What to Watch For - Cavs v. Sixers in Philly
Posted April 10th, 2009 by Michael Curry
What to keep an eye on tonight when the Cavs head into Philadelphia to take on the Playoff-bound 76ers:
- It’s unlikely, but the Cavs could still end up facing the Sixers in the first round of the Playoffs. The 40-38 Sixers are currently the sixth seed in the East, and are 1 1/2 games ahead of the Chicago Bulls (39-40) and 2 games ahead of the eighth-place Pistons (38-40).
That’s a solid lead this late in the season, but the problem is that the Sixers are not playing well at all, having lost three straight games to below-.500 teams, including a loss to the Bulls last night. And Philadelphia still has to play the Cavaliers twice and the Celtics once in their last four games. The Sixers are safe from the 8 spot if they win next week in Toronto, but should they collapse and lose all four remaining games, they could fall to that eighth spot and see the Cavs in the first round.
- As for this game, the Sixers can only cause problems for the Cavs if they are able to get out and run early and often, much like the Wizards did last week. I just don’t see that happening with the Sixers playing last night in Chicago and having to make the trip back to Philly late last night.
- Former Cavalier Andre Miller continues to be the straw that stirs the drink for the Sixers, averaging 16.2 points and 6.5 assists per game. Despite having lost some quickness at 33 years old, Miller remains an excellent point guard both in the half-court offense and in transition, and he is usually able to put his teammates in good positions to score. Miller will be a free agent this Summer, and he will be a nice pickup for whoever grabs him, even if it’s Philly again.
- Last season’s good first round series against the Pistons really helped Andre Iguodala secure a 6-year, $80M deal from the Sixers last Summer. It’s easy to like Iguodala, with his off-the-charts athleticism and considerable talents, but his production has plateaued a bit this season (18.5 ppg, down from 19.9 last season), and I don’t think he can be the best player on a Championship-caliber team. And as the Larry Hughes experiment proved in Cleveland, if you give that kind of money to anyone but a guaranteed All-Star, it can really hurt your ability to put together a real contender. Combine the questions around Iguodala with the injury problems of the Sixers’ other big ticket player, Elton Brand, and it’s hard to see a lot of success for this Philly team in the near future. They’re in danger of turning into a more-talented/less-distracted version of the Wizards.
- As for the Cavs, Delonte West, Daniel Gibson and Wally Szczerbiak have been ball-faking a lot lately, opting to try to dribble toward the hoop instead of just hoisting when they get an open look. I like having the fake-and-drive as an option, but it’s been overdone lately. I wonder if the Cavs are emphasizing it just to give opposing teams something to think about for their defensive schemes in the Playoffs.
- Quick note on the Bulls: They’ve been under the radar, but the Bulls have gone 13-1 at home since the All-Star break, with the sole loss coming against the Lakers. The Bulls have been scoring 110 points per game over those 14 home games, and they are really starting to turn it on. I don’t think they can take down the Cavaliers, Celtics or Magic in the first round, but I think they’re going to be a handful in the Playoffs, especially at home.
Go Cavs.
