SB Nation User Blog: jsams

Quick Update

jsams — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:47:41 -0000

More photos » by H. Rumph Jr - AP

Everyone, remain calm!

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I'm a couple hours away from boarding a flright to Boston for the Holidays. TAFKA Mike Bourn will be filling in for me while I'm gone. Be nice.
I'll be joining Derrick Bodner and Brian from Depressed Fan on their radio show tonight. Go here to listen. It's scheduled from 8-9 eastern. If you can't listen live, I'm told the recording will be posted on that same website later this evening. That way you can listen to it while you work, on the treadmill, or my personal favorite, during a steamy love session with your wife. Cause what's better than hearing my voice in the background during any of these situations? Hearing Derrick's and Brian's voices too. Do it.
I'll be at the game tomorrow night. It'll be my first pro NBA experience not counting the summer league or pre-season. I'll post at least one picture via twitter.
Feel free to e-mail me your apologies when the Cowboys upset the Saints on Saturday night. samsj@unlv.nevada.edu.
Most importantly, have a super Christmas and I'll see you -- virtually anyway -- when I get back.

Cavs snap Sixers 1-game winning streak

jsams — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:35:56 -0000

More photos » by Michael Perez - AP

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Box Score

The Good

Jrue Holiday continues to be a baller. The 19-year-old added Mo Williams to his list of point guards who "Kissed The Baby" during his three December starts.

Russell Westbrook (Dec.2) 1-11 from the floor.
Monta Ellis (Dec.14) 3-14 from the floor.
Mo Williams (Tonight) 2-8 from the floor.

Total: 6-33 (18%)

Not only did Holiday shut down an All-Star (look it up) tonight; he also ran the offense beautifully. His vision and passing abilities are those of a 10-year veteran. Very impressive considering we're talking about the youngest player in the NBA. He still makes mistakes and his offense is very raw, but he's going to be a stud, and absolute stud. I'm so convinced. Offense comes and goes, but defense stays forever. Put that in your Christmas card!

In the past three games Thaddeus Young has three double-doubles. In the 183 games prior to this stretch he had three total. My two biggest criticisms of Thad have always been defense and rebounding. His offense will come, and he'll eventually average 20 PPG, but averaging four rebounds a game isn't going to cut it. For someone who plays significant minutes at power forward, Thad needed to rebound for his team to be successful. How does 35 boards in the past three games sound? Message receieved. The only difference has been Thad's effort, but it's been a huge difference. If he keeps this up I see a 20-10 season is in his future. Oh by the way, he's 21 years old.

For those of you scoring at home, that's two future studs at the ripe ages of 19 and 21.

As a Sixers fan, I was pretty happy with what I saw tonight as far as development is concerned. The four guys I'm interested in (Jrue, Andre, Thad, Speights) all played pretty well, and showed glimpses of a possibly bright future for the franchise. Speights was somewhat rusty in his return from injury -- as expected -- but still managed to score 14 off the bench. I don't consider him a stud like Holiday, Thad or Andre, but still a big part of the team's future. Andre was Andre. I still cringe every time he takes a jumper, but once a legit franchise player comes to town (John Wall), Andre will become Robin instead of Batman where he's much better suited, in my opinion.

Just remember, as long as Eddie Jordan is the head coach the scoreboard doesn't reflect wins and losses, the development of the young guys does.

The Bad

Speaking of Eddie Jordan, his coaching skillz lost the Sixers another game. He's the basketball equivalent of a rooster-block. Just when things start to look promising and the players say to themselves, "Let's seal the deal!", he pulls super-rookie Jrue Holiday for Billy Green. Not only did he pull his one of his best defenders/facilitators for free-firing, no defense Green, he took Iguodala off LeBron and gave Green the assignment of Queen James. Really? You decide to put Bill Green, of all people, on LeBron James to end a game? If I was a conspiracy theorist, I'd accuse EJ of trying to lose the game. Maybe he's on the John Wall bandwagon? Yes, the Sixers were already losing when Jordan made the switch, but who says the Sixers couldn't have gotten a couple stops with Jrue on Mo and Andre on LeBron? It's not like they were down 10. It was a two possession game, Sixers ball, and 2 minutes and change. Alas. The move perfectly sums up the Eddie Jordan era.

If you're into the +/- stat, Allen Iverson was the worst Sixer with a -11 tonight. Don't worry, it was strictly a basketball decision.

Cavs @ Sixers game thread 11/16/09

jsams — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:15:55 -0000

Day-oh.

Sixers snap 12-game losing streak

jsams — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:59:28 -0000

Box Score

I come away from tonight's game with the same feeling one has after hooking up with a super-hot, really drunk chick at a party. The feeling being, "Man, that was fun and really easy, but I wonder how I'll fare tomorrow night, and I wonder how differently tonight would've went if that girl hadn't consumed 13 captain and cokes." The Sixers dominated tonight, but it was against a free-wheeling, disinterested, discombobulated, defenseless Golden State Warriors -- the same team who allowed a 20 year old rookie to drop 55 on them. So, they're a lot like my drunk sorority chick; everyone score on 'em, even rookies. The dubs were also playing the final game of a long road trip and playing without their head coach. The Sixers showed a lot of positive tonight, both as individuals and as a team, but until I see it against a good team -- one who plays defense and doesn't jack up bad shots -- then I'm going to hold off on the excitement. Is this team beginning to turn the corner or was tonight a product of the hot mess known also known as the Golden State Warriors? The answer will come soon enough; the Cavs and Celtics are up next. On to the positives...

Thaddeus Young was an absolute man. He torched people on the block, converted offensive rebounds and mixed in a couple jumpers. Yes, he was being guarded by Vladimir Radmanovic most of the night, but an impressive showing nonetheless. In the past, Thad would get hot and then not touch the ball for the next 20 minutes. Tonight was a different story, and since I'm in an awesome mood, I'm going to give Eddie Jordan all the credit. Thad's 26 points was impressive, but what impressed me most -- and left me quite thrilled -- was his career-high 14 rebounds. That's two games in a row Thad had double-digit rebounds. If he keeps it up I'll stop calling him overrated.

Tonight, Monta Ellis was 3-14 from the floor. On December 2nd Russell Westbrook was 1-11 from the floor. The common denominator? Both were defended by Jrue Holiday. 'Nuff said. (The reason I went all the way back to December 2nd is because that was Jrue Holiday's last start before tonight.)

I'd spend more time on how much potential this team has when Lou and M16 return from injury, but again, I want to see them do it against someone other than a hammered sorority girl.

Player of the game: Thaddeus Young

Warriors @ Sixers game thread 12/14/09

jsams — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:07:30 -0000

Losing streak ends on a game-winner tonight. Book it.

Draft Board: #3

jsams — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:40:12 -0000

1. John Wall

2. Derrick Favors

Who's number 3?

Poll

Who's number 3 on our draft board?

Sixers losing streak reaches 12

jsams — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 02:36:11 -0000

More photos » by Jesse D. Garrabrant - NBAE/Getty Images

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Box Score

The Sixers continue to find ways to lose. Tonight, they dominated the Rockets during the first quarter en route to a 17-point lead, only to see it disappear by halftime. They hung in there until the very end, but were eventually handed their 12th straight loss by a better team.

Eddie Jordan's rotations are getting a little better -- not perfect -- but better. He tried to have two rebounders on the floor at all times and it was reflected in the numbers.
Elton Brand did well tonight. I refuse to say he "looked good", because numbers or not, he still doesn't look right to me, and it resulted in some awkward, ugly basketball.
A.I. was A.I.
My love/hate relationship with Andre Iguodala's jumper is currently lukewarm.
Thaddeus Young crashed the boards and boxed out like a man possessed tonight -- the biggest positive of the night.
Iverson is clearly the cream to Sammy D's coffee. Either that, or he promises him a Speed Racer action figure for every rebound and block he gets. He's been killin' it since Iverson's return!
Billy Bob Green actually contributed on the glass and in the passing game tonight. Shocking, I know. Go ahead and re-read that sentence a couple times, because it took me approximately 4 and a half minutes to type. My fingers reacted to the keyboard like Fletcher Reede reacts to a blue pen. Unfortunately, Green still thinks defense consists of letting your guy score; he also took bad shots. Same stuff, different game.
What color should I get my John Wall jersey in? Red or White?

Rockets @ Sixers game thread 12/11/09

jsams — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:20:52 -0000

12 straight?

Poll

Who do you want to win tonight's game?

Sixers lose 11th straight

jsams — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:34:07 -0000

More photos » by Jesse D. Garrabrant - NBAE/Getty Images

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Box Score

I'd be lying if I said I was disappointed the Sixers lost their 11th straight game. At this point, we have to look at the pros and cons of winning games.

Pros

Make the playoffs and get knocked out in the first round, again!

Cons

Less ping pong balls.
Eddie Jordan never gets fired.
False hope that this team can win a championship.
A slim chance that Dalembert, Brand and/or Green are traded.
Mediocrity forever.

I'm not abandoning the team by any means. I'll still watch the games and look for development of the young guys. I'll still watch the games and marvel at Andre Iguodala's athleticism. And I'll still watch the games, with hope that a change is near. Whether that change happens with the owner, general manager, head coach, or any of the players, quite frankly, is fine with me. Until that change happens, I'll be rooting for ping pong balls.

Some people might argue that rooting against your team is a cardinal sin in sports. I agree. I'm not rooting against the Sixers. I'm rooting for a better future. The ultimate goal is to win a championship, and winning 38 games a year for an entire decade does nothing towards that goal. Plus, it's really hard to root for a team when I know the end result of winning (this season) is, more Eddie Jordan. Yuck.

Player of the game: Samuel Dalembert

John Salley's Pistons @ A.I.'s Sixers game thread 12/09/09

jsams — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:48:35 -0000

Welcome back to A.I. versus his old teams week!

If I had a dime for every time the Sixers lost this year, I'd have a dollar sixty. Will I grab another hypothetical dime piece tonight? More importantly, what number do you think John Wall will wear when he gets here?