| 20 December 2009
Maybe it was a good thing I couldn't watch it. (EDIT: I eventually managed to watch it, geniuses of Int'l LP broadband managed to upload the game in the archive 'only' 48 hrs after the end... Comments in italics that follow were made after I caught the game)
But I won't miss the umpeenth chance to say that NBA INT'L LEAGUE PASS BROADBAND S-U-C-K-S !!!!
These idiots were unable to upload the 107-112 OT loss to the Clippers in their archive ("technical issues", wtf? Obviously it's the only game missing among last night's...), so I couldn't 'enjoy' Sixers' last defeat (7-20, .259).
So let's make the post short: as usual in these cases, I watched the game's highlights, the play-by-play page and nearly all recap/comments, so few considerations can be made anyway. I'll base them on sure facts.
* Only the Sixers. A buzzer beater like that disallowed, and for 0.1 seconds, it's really painful. (I confirm: it was a tough call, but I think they made the correct one)
* Welcome back Lou Williams. It's going to be complicated to manage that deep, deep backcourt now, but we needed you. They said he was going to be out "8 weeks" and he missed 12 games, coming back after 24 days (rememeber he got injured on Nov 24 at Washington).
THREE ANSWERS
1) Yes, I think the call on Iguodala's shot (in the pic) was correct. It was a great shot, coming after a broken play though.
2) Yes, probably Sixers' had an emotional repercussion after the call and Clippers had a pretty easy way in the overtime (true. We couldn't get any stop, also)
3) No, Jrue Holiday didn't follow his good game at Boston with another one. Pretty common for a rookie, so no big deal here, let's move on. (he actually took good shots, he simply missed them. To be honest, I would have pulled him out earlier)
THREE QUESTIONS
1) What happened to Dalembert? Five fouls in 10 minutes? Can someone who watched the game please enlighten me on this? Camby and Kaman dominated the boards also because... (see below). (He picked his first THREE fouls after less than 6 minutes and was pulled out. The fourth came in the third on an illegal screen, the fifth immeduiately after, on a loose ball: I'd have a hard time picking the dumber one..)
2) How could Speights and Brand combine for 4 def rebounds in 72 minutes ????????? That's putrid !!!! Please explain me this also. Box out drills anyone? (Kaman is a tough dude but Speights has to do better job in keeping his opponent out of the paint, he got schooled a couple of times)
3) Was that good defense on Thornton, on Clippers' last two field goals in regulation? I think so, I'll tend to give him credit rathen than blaming our guys, those were two tough shots, especially the running hook (Thad was on the Clipper on the first play, then Jordan decided to swtich and Iguodala took him on the second: wise move but no result here. Just give Thornton credit, it wasn't easy to do better than that)
REASONS
Why we lost the game
Letdown after the call on last shot probably played a role. But before it, we dugg ourself a big hole in the first half, a sign that we weren't mentally ready
(No/bad use of the bench, also. It was the second night of a back-to-back, aftet that tough fight in Boston, in which by the way Iguodala, Holiday and Green had played the whole second half !!! But Jordan decided not to use at all guys that could have helped (Carney, Smith) or give them few minutes (Kapono): Iguodala played 50 minutes vs Clippers, to name one)
To be optimistic
The comeback was nice, from -16 (49-65 early in the third) to + 1 (96-95, 2.05 to play). Having Lou again is nice, also. Speights is a beast and continues to deliver in crunch time. (some relly nice baskets in the fourth, even creating his own shot in the low post)
To be worried
Momentum after the big W in Boston immediately stopped. Failed a test for a little turnaround. Schedule now is extremely tough, with the usual New Year's day road trip starting with next game.
Tuesday at Washington will be the first of six straight away games: stops at Utah, Portland, Sacto, LA Clippers and Denver will follow, and on Monday 4th we will have a clearer idea of where these Sixers can go this year.
