One good thing came out of Elton Brand's two game stint on the inactive list: Donyell Marshall. Because Brand was out, Mo Cheeks was forced to take Donyell, the Reading native, off of the inactive list and give him some minutes. Donyell didn't disappoint. The reason why: he's a lights out shooter, one of the things the Sixers have been sorely missing this year. He is the only player on this team that can hit a three point shot on a consistent basis. Kareem Rush shot the ball well last year, but there was a reason he played in Turkey two years ago - he' s not consistent. Willie Green has been stroking the ball real well early and Thaddeus' outside shot has been developing (recently, however, we've seen that he needs about another offseason to really perfect the long distance shot). But, Donyell is the only player on this team who has consistently hit the outside shot during his fifteen year career. Therefore, it is imperative that he gets some run once Brand comes back to the lineup (he is expected back on Tuesday agains the Cavs). Marshall needs play when Brand is in the game. Brand sees a ton of double teams and Marshall can be the beneficiary of some wide open looks with good ball movement and decision making (we've seen that Andre Igoudala can' hit this shot on a consistent basis, so let's try something new). I'm not talking about thirty minutes a game, but he should see about ten to twenty minutes. Now, you might be asking how he'll fit into the lineup. He's 6'9" and normally plays the 4 (though he has seen some time at the 3 during his career), which might cause some problems, especially when Brand is on the floor. But I think that Mo, with a little creativity, can easily get Marshall into the lineup and put him in situations where he can effectively contribute by doing what he does, shoot the rock. Consider this lineup: either Miller/Williams at the 1, Iggy at the 2, Thad at the 3, and Brand and Marshall at the 4/5. I know he's not a center, but Marshall has shown that he's an adequate defender and he's got enough size. to play the majority of post players in the east. Plus, the NBA is becoming a small ball type league. This lineup will also allow the Sixes to do what they do best, push the ball up floor and play transition basketball Sure, Marshall is a bit slow, but he can trail the break and be open for secondary break threes. On the other hand, when the game slows down and becoms a half court battle having Marshall open beyond the ac will be more beneficial than having Sammy Dalembert taking fifteen to twenty foot jumpers, Until he can prove that he's worthy of the minutes, Dalembert should be on the bench more often than not. Let's face it, the Sixers have sucked through the early part of the season and its worth it to shake things up and try some new things. Plus, it's fun to watch a guy who can really shoot.
-The Rave
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