Andrew Bynum’s Continued Absence Hurts Star Center More Than Sixers

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Dec 022012
 

I know how this looks. It looks as though the Philadelphia 76ers were bamboozled into trading Andre Iguodala and a first-round pick to land Andrew Bynum, who might not even play for the team this season and very well could sign elsewhere in the offseason.

In other words, it doesn’t look good for the Sixers.

But when you peel back the layers and really look at the possibility of Bynum barely playing this year, it’s the star center who comes out of this situation looking worse than the Sixers.

Let’s start by looking at this purely at the perspective of the Sixers. Even if Bynum doesn’t stick around, Philly needed to make a change. With Iguodala, Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young, the Sixers had an array of top-notch complementary players, but no real stars. Making a deal to land the second-best center in the league made sense in that regard.

And Iguodala had a big contract. Dumping that and freeing up cash to either retain Bynum or make another splash in free agency was the right move.

Even if Bynum doesn’t re-sign, it was time for Iggy to go. He wasn’t terribly popular with the fans, never fit the role of top gun in the offense and was being overpaid for filling the role of excellent defensive stopper, good athlete and above-average scorer.

The Sixers needed a go-to guy, and Iguodala was an elite role player.

No, it is Bynum who could suffer from this lengthy injury. For one, the Sixers own his Bird’s Rights, meaning they’re the only team that can offer him a five-year, max deal. If Bynum has burned bridges in Philly, he’s cost himself money and security.

But one wonders if Bynum’s shenanigans will limit his market value as well. Realistically, a center with his potential is going to get paid, but will he have as many suitors as he might have if he were more mature? Will he find he won’t get to choose his destination, as teams balk at his huge asking price?

We already know he was out bowling with a knee injury and caused more damage, which may have been innocent ignorance but also exhibited a lack of judgement. Bowling puts strain on the knees, and Bynum should have at least consulted someone before taking on the activity. 

And his immaturity is hardly a new story. There was the three-point shooting fiasco last season, and who could forget Bynum elbowing JJ Barea in the playoffs two years ago after the Los Angeles Lakers were en route to being swept by the Dallas Mavericks?

Now, he’s engaged in a lawsuit and subsequent counter-suit by his neighbors, who have accused him of marijuana use, letting his dogs run free around the neighborhood, cranking his video games and music to incredibly loud levels and even waving a gun around at them, amongst other things.

Yikes.

At some point, you have to think many teams will say, “You know what, this guy is talented, but I don’t trust him enough to pay him as a franchise player. He’s not worth the investment.”

Remaining in Philadelphia is still the best option for both Bynum and the Sixers. He can earn the most lucrative contract there, he grew up in New Jersey, Doug Collins is the right man to keep Bynum focused and he’ll be the center of the offense in Philadelphia. It’s a good scene.

But if nothing else, the Sixers took a chance, dumped a big contract and still have a nice foundation in place with young talent. 

It’s Bynum who has the most to lose in this situation. His immaturity and lingering injury concerns could cost him some serious cash this offseason. He had a good thing in Philadelphia, and if he’s blown that he may not find a better alternative in the market.

And all to go bowling. He may rue that decision for years to come.


Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets don’t know what’s up with that hair either.

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How Philadelphia 76ers’ Jrue Holiday Is Proving His Contract Naysayers Wrong

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Nov 242012
 

Anybody who said the Philadelphia 76ers‘ decision to extend Jrue Holiday‘s contract was a bad idea gets one more chance.

You get one more chance to understand that Holiday was worth every penny of the four-year, $41 million deal that he received.

The man is having a ridiculous career year and needs to be recognized. He’s stepped up in nearly every facet of the game, become a leader on the floor and a consistent and reliable player.

Philly spent the cash, but it looks like it made the right decision and then some.

Here’s why Holiday is proving all the naysayers wrong.

 

Productivity Must be Holiday’s Middle Name

It’s still early in the season, but Holiday is having a big year and doesn’t look to be slowing down.

His 38 minutes a game is part of the reason why he’s playing well. He’s simply getting more time on the floor.

Getting minutes is nice, but it means nothing if he doesn’t produce. Fortunately, he’s producing at a very high level.

He’s averaging 18.4 points and 8.6 assists per game. Not to mention, he’s also fifth on the team in rebounds with 4.1 per game.

Break down his assist numbers and you’ll find that he’s in the top five of all NBA players and that he’s contributing to at least 16 points per game. (Eight times two points for a basket.)

Add that to his 18.4 points and it means that he’s contributing 34 points a game. The number has the potential to be higher, as some of his assists could come on three-point shots.

Holiday’s shooting is also off the charts. He’s shooting nearly 44 percent from three-point range while averaging 3.4 threes per game. That isn’t a small number of shots from out deep.

His one red flag has to be his turnover rate. Averaging 4.7 per contest is not close to good, but he’s adjusting to his new “superstar” guard role. There will be some rough spots.

In the end, it’s really nothing to be concerned about.

His game is reflective of the kind of guy who deserves a $41-million deal, the kind of guy who can be looked at as a franchise player.

 

Holiday’s Defense is Moving Toward an Elite Level

Most of Holiday’s statistics come from the offensive end of the floor, but what about his defense? How does he contribute on that end of the court?

Let’s just say that he’s been putting on a few clinics this season.

His elite size at 6′ 4″, 205 pounds allows him to contest any guards that get to the basket, and good luck to all point guards trying to get past him. Holiday might be tall, but that doesn’t mean that he struggles with staying between his man and the basket.

On November 18th, Holiday faced Kyrie Irving, one of the NBA‘s quickest point guards. With the clock ticking down in the fourth quarter of the tightly contested game, Holiday found himself on an island as he tried to guard Irving one-on-one without any help from his teammates.

This was the definition of a crucial possession and his defense couldn’t have been better.

Holiday has brought an intensity to the court that is difficult to find, and a lot of it comes from his defense.

If you thought that Philadelphia was buying his offensive growth with the extension, you would have been missing a large chunk of the picture. Holiday is also an outstanding defender. Keeping him on the Sixers provides the team with a lock-down defender for years to come.

 

Holiday is a Leader

Philly.com’s Bob Cooney wrote about Sixers head coach Doug Collins,being excited about the extension. Collins seemed as though he couldn’t have been happier about keeping Holiday:

I’m thrilled. There is not a better kid in the world than Jrue Holiday, nobody better. His family, the way he carries himself every day, the way he has grown. I’m so comfortable with that ball being in his hands at the end of the game. You can just see his growth. 

Jrue wanted to be here. To me, it’s a lot being said when a player says, ‘This is my home and I want to stay.’ Usually, guys who do that are very productive and effective. I think he has All-Star talent. I think he can be in the top five in assists. I think he can be a tremendous defender. I felt all along [that Holiday could be that foundation].

Clearly, Philly’s management wanted to keep Holiday in a Sixers jersey. They see the ins and outs of what he does on a daily basis and felt as if he was a good person to represent the team.

It’s an absolutely beautiful thing that they did, too.

All it takes is one game to recognize how Holiday handles himself. It’s difficult to tell what’s happening in the game if you look at his face. His personality is consistent and steady in a way that helps to keep his game from getting out of hand.

Holiday is rarely out of control and that directly correlates with how he handles himself on the floor.

 

The Future Looks Very Bright

This is Holiday’s fourth season and he’s only 22 years old. Yes, you read that correctly, he’s only 22 years old.

He has about two more years until he hits the beginning of his prime, but he’s already putting up scary numbers.

Just imagine where he’ll be in five years.

Now, the Sixers’ extension is only for four years, but this gives Philly the opportunity to see how much he’ll progress in the next few years so that it’s sure about his future.

Philadelphia couldn’t have made a better decision in extending his contract. The Sixers are making anybody that doubted them look bad.

Really, really bad.

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Sixers’ Silence on Andrew Bynum’s Injury Speaks Volumes about Uncertain Future

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Nov 222012
 

Inaction speaks louder than words.

Just ask the Philadelphia 76ers and Andrew Bynum, who will then remain vague and evasive in their answer. Then ask both parties about the mystery that has become the big man’s health, and you’ll be treated to even more cryptic responses.

Which doesn’t tell us anything, yet tells us everything at the same time.

I’m not one for conspiracy theories (your welcome David Stern), but there does come a time when we have to acknowledge what Philadelphia isn’t saying: Bynum’s future with the Sixers is anything but certain.

And we’re not talking about “he may not make be All-Star” uncertain, but rather, “does he even have a future with this team at all” uncertain, a circumstance Ken Berger of CBSSports.com himself acknowledges:

The same doctor also speculated that Bynum may need season-ending surgery, but such a determination has yet to be made by the doctors who actually are caring for him. Either way, you don’t have to be a surgeon to figure out that this is only going in one direction for Bynum and the Sixers — the wrong one. Since news of the setback with Bynum’s other knee broke last week, rival executives have been privately wondering if Bynum would play at all this season.

Can we take speculative evidence that suggests Bynum’s season may be over as fact? Absolutely not. But it would be ignorant if we didn’t admit the Sixers’ failure to refute such findings is troubling.

Why?

Because they can’t refute it. The Sixers cannot say with any definitiveness whether Bynum will not only be back this season, but become the force he is supposed to be if he does. They can’t say that they’re going to re-sign him at season’s end, because they don’t have enough evidence to make such a decision. Not a favorable one, anyway.

Philadelphia has remained steadfast in its refusal to provide specifics because it can’t do so without admitting the team may have made a mistake. Right now, the organization cannot render a verdict that doesn’t provide stability.

Bynum will be an unrestricted free agent after this season and when he first arrived, his future with the Sixers seemed like a mere formality. Of course Philly was going to invest in him long term and make him the foundation for which it built the entire team upon. Why wouldn’t it?

After trading away Andre Iguodala, there didn’t appear to be an actual answer to the former question. Now, however, there are a battery of other questions that, in turn, provide the answer.

How can the Sixers invest nearly $100 million in not just a largely unproven talent, but a proven unhealthy one? How can they put the fate of the entire franchise on a player who has never proved he is capable of being a leader? How can this team operate on any more good faith than it already has?

They can’t, and that’s the problem. Addressing Bynum’s current state only proves that Philadelphia is closer to drawing a conclusion that proves this was a fruitless endeavor.

Again, I’m not saying the Sixers have given up on Bynum, because they haven’t. But after months of setbacks and conflicting diagnosis, hope is waning. It has to be. If it wasn’t, Doug Collins, Tony DiLeo and Bynum himself would provide more definitive answers and be less somber in their demeanor.

Truth be told, Bynum’s future in Philly was never written in stone. A contract still had to be signed; an accord still had to be struck.

Yet that was supposed to be the easy part. Parting ways with Iguodala was a substantial investment in itself, convincing Bynum to sign a long-term deal was supposed to be a simpler extension of that investment.

But the tables have turned, the tides have shifted and what was once a formality is now ambivalent.

The Sixers no longer have to convince Bynum they’re worth his commitment; it’s now up to him to prove he’s worth all the trouble.

Which he hasn’t. How could he? 

So, of course Philadelphia is being vague. Of course it is remaining silent. After all, if there’s nothing nice to be said, you’re not supposed to say anything. Just ask Magic Johnson’s mother.

And yet, that’s the very problem. The Sixers’ silence is an affirmation of the ambiguous elephant in the room; it’s a silent declaration of the dubiety Bynum’s future is enshrouded in.

It’s a wordless assertion that this marriage is far from perfect, that everything is no longer okay.

As well as a reticent acceptance that the Sixers no longer have an idea if it will ever be again. 

 

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Nick Young wears ‘Swaggy P’ shirt after 76ers win, Doug Collins calls him ‘Swaggy,’ everything’s very swaggy (Ball Don’t Lie)

 LA Clippers  No Responses »
Nov 212012
 

When you’ve just had your best game of the season, there’s a good chance the working press will want to get your take on the evening’s proceedings. It came as no surprise, then, that Nick Young drew some attention for his off-the-bench outburst in the Philadelphia 76ers’ come-from-behind 106-98 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night — a team-high 23 points on 7-for-13 shooting, four assists (“which is like 20 for anyone else,” as ProBasketballTalk’s Kurt Helin put it ) and zero turnovers in 29 minutes will get you noticed.
In the past, Young’s shown a sartorial flair for the dramatic when eyes turned his way. This time around, he didn’t break out a denim-and-suede blouse/tapestry (blousestry?), but as Enrico Campitelli Jr. of Philly-centric blog The 700 Level saw , Young did have a little something ready for the occasion:

That Skateboard P -evoking logo sweatshirt is what Young was wearing after helping push Philly to its seventh win in 11 tries on the young season. “Swaggy P,” of course, is Young’s favored nickname, which graces his Twitter account , most descriptions of his play (be they positive or negative) and, as it turns out, many of Young’s references to himself. From Campitelli :
One might question Madonna wearing a Madonna t-shirt after her own concert. Or LeBron James wearing a t-shirt with his own face on it at a concert after an NBA Finals win. So one also might be inclined to question Swaggy P. I would do no such thing.
“Y’all are here for Swaggy P.?” Young exclaimed, welcoming the throng of reporters surrounding him in the locker room post game.
“Make sure you all go buy one of these,” Swaggy said referring to his sweatshirt bearing his name.
The funny thing was he doesn’t even know where you can get one because a fan sent it to him. He wasn’t even planning on wearing it, he said, but after the Sixers had such a wild successful fourth quarter, he obviously had a change of swag.

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Philadelphia 76ers: Jrue Holiday Having a Great and Awful Start to the Season

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Nov 132012
 

Philadelphia 76ers‘ talented point guard Jrue Holiday entered this season with great expectations. With the addition of Andrew Bynum, it was largely up to Holiday and Evan Turner to make great strides to turn this team into a force to be reckoned with.

In the offseason, I wrote that the Sixers were in fact contenders after the deal that returned Bynum and Jason Richardson. Bynum’s dominance and Richardson’s impact were taken as a given. Though both have been injured—most notably Bynum, who has yet to fully participate with his team—we still have seven samples of work from Holiday and Turner.

Both players deserve their own pieces, so I will defer until later to discuss Turner. Jrue Holiday, though, after his performance Monday night, has me churning inside.

On one hand, Holiday delivered 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting. On the other hand, he continued to pile up his league-high turnover count with eight more turnovers.

No, that’s not a typo. I did just write eight! 

Coming into last night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Holiday averaged 5.7 turnovers per contest. I will give him his deserved credit for averaging 9.5 assists after the first six games, which was third in the NBA. However, he should (ironically) be extremely disappointed to lead the likes of James Harden, Kevin Durant, Deron Williams, Kyrie Irving, Kobe Bryant and former Sixer Andre Iguodala in turnovers per night. 

Despite the several turnovers Holiday had early in Monday’s loss to the Bucks, I was very pleased with his effort after the end of the third quarter (he had six turnovers at this point). He sat on the bench to start the fourth, and I was eager for coach Doug Collins to get him back into the game. 

Philadelphia looked to be slipping, and Jrue hit the floor with Philly trailing by four and 6:26 to play. I was expecting a “turning-of-the-tides” type of exclamation to his performance; the Sixers would get none of that.

Holiday committed two costly turnovers in a span of 83 seconds. Not only were they egregious, but they were during what I like to call “winning time.”

Basketball games are often won and lost in certain stretches of play. In some games, they happen in the first quarter when a team extends a margin to an insurmountable lead and tears the heart out of the opponent early. Some games are won with an overwhelming performance to start the second half. 

In this game, it was during a three-minute span starting at the halfway point of the fourth quarter, around when Jrue Holiday entered the game. 

I love Jrue Holiday. He is undoubtedly my favorite Sixer and one of my favorite players in the NBA. I’ve loved what I’ve seen from him regarding his commitment to aggressiveness on the offensive end. But as the leader of Philadelphia basketball team, he needs to balance his aggressiveness with control.

Doug Collins has lost even more of what little hair he still has over Jrue’s turnover rate, but I’m positive he’s in his young point guard’s ear as often as possible to curtail these miscues.

It’s still early, and there is plenty of practice time to sort these things out (let alone a change in offensive strategy when a certain someone suits up for Philadelphia), but Holiday has really blemished his otherwise awesome start to the season with sloppiness and carelessness with the basketball.

Perhaps the fact that he shares this issue with other NBA All-Stars means that it’s just a commonality for those who dominate the ball and those adjusting to a new season.

Either way, let’s hope young Jrue doesn’t top this list a month from now, but is connected to these stars in another way come February.

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5 Starting Lineups the Philadelphia 76ers Will Have to Use This Year

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Nov 092012
 

The Philadelphia 76ers are by far one of the most well-balanced, all-around teams in the league. Because of this, there a lot of opportunities for head coach Doug Collins to experiment with a variety of lineups.

At times, the experimentation can get a little frustrating from a fan’s perspective. But despite how intolerable it can get, its the way coach Collins likes to function. He does want the players getting comfortable and he is naturally looking for ways to maximize talent. 

Though the first few games have not matched expectations, it is necessary to consider the injuries that have come up and the fact that a lot of these guys are playing with each for the first time, the slight struggle is understandable. 

That said, here are five potential starting lineups the will have to use at some point or another this year.

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Which Wing Player Should the Philadelphia 76ers Rely on the Most?

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Nov 092012
 

The Philadelphia 76ers have a plethora of solid wing players on their 2012-2013 team. However, the team has yet to find out which one is best suited to take on a bigger role in the offense. 

The Sixers allowed Lou Williams, Jodie Meeks and Andre Iguodala to walk last offseason, so they will need to find a guy to replace their production. Last season, Doug Collins relied on both Iguodala and Williams to take crucial shots, so he will need to look for someone for this year’s team who can assume that duty. Typically, the guy who takes the last shot is a wing player, as they are better free throw shooters and have an easier time of getting their own shots off the dribble.

The Sixers’ options are Evan Turner, Nick Young, Jason Richardson and Dorell Wright.

The following information will prove that the Sixers should rely on Dorell Wright more than any other wing player on the current roster:

 

1. His Shooting Ability

Dorell Wright led the league in three-pointers made two seasons ago, so he is clearly an elite shooter. In fact, Wright’s 2011-201 true shooting percentage, 55.3, is higher than any player from last year’s Sixers’ team. 

Wright’s ability to make three-pointers isn’t the only benefit of his shooting prowess for the Sixers—his shooting ability also forces defenses to play tight on him, which opens up the floor for other players. Here is a video of Dorell Wright’s highlights from a game in which he made nine three-pointers for the Golden State Warriors.

As you can see in this video, the Minnesota Timberwolves clearly did not make good adjustments throughout that game. In this game, Michael Beasley is constantly trying to play help defense, which left Wright open, and he made the Timberwolves pay. 

 

So, by Wright making these shots, a team that makes good in-game adjustments will be forced to play less help defense. This lack of help defense will allow other Sixers’ players to penetrate the lane without too many defenders collapsing on them.

 

2. His Ability to Drive to the Basket

Although people think of Wright as a shooter, he can actually drive to the basket as well. Wright was actually seventh in the league in field goal percentage at the rim among all small forwards.

Attached is a video of Wright’s preseason highlights against the Brooklyn Nets in a game in which he scored 18 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.

Dorell shows off his ability to do multiple things on the basketball court to help a team win. Throughout his career, Wright has demonstrated an ability to play a multifaceted game. 

 

3. His Rebounding Ability

Wright is an above average rebounder for his position. In fact, Wright’s total rebounding percentage, 9.6, was one of the highest in the league among small forwards last season. Attached is a video of Wright showing the Sixers his rebounding ability.

Although this video does not focus too much on his rebounds, it still shows his rebounding ability and potential. If Wright can continue to rebound efficiently, the Sixers could have guys at all five positions who can hold their own on the glass. If the Sixers play the lineup of Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Dorell Wright, Spencer Hawes and Andrew Bynum, not only will all of those players be above 6’4”, but they all rebound at an above average rate for their respective positions. 

Although the Sixers were fourth in defensive rebounding percentage last season, they can always improve in one of the most important parts of the game of basketball.

 

4. His Height and Length

Wright measures in at 6’9”, which is above average for a small forward. In addition, Wright’s wingspan is around seven feet, which is very good for a small forward. 

This size allows Wright to shoot over defenders, which is key for a shooter like him. Wright will also almost never be smaller than the player that he is guarding, which is a key defensively for coach Doug Collins.

Also, Wright’s size allows Evan Turner to move back to playing shooting guard. Although Turner’s game is not suited for the shooting guard role, his height prevents him from being an effective defender at the small forward position. That being said, Wright will play a shooting guard role on offense while Turner will guard the shooting guards on defense. This will allow the Sixers to get the most out of Evan Turner.

When Coach Doug Collins considers these four factors, there is no question who he should rely on the most. Although Evan Turner and Nick Young may be more talented than Wright, neither of them has the basketball IQ that Wright possesses. 

Overall, Wright has a very underrated all-around game, and hopefully Doug Collins will allow him to put his array of talents on full display this season.

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Rapid Reaction: Knicks 110, 76ers 88

 New York  No Responses »
Nov 052012
 

WHAT IT MEANS: Just about everything’s gone right for the Knicks so far this season.

They opened the year with a win over the Heat. Then came a drubbing of Philly at home on Sunday. On Monday night, they completed the home-and-home sweep of the Sixers with a 110-88 win.

After a slow start, the Knicks thoroughly dominated Doug Collins’ club on Monday.

They finished with six players in double figures, led by Carmelo Anthony’s 21 points. And for the third straight game, they were dominant on the defensive end, holding Philly to 33.

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Doug Collins’ search for ways to ‘unlock’ Evan Turner has turned spiritual, fictional, ‘Fresh Prince’-ual (Ball Don’t Lie)

 LA Lakers  No Responses »
Nov 052012
 

With incumbent small forward Andre Iguodala off to Denver, a starting swing spot open and plenty of playing time available, Philadelphia 76ers fans entered the season hopeful that young forward Evan Turner — the 2010 National Player of the Year at Ohio State and the 2010 NBA draft’s No. 2 overall pick — would take a great leap forward in his third NBA season. But through two games — which, if Los Angeles Lakers fans have taught us anything, is a sample size more than large enough to justify panic — Philly’s new starting three has struggled quite a bit.
Turner has missed 12 of his 16 field goal attempts on the young season, turning it over on nearly 21 percent of his plays and scoring only 16 points in just under 66 minutes of work. Philadunkia’s Tom Sunnergren termed Turner’s first game of the season “a dud [in which he] disappeared for stretches,” and Andrew Unterberger of The Basketball Jones called the performance that Turner and teammate Nick Young turned in against the New York Knicks on Sunday “some of the most hideous wing play you’ll ever see on a basketball court.” If the likes of us bloggin’ types are seeing the slow start, then it stands to reason that Sixers coach Doug Collins is aware of it, too.
Collins has spent the past two seasons trying to figure out how to translate the jack-of-all-trades game that Turner showcased in college to the pro level, and has mostly been unsuccessful. But the coach isn’t licked yet — he might not be the biggest fan of advanced statistics , but he does, apparently, find value in coaching resources perhaps even more arcane and surprising. Like, for example, film adaptations of novels about golf loosely based on the Bhagavad Gita . From John Finger of CSNPhilly.com :
A couple of weeks ago, Sixers coach Doug Collins was watching the movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance” and it immediately put his mind in motion.
Collins thought, what if he could mentor third-year guard Evan Turner and help him get “unlocked” the way Will Smith’s character, Bagger Vance, worked with golfer Rannulph Junuh, played by Matt Damon.
Once a great golfer, Junuh returned home to Georgia from World War I only to suffer from post-war stress. Only when Junuh returned to playing golf with Bagger Vance, honing his mental game, could he again regain his personal glory.
Now this isn’t to say Turner is a down-and-out basketball pro in need of Svengali pulling the strings behind the scenes, but going into his third year as an NBA player, the former No. 2 overall pick has only shown glimpses of his potential.

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