RealGM

We all remember the "go-go Sixers" the fastbreakingest team east of the Pecos, but I'm looking at the lineup and I'm seeing a bigger shift of styles than most people are expecting.

1. The shift (Young - Iguodala):

With Brand manning the 4 for 36 minutes a game, Young and Iguodala both slide down a position. Yes they are both athletic and fast players, but Young at the 4 was light years faster than his defender. Same for Iguodala at the 3. Now Young is going to be matched with players who can move a lot better. Same for Iguodala at the 2. This version of the Sixers is going to be slower with those changes and the loss of Carney (who could really run and jump).

2. The bangers (Brand - Speights)

Yeah...I know...Brand says he'll be running, but with him being able to generate 20-10 on the block I think the temptation will be there to run more halfcourt sets. Also...Speights (yeah it's early) looks like he'll be able to give them something this season as Brand's backup. That gives another low post option. Add to it Evans, Smith and Sammy and this Sixers team's has stregnth in its front court where this time last year it had weakness.

3. The DEEP bench (Ollie, Carney, etc...)

The one thing I loved about Mo's coaching was his guts in reaching deep into his bench in keep spots. He'd go down for his 11th man and he would play bench guys for long stretches. That has to do with the quality of the bench but also the lack of difference between the starter and the guy backing him up lots of time. You could toss a coin between Green and Carney or Smith and Evans most nights for example.

Now the Sixers have a legit and solid starting 5 who are going to log more minutes. More minutes for starters mean less running from more tired starters.


Anyway...that's all I had. Tired now...

Keep in mind that last season we weren't a running team like the Suns or Nuggets, we were more of an opportunistic running team. The Sixers played great defense and off steals/rebounds they would try to run for an easy bucket. When it didn't work, they went into their half court sets.

Regardless of the lineup changes, I don't see how the style is going to change. Sure there's that slight chance (for argument's sake) their defense may not be as good, nor their fast break as good with a bigger lineup; however, nonetheless, they're still going to play above average defense and run on every opportunity they get. If not, they'll slow it down and go into their half court offensive sets. Nothing really changes.

agree with what noone says, our running style was put into effect after steals, blocked shots and rebounds. I think we will continue our success with this even with brand taking over the PF spot. However, the great part of getting brand is when that style gets stopped in the playoffs we have brand to throw the ball to in the low post in our half court offense for some points. Exactly what the pistons did to us with rasheed wallace and exactly what we couldnt do in the playoffs.

We'd still be running because we can't really rely too much in our half court set nor can we generate enough points in it because of our poor shooting.

To me, fast breaks are more about rebounding and quick passing and hustle than raw speed.

Derrick Coleman could barely jump over a phonebook without a running start, but he was good at helping the fast-break because he'd get the rebound and get it to Snow/Iverson/McKie pretty quickly.

With better rebounding than last year due to Brand forcing Green out of the lineup, I think there's actually a strong chance the Sixers are an even better running team.

(they won't have to rely on it as much though)

Now Young is going to be matched with players who can move a lot better. Same for Iguodala at the 2

The flip-side of this is that now they're going to be going up against guys that are equal in size or smaller than them on most nights. We won't have to play Iggy on the 6-9 Prince anymore.

Thad was good enough to be competent at PF, but he has a chance to be downright physically dominating at SF on most nights.

the loss of Carney (who could really run and jump).

That's about all the skill he had, unfortunately. (I don't wish him ill will or anything but it's really hard to view him as a good nba player)

I doubt we're not going to go on the fastbreak because we can "score in the halfcourt". We're an opportunistic team, and that's not gonna change.