Ended up the fall guy. If anyone can fix that mess, my choice would be Lionel Hollins.

http://nba.si.com/2014/02/09/pistons...aurice-cheeks/

On Dumars watch - 8 coaching changes in 13 seasons.

Looks like it was the owner's decision to axe Cheeks and Dumars had no real say. What's funny is they just won two in a row and have been playing relatively better as of late. I'd have to guess that if they don't turn things around dramatically in the second half...Dumars is pretty much done.

Durant >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Melo.

That was ugly, especially since they were matched up on each other most of the game.

Dumars probably needs to go somewhere new if the owner is calling the shots. Can't end well. The bad thing for this team is that they get on a little roll which in the East isnt that tough as tankapalooza intensifies. The the owner will think that "his" moves actually helped and that spells doom. Just look at the Knicks

Asking Anthony to cover Durant is always going to end badly because he is out of position guarding perimeter players. Problem for the Knicks is that they have no wings with any size. Look at the starting line up. Felton (PG), Prigioni (PG), Chandler (C) and Shumpert (SG). Subs are Smith (SG), Stoudamire (PF), Hardaway (SG) and Tyler (PF). That forces Anthony to chase which is obviously not his strength. Supposed this is the reason that they signed World Peace but has been hurt or atrocious. It is a big reason that Woodson's type of switching defense hasn't been effective at all. You have 2 plus defenders (Chandler and Shumpert but against a team like OKC they aren't matched up against offensive threats which takes away from their strength. When you are starting a fat 6'2" guy and a old, 5'11" white guy in your backcourt, and a 6'4" guy as your SF why are we surprised when mismatches materialize when they switch? Scary thing is the Knicks have played better since they went to this starting lineup though it would be hard to play worse than they did earlier in the season.

Did anyone see The Lenny Cooke Story on Showtime? What a fall...

Aren't they both small forwards? I guess if you say Anthony is a 4 he could have guarded Ibaka, but that wouldn't be pretty either.

I'm not really knocking Melo on D. Nobody can guard KD these days. What impressed me was Durant on defense. He has been criticized for his defense, but it has actually been pretty good for a few years, and now it is really good. He completely frustrated Anthony, and he can guard 2 through 4 these days. Obviously that isn't his focus some nights, he can't do everything all the time. But when he needs to lock down, he does it.

Please knock him. He guards no one.

People think Anthony is a 3 but he is really a 4, especially on defense. Ibaka is more of a spot up jump shooter despite being a PF. Durant is a pretty unstoppable.

Ibaka has gotten better in the post, especially against guys he has a size advantage against. If Anthony were on him he'd just hit the boards on offense and dominate him, seen it tried before with smaller guys.

Durant is getting scary good with the pass too. If he were passing to any actual shooters his numbers would be insane, at least another 1.5 assists a game.

Uh...end of the 1st in LA and it's the Clippers up on the Sixers 46-15. This must be part of the Eastern Conference tankapalooza you were talking about Chuck.

He has no real size advantage against Anthony. If Anthony were guarding him he would do exactly as he does now. Pick and rolls and pop out for jumpers. OKC doesnt change what they do, they play the same stuff against everyone.


http://www.basketball-reference.com/...shooting/2014/

Adam Silver better figure out how to make losing less advantageous. How would you feel if you'd pay full price for a ticket to tonights game and they are in garbage time in the 2nd quarter? Clippers tickets arent cheap.

Sixers shot 8-51 in the 1st half against a team that isnt exactly known for defense. If they werent 13-13 from the line it would be even more embarrassing.
69-30 at halftime.

smh

+/- is a flawed stat but the Clippers/76'ers game has some incredible numbers.

Thad young is -37 in 17 minutes
Evan Turner is -33 in 20
Moultrie is -11 in 4 mins

89-33 1/2 way through 3rd

9-60 from the field.

Young is 5-14

Rest of team is 4 for 46

That's just embarrassing.

Sixers on 14-0 run

Still down 40

Orlando is 16-37
Sixers are 15-36

Orlando just beat OKC and Indiana in back to back games.

Sixers are down 49 heading into 4th quarter to Clipper's

What team do you think will have more wins at the end of the year?

100-51 after 3

On the bright side the Sixers play again tomorrow night at Golden State, so their starters should be able to get some rest here in the 4th.

maybe i should have played the under :D

Warriors have been playing poorly so this is exactly what the Dr ordered.

I think the over/under was 220 . Clippers might get there by themselves

Sixers 1-24 on 3 point shots

There has been a Sasha Vujacic sighting.

No "DNP COACH'S DECISION" tonight...and he scores!

yeah Turkoglu too

Like retread Euro night

Orlando for sure. Afflalo and Oladipo are coming on strong. Afflalo was on fire here in Indy until they re-focused and shut him down in the second half and Oladipo should be the rookie of the year.
They play with fire too which is more than you can say for the 76'ers.

To be fair Philly just looks burned out right now. They play at the fastest pace in the NBA, pushing the ball constantly and this is the part of the season that starts to catch up with them especially since they have so many guys who are playing far more than they ever have. They won some games early in the season because they just outran the opposition. When they get into that bench they are really a D league team.

That being said Orlando has a lot of talent and probably is going to have 2 lottery picks this year (their own and Denvers). I figured that Afflalo would be dealt at the trade deadline for sure but he has played so well they might hold on to him. Even if they dont get one of the top 3 picks they can still snag a guy like Exum who would be a great fit. Plus they have no bad contracts, they can let Nelson walk after this year and have no returning player making more than 7.6 (Afflalo) or 6.6 (Big baby). Also as well as what they get in the draft they will have plenty of room to take on a max contract in the coming years too if a player like that comes available. Orlando as a good team is an attractive destination especially with no state tax.

Imagine they get Wiggins and McDermott in the draft, sign Kyle Lowery as a FA and start off next year with this team:
PG- Lowery (borderline all star)
SG-Affallo (borderline all star)
SF-Wiggins (extreme talent)
PF-Tobias Harris (huge upside)
C- Vucevic (Producing as solid top 8 center now)
Bench-Oladipo (pg-sg) (ideal 6th man off the bench at both guard positions)
Bench-Big Baby (PF) (productive player)
Bench-McDermott (Sf-Pf) (very good shooter for team that needs it)
Bench-Harkless (Sf) (kind of odd man out but has upside)
Bench-Nicholson (C-Pf) (Solid backup potential)

That is the 3rd best team in the East.

This weather inspired training slowdown has left me with far too much time on my hands lol

What's the line on the Sixers - Warriors game tonight? O/U?

14 1/2 and 214

Thanks. I was just curious, they were very late putting it up.

He doesn't? He looked a lot bigger standing right next to him. He is taller, longer, and not to mention he is a lot more athletic. Having seen every Thunder game ever played, I know what happens in that spot...Serge becomes relentless on the offensive glass. The Spurs tried it a few times and Ibaka put up Barkley like numbers.

If they wanted to hide Melo, they should just put him on Perkins. That is what good teams do. Hell, Miami put Shane Battier on him!

It isnt about hiding Anthony, it is about forcing him to cover guys he cant cover very well. If he "covers" Perkins who does Chandler check? You want your 7 footer on the perimeter?
The issue is that the Knicks do not play to their best players strengths because they have a bad mix of players. Then you have a coach playing a scheme that doesnt match the personnel and you have what they are now.

Oladipo is a bench guy? Stop it Chuck.

That is a lot of words to say the Knicks stink. We all know that.

Sixers!!! Nice back to back efforts.