Doug Collins is an educator. He teaches basketball players how to get better and he teaches the average fan how to view a game smarter. Earlier this week Collins said how he doesnt go to his bench to buy time for a given player, but because there is a good player waiting who needs to put his fingerprints on the game.
That is what depth is and the Sixers have it.
Before facing the Spurs on Wednesday, the Sixers had two straight games where their bench scored more points then their starters. In addition, Saturday night in Atlanta, the Sixers reserves edged their Hawks counterparts 54-29 in scoring and Monday against the Lakers the Night Shift crushed L.A.s bench, 49-16.
The Sixers' bench is a lethal weapon. Wednesday night -- adding to Tony Parker being lights out with his 37-point, eight-assist performance -- the Spurs' bench hit the Sixers hard (see Lynam's Instant Replay).
Gary Neal, who began his college career at LaSalle before finishing at Towson University, dropped 18 points in the game, 12 coming in the first quarter when he was 3 for 3 from three-point range.
Seven-footer Tiago Splitter, who is a draft peer of Evan Turner being selected 28th overall in the 2010 NBA draft, came with his A-game, making 7 of 10 shots for 15 points in 17 minutes. Matt Bonner, also a reserve, grabbed nine rebounds.
The Sixers bench did outscore the Spurs bench 44-40, but San Antonio did their damage shooting a combined 16 for 28. The Sixers went 19 for 44.
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They have always had guys who come off their bench and can play, Andre Iguodala said on after scoring 17 points in the 100-90 loss. Even if they dont use those bench guys, they always find a way to insert them in the lineup early in the season, late in the season or the playoffs and they give them a boost.
They went head-to-head with us, said Lou Williams, who led the Sixers in scoring with 22 points. We like to think we have one of the top three benches in the league and they did a great job being right there with us, if not being better than us tonight.
The Sixers' bench has been great all season, but so have the team's rookies. So good, you begin to take it all for granted.
Nik Vucevic and Lavoy Allen have far exceeded expectations. However, Wednesday night Vucevic was 0 for 4 from the floor and did not score as the starting center, filling in for the injured Spencer Hawes. Vucevic did grab six rebounds.
Allen totaled two points on 1-for-7 shooting, but he too crashed the boards for nine rebounds.
You are asking our young kids to corral Tony Parker, who has three NBA championship rings, Collins said. He knows what he is doing. The tough part about it is the Spurs have three-point shooting on the floor and so you get pinched in a little bit and then they hit the three's. We made some fundamental mistakes tonight doing things we generally dont do -- trapping pick and roll in transition we gave up three baskets. We got back-cut four times in the first half, but thats what championship teams do -- capitalize on your mistakes.
The Sixers will look at Wednesday night and say we can be them down the road.
E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com