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since we have so much time before the season starts, figured it warrants its own thread. we'll still have game threads for the individual games.

Probably won't be pretty. I just want to see positive things to expand on next season (when we hopefully have a better PF)

Sometimes I get on a "undersized=disadvantage" kick, and it applies in this series.

My feeling with this DET squad has always been: control the starting backcourt (under 40 pts) and you have a great chance to win.

Saw some posts elsewhere about Miller being able to play Billips well, but I worry about WG on Hamilton.

Mo won't do it, but I'd start Thad at SF and Evans at PF. Love the defensive length playing AI at SG gives you.

Carney MUST play better, and Smith need to not hurt you (set his screens, hit open shots, take his fouls).

Not optimistic, but under "Perfect Storm" conditions, who knows?

Did anybody REALLY think this team could win 40 games?

Just a few random thoughts.

IMO, the killer problem Detroit presents is finding a way to defend their SG/SF duo: Hamilton and Prince.

I think that ideally, Willie would come out of the starting lineup and Thad would get most of his minutes. Young isn't as experienced as Prince, but at least he wouldn't be physically outmatched either size or athleticism wise. Carney could also help here more than usual despite his relative inconsistency if he just focuses on staying in front of his man.

As far as what type of defensive strategy works best.... I think maybe looking at defending Detroit with a straight up man-to-man defense is the best bet if you play Thad and Carney instead of Green. Detroit has shooters that can bust a zone defense.

Neither Sheed/McDyess are dominant inside players at this stage of their career so doubling them doesn't seem too necessary.

In an ideal world, I want Detroit to adjust to us ala GS-DAL.
Unfortunately, I don't think that's going to happen.
I agree with the previous posters, stopping their wings will be key.

i don't know why you guys think you'll automatically lose against the pistons. really. they are a great team but i think the sixers are able to beat them. yeah the pistons are a deeper team. who cares? play every game like it's your last! sixers possibly got 7 last games so get it done baby!

Don_eMOCION#31 wrote:i don't know why you guys think you'll automatically lose against the pistons. really. they are a great team but i think the sixers are able to beat them. yeah the pistons are a deeper team. who cares? play every game like it's your last! sixers possibly got 7 last games so get it done baby!

Ehh...they could make it close..but losing...not going to happen for Detroit.

Sixers first game on Sunday at 6 PM.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/schedule?date=20080416

1. Sun, Apr 20

is comcast also showing the games too?..esp the nbatv ones?

There's no doubt in my mind Mo will botch the rotations in this series, to our fatal demise.

How he can still start Willie Green and Reggie Evans in the same starting 5 againt DET is beyond my comprehension. WG is just a position-filler. He threatens nobody. He doesn't present any matchup difficulties. He takes bad shots. And on D, he will get run roughshod by Rip. He's just a generic, backup SG.

With Reggie Evans, we clearly play 4 on 5 on offense. Perhaps that worked (with Mutombo) when you have one of the greatest scorers in the history of the game (Iverson). But this offense simply cannot afford to play the defensive stalwart Pistons 4 on 5. Seriously. Honestly. Come on, Mo. This is just a bad idea. To me, starting this 5 is nothing short of an outright concession.

This starting lineup means that we are already adapting and adjusting to Detroit's style... Which is absolutely conceding, because DET is way better at their style than this Sixers team can be.

If we must start Reggie Evans to matchup with 'Sheed, then the sensible basketball decision would be to bench WG. But Mo was too rigid to experiment with this all season, and now is when we will pay. This is why I griped and moaned about Mo's regression and rigidity all season. Because I knew it would doom us in the end.

We will all watch together as this inferior starting 5 bury us in deep holes, and then Lou, Thad and company will be asked to dig us out with their scrappy defense and open-court scoring. Book it. This is inevitable. We all know this will be the script.

But unlike mediocre teams like the Bulls/Blazers/Cavs, etc, the Pistons are too good and too experienced to lose this way. The better, more effective Sixers lineups that never start will make valiant comebacks, but it won't be enough. Perhaps the Sixers take a game or two. If Mo uses this starting 5 for long stretches, I predict a sweep.

Miller/Iggy/Carney/Thad/Sam
Miller/Iggy/Carney/Thad/Reggie
Miller/Lou/Iggy/Thad/Sam
Miller/Lou/Iggy/Thad/Reggie

IMO, these lineups would fare much better against this Pistons team. But we won't see them until we're already down by at least 5 or 10 points. Therefore, DET in 5.

^^What he said

Phrase for the series: Revenge is ours (hopefully).

Fire BK wrote:There's no doubt in my mind Mo will botch the rotations in this series, to our fatal demise.

It tickles me to no end how some posters think they can coach better than Mo, but I digress.

I watched NBA TV this morning, and Cheeks called in. He said he and his staff are seriously considering going with Iggy at the 2, Thad at the 3, and Evans at the 4 to have a better match up against Detroit.

Also Billy King picked the Sixers to win in 6.

Louis Williams wrote:...Cheeks called in. He said he and his staff are seriously considering going with Iggy at the 2, Thad at the 3, and Evans at the 4 to have a better match up against Detroit. Also Billy King picked the Sixers to win in 6.

Wow. That's the best news I've heard all week.

If Cheeks actuallly does this, then I might have to revise everything and pick the Sixers, too.

I think that everyone will agree that's the best move, hopefully he follows through with it and it's just not bull spit talk. It's better to bring Green in off the bench for scoring, well shooting, anyways.

It tickles me to no end how some posters think they can coach better than Mo, but I digress.

I watched NBA TV this morning, and Cheeks called in. He said he and his staff are seriously considering going with Iggy at the 2, Thad at the 3, and Evans at the 4 to have a better match up against Detroit.

About time. He's finally starting to see it how we see it. It's a shame he's the coach and not someone on this board.

p.s. I hope "seriously considering" means that they will do it.

Maybe this is where the idea came from.

Interesting...a look into the future?? Defensively, they'll match up better, but I hope Thad doesn't try to do too much on offense. He's so solid, but I could see him having trouble trying to score against Prince. It would be interesting to see how he handles it.

Who will cover Iggy? Rip or Prince? Prob Tay. Iggy has difficulties with long defenders like him. Hopefully he attacks early each game and puts Prince in foul trouble.

If we cover the 3, limit the turnovers and close out quaters, I think there is a small chance we wont get swept.