下面是 Kate Fagan 對訓練營最後一天的觀察：
- Marreese Speights 的防守直覺不錯，三天中做了Brand三次進攻犯規
- 關於球員輪替，Cheeks說先發五人有四人已經決定。其他看表現。
- 「Reverse」，也就是球的逆向流動，可能會成為常見進攻套路之一
Observation: Marreese Speights took a hard charge on Elton Brand. Now, I've
been keeping an eye on Speights and that's the third charge he has taken in
as many days. For a rookie, to be in the right spot like that, is an ability
I guarantee the coaches have noted. He may not be piling up the points, but
you can't teach what Speights has done in terms of thinking on defense and
getting himself into the right position. It's a small thing, but I bet he
gains confidence each time he takes one. Oh, and, to stay in the lane when
you know Brand is coming at you with a lowered shoulder, that says something.
Enough on Speights.
While the drill is keyed on defense, a team rotates in on offense and has to
score to move to the prized spot on defense. Because of that, you see some
solid offensive execution. More than any other play, the Sixers continued to
run "Reverse," which we discussed in a previous blog.
This play does not appear to be geared toward Elton Brand, because it
involves wings coming off elbow-down screens, but he will get the most out of
this play. Keep an eye out for it on Wednesday in Boston . Miller dribbles
right, Iguodala starts on the block and comes off a post downscreen to the
top. Iguodala catches and Young comes off a Brand screen on the left side.
Perhaps Young is the initial option, but not many defenses are going to be
fooled by a simple curl cut. Iguodala will often hold the ball and run a
two-man game with Brand on the pinch post (elbow).
Is that enough x's and o's for a Saturday?
The consensus on this camp was the Sixers completed what they needed to
complete. There is little else Cheeks, or any of the Sixers coaches, can
learn about these guys from practice. Even Cheeks said that he needs the
preseason games to determine what his rotation will be.
Ahhh, the rotation. Cheeks had a decent amount to say about that after
Saturday's final session.
"I’m going to make a decision on who is going to play and who is not going
to play," Cheeks said. "That's what preseason games are for. So I’m going to
make that evalutation toward the end of the preseason games. But I’m not
going to try and squeeze everybody in. I'm not going to do that because it
wouldn’t be fair to the guys playing five minutes or six minutes. They wouldn
’t get anything out of it. Whatever decision I make, with that particular
rotation of guys, I’m going to do that and go with that."
Will it be game-to-game?
"It won’t change game-to-game, but if someone is not playing well, throw
someone else in there. But, whatever number rotation guys I decide on, I’m
going to stick with those guys because, again, I don’t think it would be
fair."
Added Cheeks: "It’s a good problem to have, except for the guy who is not
going to play ..."
We've done a lot of speculation so far on what that rotation will be, but I
think at this point we have to wait until Wednesday against the Celtics to
get a true feeling for what Cheeks might be thinking.
Cheeks did admit, and obviously this is well-known, that four of the five
starting spots are in place. Andre Miller at point guard, Andre Iguodala at
"wing", Elton Brand at power forward, and Sam Dalembert at center. (Speaking
of Sam, he didn't practice today with a left-shoulder strain and is listed as
day-to-day (aren't we all?). But he said after practice he is fine and would
be on the court Monday.) So that leaves one starting spot open. The question
-- and here I go speculating after I said no speculating -- is whether
Iguodala will be the shooting guard and Thad Young the small forward, or
whether Cheeks will keep Iguodala at small forward and go with either Willie
Green at shooting guard, or maybe Lou Williams?
So that's a wrap from State College, PA. I included this wonderful shot I
took of the team at the end of this morning's session. I think it speaks for
itself: The final moment on the court at the Bryce Jordan Center. The
Blackberry Curve is an amazing device. As you can see, my previous photo did
not include a group of humans. Clearly my photography skills are improving.
If there is news tomorrow, I'll definitely post it. But if not, we'll be back
up and running on Monday. With the Sixers practicing from 11 a.m. until
probably about 1 p.m., we'll probably run the Live Chat around 3 p.m. Once we
have the time locked down for the Live Chat, I'll post the link.
Thanks to all you guys who posted throughout the week. It was much
appreciated. I am now going to grab a latte from Starbucks and drive back to
Philadelphia. Just in time for the first pitch of the Phillies game? I hope
so.
Until next time ...
-- Kate
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