Friday, March 25, 2011
Posted: 10 a.m.
By Dei Lynam
CSNPhilly.com
The Sixers are headed to Miami for a Friday night matchup with the Heat. Going back to American Airlines Arena means returning to the place where this season turned for the better.
It was late November, the Sixers were playing their 16th game of their 82-game schedule and had just three wins to speak of. They hung close to Miami through the early part of the fourth quarter before the Heat went on a 10-0 run to win, 99-90.
A moral victory usually gets you nothing, but on that night being competitive with the big bad Heat was mentally uplifting. Doug Collins knew it, but couldnt say it. Andre Iguodala also knew it and chose to let his voice be heard.
After that game, Dres words were incredibly encouraging for our guys, Collins recalled. He said, Guys, we are close. Just keep doing what we are doing. Its going to start happening for us. I know I appreciated it because at that point and time we were 3-13. You have a new coach and a new staff and where are we headed?
The Sixers headed home to play New Jersey the next nighttheir fourth game in five daysand won, marking the start of a 34-21 record since. While the Sixers have a .607 winning percentage since they last matched up with Miami, the Heat are just 8-7 since the All-Star break. For a team that was supposed to challenge the 72-win Bulls squad in 1995-96, 49-22 seems underachieving to say the least.
NBA
That team is probably the most scrutinized team in a long, long time, Collins said. If you pick up the USA Today they have a running commentary on what the Miami Heat is doing every single day, so they are under the microscope. They started out slowly, then they had that great run and now they have hit some bumps in the road.
I think all those things are good for a team because thats what you are going to see in the playoffs. You are not going to be able to navigate through smooth waters. There is going to be some turbulence and when you go through those times I think you grow.
For a completely opposite reason than the Sixers, Miami is a team to beware in the playoffs. In a star-driven league they have 2. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade can get a basket whenever they want to. Chris Bosh is not at their level, but he is All-Star material.
We cant change the fact that they have those guys, Lou Williams said of Miamis big three. I think for the fans its a name game. To us its a basketball game played against a good basketball team. Obviously, when they have that caliber of players its always going to be a tough test to get a win, especially on their home court. But itll be good to see where we are, especially facing one of the top teams in the league.
While the Heat have the flashy names on their roster, the Sixers win with their depth and unselfishness.
We have a naivety about us that is refreshing, Collins described. I dont think our guys look at the bright lights and get that deer in the headlights look. We have depth and we have some veteran experience that can help us. We share the ball and we play as a team.
Collins continues to make the Sixers scoring parity a plus as opposed to a negative.
In a playoff series a lot of times youll say they have three main guys. Which guy can we take out or limit? Collins said. But when you look at our team you say alright well limit E.B. (Elton Brand), but we can win when he gets only 10 points or any of the guys. Were blessed like that.
A total of 2.6 points separate the Sixers leading scorer (Brand at 14.9 points per game) and their fifth-leading scorer (Thaddeus Young at 12.3 ppg).
Two of those top-five scorers come off the bench in Young and Williams. The Sixers bench averages more than 40 points a game (first in the NBA). Miamis reserves total 22 points per game (30th). It is that time of year where most teams shorten their rotation, making the bench numbers less important. However, the Sixers are the exception.
Fresh legs certainly played a big part in the teams come-from-behind performance in the fourth quarter against Atlanta Wednesday night.
Collins pointed out how being able to play Tony Battie for an eight-minute stretch in the first half allowed Brand to play the entire third quarter.
Additionally, the Sixers are showing of late that they can win a game that is played in the halfcourt, which is what NBA basketball morphs into when the playoffs roll around.
I think in the past some of our struggles in the playoffs where we were a running basketball team, but couldnt execute in the halfcourt, Williams said. Now we are probably doing a better job executing in the halfcourt. Then, we are getting fast break points.
The numbers support Williams observation. Over the past seven games, the Sixers are averaging 13.4 fast-break points. The 21 games prior, the Sixers fast-break points were 21 per game.
Friday night there will be a playoff atmosphere with two teams that are honing their skills for the postseason, whether they meet each other or not.
E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com
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