khandor’s sports blog

Philadelphia opened up the regular season schedule with a W-L Record of 3-13:

but, over the course of their last 9 games:

have displayed a substantially improved level of performance.

Q1. What, specifically, did the Sixers do to set right their formerly listing ship? 

A1. After winning Games 17 & 18, their head coach made a simple adjustment to his ‘regular rotation’ for Game 19 [L @ Atlanta] …

Game Logs for Evan Turner [OG-SF/6-7, 210, 1st-yr]

Game Logs for Jodie Meeks [OG/6-4, 208, 2nd-yr]

which improved the perimeter shooting of the Starting Five, provided better overall balance to both the 1st and 2nd units and, simultaneously, rectified the defensive short-comings within each group:

… and, then, despite the loss incurred – after a modest 2-game winning streak - had the good Basketball Sense to stick with it in the aftermath.

Kudos to Doug Collins!

… for eventually figuring out that:

- Jodie Meeks’ specific skill-set, as an under-sized OG who can shoot the ball adequately on perimeter jump-shots and is a good defender, is a ’best fit’ when the majority of his minutes are played between Jrue Holiday and Andre Iguodala

- Evan Turner’s specific skill-set, as a multi-dimensional role player, is a ‘best fit’ when coming off the bench at either Wing position with the 2nd unit

- Thaddeus Young’s specific skill-set, as a multi-dimensional role player, is a ‘best fit’ when coming off the bench at either Forward with the 2nd unit

- Marreese Speights’ specific skill-set, as a fairly limited but also multi-facited Big Man, is a ‘best fit coming of the bench, in arrears of Spencer Hawes … as opposed to having a perpetual ‘DNP-CD’ listed beside his name in the boxscore

- Andres Nocioni’s specific skill-set, as a fairly limited but also multi-facited veteran Forward, is a ‘best fit’ coming off the bench, exclusively, in a non-rotational/emergency-use-only capacity  

- Darius Songaila’s specific skill-set, as a fairly limited but also multi-facited veteran Forward, is a ‘best fit’ coming off the bench, exclusively, in a non-rotational/emergency-use-only capacity  

- Craig Brackins’ specific skill-set, as a somewhat athletic but still largely under-developed young Big, is a ‘best fit’ when wearing a suit at the end of the bench

- Jason Kapono’s rightful place, amongst this specific collection of teammates, is on the bench sitting beside Master Brackins

If the 76ers elect to use this rotation for the next phase of their schedule:

… which is a good deal more difficult than their previous stretch of 9 games …

it will at least give them a solid chance to get back into the hunt for the No. 8 position in the Eastern Conference, and then perform as a decent lower-middle-of-the-pack team for the balance of the season … in competition with the Pistons, Bobcats, Raptors and Cavaliers.  

Watch the following sequence of events and then identify correctly what crucial mistake the 76ers made which resulted in their loss to the Celtics [on Thursday]:

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Should they have gone “under” the pick, instead of switching?

Should they have gone “over” the pick, “shown hard” with Garnett’s defender, and then “recovered back” to their original checks?

Should they have ”trapped” the pick?

Or, should they have done something else, altogether different?

————————————-

The specific take from this corner …

The main mistake which Doug Collins made in this instance was his deployment of this specific Group of 5 players against the Quintet that Doc Rivers put on the floor:

PG – Holiday vs Rondo
OG – Williams vs Robinson
SF – Meeks vs Allen
PF – Iguodala vs Pierce
C – Young vs Garnett

which amounted to the following “Individual Match-up” categories:

For Philadelphia -> 3 Smalls [i.e. Robinson, Rondo & Allen] + 2 Mediums [Iguodala & Young]

vs

For Boston -> 3 Smalls [Robinson, Rondo & Allen] + 1 Medium [Pierce] + 1 Big [Garnett]

What Doug Collins should have done instead was use THIS specific Group of 5 players on this final possession:

PG – Iguodala [Medium] vs Rondo [Small]
OG – Williams [Small] vs Robinson [Small]
SF – Meeks [Small] vs Allen [Small]
PF – Young [Medium] vs Pierce [Medium]
C – Battie [Big] vs Garnett [Big]

… and the 76ers would have probably won this game outright, by getting a defensive stop on this possession, regardless of what specific play the Celtics decided to use.

Understanding properly how “Individual Match-ups” actually work is the key to understanding the NBA game.

———————————–

PS. If you actually watched this game on television, like yours truly did, then, you should have been able to see the look of absolute horror which came over the face of Ed Stefanski [Sixers GM] … believe it, or not, it was very much like this … when he first surveyed the floor, saw the 5 players Coach Collins sent out, from the preceding time-out, to defend against the 5 players deployed by Doc Rivers, and mouthed the following 5 words of fright and dismay: “No! What are you doing!” Right now, the 76ers might well be the best 7-15 team in the NBA, considering they have lost at least 3 games [i.e. L1, in OT; L2, in OT; and L3] in mind-boggling fashion. :-(

Related:

The Celtics game-winning pick & roll and the Sixers poor defense of it

So far this off season, no team in the NBA … except, of course, the Miami Heat … has improved the its organizational outlook for the 2010-2011 season, and beyond, more than the Philadelphia 76ers.

Personnel Moves made, thus far, this summer:

i. Hired Doug Collins, as their new head coach;

ii. Drafted Evan Turner, as the No. 2 [overall] Selection in the 2010 NBA Draft

iii. Traded a mostly discontented Samuel Dalembert/C for Andres Nocioni/SF and Spencer Hawes/C, two highly serviceable players … with good-fit skill-sets;

and, now,

iv. Hired savvy veteran NBA executive Rod Thorn, as their new President … which re-unites him with Ed Stefanski [as the team's GM], in a similar set-up to what existed in New Jersey during the early part of the decade, when the Nets made back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals.

———————————–

Sixers hire Thorn as President

Thorn will move into the organization over general manager Ed Stefanski, a close friend who worked with Thorn for six seasons with the New Jersey Nets. The embattled Stefanski will stay on under Thorn, keeping with a similar arrangement they had with the Nets.

After a decade as Nets president, Thorn left the organization last month after deciding against staying on to work for the new Russian ownership group. Nevertheless, he still expressed a desire to work again in the league and now takes over the 76ers.

Thorn took over the Nets when they were considered perhaps the NBA’s worst franchise, and elevated them to the NBA Finals in his second season (2002) on the job. His trade for Jason Kidd transformed the Nets into Eastern Conference contenders and pushed them to consecutive NBA Finals appearances. New Jersey reached the playoffs six straight seasons until previous ownership forced them to dump salaries.

———————————–

Constructing a successful franchise in pro sports is not an easy proposition, and requires top notch, top down, Leadership … from the the owner, right-on-through the President, GM, Head Coach, and the Cornerstone Players … which effects the day-to-day operation of the organization.

After finishing last the 2009-2010 campaign in a very disappointing fashion, Philadelphia is now poised to be one of the main ‘rebound’ teams next season.

Kudos to Ed Snider for taking the 76ers in this new – but already highly proven – direction!

Gallinari Practices and the Knicks can barely contain themselves
The superlatives and expectations keep growing for Gallinari, the sixth overall pick in the 2008 draft. He showed no signs of discomfort in Tuesday’s two practices, or any indication that he had undergone minor back surgery five months ago.

He did, however, show off his full range of skills while playing with the first unit in the evening scrimmage.

Standing on the perimeter, Gallinari beat Larry Hughes off the dribble and fed David Lee inside for a layup attempt. (Lee missed.) When Al Harrington missed a 3-pointer, Gallinari soared in for a putback dunk. And in the highlight of the night, Gallinari spun past Ron Howard and flew in for a two-handed dunk. He missed a 3-pointer, but shooting is one skill the Knicks know Gallinari has in abundance.

D’Antoni has never wavered in his enthusiasm for Gallinari and is not concerned about raising expectations. Gallinari, 21, said he was not concerned either.

“I’m happy for that, because I think that if a player wants to be at a good level, you need responsibility, you need expectations,” Gallinari said, adding: “I like that. I know how to deal with that.”

———————————————

Remember the words, “Larry Nowitzki”, and exactly where you read them first.

If Gallinari can stay healthy this season … those who think that the Knicks are simply going to be push-overs in the EC [including many of the good folks in Raptorville] will be in for a rather Rude Awakening v1.

[ ... which, almost, unbelievably, led to this, this, this and, then, finally, this and this ... when we were all a great deal younger than today.]

Related:

Best shooter I’ve ever seen

Five things that need to be understood about the Eastern Conference Finals which moves toward Game Five tomorrow night, at Quicken Loans Arena:

Game One: CLEVELAND 106, Orlando 107
Game Two: CLEVELAND 96, Orlando 95
Game Three: ORLANDO 99, Cleveland 89
Game Four: ORLANDO 116, Cleveland 114 [OT]

#1. The No. 1 seeded Cavaliers [66-16] should have been eliminated already from the post-season, swept away [4-0] by the No. 3 seeded Magic [59-23].

#2. Lebron James is an all-time great basketball player. Of this, there is little doubt.

So, too, however, was the incomparable Michael Jordan, during the first 5 seasons of his career with the Bulls, prior to the ascension of Phil Jackson into the Head Coach role for Chicago:

1984-1985, Kevin Loughery [38-44/.463]
1985-1986, Stan Albeck [30-52/.366]
1986-1987, Doug Collins [40-42/.488]
1987-1988, Doug Collins [50-32/.610]
1988-1989, Doug Collins [47-35/.573]

#3. Orlando is the better TEAM in this ECF series, not Cleveland.

#4. Danny Ferry [GM] still has a lot of work to do … e.g. re-vamping the Cavaliers’ roster and coaching staff … if Cleveland is going to win a NBA championship with King James at the center of its roster.

#5. Basketball is a TEAM game, most of all; and, in general, it’s the Best Team, overall, that triumphs in a 4-out-of-7 playoff series in the NBA. 

Reading this piece earlier today …

Jordan’s shot on Ehlo, 20 years later

the first thoughts which came to mind were these:

1. Has it really been 20 years already since the day in May when MJ broke the hearts of Craig Ehlo and Cavaliers fans everywhere?

2. Jeez-Louise … Looking at these images, we were all soooo much younger then.

3. re: “Today marks the 20th anniversary of the most important basket — and arguably the most exciting and dramatic one, too — of Jordan’s career.” - Dave Brown

This was not THE most important basket of Michael Jordan’s career.

The first step to the 6 NBA titles eventually won by the Chicago Bulls was taken in 1982, at the Superdome, in New Orleans, Louisiana, under the direction of Dean Smith.

Truth be told … in both instances … yours truly, although a “fan” of all 4 of those teams, was actually cheering for the vanquished rather than the victor.

For those who came of age through the 1970′s & early 1980′s … it doesn’t get any better than this … as the ‘White Shadow‘ profiles Julius Winfield Erving, II.

Part I

Part II

Part III

youtube.com is absolute Gold … when it comes to things like …

‘the Doctor’.

Took a while to find just the right article link for this story …

As I walk this land with broken dreams
I have visions of many things
Love’s happiness is just an illusion
Filled with sadness and confusion,
What becomes of the broken hearted
Who had love that’s now departed?
I know I’ve got to find
Some kind of peace of mind
Maybe.
The fruits of love grow all around
But for me they come a tumblin’ down.
Every day heartaches grow a little stronger
I can’t stand this pain much longer
I walk in shadows
Searching for light
Cold and alone
No comfort in sight,
Hoping and praying for someone to care
Always moving and goin to where
What becomes of the broken hearted
Who had love that’s now departed?
I know I’ve got to find
Some kind of peace of mind
Maybe.
I’m searching though I don’t succeed,
But someone look, there’s a growing need.
Oh, he is lost, there’s no place for beginning,
All that’s left is an unhappy ending.
Now what’s become of the broken-hearted
Who had love that’s now departed?
I know I’ve got to find
Some kind of peace of mind
I’ll be searching everywhere
Just to find someone to care.
I’ll be looking everyday
I know I’m gonna find a way
Nothings gonna stop me now
I’ll find a way somehow
I’ll be searching everywhere
- Jimmy Ruffin

=========================================

Redeem Team is personal for Collins

“For him to go through what he did and not be rewarded for what he did in Munich, it still bothers me. It upsets me every time I see it. To have this opportunity, to bring the gold medal back to the U.S. with him there broadcasting the game (for NBC), I don’t think anything could be more special to me.”

But you know what Collins really wants? He wants his song, the one he never heard in Germany 36 years ago. He wants to watch as Team USA stands atop the podium, and then lose himself in the national anthem.

“I’m going to take my headset off. I’m going to stand up. I’m going to put my hand over my heart,” Collins said. “And I’m going to say thank you.”

=============================================

Mission accomplished, Doug.

Interesting quotes from this evening’s TNT broadcast:

(during Game 1, Cle @ Chi) 

“Cleveland is in trouble.”
- Sir Charles (Barkley) … during ’At the Half’, with the Cavaliers up by 4 pts (Cle 51, Chi 47) and Lebron having already scored 26 pts.

“It ends tonight.”
- Charles Barkley … during ‘At the Half’ of Game 1 (Cle @ Chi), re: the Houston Rockets’ team record 16-game winning streak.

“He’s never been a Champion … but he’s always been a Winner.”
- Doug Collins … re: Joe Smith, early in the 4th Quarter of Cleveland’s eventual loss at Chicago.

“The game in the NBA … is a game of match-ups.”
- Doug Collins … explaining in simple, succinct terms what’s ‘at the Heart’ of understanding how it works in the world’s best ‘pro’ hoops league.

UPDATE:

(following Game 2, Hou @ Dal)

“Sam understands that you can’t compete with your teammate. You can only bolster him and push him.”
- Kenny (the Jet) Smith … explaing some of what he shared with Sam-I-Am-Cassell, ‘lo those many moons ago’ with the Champion Houston Rockets

“He might not win the game … but, he won’t lose it for you …”
- Kenny Smith … extolling some of Cassell’s value to the Boston Celtics.v.2008