’s important that he keeps his dribble and doesn’t let them force him to dribble into the sideline and turn his back to the court. That’s when the turnovers happen. 
Who would have thought that rookie Evan Turner would make such a huge contribution? He came off the bench to share the role as the team’s leading scorer. He scored 17 points with seven rebounds Even though it has been a disappointing rookie season for Turner, he showed that he’s not afraid of the bright lights.
This is good news because many times players can perform during regular season games, but they can’t get it done during the playoffs. Maybe Turner is a player, who can’t get it done during the regular season but he can make it happen in the playoffs.
Seriously, Turner will be able to build upon this next season. He’s got a lot of improvement to make, if he’s going to live up to where he was drafted. The memories of making big shots in a big game against LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will help him take his game to the next level.
Thaddeus Young will be able to learn from seeing his game go south the last few games after starting off strong in the series. He needs to come through with a big game in Game Five on Wednesday night.
I was at the last 2 games and both were electric. I loved what I saw out of Turner the last 2 games. He showed that he isn’t afraid to attack the rim and actually shoot the ball. Even though he got a few of his shots blocked it was a breath of fresh air to see him actually backing someone down to make a move to the court than to see the team pass the ball around for 20 seconds and shoot a bad jumpshot. He definitely showed that he wasn’t afraid of the moment and actually played some nice defense of James but just being in position.
It makes you wonder what could have happen by having him and Iggy on the floor together more and having them 2 guarding James and Wade. Of course they wouldn’t stop them but the size they have at least challenges them more than having Meeks on Wade. Another thing I liked was the minutes that Tony Battie gives. He’s not going to get pushed around down low. He’s going to get some rebounds and challenge shots under the basket. Something Brand doesn’t do well because of his size and Hawes is just soft. I don’t know what’s up with Young. Everyone always hypes him up after a good game and then he doesn’t show up for the rest of the series. I’m glad Iggy attacked the rim more as well and I like the little scuffles to get under their skin. Showed some toughness and grit and that’s how you beat a team like that. It was good just to get 1 against them. I know everyone wants to trade Iggy and in the event they don’t this will be a very good team next year if they can get a big man with some defensive presence and rebounding. I think we’d have a pretty good starting lineup with Holiday, Evans, Iggy, Brand and a big man to fill that void. It might sound dumb but Dalembert would actually be a good fit their because of his size, shot blocking, rebounding and constant hussle and running the floor. He would just have to know that’s what he is and not want to be a primary or secondary scorer. He is a free agent after this season. And then have guys like Young, Williams and Meeks come off the bench. That’s actually a pretty deep team.
I also read something this morning that Iggy and Turner playing a few one on one games after Saturday’s game helped them a lot and they missed out on doing that this year. I think those 2 can actually play good together with Holiday. All 3 can make each other very good and Brand is a man. He’s undersized but he knows how to put the ball in the basket. I’m excited for this team for next year.
Someone has to go though Scorp
Either Iggy or Thad.. too many players play the same position. For them to take the next stap, they need a real PF (6-9/6-10) bruiser whose job it is to rebound,block shots,block out and intimidate.. The Sixers are a little back-logged at the #3/#4 Position with too many small/similar style players..
I say keep Jrue/WIlliams/Meeks/Turner/Thad/Brant/Hawes/Speights and replace everyone else and get a PF,C and a pure 3 Pt Shooter and keep the young nucleaus intact and win another 10 games next season tomove up in
Eastern Conference as a #3 Seed (behind to Bulls & Heat) in 2012
Love it Scorp – I agree about Sammy and bringing him back would give Dougie even more clout if he can sustain team improvement with old peices. That would show how coaching/a few new young peices can work, and that sammy + Iggy etc… wasn’t an impossibly ineffective combo….
would make a great story….
Paulman I agree and someone does have to go. I honestly have no preference between Iggy of Thad. Both of them frustrate me equally in different ways. I honestly think Thad is a bench player. I don’t see him as a starter. But being a 6th man isn’t a bad thing. That’s a very important part of a team. But I’m tired of his hype and then he goes out there and stinks it up. He has potential but I think he’s a bench player. I don’t like Hawes or Speights. But Hawes is a bench player. I don’t think the players at the 3 or 4 player similar at all. Brand is your post players, Iggy is your slasher and Young is a combo of both, but a bench player because he’s not consistent. I don’t mind those 3. This team needs to get better at the Center position and depth behind Brand. If they do that we’d have a much better team. I’m fine with the guards for now.
Re Thad,
The Heat have closed off the high post/lane area in the Sixer 2 man game that was open a lot, earlier in the series, The Heat are denying Thad that open space to manuever which he did so well in games 1 & 2..
Now he and the Sixers must adjust and find other ways to get him the ball..
And you have to figures guys like Batie, Antonio Daniels, Kapono, Songalia, Nocioni (one year left which makes him tradeable) are probably not going to be back. That’s at least 3 guys on the active roster. So if you can add a couple quality forwards there in addition to what we already have, we’d be in good shape.
With Iggy still around, then what do you do with E Turner..
He can’t play Guard where he doesn’t handle the ball well enought and you have Jru,WIlliams & Meeks to handle. He’s a #3 like Iggy is and one of them has to go for your right about Thad, until he develop that mid-range jump shoot, he’s a player off the bench to bring energy,some points,and crashes the boards but he doesn’t handle the ball well enough to be a 30 minute a game player
paul, I fully agree but when he’s had chances he loses the ball, gets his shot block. Good players still find a way to make something happen. It’s one thing to play not as good as the first game but it’s another thing to continue to play worst as the series continues. He’s not making the open shot either. It’s not like he’s the only player ever who starts to get more attention. Brand still gets his points regardless of what they do. When Thad looks bad he looks brutal. Doesn’t play defense well when it’s not going his way. That’s the frustrating thing. No matter how the game is going at least do something right and he does everything wrong when his offensive game isn’t clicking. Iggy’s offensive game is brutal but at least he still plays defense and creates shots for others even when he’s throwing up bricks. I think Thad’s offensive game is a lot better but I think you’ll lose a lot more by trading Iggy IF don’t get good defense in return.
I think it’s too early to say what Turner can’t do. I won’t say he can’t play guard. There’s time to improve for him. So I’m not going to go there. Turner showed yesterday he can score the ball. So he might not be a sharp shooter right now but that doesn’t mean he can’t play the position especially if you get scoring from other positions. But again, we don’t know what he will be right now. I don’t think he’s physical enough to consistently play SF but again, I don’t know what he will be.
I think Turner can probably be a good SG. He showed he can create his own shot which is what we have been missing. He just has to improve on that and get a good mid range shot. If he can do that, then there’s no reason why he can’t be a starting SG for this team.
But I do agree with you, we need at least 1 big guy (whether starter or off the bench) with some grit that has an intimidating presence in the post area. Whether it’s blocking shots, going after every rebound and just getting into guys body, that’s what we are missing down low. If we can get a player like that, Holiday and Turner continue to improve, we would be able to compete in the East.
schiller, I agree and I just think Collins would be able to establish roles for players. I’m not sure how the previous coaches treated Sammy. Were they trying to make him an offensive presence since having a offensive presence at that position is a luxury nowadays or were they trying to get him to be the ebst defender and rebounder in the league but he didn’t like it. I’m not sure but I would think that Collins would be able to give him his role. Sammy could be an Allstar center in the East if he just went out there to try to be the best shot blocker and rebounder in the league. He could be a Ben Wallace type of player that’s bigger. And those guys are valuable. But it would be up to Sammy to accept that type of role.
scorp – exactly. But even if it’s not ideal (his wants/fit challenges) it’s probable that even if less than ideal, it may be more attractive than any of the other big man potential solutions (ie. draft risks, financial complications, settling for less of a player…etc).
Guys. I can honestly say that this team has the most attractive trade bait players out of any NBA team. No one on this team I believe is not tradable. Im more curious to see which direction the team takes in the off season. Do we clear players for cap purposes or do we add players to improve the squad we have immediately.
No 2nd pick in the draft has ever not started in his 2nd season (excusing injury’s). It may sound off the wall but there are some options out there at center Greg Oden, Yao Ming. It would be a low risk high reward in bringing any of those players to philly
vric – did you mean no successful 2nd pick has not started his second season? If not, then what about Hasheem Thabeet last year?
Also, at this point im done just thinkin of him as a number two pick and what a number two pick should become. I am purely looking at evan and what evan has the ability to become.
vr – I don’t see it as low risk/high reward at all. I’m usually an optimist, but guys who have been injured over and over and over, big men mind you, getting older… I don’t see how the reward is that high (see Shaq for the celtics, not a need there so sure it was low risk, but not high reward).
I don’t see how it would be low risk – you tie up money (if they’re such good options, then there will be a competitive market for them) and a roster spot for those guys….
hey I’d love it if we got a big guy from another team and he came in a was healthy/solid, but I just don’t see it as such a low risk high reward situation…
I like the 76ers to pursue some big guys like Emeka Okafor or Hasim Thabeet to be shot-blockers, and have a physical prescence inside and than at Draft time, the 76ers can draft one of the Morris Twins from Kansas who are turning Pro and or even the Center from Syracuse M Jackson.. (all of which are Philly)
Imagine a Starting Lne-up of Okafor, Brand, Iggy, Jrue and Jodie Meeks
2nd Team would be Hawes, Thad, one of the Morris boys, Lou and Evan
then extras would be Speights, Phillywill & Paulman…
Where you at Birdo! I guess you appear when turner plays bad huh? He dropped 17points in a huge playoff game.
Huge game by the reserves besides the so called “face of the franchise” thad young and dead man walking andre iggydala. What a a win. I don’t care if they lose the next game thiis one was about pride and respect and we earned it. We lack the talent that the heat have at this point bc our guys are young and inexperienced but them playing in big games like this is helping them greatly. Esp them having success against a powerhouse squad in the heat
paul, fun playing fantasy trade wish list, but what makes you think that those guys will be available/obtainable?
I am not sure that they are,
But I would look into it and on Okafor, He plays for the NO Franchise who is broke and may not be able to afford him any longer and may be interested in some of the young (cheapertalent-draft picks) in returen
On H Thabeet, is just a role player who brings noting offensivley, so he could be availalbe for not much in return
on Upcoming NBA Draft, I am not sure what picks te Sixers have and or at what spot,, But there will be some big guys like the Morris Twins from Kansas, M Jackson from Syracuse, Juan Johnson from Purdue, Kenneth Faried from Morehead State who has led the Country in Rebounding the last 2 Seasons.. that could possibly be on the board or worth trading up to obtain..
The sixers financially cant afford to bring in anyone worthy at the center position unless someone is nuts enough to agree to take over either brand or iggys contract. They can afford however a man like greg oden. He is only 23 years old. first overall pick and very cheap. Injury prone yes but take the good with the bad. Would you rather have spencer hawes at center or a number 1 pick who has shown signs of dominance when he did play?
I hear you Paul, but you, right now saying ‘so he could be available for not much in return’ – sorry, but that just doesn’t do much for me. Big men are a commodity in the NBA and I just don’t see why we’d be the only ones after him if he is available. In order to get him, his current team has to be willing to part with him. Why would they? And then we’d have to outbid/out attract him over other teams.
P man okafor is making over 11 million this year and is only contributing 10 ppg. So not worth it. He is however better than anything we got at C but is over paid and the sixers im sure are not willing to take on anymore big contracts.
vr, the signs of dominance when he does play are worth very little if he plays less than 25% of the games which is his track record. The #1 pick factor is WORTHLESS. Where he was drafted won’t get him healthy and on the court. It was where he was drafted that’s it. Ryan Leaf was a former #1 pick – and that meant WHAT? (I know, different sport). But seriously, where he was drafted means aboslutely nothing. The man simply can’t play basketball game(S) in the NBA.
Would you buy a lamburghini that worked every 83rd time you start the engine? Knowing that it was your ride to work every day? I wouldn’t. Sure, it’s cool when it works, but……
To Vricchini, (in honor of the great Al Pacino on hios BIrthday)
“Let me talk to Okafor and his Agent, I will make him an offer that he can’t refuse”
@JHart — I’m suppose to be impressed by 17 pts off the bench? Ok, he played well. Congrats to him. Don’t act like he put the team on his back and willed us to victory because thats not what he did at all. I still saw stupid mistakes and the Heat having a block party on his shots.
This guy will never be more than a poor mans John Salmons. Take it to the bank.
birdo, I know I’m no JHart, but …hmm….how should I say this…. YES.
Dude, there’s a little something called context, and given the context of a rough rookie year for the kid – YES, disapointing compared to the hype/draft slot, they kid comes out and plays like a guy much closer to the expectation than what he was for most of the season. Significant improvement, against the most formidable of opponents/matchups and poise/playmaking in clutch PLAYOFF bball for a rookie.
I’m convinced that if your kid struggles in school, then starts getting b+s and A-s in school, you’d berate him for not being Albert Einstein. Jesus, give it a rest. The kid was flat out impressive and way better than he was for most of the season. You see, players don’t go from rookie struggles to Derick Rose dominance in a few weeks – BUT THAT’S THE STANDARD YOUR HOLDING HIM TO. – ridiculous.
Seriously, if you were poor, making a dollar a day for years, and then I gave you 500 dollars, you’d be like, WTF? This aint 10 mil!?
Come on man
I would love to see a conversation between Doug Collins and Birdo about Evan Turner. Doug is an incredibly wise and poised man with tons of integrity, but somehow I can’t help but believe dougie would get REAL fresh with birdo – I’m talking double technical… at LEAST
or heck, I’d just pay to see brand and iggy laugh sarcastically and shake their heads after reading birdo’s comments.
Birdo, I’m not trying to be an ahole, but you’re just flat out CRAZY
Excellent points Schill,
Birdo was going off the deep end with Turner, before the kid even had a chance..
Cmon’ Birdo…
For the Record,
Is this the same “Birdo” who claims that P C Hamles is Top Pictcher 10 in
MLB , when his Career Stats have him at #21-#22..
I am not sure how credible his insight is….
Schiller — look who you are agreeing with. The same man that said the Phillies are going to end up in second place to the Braves — LMFAO.
What you ppl want is HOPE in the Sixers and theres nothing wrong with that….but don’t look towards Evan Turner for that “hope” — look towards Jrue and Lou Will — who are both ten times the player that Evan Turner is.
Yes Paulman — because stats are everything right?
I own you buddy, give it a rest.
And since P(nis)Man loves stats so much….
Since 2007, only eight pitchers with at least 800 innings have an ERA lower than Cole Hamels’ mark of 3.44. Of those eight pitchers, only Lincecum and Haren have a strikeout rate higher than Hamels’ 8.32 K/9. Further, only Halladay and Haren have a walk rate lower than Hamels’ 2.21 BB/9.
Hamels’ 2009 campaign (4.32 ERA) apparently erased the memories of his sparkling 3.39 and 3.09 ERAs in the two years before, not to mention his World Series MVP performance in 2008.
After reminding fantasy managers of his brilliance with a 3.06 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 9.10 K/9 and 2.63 BB/9 in 2010, observers have still been slow to notice. Yahoo! composite ranks Hamels as the 14th best pitcher in 2011, while he’s being drafted as the 15th best pitcher according to Mock Draft Central’s ADP. In all reality, Hamels makes a strong case as a top-10 pitcher.
birdo, if you think I’m just alinging myself with Paulman, ha, seriously? We’ve had one of the most adverse relationships on the website of anybody! We almost NEVER agree and I give him shit all the frickin time. But if the man said “Doug Collins is the head coach of the sixers” – am I supossed to disagree with him because of his dumb phillies/braves bs? Hell no, the man can be dumb and ridiculous in one argument and right in another.
Seriously, that was TERRIBLE logic you just attempted.
By the way, interesting that you bring up Lou – um… how much did he – who you just called a really good player/ ‘that hope’ – um…how much did he contribute his ROOKIE season? Hmm???? What about the next season???
Serioulsy man, stop and use your damn brain for a minute.
By your logic, Lou Will is TRASH. (of course he isn’t).
You own nothing but Bird Poop, Mr Brainless Beamen…
When It comes to Stats, the History of Sports and yes, even the entire World, for that matter, You are no match, just simply a nuisance…
Now back into your cage ….
Lou Will wasn’t the #2 overall pick in any NBA draft.
Huckleberry Finn (pnisman) — did you like those stats I posted for you to munch on you inept fake philly sports fan?
Schiller — and just to see where your mind is at — if the Eagles had the number one pick in the draft and drafted Shady McCoy with that pick…..Shady went on to average 30 yards a game on 15 carries a game in his rookie season, showed no real burst except for a couple of 15 yard gainers and maybe had a td every 4 games — what would you say about him?
Trash right? Bust right? — That’s the logic I’m using for Turner. Until he SHOWS me that he can put this team on his back and lead it, he’ll never be more than a poor mans John Salmons. Period.
birdo – DRAFT ORDER MEANS JACK SH*T AFTER THE DRAFT. Why don’t you get that? Do good players go up for dunks, and then freeze mid air and say ‘oh crap, I forgot, i wasn’t a top 5 pick, so I gotta miss this basket… oh well, coulda used the points/stats’. – hell no – they’re basketball players, they play basketball.
Man, you gotta get beyond the draft. It’s not about where he was picked. AT All. It’s about where the sixers are and how Turner is developing.
Birdo, lou jrue and turner all had 17 lastnight… he didn’t have to will the team to victory but his playing time and play have certainly boosted this teams play. You wanna carry a I hate ET campaign do that. N every1 gets there shots blocked smart guy its apart of the game. You look foolish on this site waiting for a ROOKIE to fail
Birdo – NO, I WOULDN’T SAY TRASH/BUST. That’s so incredibly foolish. You measure a draft pick a few years into his career – not after his rookie season. Aaron Rodgers just won the SB MVP right (or am I worng? who cares, close if not it). After his rookie year, um… how did he look?
You are ridiculous if you think there’s nothing in between ‘can put this team on his back and lead it’ and ‘a poor mans John Salmons’. MOST OF THE LEAGUE is in between those two EXTREEMES.
Man, newsflash, today wasn’t 20 degrees and snowing. It also wasn’t 100 degrees and 90% humidity. I’m also not on welfare, or a billionaire,….ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THAT?
@schiller — it means something when your picked that high because you’re suppose to produce almost immediately.
@j hart — stfu idiot. You don’t know me. Want Turner to fail? Are you stupid? I’m a Sixers fan, I want him to SUCCEED — but I’m not going to buy into the hype until he shows me HE wants to succeed and be a primetime player in the league. Until he does that, I will continue to judge him as I see fit. I’m not P(nis)man, I would LOVE to be wrong about him.
Seriously Birdo, Doug Collins would rip you a new one if you tried to pass your argument on him. A bust isn’t a guy who doesn’t live up to the maximum best case scenario IN HIS ROOKIE SEASON. – that’s not a bust, it’s a real person. How did John Wall do? Hun, he carried his team (to use your words and standards)… to… umm…… NOTHING this year. Yeah, lots of stats, but that’s not what wins games in the NBA. How many championships does AI have?
Man, you seriously are living in a child’s fantasy land if you think #2 picks straight out of college should be superstars. Did you also look for the easter bunny yesterday and make cookies for santa last december? Do you click your heels and close your eyes if you get lost downtown sometimes? …..
Hamels ranked 14th going into the 2011 Season.. sounds about right,
He has the opportunity to go Top 10 with a strong season this year and right now it looks like he’s found his groove, but to say a month ago that Hamles was already a Top 10 Pitcher was and still is inaccurate and wrong ..
Good job Birdo for answering and researching your own Statement, maybe you can check out the Stats first next time, then make your statements, but
whatever, your a Real Fan, so you must be right all the time..
ok birdo – you said a #2 pick is ‘you’re suppose to produce almost immediately’ – um….. who told you that? No their not. They’re supossed to come out and develop into good players over time. Most people (I wanted to say ‘everyone’, but I stopped myself for the better), understand that a draft, like the NBA, involves HUMAN BEINGS, in REAL LIFE. Shit just aint predictable, and adjusting to the NBA just ain’t easy. Most people understand that having any set-in-stone, concrete expectations/predictions for a players rookie season is silly/foolish. You draft who you think is going to be the best player availalbe, develop him, push him, coach him, hope for the best, and that’s all. AND by all means, you give the kid time, I”m talking yearS, before you evaluate the decision.
I don’t know what you do for a living, but if you were as good in your first year doing it as you are now, or you will be at your prime/peak, than I call you a bullshitter. So if you don’t understand that people (the kid can barely vote for god’s sake) improve over time and require patience to develop, than… man… WAKE UP
@schiller, you keep bringing up Doug Collins like I give a DAMN what he thinks about my opinion. I’m a fan and I’m entitled to my opinion and MANY fans are thinking the same way I am. Many are thinking the same way you are — but my logic far out trumps yours.
John Wall? John Wall had a pretty good season considering the talent around him.
When the media/scouts dubbed Evan Turner the most “NBA-ready” player in the draft…..well…..they shoulda, you included, been ready for firestorm that would occur if in fact he WASN’T “NBA-ready”.
P(nis)man — read the whole article. It states Hamels makes a STRONG CASE as a top ten pitcher — which means he’s IN the CONVERSATION. You’ve been owned again. Too easy.
MORE FOR P(nis)MAN:
Last year, Hamels ranked among the league’s best in pitching statistics that indicate true swing-and-miss stuff:
Contact rate: 74.8 percent (2nd)
Swinging strike rate: 11.9 percent (2nd)
Strikeout rate: 9.10 (10th)
If that’s not enough to convince you of his dominance, consider this: Hamels posted a ridiculous 2.23 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 9.69 K/9 and 2.05 BB/9 in the second half last year.
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN!
Did the same article also say the Hamels of relying too often too much on his fastball..Did it also state that he was among lead leaders in blown leads, Home runs given up and base hits with 2 strikes Count on the batter which shows a loack of focus and killer insticnt Didn’t Joe Blanton have better #’s than Hamels last Summer too.. So is Blanton a Top 10 Pitcher now too…
I’ve said for 2 years, that If Hamels keeps his focus and trusts his stuff that he could be consistentnly be aa Pitcher that has all the physical tools to be a Top of the Staff Pitcher,but he needs consistency and the killer instinct to mak it happen and so far lately, he has been doing that.. so he definitely has the ability to become a Top 10 Pitcher but he is not there yet plain and simple
He IS there and has been there. And you NEVER said he has the “ability to become a top 10” pitcher — stfu idiot. You’ve been hating on Hamels and the Fightin’s for a while now…..you pick them to lose the division every year and every year u get proven wrong. You are no fan.