A night after beating Washington by 31 points, the Sixers had the daunting task of facing the Wizards again in Washington. It was the classic trap game, one in which it would have been easy for the Sixers to come out flat.
However, Andre Iguodala wouldnt allow that to happen.
The other night I told him, You have to get us off to a good start tonight, coach Doug Collins said. It would have been really easy to lay an egg and he wouldnt let us do it.
Instead, the Sixers converted 18 turnovers into 27 points in another double-digit victory.
As expected, Sixers' forward Andre Iguodala was named as a finalist for a berth on the U.S. Olympic basketball team for this summer's games in London. Team U.S.A. chairman Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski revealed the list of 20 finalists on Monday afternoon.
The final U.S. roster will have 12 active players and six alternates. The official U.S. roster must be submitted on June 18 and the team is expected to hold its first practice the first week of July for the games that begin later that month.
Joining Iguodala on the list are eight players from the 2008 Olympic team that won gold in Beijing: Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Deron Williams.
Additionally, Iguodala's teammates from the gold-medal winning team in the 2010 World Championships in Turkey are Chauncey Billups, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, Eric Gordon, Kevin Love, Lamar Odom, Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook.
Two additional spots belong to Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge.
Four members of the 2008 Olympic team who will not be in London are Chicago's Carlos Boozer, Detroit's Tayshaun Prince, Phoenix's Michael Redd and Dallas' Jason Kidd. Meanwhile, notable snubs from the list include Boston's Rajon Rondo, New York's Amare Stoudemire and the Lakers' Andrew Bynum.
We have so much talent it's extraordinary, Colangelo told the Associated Press last week.
Collins, whose son Chris is an assistant on Krzyzewskis staff, says Colangelo is loyal to players who have shown a commitment to U.S.A. basketball.
He has a great chance to make the final roster if he stays healthy, Collins said. Hes gotten off to a great start for us this year. I couldnt be more proud of him. The other night in Washington he came out on a night we could have been very lethargic and he had a ton of energy and I think his start helped us win that game. I hope he can make that team.
During the World Championships in 2010, Iguodala served as the U.S. team's defensive stopper and played with its first unit, leading the team in steals. He was charged with guarding the opposition's best scorer which is not unlike the role he has with the 76ers. Still, though defense is Iguodalas calling card, as Collins calls it, to label him as just a defensive specialist is to undersell his talent.
That makes it sound like thats all he can do and I think Dre is a complete player, Collins explained. When he doesnt have to carry the load and doesnt have to throw up a big night offensively, I think that plays into his wheelhouse. Hes a complete player.
Still, there are very few man-to-man defenders on the planet as good as Iguodala.
If you put him in a situation where he has to get 22 or 23 every night, then that detracts from his greatest strength, Collins said. When he can focus in on defense, what helps him is when we get out on the open court then that really plays into what he does.
This season Iguodala is averaging 14.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and leads the NBA in the advanced metric, defensive win shares. His 26 steals are the second-most in the NBA so far year, too.
Meanwhile, Krzyzewskis assistant coaches will be Jim Boeheim from Syracuse, New York Knicks head coach Mike DAntoni, and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.
E-mail John Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com
