| 01 January 2010
If you, like me, thought that Sixers could have turned a corner with their nice last two wins on the road, well, you were wrong.
Sixers always suck, don't worry. Coach, players, management. They are all accountable: with different responsibilities, of course, but there isn't anybody that can call himself out of the current mess.
Way to start the new year: a 104-88 loss to the Clippers in the last NBA game of the decade. So Sixers entered 2010 with a far from memorable 9-23 record (.281).
Swept by the Clippers: here are your 2009/2010 Philadelphia 76ers.
Everything that could piss a fan off happened in this game: a lead blown, poor effort, zero defense, horrible coaching decisions, boneheaded plays.
The "emphasis on defense" Stefanski talked about in a recent (laughable) article resulted into Clippers shooting 54% from the field, 62% from 3pt land (10/16) and ourebounding us 43-35.
Sixers managed to turn a 13 point first quarter lead (16-29, 2.45 to play) into a 13 point third quarter deficit (78-65 at the end of the period): that's a 26 point swing in less than 27 minutes.
There is more, of course. To be covered in S4g usual sections.
THREE ANSWERS
1) No, I didn't like the large majority of shots that Iguodala took. The 4/12 is the result of Andre settling for long, contested jumpers, often taken off one dribble (=zero rythm), instead of taking the ball to the rim.
2) No, I have no idea why Iverson sat out the whole 4th quarter. Tired after playing 29 minutes in the previous three, in the second night of a back-to-back, coming off an injury? Then his coach is an idiot because he played him so long.
Not tired, simple "basketball" decision? Then his coach is an even bigger of an idiot, because he let Jrue Holiday in while the rookie was getting killed defensively by Baron Davis (just as much as Iverson could have been, ok) and 'leading' Sixers' uneffective, lazy offense (and here Iverson would have done differently).
Either way you look at it, it was an idiotic move.
3) Yes, also Elton Brand played a poor game in front of his old fans - that booed him, predictably. I praised Brand lately but 10 defensive rebounds in the last 4 games (= 116 minutes !! 28-30-28-30) are something to work on... (more after the jump)THREE QUESTIONS
1) What's the reason to wait for the last 25 seconds of the first half before putting Carney in? And then send him back in for the last 2.30 minutes of the game, in garbage time? Maybe the fact that Carney scored 14 points in 16 minutes on 4/5 from three the night before "disturbed" the resident idiot on the Sixers bench? Maybe that screwed Eddie Jordan's rotations, Rod, next time pile up your usual some bricks, please.
Again, WHY BASICALLY NOT PLAYING CARNEY AT ALL, since he was so hot? And in the second night of a back-to-back, when you are supposed to use your bench more?
2) Why is Thaddeus Young playing so passive? Is he becoming shy? He needs to be WAY more aggressive. Not only he went 2/11, with many shots from close distance (hooks, layups etc), but he didn't have a single attempt from the line.
3) Does the rule say that you foul out with FOUR fouls? Because Dalembert had a good game (for his standards, I mean) but we didn't see him at all in the last 16 minutes: he was pulled out with the score at 69-59 and never checked back, despite seven blocks (!) and a nice job under the rim(s).
Sam got 23 minutes, and we were playing against Camby & Kaman, one of the best rebounding frontcourts in the NBA, if not the best one. Does that make sense?
BTW Iverson finds Sam pretty well when they are on the court together: Dalembert had six points in the first quarter. But they both found themselves on the bench for the whole final quarter...
REASONS
Why we lost the game
We have an idiot coach that is able to kill anyone's confidence and mess any game up with his dumb decisions. Players "help" him a lot with their own amount of mistakes (how about three turnovers in the first 1.30 minutes of the third?). Nice combination indeed.
To be optimistic
One more loss game and this road trip will be over...
To be worried
What more can you add? Oh, yes, Willie Green will be back soon.
Sunday at Denver, I expect a slaughter there.
(Happy new year...)
