Posts Tagged ‘Lavoy Allen’

Bynum Deal Burns Sixers

March 18, 2013  ·  9:52PM





HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – Anyone reading between the lines two weeks ago should not have been surprised by tonight’s news that Andrew Bynum‘s season is over before it ever started and that he’ll need surgery on both of his ailing knees.

Bynum’s fate was sealed months ago, during training camp, when we all learned that the knee issues that have plagued him throughout his career were flaring up again after that blockbuster summer trade that sent the Los Angeles Lakers’ big man problem to Philadelphia for the Sixers to deal with.

The jaw-dropping part of this whole mess is anyone being shocked that it’s come to this: Bynum’s tenure with the Sixers consisting of not one single second of actual game action in Philly.

“After many months of rehabilitation and consulting with numerous doctors, Andrew and the doctors treating him determined that this is the best course of action at this point,” Sixers General Manager Tony DiLeo said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor and evaluate his status moving forward.”

Moving forward?

Bynum is an unrestricted free agent this summer. That’s a Bynum-filled headache the Sixers don’t need after paying him $16.9 million this season to model his wardrobe and throwback hair styles on the bench while his teammates suffered through a brutal season that was supposed to be filled with so much more.

DiLeo and the Sixers would be wise to let someone else take the next multi-million dollar risk on Bynum’s shaky knees. They’ve already poured more than enough money down that drain.

That offseason trade, a blockbuster 12-player deal involving four teams that had Sixers fans dreaming about being contenders, wound up being productive for everyone but the Sixers. Dwight Howard‘s season with the Lakers has been rough, but they are in playoff position right now and at least have hope for the future. Andre Iguodala has adjusted well in Denver, playing a similar role to the one he played for the Sixers, helping the Nuggets to a playoff spot and a 12-game win streak. And Orlando has made good use of Nikola Vucevic, Maurice Harkless and Arron Afflalo.

The Sixers got a wanna-be dominant big man with bilateral knee bone bruises that have bothered him all season, a one-time All-Star with knees that might never support a bid for a second, third, fourth or fifth All-Star nod. A September trip to Germany for the Orthokine therapy injections that worked wonders for Kobe Bryant, and more recently Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams, did absolutely nothing for Bynum.

A Sixers team that was supposed to be primed for a climb up the ladder in the Eastern Conference playoff chase after a surprise run to the conference semifinals last season has suddenly turned into the poster child for thinking and long and hard before you act on the next so-called “blockbuster” deal.

Bynum’s absence has taken a toll on all involved, including Sixers coach Doug Collins, who reached his boiling point late last month after a loss to Orlando when he vented his frustrations about how things have unfolded.

“The team that we tried to put together we’ve never seen,” Collins said after that Orlando loss. “And so I think, when you take a huge piece away from it, your warts show.”

Direct shots at Bynum and the summer deal gone wrong were included in his 10-minute rant.

“We made a huge deal. And we have nobody playing as part of that deal,” Collins continued. “How many teams can give up Andre Iguodala, Moe Harkless and Nik Vucevic, and have nothing in return playing? That’s tough to overcome, right? That’s just the facts. I’m not looking for any out. But that’s the facts. Nik Vucevic had 19 rebounds tonight. Spencer [Hawes] had one. I think Lavoy [Allen] had two.”

Promising young point guard Jrue Holiday has done his part. He became an All-Star this season and kept the Sixers afloat for a while, when everyone still believed that Bynum would actually hit the floor at some point.

But like everyone else in Philly, Holiday got burned by the Bynum deal.

And the ashes will blow through the franchise for a while, kicking up every time someone mentions Bynum’s name or the blockbuster that went up in smoke on the Sixers.

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Posted in HT News / Comments (46) /

Sixers Lack Continuity, But Still Deep

October 5, 2012  ·  5:02PM





PHILADELPHIA – In getting off to a hot start last season, the Philadelphia 76ers had two big advantages over other teams. The first was continuity. They had made minimal changes to their roster and brought back guys who played an incredible 99 percent of their minutes from the previous season.

The second advantage was depth. The Sixers didn’t go 10 or 11-deep, but they had three or four guys coming off their bench – namely Evan Turner, Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young – who could keep the scoreboard going in the right direction. That trio was especially strong offensively, and the Sixers outscored their opponents by almost eight points per 100 possessions when the three were on the floor together.

“We had three guys coming off our bench who were capable of being starters,” Sixers coach Doug Collins said at training camp on Friday.

Turner eventually did become a starter. And that should be a permanent thing this year. The Sixers don’t have nearly the same continuity as they had last year (only 45 percent of last year’s minutes were played by guys on this year’s roster), but they should once again have little drop-off, especially offensively, when they go to their bench.
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Posted in 2012 Training Camps / Comments (25) /

Sixers Raise Their Ceiling With Bynum

August 10, 2012  ·  7:08AM

HANG TIME NEW JERSEY — Typically, a young team that’s coming off a deep run in the playoffs will mostly stand pat and continue to develop. But in the two and a half months since they pushed the Boston Celtics to seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Philadelphia 76ers have blown it up.

Elton Brand was amnestied. Lou Williams was shown the door. And now, All-Star Andre Iguodala is being sent to Denver as part of the four-team trade that sends Dwight Howard to the Lakers and brings Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia. The Sixers are also sending second-year big man Nikola Vucevic, rookie wing Maurice Harkless, and a draft pick to Orlando, and getting veteran shooting guard Jason Richardson from the Magic.

As much of a feel-good story as the Sixers were last season, they knew that they wouldn’t have defeated the Chicago Bulls in the first round had Derrick Rose not blown out his knee. And they clearly believed that there was a ceiling with the group they ended the season with. They were honest with themselves and there was no standing pat.

Losing Brand and Iguodala, Philly has downgraded at both forward spots. And sacrificing Brand (who was on the last year of his lucrative contract) to sign Nick Young still doesn’t make any sense. But there’s plenty of sense in taking advantage of the Magic’s desire to become the Bobcats and acquiring a seven footer who will make an impact on both ends of the floor.

Bynum’s biggest impact typically comes on defense, but the Sixers were already a top-five defensive team, and they also just traded the best perimeter defender in the league. So they’re not going to improve much, if at all, on that end of the floor. Instead, Bynum’s presence will mean more offensively.

For the first time since Allen Iverson left in 2006, the Sixers have a guy who can draw double-teams, a requisite for a successful offense. And for the first time since Charles Barkley left in 1992, they have someone to give the ball to on the low block. (more…)

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Posted in Free Agency 2012, HT News / Comments (97) /

After Playoff Run, Sixers Shake It Up

July 21, 2012  ·  11:25AM





HANG TIME NEW JERSEY – The Boston Celtics have reloaded with Jason Terry, Courtney Lee and Jeff Green. The Brooklyn Nets have spent over $300 million on their new starting lineup. The New York Knicks lost Jeremy Lin, but added depth. And the Toronto Raptors have upgraded their rotation with the additions of Kyle Lowry, Landry Fields and Jonas Valanciunas.

Overall, the Atlantic Division is on an upswing. But what of the Philadelphia 76ers, who were, at one point, one of the last five teams still alive in the 2012 Playoffs?

With seven players in their rotation under the age of 25, the Sixers could have stood pat and kept improving. Instead, they let go of two of their biggest contributors, allowing free agent Lou Williams to sign with the Atlanta Hawks and using the amnesty clause to waive Elton Brand.

In their place are Nick Young (signed to a one-year deal), Dorell Wright (acquired from Golden State) and Kwame Brown (two years).

With young guards/wings Maurice Harkless, Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner on board, it’s understandable why the Sixers didn’t want to commit long-term to Williams. But Brand was on the final year of his contract, and the Sixers clearly downgraded in their frontcourt. (more…)

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Posted in Free Agency 2012, HT News / Comments (43) /

Reports: Sixers To Sign Clippers’ Young; Plan To Part With Williams, Brand

July 6, 2012  ·  2:24PM





Just as Philadelphia’s notorious sports boo-birds began clearing their throats for a little un-brotherly love over their NBA team’s offseason inactivity, the Sixers made some noise of their own.

There were a myriad of reported items for the Sixers on Friday, starting with an agreement on a one-year contract worth approximately $6 million for shooting guard Nick Young. Then the Sixers made even bigger news, making clear their plan to use the CBA’s amnesty clause on veteran power forward Elton Brand, as ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reports:

Brand will still collect the full $18 million that the Sixers owe him next season, but he will first be offered to teams under the salary cap through the waiver process, with under-the-cap teams able to lodge bids for him.

Sources tell ESPN.com that the Dallas Mavericks, under the salary cap after being foiled in their pursuit of marquee free agent Deron Williams, have interest in claiming Brand through the waiver process.

In the event that he goes unclaimed on waivers, Brand would then be free to sign as a free agent wherever he chooses.

They also will not be bringing back combo guard Lou Williams, a free agent who – off the bench – was Philadelphia’s leading scorer last season (14.9 ppg in 26.3 mpg). Williams removed any uncertainty about his Philly future by going the D-Will route and tweeted the news himself:

Philly, I appreciate you all. Unfortunately I will not be coming back, as an organization they decided to move in a different direction. (more…)

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Posted in Free Agency 2012, HT News / Comments (51) /

Celtics Must Get In The Paint In Game 7

May 25, 2012  ·  1:05PM

PHILADELPHIA – Points in the paint are often cited as a key to a game or playoff series. And that makes sense, of course. Shots from the paint are better shots than shots from outside the paint. And if you’re getting more of the former, you’re probably playing more efficient offensively.

But not all teams score the same. You can have an efficient offense without scoring a lot of points in the paint, with the Clippers and Thunder as two examples of that this season.

The Boston Celtics don’t score a lot of points in the paint and they don’t have an efficient offense, either. But their points in the paint has been a key to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Overall, the Sixers have outscored the Celtics 232-206 in the paint over the course of six games. The Celtics have only had the PIP advantage once (Game 3). And Philly has actually scored more points in the paint in their three losses (124) than they have in their three wins (108). The big difference has come on the other end of the floor.

Celtics-Sixers points in the paint

Game BOS PHI
Game 1 38 40
Game 2 32 32
Game 3 50 38
Game 4 26 34
Game 5 44 46
Game 6 16 42
BOS wins 44.0 41.3
PHI wins 24.7 36.0

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Posted in 2012 NBA Playoffs, NBA.com/Stats / Comments (10) /

Turnovers Plague Sixers In Game 5

May 21, 2012  ·  9:36PM





BOSTON – The Philadelphia 76ers set an NBA record this season, turning the ball over just 11.2 times per game. The Sixers weren’t a good shooting team or a good offensive rebounding team. And they ranked last in the league in free throw rate. But they got by offensively because they took care of the ball better than any team in league history (or since turnovers were first recorded in the 1977-78 season).

In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Sixers shot the ball pretty well (47 percent) from the field. They also gave themselves plenty of second-chance opportunities with 14 offensive rebounds.

But uncharacteristically, it was turnovers that killed the Sixers in Monday’s 101-85 loss to the Celtics. Philly was holding on to a four-point lead with eight minutes to go in the third quarter when they proceeded to turn the ball over five times on their next six possessions, sparking a 10-0 Boston run that changed the game.

Four of the five turnovers were of the live-ball variety, allowing the Celtics to get out in transition and Brandon Bass to turn into a beast underneath the basket.

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Posted in 2012 NBA Playoffs / Comments (25) /

Garnett Comes Back To Earth

May 21, 2012  ·  9:32AM





BOSTON – Through the first three games of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Kevin Garnett was shooting 31-for-49 (63 percent) from the field, including an incredible 20-for-31 (65 percent) from outside the paint.

Then in Game 4, Garnett made just three of his 12 shots and was 2-for-9 from outside the paint. The Celtics blew an 18-point lead, scored just 37 points in the second half and got out-executed down the stretch by the Sixers for the second time in the series.

Was it because the Celtics didn’t go into the post enough? Not really. He posted up more than he did when he shot 12-for-17 in Game 3.

Was it because Lavoy Allen, the Sixers’ best defender on Garnett, was on the floor with K.G. for 30 minutes on Friday? Perhaps. They were on the floor together for a total of just 37 minutes in the first three games combined. For the series, Garnett is shooting 9-for-21 (43 percent) with Allen on the floor and 25-for-40 (63 percent) with Allen on the bench.

But maybe Garnett’s Game 4 shooting was just a case of regression toward the mean. He was due for an off night, and that’s just what he had.

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Posted in 2012 NBA Playoffs / Comments (20) /

Does Philly Need A Lineup Change?

May 18, 2012  ·  11:47AM





PHILADELPHIA – Just like you, Sixers coach Doug Collins (or at least someone on his staff) has access to NBA.com’s Advanced Stats tool. The Sixers coach noted Thursday that Kevin Garnett is shooting 71 percent (24-for-34) with Lavoy Allen on the bench and 47 percent (7-for-15) with Allen on the floor.

Philly’s rookie big man, who has made somewhat of a name for himself in this series, is listed at only 6-foot-9. But in defending Garnett, speed is more important than size, because KG gets his best post position when he beats his man down the floor in transition.

“You have to do a better job early,” Collins said of slowing down Garnett. “You can’t let him get such deep position. You can’t let him run to the front of the rim and turn and just stand underneath the basket. You’ve got to start maybe meeting him at the free throw line.

“He has the mobility factor over both of our starters. Both EB [Elton Brand] and Spencer [Hawes], he has the speed advantage. So therefore, he’s going to get down the floor, and that’s a problem.”

Not only is it important to defend Garnett early in every possession, it’s critical to defend him in early in the game. The Celtics have made it clear that their biggest offensive priority is establishing the post early and often. So the obvious question is whether or not Collins should make a change to his lineup and start Allen.

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Posted in 2012 NBA Playoffs / Comments (8) /

How Boston ‘Iced’ Philly In Game 2

May 18, 2012  ·  10:20AM

PHILADELPHIA – It’s not clear if Brian Scalabrine is ready to retire yet, but he’s already in preparation for his next career.

Comcast SportsNet New England, which broadcasts Celtics games, hired Scalabrine to provide pre-and postgame analysis during the Celtics-Sixers series. So, there he was, in a suit at TD Garden on Saturday, talking about the Sixers just 48 hours after Philly had eliminated his own Chicago Bulls.

The former Celtic got a huge ovation from the Garden crowd when he was shown on the Jumbotron on Saturday. But Scalabrine’s finest moment of this postseason came after Game 3, when he asked Rajon Rondo one of the smarter questions you’ll ever hear in a postgame press conference.

“The adjustment on the side pick and roll,” Scalabrine said, “you guys went to the ‘ice’ or the ‘down,’ or whatever you guys use in your terminology. Do you like that better than going over the top with the ‘show’?”

“I like it better,” Rondo replied. “I don’t think they do. Their offense, we watched the first couple of games, they got into the paint pretty good on the side pick and rolls. And it led to corner threes, it led to the high-low. I think we took a clip from you guys. You guys ‘iced’ a lot of the side pick and rolls in that series, and I think they struggled offensively. I think we did a good job tonight. The bigs did a great job talking, and guards kept fighting over, even when they did step up and set the side pick and roll.”

OK. So what the heck does it mean to “ice” a pick-and-roll?

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Posted in 2012 NBA Playoffs, Film Study / Comments (7) /