Monday Morning Mehta 12/20/04
Edition # 98
December 20, 2004
Reminder: Next week's MMM will be brought to you on Tuesday because of the Eagles/Rams Monday Night tilt.
Also, if you have any comments, please scroll below and tell us what you think.
The Eagles move to 13-1 after an ugly, uninspired, 12-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles clinched home field throughout the NFC playoffs and are two wins from the Super Bowl. Not two wins on December 27th & January 2nd, but two wins on January 15/16th and 23rd.
Game Positives (Live from Lincoln Financial Field):
a. Darwin Walker, Corey Simon & Sam Rayburn. Julius Jones has been tearing up the league the past 3 weeks but he was held in check mainly because of the play of the middle of the D-Line. Very good to see as the playoffs approach.
b. Offensive Line. McNabb had plenty of time for the most part.
Game Negatives:
a. Todd Pinkston. Philadelphia fans need somebody to boo. Remember Juan Bell from an otherwise loved 1993 Phillies team? It's just in our nature to hate someone even when all is well. But this guy is over the top. That's 4 straight games with alligator body. Enough is enough, you cannot let him continue to kill you in big spots.
b. Terrell Owens injury. These last few games are about getting ready for January. The injury to Owens is 'just a sprain'. An MRI is scheduled for today and every Eagles fan is holding their breath. There are some leaks that Owens "heard a pop" and the doctors believe he has a slight tear, but those are unconfirmed reports. My prediction is we'll hear the coaches & trainers be very vague and not give a definitive date for Owens return.
c. Anything on offense. Even when Owens was in the game, since the Packers game this offense has been struggling. I am not worried at all because these truly are meaningless games at this point and I don't expect the Eagles to have the same intensity as they will in the playoffs.
Overall, a terrible game by Donovan McNabb. I know they had some dropped passes but McNabb's decisions until the final game winning drive were awful. The middle of the field was wide open just about every play. On one of his interceptions he could have ran for about 25 yards up the middle. He even had a terrible intentional grounding while
God I hope Terrell Owens is OK. I prayed to Ganisha last night that Owens would have a speedy recovery.
I think the Eagles should do the following for the last two games. The starters should play one half next week on Monday Night. Then on January 2nd they should all sit. There is no reason to keep playing these guys especially with all these injuries. These next two game are absolutely meaningless.
What I took out of this game that I liked the most is after Lito's interception inside 2 minutes left, the Eagles had the ball (Cowboys had 2 timeouts left) the Eagles ran the clock out with a first down. With Owens hurting we are going to need to run the ball! RUN THE BALL!
Around the NFL
Once again the AFC goes 4-0 against the NFC to raise their year to date record to 39-19. What is more disturbing is the actual games. For instance, the Packers who were thought of as the 2nd best NFC team, lost at home to an AFC borderline wild card team yesterday in the Jaguars.
Who will take the last remaining NFC playoff spot? Phila, Atlanta, Green Bay, Minnesota and Seattle (2 home games left, probably need 1 win) seem to have the edge for the first 5 spots. Right now, 6-8 is in the NFC playoffs (tied between Rams, Carolina, New Orleans). A surprise team has emerged in the NFC in the Saints. Right now St. Louis has the edge in conference record but not all conference games have been played yet so a lot can change.
The last AFC spot is also going to be a battle between 4 8-6 teams (Buffalo, Ravens, Broncos, Jaguars). The hottest team in the NFL may be the Buffalo Bills. They continue to blitzkrieg teams.
"I don't know if I've ever seen a smarter athlete in sports" Mike Patrick of ESPN last night regarding Peyton Manning. At this point in the game Manning had put up exactly 6 points in 2 and a half quarters. Seriously people, get off this guy's jock. I used to actually be able to stand the Sunday Night ESPN crew, but they've become unlistenable. Enough already with the stupid 48 TD record. If he doesn't make the Super Bowl it's all irrelevant.
VCR Alert! Next week's Sunday Night game is the Browns visiting the Dolphins.
Baseball - MMM
All kinds of action heating up in baseball. Not much with the Phillies though.The biggest moves of the week were the A's dumping two of their three stud pitchers. The Braves get Tim Hudson while the Cards get Mark Mulder. They pretty much gave up B-level prospects to get them (Dan Haren who went in the Mulder deal is probably an A-level prospect). Both pitchers should enjoy great success at pitchers parks. If the Phillies had an opportunity to get these guys and blew it because they didn't want to part with Gavin Floyd or Ryan Madson, that is a disgrace.
In what could be the dumbest & biggest head scratching Phillies move of the off season, Placido Polanco accepted the Phillies bid for arbitration. What that means is that Polanco will be guaranteed to earn at least 80% of the $3.95 million he made last season, and likely much more. The Phillies did this because just like last season with Kevin Millwood, they thought they'd be smarter than everyone else. They'd offer the player arbitration, and when another team signs them, the Phils get compensation. Both times it has appeared to backfire. If Ed Wade really did want Polanco back, I ask in the famous words of Mr. Costanza, "Why the hell didn't you trade Chase Utley?". Another year of Utley and Polanco would be a disaster in my mind. There's no need to pay $6 million for that position when Utley could just play everyday for less than a $1 million.
Right now the Phillies appear to be a middle of the pack, 84-86 win team again.
Carlos Beltran is the next big name free agent who will sign. He probably won't sign until after the January 8th deadline to decline arbitration bids. The Yankees and the Astros are the clear favorites at this point. I would not be surprised if a dark horse team like the White Sox, Tigers or Cubs emerged as a player in this derby before it's all over.
NBA - Derreck Sura
On Friday Vince Carter was traded to the New Jersey Nets for Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, Alonzo Mourning, and 2 first round draft picks. This trade is puzzling on a few levels, but I'd say the Nets come out slightly ahead. New Jersey loses their starting SF in Eric Williams, but not much else. Zo has been out recently while he recovers from a few aches and pains, and word has it that he's in Miami having some more "tests" done. Aaron Williams had fallen into coach Lawrence Frank's dog house, and had been pouting for a while now. I can't figure out why owner Bruce Ratner would give the go ahead to make the deal for VC (makes 12.6 million this year, signed through '07-08), but not match the contract offer for Kenyon Martin (11 mil this, through '10-11). I know that's a lot more years, but the Nets had a much better chance of winning with K-Mart then they do with Vince. If this trade is enough to convince Jason Kidd to stay, then New Jersey will have a shot to make the playoffs. However, VC is still out with a strained left achilles tendon, and the length of time until his return is unknown. Combine that with Kidd working his way back into shape after an injury, 2 new starters in Brian Scalabrine and Rodney Buford, and the Nets have to be careful not to fall too far behind. It also remains to be seen if Carter will return to his old form, or continue his slide into mediocrity.
As far as the Raptors go, I have to wonder if rookie GM Rob Babcock chose the best deal out there for VC. I understand that Toronto was not going to get a star in return for Vince anymore, but 2 first round draft picks (Philadelphia (top 8 protected) & Denver's this year) and some role players doesn't seem like enough in return to me. If it was addition by subtraction, fine, but Babcock should've dealt VC in the summer then, when his value was higher right after he asked to be traded. Coach Sam Mitchell wanted more of "his" type of guys on the roster, and he got them in Eric and Aaron Williams. Both players can be counted on to give solid minutes backing up as many 4 total positions. I don't expect Zo to ever don a Raptor's uniform. If he doesn't retire (c'mon already Zo), look for him to end his career in Miami as Shaquille O'Neal's backup. There is a lot of talk about Babcock maybe moving a combination of Jalen Rose, and Zo or Donyell Marshall to the Heat for Eddie Jones, Wesley Person, Dorell Wright, and Malik Allen. Stay tuned.
- Since this will be my last MMM for 2 weeks (back on 1/10), I thought I'd get a little more in depth on what I think the Sixers' rotation should be before they head out on their longest road trip (8 games) of the season. Philly went 2-1 this week (10-13 overall, 3rd in the Atlantic), but the one loss was to New York where the Sixers just found a way to lose. That makes Philly 0-2 against the Knicks so far this year, meaning the Sixers will have to win the final 2 games against New York (2/14 & @2/24) because the first division tie breaker is head to head record. Philly's schedule over the next 3 weeks looks like this: Utah, @Indiana, @Portland & @Seattle (back to back), @Denver, @Clippers & @Golden State (b2b), @Utah, @Minnesota. If coach Jim O'Brien sticks to my plan, the Sixers should learn something about their players, while remaining competitive (by Eastern Conference standards anyway).
STARTERS (+/- rating)
PG Allen Iverson (+1.2) If he keeps everyone involved throughout the game, he can take every single shot in the last 4 minutes. The team usually is very competitive when he has 8 or more assists . AI ranks 2nd in the NBA in points (27.2 ppg), 4th in steals (2.23 spg), 5th in minutes (41.1 mpg), 6th in assists (7.3 apg), but is also 3rd in turnovers (4.3 topg).
SG Willie Green (-6.3) This team needs to be about defense first, and Wil G gives the Sixers another above average athlete in their starting lineup. I'm really starting to lose my confidence in Willie, but he is a free agent (FA) after the season, so it's time to see if he's really going to be an NBA player or not. The only thing guaranteed to him should be to start each half, and if he isn't producing or playing smart, send to the pine for the rest of the game.
SF Andre Iguodala (-2.9) As Philly's most athletic player, the rook needs to be out there, . AI2 does hoist some bad shots, but like any rookie, you have to take the good with the bad. AI2 is 1st among rookies in steals (1.7 spg, 10th overall), 3rd in rebounds (5.3 rpg) and minutes (30.8 mpg), 4th in assists (2.4 apg), and 6th in points (8.5). I'd say he's a keeper.
PF Kenny Thomas (-11.8) He's starter because his contract is so long (signed through '09-10) that he constantly needs to be showcased to the rest of the league in hopes that another GM will take enough of a liking to him that his deal won't be a deterrent. KT is another player that should be on a very short leash because Obie has enough other options at his position, and KT can disappear out there at times.
C Samuel Dalembert (+3.3) After AI, Sammy D is the biggest difference maker the Sixers have. Sam does lack consistency, but Philly doesn't have anyone else with his shot blocking or rebounding capabilities. It's been rather obvious that Obie is not a fan of Sam D, and wants him traded, but I've heard it's GM Billy King that has been pushing Obie to play him more recently. Whether it be to showcase him or not, the Sixers would be wise not to do anything rash with Sammy. The best option may be to hold on to Sam D, let him play out his contract, become a restricted FA at the end of the year, tender him a qualifying offer (gives Philly the right to match any other team's offer), and wait and see what his market value is. This protects BK from himself, and allows the Sixers to turn down any deal that could potentially make their cap situation worse.
ROTATION PLAYERS
6TH MAN Kyle Korver (+16) Should be the first swing man off the bench. I like him to back up the 2 primarily, but he can play some 3 as well. KK is too much of liability on defense to be a regular starter, but his 3 point shooting is such a weapon (61 made 3 pointers, 2nd overall) that he needs to play some every night. Even though KK has proven he can do some other things, if his shot isn't falling, he shouldn't be out there. KK is a FA after the season, so a decision will have to be made on him too.
Marc Jackson (+3.3) Should be the first big man off the bench. I think he can play PF with Sam D at C when Obie wants to go "big". In fact, I'd like to see the Sixers play those two together a little more often against some of the taller teams in the league. At the very least, M Jax has earned his minutes, and proven his value to the organization.
Corliss Williamson (+5.6) Should be the 2nd big man off the bench, and play extended minutes when KT can't buy a bucket. Corliss actually has some post moves down low, as opposed to KT who gets most of his points off broken plays, put backs, and open J's (that someone else created for him). While CW is a little past his prime, and shouldn't be counted on to play big minutes every night, he is a nice insurance policy for when KT goes in the tank.
John Salmons (-8.2) For the 9 mpg that AI is on the bench, JS should be the Sixers' backup PG. He can also backup the 2 and 3 when KK and Wil G don't have it going. I'm still not sure, but I think that Salmons' best position is SF. Either way, he is well suited to play short minutes as a kind of jack-of-all-trades at 3 different positions.
DEEP BENCH
Aaron McKie (+4.4) He doesn't seem to have much gas left in the tank, and should only be used in spot duty if Wil G, KK, and JS are all having troubles.
Brian Skinner (-8.0) BK probably catches flack for this signing, but I like B Skins as an injury fill in for any of KT, Sam D, M Jax, or Corliss. He shouldn't get regular minutes, but if one of those guys goes down, Skinner is a valuable guy to have around that brings toughness to the 4 or 5 position.
Kevin Ollie (-9.2) Garbage time minutes only.
INJURED LIST
Glenn Robinson (-) The offers will get better at the trading deadline (2/24) for his expiring 12 million dollar contract. BK making the right trade for Big Dog is the X-factor for Philly's season.
Josh Davis (+10.5) Can shoot it a little bit, but not likely to be around next year.
Kedrick Brown (-68.3) I Hope he's enjoying his last season in the NBA.
The Sixers' best 5-man unit per 82games.com is: AI, Wil G, AI2, Corliss, & Sam D at +22.
Their next best is: AI, KK, Salmons, Corliss, & M Jax at +21.
- I know the World Champs play a slow down defense first style of ball, but I think I've spotted a new trend developing around the NBA. Even though it flies in the face of the conventional "copycatting" that usually goes on around the league after something different is successful, I think being an up tempo team is becoming en vogue once again. I know that may be hard to believe, but of the top 10 scoring teams in the NBA, only #8 Miami (99.3 ppg) is not what I'd consider a "running" team. A "running" team being a club that thrives by playing the game fast. Phoenix is setting the league on fire and is tops in scoring at 109.5 ppg. Sacramento is next (101.6), and they've been doing it for years. Orlando (101.6), Washington (101.4), and Boston (101.2) are the evidence that I offer up for my theory. All three of these squads make it a point to get out on the break and fire away, and are pretty good at it too. Seattle (100.7) has been one of my favorite teams to watch the past 2 years because of their relentless 3 point shooting. #7 Minnesota (100.6) and #9 Dallas (98.6) are not newcomers to sharing the ball while pushing the pace, but the #10 Lakers (98.5) are. That's 10 teams that average within 1.5 points of 100. I don't know about you, but I'm excited! What I like the most is that the trend is spreading to the Eastern Conference finally. The trade New Jersey just made to get Vince Carter further backs up my theory. Nets' GM Rod Thorn saw what was going on around the NBA, and thought his team could become one the premier fast break teams in the league. Jason Kidd leading the break with VC and Richard Jefferson on the wings? To quote Dick Enberg, "Oh my!". The numbers may not back it up, but teams like Toronto, Cleveland, Denver, and even San Antonio at least make the effort to play up tempo every night. There are some bad squads (Milwaukee & Golden State), and even some of the dregs (Atlanta & New Orleans), that try and push it, but don't have the personnel to make it work. I think the Olympics this summer had something to with it. Some NBA coaches must've thought that if "inferior" European talent could give some of the best the NBA had to offer problems, that style of play could probably work state side as well. Lo and behold, I think it's actually happening. Now that's not to say plodding defensive teams will become a thing of the past (never happen with coaches like Larry Brown and Jeff Van Gundy still around), and Championship contenders will always need a legitimate post presence to be taken seriously, but after all the hits the NBA has taken for boring play, this can be considered a positive sign, and the first step in the right direction.
- If you hadn't already figured it out yet, my new favorite statistic is the +/- rating. A close second is rebounding percentage (REB%). REB% is defined as the percentage of rebounds you grab as a team. So if there were 10 missed shots, and your team grabbed 7 defensive boards, that would equal a 70% defensive REB%. Likewise, if your team grabbed 3 offensive rebounds on 10 misses, that would be a 30% offensive REB%. Thusly a teams total REB% would be the total number of boards divided by the total number of rebound opportunities. I think this is a much better gauge of a club's actual rebounding ability, then the raw numbers are. So I wanted to let everyone in on this wonderful stat, before I started using it regularly.
O REB%
1. Seattle- 32.5% (17th raw total per game)
2. Utah- 32.4% (11th)
3. Orlando- 31.7% (3rd)
4. Charlotte- 31.5% (2nd)
5. Portland-31.5% (7th)
D REB%
1. San Antonio- 73.7% (9th)
2. Detroit- 73.7% (12th)
3. Miami- 73.3% (1st)
4. Milwaukee- 73% (14th)
5. Denver- 72.8% (16th)
TOTAL REB%
1. San Antonio- 52.2% (13th)
2. Utah 52.2% (25th)
3. Detroit- 52.1% (12th)
4. Minnesota- 52% (3rd)
5. Seattle- 51.8% (30th)
*All statistical data does not include Sunday's games.
NHL Week in Review By: Ed Wasser
- Great line from "The Curse of the Bambino" an HBO special filmed before the Red Sox won the last World Series. Matt Wilson: "(the Sox) are like watching The Wizard of Oz but instead Dorothy dies in the end; she gets ripped apart by the flying monkeys and then Toto eats her remains. Thee end, credits roll".
December 20, 2004
Reminder: Next week's MMM will be brought to you on Tuesday because of the Eagles/Rams Monday Night tilt.
Also, if you have any comments, please scroll below and tell us what you think.
The Eagles move to 13-1 after an ugly, uninspired, 12-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles clinched home field throughout the NFC playoffs and are two wins from the Super Bowl. Not two wins on December 27th & January 2nd, but two wins on January 15/16th and 23rd.
Game Positives (Live from Lincoln Financial Field):
a. Darwin Walker, Corey Simon & Sam Rayburn. Julius Jones has been tearing up the league the past 3 weeks but he was held in check mainly because of the play of the middle of the D-Line. Very good to see as the playoffs approach.
b. Offensive Line. McNabb had plenty of time for the most part.
Game Negatives:
a. Todd Pinkston. Philadelphia fans need somebody to boo. Remember Juan Bell from an otherwise loved 1993 Phillies team? It's just in our nature to hate someone even when all is well. But this guy is over the top. That's 4 straight games with alligator body. Enough is enough, you cannot let him continue to kill you in big spots.
b. Terrell Owens injury. These last few games are about getting ready for January. The injury to Owens is 'just a sprain'. An MRI is scheduled for today and every Eagles fan is holding their breath. There are some leaks that Owens "heard a pop" and the doctors believe he has a slight tear, but those are unconfirmed reports. My prediction is we'll hear the coaches & trainers be very vague and not give a definitive date for Owens return.
c. Anything on offense. Even when Owens was in the game, since the Packers game this offense has been struggling. I am not worried at all because these truly are meaningless games at this point and I don't expect the Eagles to have the same intensity as they will in the playoffs.
Overall, a terrible game by Donovan McNabb. I know they had some dropped passes but McNabb's decisions until the final game winning drive were awful. The middle of the field was wide open just about every play. On one of his interceptions he could have ran for about 25 yards up the middle. He even had a terrible intentional grounding while
God I hope Terrell Owens is OK. I prayed to Ganisha last night that Owens would have a speedy recovery.
I think the Eagles should do the following for the last two games. The starters should play one half next week on Monday Night. Then on January 2nd they should all sit. There is no reason to keep playing these guys especially with all these injuries. These next two game are absolutely meaningless.
What I took out of this game that I liked the most is after Lito's interception inside 2 minutes left, the Eagles had the ball (Cowboys had 2 timeouts left) the Eagles ran the clock out with a first down. With Owens hurting we are going to need to run the ball! RUN THE BALL!
Around the NFL
Once again the AFC goes 4-0 against the NFC to raise their year to date record to 39-19. What is more disturbing is the actual games. For instance, the Packers who were thought of as the 2nd best NFC team, lost at home to an AFC borderline wild card team yesterday in the Jaguars.
Who will take the last remaining NFC playoff spot? Phila, Atlanta, Green Bay, Minnesota and Seattle (2 home games left, probably need 1 win) seem to have the edge for the first 5 spots. Right now, 6-8 is in the NFC playoffs (tied between Rams, Carolina, New Orleans). A surprise team has emerged in the NFC in the Saints. Right now St. Louis has the edge in conference record but not all conference games have been played yet so a lot can change.
The last AFC spot is also going to be a battle between 4 8-6 teams (Buffalo, Ravens, Broncos, Jaguars). The hottest team in the NFL may be the Buffalo Bills. They continue to blitzkrieg teams.
"I don't know if I've ever seen a smarter athlete in sports" Mike Patrick of ESPN last night regarding Peyton Manning. At this point in the game Manning had put up exactly 6 points in 2 and a half quarters. Seriously people, get off this guy's jock. I used to actually be able to stand the Sunday Night ESPN crew, but they've become unlistenable. Enough already with the stupid 48 TD record. If he doesn't make the Super Bowl it's all irrelevant.
VCR Alert! Next week's Sunday Night game is the Browns visiting the Dolphins.
Baseball - MMM
All kinds of action heating up in baseball. Not much with the Phillies though.The biggest moves of the week were the A's dumping two of their three stud pitchers. The Braves get Tim Hudson while the Cards get Mark Mulder. They pretty much gave up B-level prospects to get them (Dan Haren who went in the Mulder deal is probably an A-level prospect). Both pitchers should enjoy great success at pitchers parks. If the Phillies had an opportunity to get these guys and blew it because they didn't want to part with Gavin Floyd or Ryan Madson, that is a disgrace.
In what could be the dumbest & biggest head scratching Phillies move of the off season, Placido Polanco accepted the Phillies bid for arbitration. What that means is that Polanco will be guaranteed to earn at least 80% of the $3.95 million he made last season, and likely much more. The Phillies did this because just like last season with Kevin Millwood, they thought they'd be smarter than everyone else. They'd offer the player arbitration, and when another team signs them, the Phils get compensation. Both times it has appeared to backfire. If Ed Wade really did want Polanco back, I ask in the famous words of Mr. Costanza, "Why the hell didn't you trade Chase Utley?". Another year of Utley and Polanco would be a disaster in my mind. There's no need to pay $6 million for that position when Utley could just play everyday for less than a $1 million.
Right now the Phillies appear to be a middle of the pack, 84-86 win team again.
Carlos Beltran is the next big name free agent who will sign. He probably won't sign until after the January 8th deadline to decline arbitration bids. The Yankees and the Astros are the clear favorites at this point. I would not be surprised if a dark horse team like the White Sox, Tigers or Cubs emerged as a player in this derby before it's all over.
NBA - Derreck Sura
On Friday Vince Carter was traded to the New Jersey Nets for Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, Alonzo Mourning, and 2 first round draft picks. This trade is puzzling on a few levels, but I'd say the Nets come out slightly ahead. New Jersey loses their starting SF in Eric Williams, but not much else. Zo has been out recently while he recovers from a few aches and pains, and word has it that he's in Miami having some more "tests" done. Aaron Williams had fallen into coach Lawrence Frank's dog house, and had been pouting for a while now. I can't figure out why owner Bruce Ratner would give the go ahead to make the deal for VC (makes 12.6 million this year, signed through '07-08), but not match the contract offer for Kenyon Martin (11 mil this, through '10-11). I know that's a lot more years, but the Nets had a much better chance of winning with K-Mart then they do with Vince. If this trade is enough to convince Jason Kidd to stay, then New Jersey will have a shot to make the playoffs. However, VC is still out with a strained left achilles tendon, and the length of time until his return is unknown. Combine that with Kidd working his way back into shape after an injury, 2 new starters in Brian Scalabrine and Rodney Buford, and the Nets have to be careful not to fall too far behind. It also remains to be seen if Carter will return to his old form, or continue his slide into mediocrity.
As far as the Raptors go, I have to wonder if rookie GM Rob Babcock chose the best deal out there for VC. I understand that Toronto was not going to get a star in return for Vince anymore, but 2 first round draft picks (Philadelphia (top 8 protected) & Denver's this year) and some role players doesn't seem like enough in return to me. If it was addition by subtraction, fine, but Babcock should've dealt VC in the summer then, when his value was higher right after he asked to be traded. Coach Sam Mitchell wanted more of "his" type of guys on the roster, and he got them in Eric and Aaron Williams. Both players can be counted on to give solid minutes backing up as many 4 total positions. I don't expect Zo to ever don a Raptor's uniform. If he doesn't retire (c'mon already Zo), look for him to end his career in Miami as Shaquille O'Neal's backup. There is a lot of talk about Babcock maybe moving a combination of Jalen Rose, and Zo or Donyell Marshall to the Heat for Eddie Jones, Wesley Person, Dorell Wright, and Malik Allen. Stay tuned.
- Since this will be my last MMM for 2 weeks (back on 1/10), I thought I'd get a little more in depth on what I think the Sixers' rotation should be before they head out on their longest road trip (8 games) of the season. Philly went 2-1 this week (10-13 overall, 3rd in the Atlantic), but the one loss was to New York where the Sixers just found a way to lose. That makes Philly 0-2 against the Knicks so far this year, meaning the Sixers will have to win the final 2 games against New York (2/14 & @2/24) because the first division tie breaker is head to head record. Philly's schedule over the next 3 weeks looks like this: Utah, @Indiana, @Portland & @Seattle (back to back), @Denver, @Clippers & @Golden State (b2b), @Utah, @Minnesota. If coach Jim O'Brien sticks to my plan, the Sixers should learn something about their players, while remaining competitive (by Eastern Conference standards anyway).
STARTERS (+/- rating)
PG Allen Iverson (+1.2) If he keeps everyone involved throughout the game, he can take every single shot in the last 4 minutes. The team usually is very competitive when he has 8 or more assists . AI ranks 2nd in the NBA in points (27.2 ppg), 4th in steals (2.23 spg), 5th in minutes (41.1 mpg), 6th in assists (7.3 apg), but is also 3rd in turnovers (4.3 topg).
SG Willie Green (-6.3) This team needs to be about defense first, and Wil G gives the Sixers another above average athlete in their starting lineup. I'm really starting to lose my confidence in Willie, but he is a free agent (FA) after the season, so it's time to see if he's really going to be an NBA player or not. The only thing guaranteed to him should be to start each half, and if he isn't producing or playing smart, send to the pine for the rest of the game.
SF Andre Iguodala (-2.9) As Philly's most athletic player, the rook needs to be out there, . AI2 does hoist some bad shots, but like any rookie, you have to take the good with the bad. AI2 is 1st among rookies in steals (1.7 spg, 10th overall), 3rd in rebounds (5.3 rpg) and minutes (30.8 mpg), 4th in assists (2.4 apg), and 6th in points (8.5). I'd say he's a keeper.
PF Kenny Thomas (-11.8) He's starter because his contract is so long (signed through '09-10) that he constantly needs to be showcased to the rest of the league in hopes that another GM will take enough of a liking to him that his deal won't be a deterrent. KT is another player that should be on a very short leash because Obie has enough other options at his position, and KT can disappear out there at times.
C Samuel Dalembert (+3.3) After AI, Sammy D is the biggest difference maker the Sixers have. Sam does lack consistency, but Philly doesn't have anyone else with his shot blocking or rebounding capabilities. It's been rather obvious that Obie is not a fan of Sam D, and wants him traded, but I've heard it's GM Billy King that has been pushing Obie to play him more recently. Whether it be to showcase him or not, the Sixers would be wise not to do anything rash with Sammy. The best option may be to hold on to Sam D, let him play out his contract, become a restricted FA at the end of the year, tender him a qualifying offer (gives Philly the right to match any other team's offer), and wait and see what his market value is. This protects BK from himself, and allows the Sixers to turn down any deal that could potentially make their cap situation worse.
ROTATION PLAYERS
6TH MAN Kyle Korver (+16) Should be the first swing man off the bench. I like him to back up the 2 primarily, but he can play some 3 as well. KK is too much of liability on defense to be a regular starter, but his 3 point shooting is such a weapon (61 made 3 pointers, 2nd overall) that he needs to play some every night. Even though KK has proven he can do some other things, if his shot isn't falling, he shouldn't be out there. KK is a FA after the season, so a decision will have to be made on him too.
Marc Jackson (+3.3) Should be the first big man off the bench. I think he can play PF with Sam D at C when Obie wants to go "big". In fact, I'd like to see the Sixers play those two together a little more often against some of the taller teams in the league. At the very least, M Jax has earned his minutes, and proven his value to the organization.
Corliss Williamson (+5.6) Should be the 2nd big man off the bench, and play extended minutes when KT can't buy a bucket. Corliss actually has some post moves down low, as opposed to KT who gets most of his points off broken plays, put backs, and open J's (that someone else created for him). While CW is a little past his prime, and shouldn't be counted on to play big minutes every night, he is a nice insurance policy for when KT goes in the tank.
John Salmons (-8.2) For the 9 mpg that AI is on the bench, JS should be the Sixers' backup PG. He can also backup the 2 and 3 when KK and Wil G don't have it going. I'm still not sure, but I think that Salmons' best position is SF. Either way, he is well suited to play short minutes as a kind of jack-of-all-trades at 3 different positions.
DEEP BENCH
Aaron McKie (+4.4) He doesn't seem to have much gas left in the tank, and should only be used in spot duty if Wil G, KK, and JS are all having troubles.
Brian Skinner (-8.0) BK probably catches flack for this signing, but I like B Skins as an injury fill in for any of KT, Sam D, M Jax, or Corliss. He shouldn't get regular minutes, but if one of those guys goes down, Skinner is a valuable guy to have around that brings toughness to the 4 or 5 position.
Kevin Ollie (-9.2) Garbage time minutes only.
INJURED LIST
Glenn Robinson (-) The offers will get better at the trading deadline (2/24) for his expiring 12 million dollar contract. BK making the right trade for Big Dog is the X-factor for Philly's season.
Josh Davis (+10.5) Can shoot it a little bit, but not likely to be around next year.
Kedrick Brown (-68.3) I Hope he's enjoying his last season in the NBA.
The Sixers' best 5-man unit per 82games.com is: AI, Wil G, AI2, Corliss, & Sam D at +22.
Their next best is: AI, KK, Salmons, Corliss, & M Jax at +21.
- I know the World Champs play a slow down defense first style of ball, but I think I've spotted a new trend developing around the NBA. Even though it flies in the face of the conventional "copycatting" that usually goes on around the league after something different is successful, I think being an up tempo team is becoming en vogue once again. I know that may be hard to believe, but of the top 10 scoring teams in the NBA, only #8 Miami (99.3 ppg) is not what I'd consider a "running" team. A "running" team being a club that thrives by playing the game fast. Phoenix is setting the league on fire and is tops in scoring at 109.5 ppg. Sacramento is next (101.6), and they've been doing it for years. Orlando (101.6), Washington (101.4), and Boston (101.2) are the evidence that I offer up for my theory. All three of these squads make it a point to get out on the break and fire away, and are pretty good at it too. Seattle (100.7) has been one of my favorite teams to watch the past 2 years because of their relentless 3 point shooting. #7 Minnesota (100.6) and #9 Dallas (98.6) are not newcomers to sharing the ball while pushing the pace, but the #10 Lakers (98.5) are. That's 10 teams that average within 1.5 points of 100. I don't know about you, but I'm excited! What I like the most is that the trend is spreading to the Eastern Conference finally. The trade New Jersey just made to get Vince Carter further backs up my theory. Nets' GM Rod Thorn saw what was going on around the NBA, and thought his team could become one the premier fast break teams in the league. Jason Kidd leading the break with VC and Richard Jefferson on the wings? To quote Dick Enberg, "Oh my!". The numbers may not back it up, but teams like Toronto, Cleveland, Denver, and even San Antonio at least make the effort to play up tempo every night. There are some bad squads (Milwaukee & Golden State), and even some of the dregs (Atlanta & New Orleans), that try and push it, but don't have the personnel to make it work. I think the Olympics this summer had something to with it. Some NBA coaches must've thought that if "inferior" European talent could give some of the best the NBA had to offer problems, that style of play could probably work state side as well. Lo and behold, I think it's actually happening. Now that's not to say plodding defensive teams will become a thing of the past (never happen with coaches like Larry Brown and Jeff Van Gundy still around), and Championship contenders will always need a legitimate post presence to be taken seriously, but after all the hits the NBA has taken for boring play, this can be considered a positive sign, and the first step in the right direction.
- If you hadn't already figured it out yet, my new favorite statistic is the +/- rating. A close second is rebounding percentage (REB%). REB% is defined as the percentage of rebounds you grab as a team. So if there were 10 missed shots, and your team grabbed 7 defensive boards, that would equal a 70% defensive REB%. Likewise, if your team grabbed 3 offensive rebounds on 10 misses, that would be a 30% offensive REB%. Thusly a teams total REB% would be the total number of boards divided by the total number of rebound opportunities. I think this is a much better gauge of a club's actual rebounding ability, then the raw numbers are. So I wanted to let everyone in on this wonderful stat, before I started using it regularly.
O REB%
1. Seattle- 32.5% (17th raw total per game)
2. Utah- 32.4% (11th)
3. Orlando- 31.7% (3rd)
4. Charlotte- 31.5% (2nd)
5. Portland-31.5% (7th)
D REB%
1. San Antonio- 73.7% (9th)
2. Detroit- 73.7% (12th)
3. Miami- 73.3% (1st)
4. Milwaukee- 73% (14th)
5. Denver- 72.8% (16th)
TOTAL REB%
1. San Antonio- 52.2% (13th)
2. Utah 52.2% (25th)
3. Detroit- 52.1% (12th)
4. Minnesota- 52% (3rd)
5. Seattle- 51.8% (30th)
*All statistical data does not include Sunday's games.
NHL Week in Review By: Ed Wasser
- The owners rejected the player's CBA proposal.
NHL
Born: 1917
Died: 2004
Born: 1917
Died: 2004
Here lies the National Hockey League, taken from us all too soon by a self inflicted wound brought on by ego and money. Most people die THEN have others fighting for their money. The NHL had people gnawing on it's carcass as it was still struggling for life. So goodbye dear NHL, we had some great times together. (Cue the song 'Memories')
- Great line from "The Curse of the Bambino" an HBO special filmed before the Red Sox won the last World Series. Matt Wilson: "(the Sox) are like watching The Wizard of Oz but instead Dorothy dies in the end; she gets ripped apart by the flying monkeys and then Toto eats her remains. Thee end, credits roll".
- I think it's becoming clearer by the minute to the players and owners in the NHL that most people's lives roll along quite nicely without a particular sport. This is not just an NHL thing...I believe if any other sport were on strike people would be equally uncaring. I'm not saying people wouldn't miss a sport, especially NFL football, but I doubt there would be a deafening cry for it's return. I believe sports is an interesting thing to argue about and read about but in all honesty for 97% of the people in this country sports is just a way to help kill the time in between when you get home from work and when you go to bed.
- About 10 years ago I was listening to ex-Miami Dolphins great Jimmy Cefalo doing his radio show on WQAM in Miami. He was talking about....I forget who, it's not important....but he made a very interesting point. Cefalo said the general public would be absolutely shocked at how much professional athletes know about how much money their colleagues make and how well they stack up with said colleagues financially, statistically, and athletically. The point he was trying to make was athletes obviously know when they're underpaid but the also know full well when they're overpaid. The overpaid athletes are the quiet ones. Because of the constant public attention paid toward sports salaries athletes tend to be keenly aware of their worth. That brings me to this....what do you think went through Pedro Martinez's head when the Mets offered him $53 million? (Thick Spanish accent) "Day must be free-king cray-zee". Pedro knows he's not worth it. But I don't blame Pedro at all for taking the dough. I don't even think the Sox fans blame him, it's just that Pedro must have been STUNNED when he asked for 4 years/$53 million and the Mets said "OK!!"
- I was watching TV late last night and I came across an Evangelical healer preaching to 35,000 people. A little girl came to the stage in a wheel chair and with one touch of the healer's hand she got up started dancing like Michael Flatley in 'Riverdance'. Then a blind dude went up to the stage and after the healer touched his eyes he could see like an eagle. The formally blind guy excitedly turned to the preacher and said "thank you miracle worker!! Are you Jesus?!?" The preacher said "no sir, I'm not Jesus. I'm Curt Schilling!"
- OK...the last thing was a SLIGHT exaggeration but you have to admit, Curt Schilling is out of control. Did you see him on Barbara Walters? 'I didn't think I could pitch in game 6 of the ALCS but I saw all these signs wishing me luck while I was driving to the stadium and....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH....I CAN'T EVEN FINISH THAT PARAPHRASE!!!! Just shut up Curt!!! SHUT UP!!! SERENITY NOW!! SERENITY NOW!! Schilling's attempt at deifying himself is based on one thing, getting into the Hall of Fame. Schilling has a tight grasp on baseball history and it is very, VERY important to him. He named his son Gerhig for crying out loud!! Right now Schilling has 184 career wins, not exactly first ballot numbers. Say nothing of the fact that Schilling has committed the one unforgivable Hall of Fame sin....he's played for 5 different teams. There's a chance, good chance as a matter a fact, that Schilling would have wound up in the Hall of Fame no matter what but why leave anything to chance? Am I the only one that remembers that Schilling mentioned winning a championship and the subsequent chance at immortality it would include as one of the reasons that he accepted the trade to Boston in the first place? Now it's done but he seems to want to keep reminding everyone that the Red Sox won and he was a major part of it. Get over yourself Curt!! The Sox won, we watched it, we remember it, you pitched well, and you will probably, eventually, wind up in the Hall of Fame. Now SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!
- Actress Natalie Portman got in trouble last week because she mentioned that she read some author in college and because of it she said she now knows what it's like to be a black person. Personally, I believe every Ivy League educated, Israeli born millionairess knows exactly what it's like to live in Harlem...but that's just me. In that vein, because I'm a fan of the Phillies, I know exactly what it's like to go through a divorce. The 1980 World Series victory was like a great old traditional wedding...like when Melissa Etheridge married Tammy Lynn Michaels. I was a spry young 9 year old and all was right with the world. We all thought we were the luckiest fans on the face of the Earth. The 1983 World Series loss was like a second honeymoon/vacation to South Beach....fun, cool, but it's not all that great and ultimately disappointing. From 1984 on to 1988 were the worst years of your life but you have to stay together because you're not quite sure if the spark will ever come back. Players like Gross, Samuel, Parrish were supposed to provide that spark. They never did. The years in the late 80's and early 90's proved the whole love affair was over. I mean over. More over then if you got caught sleeping with your wife's sister in the bathroom during a funeral. LA Clippers fans felt bad for Phillies fans. Then 1993 came. 1993 was like seeing the wife you've been separated from at a bar, then getting drunk together, and having the greatest night together since 1980. You start thinking maybe, just maybe we can rebuild it....bigger, stronger, faster. Then Ed Wade arrived. Wade is like a divorce lawyer, Yankees fan, Amway salesman, dentist, and a parking meter cop all rolled into one person. No positive can come out of being even fringely associated with the guy. He's a mush for every aspect of life. Nothing can overcome his ineptitude. So the Phillies and I are now divorced. The Phillies will hence forth be my team with benefits. I won't deal with their everyday crap but when nothing else is going on I might give them call and a one night look but that's it. Goodbye Phillies you heartless wench!!!
- From the 'Pardon The Interruption' episode from Friday, December 17th....my birthday. "Happy 32nd Birthday to Warren Sapp. Actually his birthday is Sunday but today's birthdays STINK!" Sometimes I don't know why I bother. PS....isn't it amazing that 'Around the Horn' and 'Pardon the Interruption' air back to back with very similar premises yet one show is great and one show is unwatchable?
- So Fairway Miss ran in the 9th race at Philadelphia Park last Monday. Again, as always, she broke out of the gate close to last place. As the race went on I was expecting her patented late break toward the finish line; after the turn I saw Fairway break WAY to the outside and turn on the gas. It was a little too late. She finished 4th by about 4 inches. I was standing by the finish line while the race was going on and afterward, when I went inside to see the Fairway Miss powers that be, I noticed that the trainer was visibly upset. When we watched the replay of the race I saw why. Fairway was boxed in against the rail by a horse called It's True It's True ridden by a jockey named Harry Vega. As Fairway broke to the outside It's True It's True drifted to push her further outside. It was ridiculous. The trainer thinks it may have been personal. Here's the intrigue....jockey Harry Vega used to ride Fairway Miss when she started out. When my old man got Fairway Vega was not asked to ride her, his rival David Mello was. David Mello was not available for the last race because he rode a horse named Weber's Drive In (he finished 3rd) so we needed another jockey. I couldn't ride her because I had to work so we hired a 17 year old kid named Frankie Pennington. Again Harry Vega was snubbed. The trainer thinks that Vega may have realized It's True It's True was a loser early on so he made it his mission to screw us. The trainer was going to confront Vega about it, certain that Vega would use the old 'my horse didn't do what I wanted it to' excuse. I wanted to confront Vega too, not only for trying to screw us but because it's easy to seem like a bad ass when your confronting someone that's 5'1", 107 lbs. At any rate, I went to the morning workouts on Thursday and asked the trainer if he had said something to Vega. He said he hadn't seen him but he looked at the tape of the race again and he said that Pennington made a lot of mistakes too. One was he didn't make his moves early enough which, the more I learn about all this, making the correct moves at the correct point in the race seems to be the key to being a good jockey. So Fairway Miss will probably run again on New Year's Eve. I'll keep you up to date.
posted by Monday Morning Mehta at 9:54 AM
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