Rave's Take on the Sixers

Contrary to one recent post on here, the Sixers have not (and should not) modeled themselves after the current Boston Celtics. The Sixers are actually modeled after the 2004 Detroit Pistons championship team. Billy King started to break down the Allen Iverson led Sixers after he saw what the Pistons could do and attempted to get five cohesive players that played as a team – all of whom who could play “D” and shoulder their fair share of the offensive burden when called upon. The key to this Sixers team is that they do not have one super superstar. They have five good players who, if they ever get the feel of each other, could do some very good things. I’m not sure if this team – as currently constructed – can win a championship. The Celtics and Cavs are too good right now. And that is just the Eastern Conference. Position by position, on pure paper, this team looks like they can compete with anybody. However, right now, the pieces are not fitting together as they should.

Let’s start with the good. At power forward, they have EB. Brand is a very very good player. He is not great. He can carry a team at times, but not on a night to night basis. This was never more evident during the 2004 Clipper season when he had a healthy Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley to help him shoulder the burden. The Sixers and Mo Cheeks – who is a good player’s coach and not a great X and O guy (which has led to some early losses) – need, and are starting to get Elton the ball in positions where he is comfortable, and more importantly, effective. This is the pick and pop game and the mid post. While he was touted by Eddie Stefanski as a great low post presence, it is just not the case. Elton has never been a great back to the basket player. He’s undersized at 6’9” – although he does have a very large wingspan which helps him to overcome his lack of size – and when he goes up against some of the taller power forwards in the game, he has a tough time getting his shot off in the low post. He has a great 16 to 18 foot jumper and he has a very good first step to drive by opposing power forwards. Elton is real nice fit on this team. He can get out and be effective in the running game. More importantly he’s great in the half court – which is important at winning time and playoff time.

The second best player on this team is Thaddeus Young. He is a rising star, an absolute stud. The Sixers never call plays for him, yet he is second on the team in scoring. He can basically do it all and he fits in well with Brand, in the half court, and the running game. His outside jumper has improved as is evident by his increased ability to shoot from distance. He’s an absolute thoroughbred in the open floor and is one of the reasons why the Sixers are such a good fast break team. He’s constantly around the ball and really has a nose for the game. This guy just has a knack for scoring and making the right play at the right time. He is an effective rebounder, gets out in the passing game and is a lockdown defender. Contrary to another post on this site, he SHOULD NEVER come off the bench is about twenty times better than James Posey – there is absolutely no comparison. Posey has been a complimentary bench player, albeit a very good one, in this league his whole career. In a year Thaddeus will be the Sixers best player and I predict in two or three years he is going to be one of the top ten players in the league.

While Thaddues and Brand are the best players on the team this year, Andre Miller held that title last year. However, this year, he is having a tough time finding his game and his role on this team. In order for the Sixers to do anything he needs to find that role and his game quick. He is a deceptively quick player and can be a very effective distributor when he wants to be. However, too many games in the early going he has looked for his shot more than trying to get the ball to his scorers. The Sixers will not win many games if he is their leading scorer. Miller needs to be an effective floor leader in both the fast break game and the half court, both of which he can do and has done throughout his career. In order for the Sixers to go places, their point guard play has got to improve. Miller needs to concentrate less on his scoring and more on getting his scorers the ball in spots where they are comfortable (Brand pick and pop, Dalembert on lobs, Thaddeus on cuts to the hoop, Iggy shots in rhythym and under control). I agree Miller is not a great shooter, but I disagree that Miller needs to go. In fact, I think he needs to stay. Bringing in a Kyle Lowry type is not going to help this team. Sure, Lowry can push the rock, but he can’t shoot a lick, and he’s not as good a floor leader as Miller. If they could somehow swing getting a point guard with a little bit of size (6’4” and up) who looks to pass first, yet can hit the outside jumper, they will do well. That’s not going to happen. Let’s face it, Miller can be extremely effective in the half court (he was our best post up player last year) and the run game. Sure, you can run all you want in the regular season, but you’re never going to win a championship doing it.

Off the bench, Willie Green has been really surprising. I’ve never been a big fan of his because he’s a 6’2” shooting guard, who shoots a low percentage, doesn’t play great “D” and makes terrible decisions…or at least that was Willie Green last year. I actually made a bet over the summer that he was going to be cut. Well, I’m the first one to admit that I was totally wrong and I only hope he can keep it up. He’s getting consistent minutes off the bench and has really shown his value. He’s a microwave-type scorer, somebody who can come cold off the bench and can heat it up quickly. He’s never had a conscience, which has worked against him the past. This year its working to his advantage. He’s shooting extremely well and I have no problems with his play off the bench. Kareem Rush, Royal Ivey and the rest of the gluttony of guards on the bench haven’t got enough time to merit a statement of their worth. But I would like to say that Ivey should get more playing time. He’s a lock down defender and showed last year that he can actually hit an open three. He just needs minutes.

One bench player that has caught my eye is Marreese Speights. I was ecstatic when they drafted him and he has disappointed in the limited run he has gotten off the bench. He has great touch from 16 to 18 feet, is a big body and will be a force when he learns to play in the NBA. I actually think that he can be a very good rookie this year (he has the highest PER in the rookie class as of right now) and later on in the season he will become a nice contributor, especially against shorter teams, against whom I’d like to see him take the majority of Sammy D’s minutes.

The real problems with this team are Andre Igoudala, Sammy D and Lou Williams. Iggy just does not fit. He’s an excellent open court player. But he’s a below average shooter – and I predict that, even with a lot of practice, he’s not going to get much better – just look at his form and the trajectory of his shot, there’s a total lack of rotation on the ball. He was touted as good ball handler coming out of college, but that has never panned out. He’s turning the ball over left and right. Granted, I’m not and really have never been a big fan of his. He never should have got the amount of money he did this summer and two years from now the Sixers could be kicking themselves for giving him such a max contract. He’s never going to be a number 1 and is proving to be a below average number 2. He’s best suited to be an excellent number 3, which could work out later in the season when Thaddeus cements himself into his role as the second best player on the team. But I just don’t think that Iggy works on this team. His skill set just doesn’t fit what the Sixers so desperately need. The position is SHOOTING guard – somebody who can shoot out of the double teams that Brand receives. This is especially true if Andre Miller is your point guard, because we all know he’s a terrible shooter from distance (save his two late game threes in the past week). I’d trade him for Rip Hamilton in a heartbeat, but Joe Dumars is not an idiot, and he’d never do that. But I do agree that we could trade him for a Mike Miller type, who has size and can shoot the lights out (50% FG and 40% 3PFG). We’d give a little up on the defensive end, but I actually think that Iggy is an overrated defender. He gets in the passing game and a lot of steals, but after watching Allen Iverson for many years we all know that the number of steals one gets is not a good barometer of defensive prowess.. Contrary to popular belief, Igoudala is not a lock down defender. He too often gets burned by his opponents and never really can clamp down on opposing superstar. Just because he has the body of a good defender doesn’t mean that he is.

As far as Lou Williams, he needs to calm down a bit and start playing within himself. I don’t think he should start on this team and I don’t think that he’s ever going to be a starter on this team as its currently constructed. He’s a shoot first, 6’1” combo guard who is making terrible basketball decisions. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen him come down the court on a three on two and NOT STOP the foul line and distribute the ball or take what the defensive is giving him. Instead, you see him either take a terrible floater in the lane, or turn it over. Even a white jew from the suburbs who played competitive basketball over ten years ago know that is not the right way to play. I’m okay with him thinking shot first because that’s his game. He’s lightning quick and has the potential to be an above average shooter. But needs to know when to shoot and when to give it up. I can live with some bad shots, but not a bad shot fifty percent of the time. With Lou Williams, Willie Green and Marreese Speights off the bench the Sixers have the potential to have a great eight man rotation.

Sammy D is not playing great. However, I think that he needs to stay on this team. While he doesn’t have great hands, he’s a very good rebounder and an excellent weak side shot blocker. Defensively, against the bigger teams in the league we are going to need him. Plus, because Elton is a great on the ball defender (most of his blocked shots come one on one), Sammy and Elton can be a very effective defensive combination. A lot of it is going to have to come with learning how each other play. Plus, if Sammy concentrates only on defense and rebounding he will become a much better player and the Sixers will become a much better team. I’m sick and tired of him shooting jumpers and fadeaways. While he says he is given the green light to make those shots, which do go in sometimes (even though its excruciating to watch), Mo needs to instruct him never to shoot unless its within 5 feet of the hoop. The only offensive shots he should ever get are put back dunks and lobs from Andre Miller, the best “lob guy” in the game. As stated above, against smaller teams, Sammy should see less playing time and Speights should see more – or the Sixers can put Brand at center, run Thaddeus at the four, Iggy at the three (his more natural position) and either Lou Will or Willie Green at the two with Miller at the point.

All in all, I think that the Sixers should either stay put, or try and trade Iggy for a lights out shooting guard with some size. Trading Andre Miller is not the answer, unless you can get Chauncy Billups or the equivalent thereof. Most of all, the Sixers are not, and will never be like the Celtics. The Celtics have three future hall of famers and they were all superstars in their own right at one time in their careers. The Sixers have one player who was an arguable superstar (for one year – 2004) in Brand. They are more of a five man team, with interchangeable parts in the spirit of the 2004 Pistons. Stay put Eddie, and don’t make any trades (unless its getting rid of Igoudala).