It’s pretty simple: There are a few things that I have liked about the Sixers play against the Magic, and a few things I haven’t liked. I have refrained from writing about this series until now, because I wanted it to play out a little bit. I didn’t want to just breakdown each game on its own. Coming into this series, I picked the Magic to win in 5 games, so obviously I didn’t see much that led me to believe the Sixers could pull off an upset. The Sixers have won more games than I thought, and have made this an interesting series. I give them credit for that. But, I have to say that I have doing a lot of reading during this series. I have been reading a lot of the blogs out there that I respect, and there is a lot of stuff floating around that I just don’t agree with. So, let me just kind of run through some different points that I have on my mind regarding this series. It’s easier for me to do it this way because they are all over the map, so it just makes more sense.
- I want to start off on a positive note. I am happy the Sixers have made this interesting. I give them credit for coming into this series believing they could win and playing hard. I have no doubt that they will come out in Game 6 and fight the Magic tooth and nail.
- With the above being said, I think a lot of people are missing something. There is one reason why this series has been interesting: The Magic allowed it. As tough minded as the Sixers came into this series, the Magic were the opposite. They aren’t a playoff tested team, and they started this series playing as if the Sixers would just roll over. They didn’t play smart basketball and the Sixers outworked them. In the last 2 games, that has changed.
- I like the Sixers defensive strategy in this series. They decide that for the most part they would not send a double team Dwight Howard’s way when he had the ball on the low block. The Sixers know that meant they would have to shuffle big men in and out due to foul trouble, and that Howard would have some big games. The strategy is a sound one because it has allowed the Sixers to stay at home on the shooters. For the first 4 games of this series, the Magic did not really hurt the Sixers from long range.
- Like I said earlier, an NBA playoff series is full of adjustments, and the Sixers and Tony DiLeo are losing that battle. It was clear early in the series, that guarding Andre Iguodala was a problem for the Magic. The adjustment they have made is to double and trap Iguodala as much as possible. Now, there are times where it has seemed like this strategy isn’t working for the Magic, but I think it has. You need to look no further than the fact that the Sixers have struggled mightily on the offensive end ever since the double team was employed. You can look at stats until you are blue in the face, but I know what I see. Yes, Iguodala had 26 points and went to the line 13 times in Game 4, but many of his trip to the line came when he forced the issue. The Sixers have one primary offensive weapon and the Magic know it. I would never watch a game where the Sixers can’t score 80 points and say that the double team isn’t working. When the Sixers have screened high for Iguodala, the Magic are now using Howard to double aggressively. It has largely forced the ball out of his hands in those sets. The Sixers have not adjusted much to this at all. They are still getting Iguodala the ball in situations that make it too easy for the Magic to defend. This is what I mean when I say that DiLeo is losing the adjustment battle. I’ll have more on adjustments in a minute.
- The above defensive strategy has turned the Sixers into a jump shooting team. That is exactly what the Magic wanted. The Sixers have really done nothing to change this. They are playing right into Orlando’s hands. Most of the time, the Sixers are trying to play one on one basketball and it isn’t working.
- I just don’t understand why the Sixers think they can do the same things in every game of a seven game series and have success. This is going back to the adjustments. Stan Van Gundy saw how the Sixers were defending the Magic and has made a huge adjustment and it paid big dividends last night. The Sixers have been switching on almost every screen, so the Magic have started using Rashard Lewis in those screens. It has allowed Lewis to have a mismatch on the block, and he is either abusing his defender or kicking for a wide open 3 when the Sixers sent a double team like last night. Where are those types of adjustments from DiLeo? The Sixers have made a few small ones, but nothing to write home about. Why not dictate to the Magic, rather than play right into their hands. Maybe use Young and Miller in post up situations more, since neither Alston nor Lewis can guard them down on the block. That would make Orlando have to adjust. How about letting Iguodala bring the ball up some of the time, so that if the Magic want to double they will have to bring that double team from far away and if they don’t Iguodala can easily penetrate and get the Magic scrambling. I just feel like the Sixers are making it easy for Orlando, and from what I have seen from the Magic, if you make them earn it, they may wilt under the pressure.
- Other than in Game 1, Lou Williams has been awful. I am a huge fan of Williams, and I think he can help the Sixers in a ton of ways. There are two reasons he is struggling: 1) He is falling into the trap that most of the Sixers are and that’s settling for jumpers; 2) He needs to get stronger because even when he has been able to get to the rim, he isn’t finishing when he takes a hit, and you aren’t going to get those calls in the playoffs.
- In 2 of the Sixers losses, they have been crushed by the Magic on the offensive boards. That is inexcusable to me. Orlando is one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the NBA, so to allow them to get a ton of second chances just can’t happen.
- I don’t want to make this a huge issue because it will be a discussion for the offseason, but can everyone please stop thinking the Sixers will go anywhere with no low post presence? I am not saying Elton Brand is the answer, although I think he will prove to be a huge addition next year, but I think everyone gets caught up in the excitement of how good the Sixers are in transition. Sorry to tell everyone, but if that is the only way they can consistently score, they have no chance to win an NBA playoff series. It is another reason why the Magic have figured out an easy way to defend the Sixers and Howard can roam the paint. Think about this series for a second. Who would guard Brand in the post? Lewis? Turkoglu? They certainly wouldn’t use Howard because that tales away his best asset as a defender on the weak side. This is also the reason why I would like to see the Sixers post up Miller, or Young, or anyone who has an advantage on the low block. When you are able to create that in your offensive set, it forces the defense to make a decision. Instead, the Sixers hardly ever post up and allow the Magic to keep them on the perimeter. Too easy.
- I realize Dwight Howard is a beast, but I won’t accept that as a reason the Sixers aren’t getting to the rim. He is on the Orlando Magic, deal with it. Figure out a way to get the Orlando defense to move around and scramble. Having Iguodala come off screens and then try and beat a double team himself or kick it to a guy who can’t shoot, won’t get it done. You can’t play a drive and kick game if you have terrible outside shooting.
I could probably go on forever, but I won’t. The Sixers have had their chances to upset the Magic in this series, but have not taken advantage. It is disappointing as a fan, but I won’t sit here and make it sound like this Sixers team deserves to win. They haven’t earned it. But, the Sixers came to play and I won’t take that away from them. I just feel like there are a lot of similarities between this series and the entire season. The Sixers can go into L.A. and beat the Lakers, but lose all 4 games to the Nets. They don’t seize opportunities when they are there, and in facing the Orlando Magic there was an opportunity. I didn’t realize how soft and undisciplined this Orlando team was. I hope the Sixers can come out with a great performance in Game 6 and then see what happens in Game 7. In order to accomplish that, though, there will have to be some major changes, because at this point, Orlando is very comfortable on both ends of the floor.
I think Miller has gotten away from the post ups because of the threat of Howard coming from the weak side. With all his pump fakes his post up game is very deliberate. With no one able to draw Howard out of the lane, he has all day to line Miller up.
Should be a good game 6, hopefully the NBA does the right thing and suspends Howard.