thursday play
- Thread starter vanbasten
- Start date
Hope it hits for ya!
Hope it hits for ya!
IE should be motivated and ready for tonight. Bet he plays a solid 4 quarters in game 2......instead of just 1 quarter like he did Sunday.
Should be a good one. ez
Hope it hits for ya!
IE should be motivated and ready for tonight. Bet he plays a solid 4 quarters in game 2......instead of just 1 quarter like he did Sunday.
Should be a good one. ez
BOSTON - Inside Harvard's quaint basketball gym yesterday, Allen Iverson sat shoeless but in black socks, receiving treatment on his left hand and watching as his 76ers teammates went through their final full practice for tonight's playoff game against the Boston Celtics.
Iverson had practiced for a minute or two before taking a seat, complaining of flu-like symptoms. His coach, Larry Brown, sarcastically suggested that the Boston altitude might have dried up Iverson's sinuses.
As if Boston did not present enough problems for the Sixers. Now this.
Knowing Iverson, who loathes practice but loves redemption, that little sinus problem will vanish by 8 tonight, when the Sixers and Celtics tip off. The Sixers should hope so. They have other concerns.
In three lengthy practices this week, Brown has provided ways the Sixers can avenge their 92-82 loss in Game 1 of this best-of-five series. Drive and dish to an open shooter to break the Celtics' zone. Have Dikembe Mutombo and Derrick Coleman dominate defensively. Match Boston's energy and intensity, and do it early. Move the ball. Make shots. Defend against Paul Pierce.
And perhaps most important, Brown wants the Sixers to play well early. A series of early victories would help the Sixers' collective confidence, which was shaken by that Game 1 loss.
"I like my team," Brown said. "These guys have always responded well to challenges, and we have a big challenge ahead of us because we're playing against a team that's played great all year, and was tremendous against us the other day. I expect them to play the same way, so we're going to have to bring our A game."
That includes Iverson. In his first game since breaking his left hand during a regular-season game against the Celtics, Iverson scored 15 points in the first quarter but did not make a field goal after that, finishing with five points in the final three quarters.
His streaky performance was not unexpected. Nearly a month had passed since Iverson had played a game, and he practiced just once before taking on the Celtics.
His 15-point first quarter was exciting, but misleading. Now, after three days without a game, the Sixers hope Iverson will be back to his midseason form.
"He hasn't played a lot, so I don't think anybody expected much from him," Brown said. "The sad thing was we all got excited when he started off so good. But when you don't practice, and you don't do the cardio stuff, and you're not with your team, you're not going to come out and play at the level you're accustomed to playing.
"Fortunately, he has had a game under his belt. He knows what they're trying to do to him. He's had a couple of practices. I feel certain he'll be much more confident, and I feel certain we'll find ways to help him a lot more."
Last season, in the first round of the playoffs, Iverson was in a similar situation. Indiana shut him down in Game 1 and stole the Sixers' home-court advantage. He responded with 45 points in Game 2, a Sixers win.
"Hopefully, I'll just go out there and be more aggressive than I was the last game," Iverson said. "I don't remember all season just taking 15 shots. That's not putting any pressure on the defense. Hopefully, I'll just go out there and play hard and do what I can do."
Iverson said his left hand, his stamina and his health are fine.
"I'm cool," he said, "a little under the weather, but OK. I was feeling this way before the last game. I don't know if there's just something in the air in Boston. But I'm cool."
Iverson clearly irritated his coach by missing most of the practice - "Every practice is important... but again you don't have everybody out here, which is typical of our team," Brown said. But based on his preview of tonight's game, he has heard Brown's message during the last three days.
"Our energy level has to be a lot higher than it was the first game," Iverson said. "We have to do a better job of knowing where they're at on the floor as far as their scorers, and just be aware. We just have to play harder than we played the last game. That was uncharacteristic for us to not outplay a team. We usually play harder than another team, but they played harder than us. So that's the first priority.
"Definitely, it's a must-win because it's a game. Any game is a must-win. In a short series like this, every game is a must-win."
By Ashley McGeachy Fox
Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iverson had practiced for a minute or two before taking a seat, complaining of flu-like symptoms. His coach, Larry Brown, sarcastically suggested that the Boston altitude might have dried up Iverson's sinuses.
As if Boston did not present enough problems for the Sixers. Now this.
Knowing Iverson, who loathes practice but loves redemption, that little sinus problem will vanish by 8 tonight, when the Sixers and Celtics tip off. The Sixers should hope so. They have other concerns.
In three lengthy practices this week, Brown has provided ways the Sixers can avenge their 92-82 loss in Game 1 of this best-of-five series. Drive and dish to an open shooter to break the Celtics' zone. Have Dikembe Mutombo and Derrick Coleman dominate defensively. Match Boston's energy and intensity, and do it early. Move the ball. Make shots. Defend against Paul Pierce.
And perhaps most important, Brown wants the Sixers to play well early. A series of early victories would help the Sixers' collective confidence, which was shaken by that Game 1 loss.
"I like my team," Brown said. "These guys have always responded well to challenges, and we have a big challenge ahead of us because we're playing against a team that's played great all year, and was tremendous against us the other day. I expect them to play the same way, so we're going to have to bring our A game."
That includes Iverson. In his first game since breaking his left hand during a regular-season game against the Celtics, Iverson scored 15 points in the first quarter but did not make a field goal after that, finishing with five points in the final three quarters.
His streaky performance was not unexpected. Nearly a month had passed since Iverson had played a game, and he practiced just once before taking on the Celtics.
His 15-point first quarter was exciting, but misleading. Now, after three days without a game, the Sixers hope Iverson will be back to his midseason form.
"He hasn't played a lot, so I don't think anybody expected much from him," Brown said. "The sad thing was we all got excited when he started off so good. But when you don't practice, and you don't do the cardio stuff, and you're not with your team, you're not going to come out and play at the level you're accustomed to playing.
"Fortunately, he has had a game under his belt. He knows what they're trying to do to him. He's had a couple of practices. I feel certain he'll be much more confident, and I feel certain we'll find ways to help him a lot more."
Last season, in the first round of the playoffs, Iverson was in a similar situation. Indiana shut him down in Game 1 and stole the Sixers' home-court advantage. He responded with 45 points in Game 2, a Sixers win.
"Hopefully, I'll just go out there and be more aggressive than I was the last game," Iverson said. "I don't remember all season just taking 15 shots. That's not putting any pressure on the defense. Hopefully, I'll just go out there and play hard and do what I can do."
Iverson said his left hand, his stamina and his health are fine.
"I'm cool," he said, "a little under the weather, but OK. I was feeling this way before the last game. I don't know if there's just something in the air in Boston. But I'm cool."
Iverson clearly irritated his coach by missing most of the practice - "Every practice is important... but again you don't have everybody out here, which is typical of our team," Brown said. But based on his preview of tonight's game, he has heard Brown's message during the last three days.
"Our energy level has to be a lot higher than it was the first game," Iverson said. "We have to do a better job of knowing where they're at on the floor as far as their scorers, and just be aware. We just have to play harder than we played the last game. That was uncharacteristic for us to not outplay a team. We usually play harder than another team, but they played harder than us. So that's the first priority.
"Definitely, it's a must-win because it's a game. Any game is a must-win. In a short series like this, every game is a must-win."
By Ashley McGeachy Fox
Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted on Thu, Apr. 25, 2002
Stephen A. Smith | Sixers must show heart - right now
By Stephen A. Smith
Inquirer Columnist
Allen Iverson didn't hit one field goal in the game's final 36 minutes. Erase Matt Harpring from the equation and not one 76er could generate more than two field goals in the entire second half.
The visitors at Boston's FleetCenter shot just 30.6 percent in the second half and just 15.4 percent from beyond the arc in their 92-82 loss to the Celtics on Sunday.
Yet the Sixers have the audacity to walk around with a chip on their shoulders, feeling as if everyone has counted them out, knowing they have to return to the same confines in which they embarrassed themselves just four days ago.
Admittedly discombobulated and ill-prepared, the Sixers departed Beantown after Game 1 of this first-round best-of-five series in docile fashion: humbled in the face of Boston's sharpshooting, and unable to match the Celtics' quickness and athleticism.
Although the Sixers were conspicuously feeble, their attitude appeared to say, "There's always tomorrow."
But Sunday's Game 3 is all that may be left if they lose tonight in Boston. This game could be the season.
General manager Billy King has said he believes in this team "no matter what" and coach Larry Brown has pledged his "confidence," but their optimism is based on last year's playoff performance.
This year, their arguments don't hold weight, especially when it appears that Dikembe Mutombo is playing more because the Sixers want to justify his $60 million contract than because of his production.
That's what happens when seven new players have arrived, when nary an individual on the roster has a championship on his resume, and when Harpring undercuts last year as a frame of reference by saying:
"This is a new year. No one ever remembers the team that went to the Finals. They remember the winner. So, until you actually get the championship, second place doesn't mean much."
I've waited for that statement from a Sixer all season long. Part of the problem is that the Sixers never adopted that mentality from day one this season.
On Nov. 6, against Indiana, the Sixers held a ceremony at the First Union Center to raise last season's Eastern Conference championship banner to the rafters.
A celebration of second place!
A celebration for rising above respectability and beating the odds, but also for losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, for finishing as the runner-up!
The Sixers had us believing that one move here and there would elevate Philadelphia to the promised land. Tonight, it's all on the verge of becoming a bunch of empty promises.
A win, however, potentially puts things back in order.
Victory hands the Sixers the home-court advantage in a two-of-three encounter. It puts a talented but undisciplined Boston squad behind the eight ball. Paul Pierce's hands may get a bit sweaty. Antoine Walker's decision-making could get warped.
Suddenly, these renegade Celtics could be reminded of who the Eastern Conference champions are - not who the Celtics used to be when Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Bill Russell and Bob Cousy played - particularly once they enter the raucous First Union Center this weekend.
"Quite frankly, we don't want that at all," said Pierce, who scorched the Sixers for 31 points and 11 rebounds in Game 1.
"We worked hard to capture home-court advantage," Walker added. "We're not trying to give that up, especially against those guys."
Instead of shooting just 27 for 71, as they did in Game 1, the Sixers may force Boston to do so. Instead of appearing flustered by the Celtics' pressure, the Sixers may choose to exhibit some pressure of their own. A youthful Celtics crew may begin to show its age, bow to a herculean effort by Iverson (which, in my mind, undoubtedly is forthcoming), and yield to postseason pressure.
For Boston to do that, Philly has got to show a pulse. Tyrone Hill isn't here anymore. Neither are George Lynch, Todd MacCulloch and Matt Geiger.
Everyone knows that. None of us cares anymore.
This is about right now, about tonight.
"All we have to do is what we're supposed to do," the Sixers' Eric Snow said. "Boston played well, but they haven't done anything to us they haven't done all season long. We've just got to attack. It's as simple as that."
Try showing some heart, too.
It never hurt the Sixers before. It could hurt the Celtics now.
Stephen A. Smith | Sixers must show heart - right now
By Stephen A. Smith
Inquirer Columnist
Allen Iverson didn't hit one field goal in the game's final 36 minutes. Erase Matt Harpring from the equation and not one 76er could generate more than two field goals in the entire second half.
The visitors at Boston's FleetCenter shot just 30.6 percent in the second half and just 15.4 percent from beyond the arc in their 92-82 loss to the Celtics on Sunday.
Yet the Sixers have the audacity to walk around with a chip on their shoulders, feeling as if everyone has counted them out, knowing they have to return to the same confines in which they embarrassed themselves just four days ago.
Admittedly discombobulated and ill-prepared, the Sixers departed Beantown after Game 1 of this first-round best-of-five series in docile fashion: humbled in the face of Boston's sharpshooting, and unable to match the Celtics' quickness and athleticism.
Although the Sixers were conspicuously feeble, their attitude appeared to say, "There's always tomorrow."
But Sunday's Game 3 is all that may be left if they lose tonight in Boston. This game could be the season.
General manager Billy King has said he believes in this team "no matter what" and coach Larry Brown has pledged his "confidence," but their optimism is based on last year's playoff performance.
This year, their arguments don't hold weight, especially when it appears that Dikembe Mutombo is playing more because the Sixers want to justify his $60 million contract than because of his production.
That's what happens when seven new players have arrived, when nary an individual on the roster has a championship on his resume, and when Harpring undercuts last year as a frame of reference by saying:
"This is a new year. No one ever remembers the team that went to the Finals. They remember the winner. So, until you actually get the championship, second place doesn't mean much."
I've waited for that statement from a Sixer all season long. Part of the problem is that the Sixers never adopted that mentality from day one this season.
On Nov. 6, against Indiana, the Sixers held a ceremony at the First Union Center to raise last season's Eastern Conference championship banner to the rafters.
A celebration of second place!
A celebration for rising above respectability and beating the odds, but also for losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, for finishing as the runner-up!
The Sixers had us believing that one move here and there would elevate Philadelphia to the promised land. Tonight, it's all on the verge of becoming a bunch of empty promises.
A win, however, potentially puts things back in order.
Victory hands the Sixers the home-court advantage in a two-of-three encounter. It puts a talented but undisciplined Boston squad behind the eight ball. Paul Pierce's hands may get a bit sweaty. Antoine Walker's decision-making could get warped.
Suddenly, these renegade Celtics could be reminded of who the Eastern Conference champions are - not who the Celtics used to be when Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Bill Russell and Bob Cousy played - particularly once they enter the raucous First Union Center this weekend.
"Quite frankly, we don't want that at all," said Pierce, who scorched the Sixers for 31 points and 11 rebounds in Game 1.
"We worked hard to capture home-court advantage," Walker added. "We're not trying to give that up, especially against those guys."
Instead of shooting just 27 for 71, as they did in Game 1, the Sixers may force Boston to do so. Instead of appearing flustered by the Celtics' pressure, the Sixers may choose to exhibit some pressure of their own. A youthful Celtics crew may begin to show its age, bow to a herculean effort by Iverson (which, in my mind, undoubtedly is forthcoming), and yield to postseason pressure.
For Boston to do that, Philly has got to show a pulse. Tyrone Hill isn't here anymore. Neither are George Lynch, Todd MacCulloch and Matt Geiger.
Everyone knows that. None of us cares anymore.
This is about right now, about tonight.
"All we have to do is what we're supposed to do," the Sixers' Eric Snow said. "Boston played well, but they haven't done anything to us they haven't done all season long. We've just got to attack. It's as simple as that."
Try showing some heart, too.
It never hurt the Sixers before. It could hurt the Celtics now.
