Sixers vs Knicks Recap

Monday night, Sixers fans had to witness a truly disgusting game. In a terrible effort in which they lost 110-88, I saw so many flaws that don’t really make sense to me with this team. For starters, the Sixers have made it obvious that they now have no one who can guard an Elite NBA player, which is the one thing Iguodala did well in Philadelphia. Thaddeus Young is a solid defensive player, but he has no chance against players like Carmelo Anthony. Another thing that drove me mad during their loss, was how easily Jason Kidd was dribbling all over the place. He is very old and slow, and I don’t see why such a young, energetic team can let that happen.  They also have showed that they have no discipline on offense. They also forced up shots that should never be taken by an NBA player, and they turned the ball over . In my eyes, the cause of all of this is pure laziness. A couple players that I would like to highlight here are Nick Young and Evan Turner.

I knew that with Nick Young, would come bad shot selections, but what I am seeing is much worse than I was anticipating. With five seconds left to shoot the ball, he forces up a “falling out-of-bounds” three-pointer? That isn’t what I was expecting to see from him. Also, the open shot opportunities that he got against the Knicks, he bricked. I m not giving up hope for him because he truly is a pure scorer once he gets the feel of things, but that day has not come yet.

I am almost 100% done defending Evan Turner’s poor ply. He was the 2nd overall pick and this is his 3rd season. There is no reason he should be playing as bad as he is now. He dribbles the ball around way too much, he pulls up for jumpers that he for some reason can’t hit, and doesn’t drive to the basket as much as he should. Doug Collins, along with MOST Philadelphia fans thought that he had earned his spot in the stating line up, but he hasn’t lived up to his role at all. He has a world of talent, but what does he do with it? Nothing.If he doesn’t pick up his game, and turn into a legit starter in the NBA by the end of the season, I will finally label him as a bust. I can’t say all the Sixers’ players are playing lazy, stupid basketball, though. Jrue Holiday has really opened my eyes so far. Asides the fact that some times he can be a little careless with the ball, he is creating a lot of good opportunites for his team, and he is shooting ights out. From the two games against the Knicks, he is the only one who really looks like he is giving a winning effort. His ability to create space for his shot, and his ability to put the ball on the floor and drive strong to the hole are the reasons why he has been such an efficient scorer so far. He has earned his contract extension, and he has pleased more than any other Sixer so far. Go Jrue!

In conclusion I would like to say that this is just a bump in the road, and that I do not expect this kind of play much longer. Once Bynum is healthy, this team will be rolling along with the best of them. Don’t give up on this team, they are an elite basketball team.