Yesterday we talked about a blueprint for making the playoffs in the NBA—win the games you are supposed to and snag a few unexpected victories as well. Last night is a game the Philadelphia 76ers should have won. For awhile, it looked like they would do just that.
Get it? A bricklayer.
The team established an 18-point lead and seemed to have the game well in hand. But with about 10 minutes left in the game, somebody put a lid on the basket and the Sixers were unable to break through. It looked as though they were taking part in an extended boxing out drill and by the time it was over the Sixers had squandered all of that 18-point lead. The final tally was an 85-83 loss.
There is not much to say in evaluating this game. For the most part, the Sixers played good team defense and were able to find open looks on the floor. The shots just weren’t going down. This is something that will plague the Sixers from time to time and almost certainly lead to their demise in the playoffs. They simply cannot shoot the ball with any consistency. Not to beat a dead horse, but as the season wears on, games tend to slow down. When that happens, the half-court offense becomes an integral cog to success. The Sixers are not consistent enough in that facet of the game to hope for any measure of success.
What you witnessed last night was a team with serious offensive deficiencies. When they are able to get out and run they can overmatch teams with athleticism. But if they are forced to slow the game down and play in a half court set they are a bottom-tier team. Elton Brand was brought on to this team to cure that ill. But to place the blame squarely on his shoulders would be foolhardy. Like the rest of his teammates, Brand struggled mightily last night with his shot. He could not buy a bucket. However, the ineffective play at the offensive end of the floor is not a sole product of Brand. He is surrounded by one-dimensional players that are easy to defend. Andre Miller can’t shoot beyond 18 feet so why guard him behind the three-point line? Same goes for Iguodala. Thaddeus Young has superior athletic ability but struggles to create his own shot in space. Dalembert looks lost every time he steps on the floor.
For the Sixers to cure their offensive troubles they need to look beyond Elton Brand and consider the surrounding personnel. Only in upgrade in the supporting cast will create results.
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