GM15: Rapid (Perfect Tank Night) Reacts
Posted by: C. Smith
11/23/13 11:02 pm EST
11/23/13 11:02 pm EST
 |
Lavoy Allen, PF 26 MIN | 1-4 FG | 2-2 FT | 9 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 2 BLK | 2 TO | 4 PTS | +3 Lavoy wasn’t awful tonight and really that’s all I can ask from him. |  |
 |
Evan Turner, SF 39 MIN | 8-26 FG | 5-7 FT | 11 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 6 TO | 21 PTS | -6 Turner was a bit out of control in the 1st Q and started the game 3-8, but ET got his sh** together and had a very strong game. He posted 8 points in the 2nd Q (15 overall in 1st half) and put up another 6 points in the early 3rd Q. But your #1 option on offense can not get shut out in the 4th Q (0-4). Additionally, the O-foul he got called for in the 4th Q with the score 80-79 IND, was a brutal mistake. |  |
 |
Daniel Orton, C 36 MIN | 3-11 FG | 4-5 FT | 10 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 0 TO | 10 PTS | -21 If you had told me in September that at some point this year Orton would be pressed into a starting role and that he would respond with a double-double that included a career high in rebounds…well, let’s just say I would have laughed until I crapped my pants. However his missed bunny with 5:40 remaining in the game was large. |  |
 |
Michael Carter-Williams, PG 38 MIN | 11-21 FG | 6-11 FT | 6 REB | 3 AST | 7 STL | 1 BLK | 2 TO | 29 PTS | -6 Forget about the career high in points and the way he took the ball to the rim. What most impressed me was that tonight MCW actually showed that he has a clue on defense when guarding the ball. His rip of George Hill and slam at the other end was a thing of beauty. If he can put up this type of defensive effort more consistently, Hinkie may have to trade MCW to keep the tanking train on the tracks. |  |
 |
James Anderson, SG 37 MIN | 4-18 FG | 4-4 FT | 5 REB | 1 AST | 3 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 13 PTS | 0 In the 6 games since his 36 point outburst vs. Houston, JA is averaging 10.8 ppg. on 29% shooting from the field. Hell, I could go 1-10 from deep in an NBA game. But he did have a nice flush in the 4th Q. |  |
 |
Brandon Davies, PF 7 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 2 PTS | 0 Mehhhh | |
 |
Hollis Thompson, SF 31 MIN | 3-7 FG | 3-3 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 10 PTS | -2 Hollis is growing on me and I have to tip my cap to Sam Hinkie for finding this kid. | |
 |
Lorenzo Brown, PG 10 MIN | 2-6 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 4 PTS | -2 Who gave this guy the green light to hoist up 6 FGAs in 10 minutes of tick?!?!? | |
 |
Elliot Williams, SG 17 MIN | 2-7 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 5 PTS | -6 I know the Sixers were short handed tonight, but 7 FGAs by Williams is unacceptable. Also, in the 3rd Q he had Roy Hibbert iso’d and chose to shoot a long 3-ball instead of taking the ball to the rim. That’s an ill-advised move. Williams did have a key follow slam in the 4th Q and that kept him from getting a “D”. | |
 |
Brett Brown I have to give coach Brown credit for keeping this very under-manned team in the game for as long as he did vs. IND. which I think is one of the best teams in the NBA. |
 |
Six Things We Saw From the Sixers…
- On the tanking scale I give this one an A+…A very short handed Sixers squad played an exciting, entertaining, fast paced and close game vs. a much better opponent. MCW saw a lot of minutes and produced. But in the end, the Sixers faded out and lost the game. BRAVO…Now that’s how you tank!
- Considering the 1st Q the Sixers put on the board, it’s a miracle they were able to keep this one close and entertaining. The 76ers started the game 1-for-their-first-6 and then 4-12. They ended the 1st Q 9-28 from the field (32%) and 2-9 on 3’s. The starting backcourt of Anderson and MCW was a combined 2-9 from the field and 1-6 on 3PAs for a total of 5 points. Uggh
- What a fun-to-watch second half. For most of the 3rd Q it was a back and forth affair, until IND went on a 9-2 run and opened up an 11-point lead. The Sixers opened the fourth with a 19-4 run to take an 85-81 lead.
- The Pacers put up a huge run of their own in the 4th Q that ultimately decided this one. Tied at 86, IND went on a 14-2 run led by Hibbert’s 5 points in that stretch. The Sixers helped out the Pacers by shooting 9-22 during a span in that Q.
- I have never been a huge Evan Turner fan and one of my problems with ET is that he whines a ton. However, he was absolutely fouled by Hibbert on that baseline drive with 3:29 remaining in the 4th Q. To be honest, I actually was more pissed off than ET. It was an obvious foul and at the time the Sixers were only down 7 points.
- The teams were tied 11 times in the first half and the lead changed 15 times, with Indiana able to build just a 56-52 halftime lead.
24. November 2013 at 09:15
I sure wish all this tanking talk would cease.
This team will end up with two lottery picks in a very deep draft so why do we have to root for them to lose? Brett Brown and his staff can flat out coach and develop players. Sam Hinkie appears to have a knack for finding very good players. Moreover, the players are playing their asses off, why would you not wanna see this team win ballgames. 35 wins, which I see this team winning easily still gets them in the lottery (unless of course the Nets and the Knicks are as bad as they appear).
24. November 2013 at 20:17
E Chaney,
I’ll have to politely, but strongly disagree with you.
The Sixers need to have at least 1 pick in the top 5 of the 2014 Draft if they plan to get out of NBA hell (finishing 6th-9th in the conference with 30-45 wins every year). Winning 35 games this season is not in the best interest of this franchise’s efforts to build a championship team. You’re in the distinct minority if you think differently.
Additionally, while I really like the “program” Brett Brown is building here in Philadelphia, his game day coaching is still a work in progress. Many will argue that with a 1st year HC, that issue is to be expected. Still it needs to be recognized that Brown must do a better job with his rotations and that his “pick your poison” defensive philosphy where you slack off perimeter jump shooters to protect the paint needs to be tweaked.
But with a top 5 pick next in June 2014, an improved MCW running the point and a year of head coaching in the NBA under Brown’s belt, I expect this team could be much improved in 2014-15 and on the road to building a title contender.
Thanks for reading & commenting.
–C. Smith
25. November 2013 at 17:32
One of the reasons I love basketball is because teams like the sixers, the suns, and actually the Lakers are doing better than expected because of simple effort. Mcw is looking better and better also.