Saturday, April 23, 2011
Posted: 8:50 p.m.
By Dei Lynam
CSNPhilly.com
It was the rookie vs. the seven-year veteran when Evan Turner and Andre Iguodala matched up in a game of one-on-one. The game went on, and on and on after the Sixers Saturday practice.
Iguodala is shooting just 28 percent in the Sixers first-round playoff series against Miami, averaging 6.3 points. Turner is averaging the same, but Iguodala is playing 38 minutes per contest to Turners 14.
Will Iguodala find his shot in time to help the Sixers stave off elimination Sunday afternoon?
I was rushing a little bit, Iguodala said of his 3-of-10 Game 3 shooting. But I got open looks, two open looks. I felt good about that, but I just have to keep moving forward and be in attack mode.
This is Iguodalas fourth playoff series of his career. He has yet to be on a team that has advanced to the second round. His scoring against the Heat in three games is the lowest of his postseason career. It is hard to fathom that Iguodalas combined numbers for the series are 7 for 25 from the field, 1 for 8 from three-point range and 4 of 6 at the foul line.
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Yet, the Sixers still had a chance to win both Game 1 and Game 3.
That is why the Sixers made Saturdays preparation for Game 4 about positive reinforcement. The team watched tape of things it have done well in this series, especially on the offensive end.
Then, Doug Collins delivered his daily words of wisdom, of which he has many.
I said I dont want to have exit interviews on Monday, I want to have practice, he stressed. Our guys are good about that. We just have to see if we can find a way to get over the hump against this team. We have played some really good games against them. We just havent been able to finish the deal.
It is not often that people opt to keep working over going on vacation, but Collins and company are sincere in that being their wish.
You dont want to get sweptthats embarrassing. You dont want to be embarrassed on your home court and I think that is the motivating factor going in, Lou Williams said. Were going to fight. Were not throwing in the white towel. If you win one you have an opportunity to win two, so we have to start there.
I think we are doing a good job. Everything is coming down to the wire and they have some guys that can make plays at the end. I dont think we finished those games when we had an opportunity to win. We went cold in the fourth in both games. I think if we make a couple more shots and keep our momentum going, I like our prospects of winning those games.
Williams was speaking of the stretch in Game 1 where Thaddeus Young missed two free throws, Jrue Holiday missed a lay-up and Elton Brand missed a wide-open, 15-foot jump shot from one of his sweet spots. They were three of four consecutive possessions in a three-point game.
In Game 3, the Sixers led by two points when the fourth quarter started. They proceeded to make just two of their first 11 field-goal attempts in a game they lost by six points.
So close and yet still there is nothing to show for their efforts, except being able to say they have had a respectable showing against the big, bad Miami Heat.
I think our team has done really well with games we had to win in the regular season, Holiday said. Now we just need to do that in the postseason.
Holiday arguably has been the Sixers best player in the postseason, averaging 17 points, five assists and three rebounds a game. The second-year point guard has just four total turnovers in the series.
E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com
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