Speights has proven to be perhaps the most consistent pick of the NBA Draft so far. I know its early and I'm most likely getting my hopes up, but this kid can really rebound well and always seems to be in the right position. One skill that is very hard to teach and one that will never be taken for granted in this league. I know the argument, "it's only summer league, please see: Marco Bellinelli, Nate Robertson, Marcus Banks", but I think this is a different situation, different position, and will ultimately produce different results then those losers. Guess we will find out soon enough.

One friend of mine mentioned how he would have rather have grabbed Darrell Arthur at 16 rather then Mareese Speights.  At the moment I would have to disagree.  Speights is a very LARGE body and looks to be the main man for the backup role behind newly acquired PF Elton Brand.

Rookie PF Mareese Speights played as advertised bruising the Lakers inside and finished with 16 points and 9 boards.  Second year guys Jason Smith and Thaddeus Young also added 16 each in the win.  Local guy Pat Carroll started at the 2 guard for the Sixers.  The former Hatboro-Horsham Hatter had 3 points on 1-3 shooting from the field in 15 minutes of action.

Here he is doing evidently what he does best:

Also announced was that defenseman (and captain) Jason Smith has signed with Ottawa.  It was expected that Smith would not be back with the Flyers as this was alluded to even back around mid-season.  This is puzzling to me - how is it that the Flyers indicated no expectation to re-sign him as early as February?  Then he signs with Ottawa for around $2.6 million per year.  Was this out of the Flyers' price range if they had forgone the acquisition of a couple of the players they signed like Vaananen and Metropolit?  Makes me wonder if there wasn't something else going on here.

2. (alix, please turn away)

Steve Bernier got signed to an offer sheet.

AAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I really hope that back on July 2nd, the Blues initially called Darcy and were like "Yo, we're thinking about giving Big Bear a 2.5 million dollar offer sheet. What do you think of that?" And then Darcy was all, "Tell you what, let me trade him to the Canucks first. Then you can screw them over, which I know you want to do." And then the Blues were like, "Word." And then Darcy and the Blues dude high-fived and cackled evilly.

Some nay-sayers will point out that his ice-time was the lowest of the 6 Philly d-man during their playoff run last year but he did also play those 17 playoff games with 2 seperated shoulders.  He lead the team in blocked shots and hits for both the regular season and the playoffs. Smith has captained the Edmonton Oilers and more recently the Philadelphia Flyers.

Much like last year's trades at the deadline, GM Murray has surrounded Daniel Alfredsson, Mike Fisher and Chris Phillips with more leadership.  He was signed for $2.6 million per year for 2-years.

Hopefully Murray isn't done yet, as we still need a 2nd line winger to play the opposite side of Nick Foligno, centered by Mike Fisher.

Good job GM Murray!

Rumor blogger Eklund posted a list of 15 players who have filed for arbitration, which means that teams cannot extend an offer sheet.  Arbitration does allow the other 29 teams to trade for that player, however.  Note that Jay Bouwmeester and Ville Koistinen are on the list.  Might the Flyers make a move for one of the big young defensemen?  There are plenty of pieces in the system now to offer up.  I feel far safer about trades than giving up multiple first round picks on an RFA.

The Fourth Period reports that Chicago is still on the prowl for more defense, either by trading for Ryan Whitney or going after UFA Jason Smith.  Frankly, trading for Ryan Whitney sounds suspect to me.  The Blackhawks have a young defense corps - (Bfyglien(sp?), Keith, Barker and Seabrook - which they just augmented with the Brian Campbell signing. 

Acquiring Smith makes some sense from the veteran leadership perspective.  The oldest blueliner on the Blackhawks is Brent Sopel, who at age 31 isn't exactly a graybeard himself.  Smith would bring some serious grit and experience into that lockerroom.  And with the Blackhawks' youth movement, his mobility would be far less problematic than it was in Philadelphia.  I actually would be quite happy to see Gator trade red for orange this fall.

Make a fist.  Those are your panties.
Gently and slowly unball your fist.  Repeat step with your panties.

Good.  We're making progress.
Now let's go crazy for Jason Smith.

Look, I wish we had signed some sexy D during the opening of free agency too, but we know that's not Darcy's style. He's told us this repeatedly.

Let's all take a deep breath and concentrate on more pleasant matters, namely, Jason Smith. WGR is reporting that Jason Smith's agent has had preliminary talks with the Sabres. Now, "preliminary talks" could mean almost anything, so I think it would be best if we all kept our pants on until further notice, but the WGR article contained one highly interesting tidbit.

"Breeze [Smith's agent] told WGR that Smith has a nine-point criteria for deciding where to sign."

He has a nine point system, you guys! I love a man with a plan!

As luck would have it, TWC has obtained exclusive rights to Jason Smith's Patented Nine Point System For Choosing An NHL Team. Please join me in analyzing where Buffalo's chances of signing Smith stand once the team and city has been through his rigorous nine-point system.

Jason Smith's Patented Nine-Point System For Choosing An NHL Team:

Point the First: Is the team any good?

Well, define "good", Mr. Smith. The Sabres can be and often are, quite good. Sometimes they suck though too. They really need some reliable stay-at-home defense, and they need some veteran leadership- which is where you come in. This might be a situation where a guy like you could come in and wind up getting WAY more credit than you probably deserve for turning the team around and getting them back on track. So yes, I have to say that the team IS pretty good, but there is lots of room for improvement. Buffalo's score: 3 out of 5 chicken wings

Point the Second: Does the city have a major symphony orchestra with many foxy musicians?

We totally have that. Buffalo's score: 5 out of 5 chicken wings

Point the Third: Can I afford a foxy house in this city?

Dude. On an NHLer's salary you can buy the foxiest house in all the land. Buffalo has great houses and they are, in comparison to other NHL cities, dirt cheap. Buffalo's score: 4 out of 5 chicken wings

Point the Fourth: How much of my life will be wasted in traffic jams?

NONE! None of your life will be wasted in traffic jams if you move to Buffalo! Urban flight and economic despair have their advantages, Mr. Smith! Buffalo's score: 5 out of 5 chicken wing

Point the Fifth: I'm a low key guy. I like to mind my own business. Does this city allow for privacy?

Um, no. Upon arrival in Buffalo, all NHL players are required to turn over all financial statements, personal journals (including the ones from your most embarrassing adolescence), and all existing health records. Every man, woman, and child in Buffalo will recognize you and blog about your every move around town. Furthermore, every time you enter a grocery store or pick up your kid from school, we're going to "chirp" at you about the power play. The good news is that we are, for the most part, pretty nice. Buffalo's score: 2 out of 5 chicken wings

Point the Sixth: Does the coach of this team have yellow hair?

Lindy Ruff has the yellowest hair in the business. You will not find a more yellow-haired coach in the NHL. Buffalo's score: 5 out of 5 chicken wings

Point the Seventh: Will my wife like it there?

Yes. She will. Unless she is lame. Buffalo's score: 5 out of 5 chicken wings, unless Jason Smith's wife is lame, in which case 0 out of 5 chicken wings.

Point the Eighth: I've always dreamed of signing a contract for 5 years/$25 million. Can I do that here?

No. First of all, you're too old and slow for that contract. Secondly, no one around here is even sure if the mythical "5 for 25" actually exists. Rumors of its existence have been floating around since January '07, but no one has ever actually seen it, much less applied it to an actual Sabres contract. If you want more information on this confusing topic, you'll have to consult Buffalo's 5-for-25iologist, Bucky Gleason. Buffalo's score: 0 out of 5 chicken wings

Point the Ninth: Will the fanbase appreciate my quiet, hard working vibe?

Will we appreciate it? We practically burned the city to the ground when Chris Drury bolted! Not only will we appreciate it, we will fall madly in love with it and hold it tight to our collective bosom. No quiet, hard working vibe shall ever be under-appreciated by the citizenry of Buffalo, NY. Buffalo's score: 5 out of 5 chicken wings

----

The Buffalo Sabres scored 34 out of 45 possible chicken wings using Jason Smith's nine-point system (29 out of 45 if his wife is lame). This is actually a very high score, and the Sabres organization should feel encouraged by the results. Also, while it is not a calculable factor in the nine-point evaluation system, I think that the fact that Jason Smith uses chicken wings as his standard unit of measurement bodes very well for his future with the Buffalo Sabres.

Jason Smith...

As for swapping the 27th pick for Steve Eminger, the Flyer faithful seem less thrilled.  Check out the comments section on Bill Meltzer's live draft blog for the reactions, which range from a "wait and see" faith in Holmgren to a virulent belief that Holmgren has sacrificed the Flyers future for a Cup run now.

The latter thought is rather dramatic.  Eminger isn't a Cup-guarantee addition to the blueline, nor would Carlson/Markstrom insure the Flyers' success for decades to come.  Pondering the admittedly strange trade last night, I concluded that Eminger does benefit the Flyers in a few key ways.

1. Saving cap space - Eminger has been a bubble player ever since Washington took him 12th in 2002, bouncing from the Hershey Bears to the Caps to the press box.  Even if he receives a raise, he won't be as expensive as a player with 3 years of solid NHL experience and a big playoff series against Montreal.

2.  Blueline depth - Okay, so Eminger isn't a top-4 man.  But the Flyers lacked wiggle room at D, especially if neither Derian Hatcher nor Jason Smith return to the lineup this fall.  Eminger provides one more option for the Flyers' organization as a whole.

3.  Defensive potential - Several have pointed out that Eminger has yet to live up to first round choice potential.  I'd suggest these people take a look at the tools Eminger possesses - can move the puck, decent size, good skating ability.  These outstrip the tools of Nate Guenin (even more of a bubble guy than Eminger) or young Phantoms like Oskars Bartulis who just aren't ready for the NHL.  Put those tools along with some actual ice time in the capable hands of John Stevens and Jack McIlhargey, and Eminger may just blossom into a gem.

4.  More moves ahead? - Acquiring Eminger may be just the first pawn in a bigger move.  Could Knuble + Eminger be leveraged for a true top-4 defenseman?  Or the type of winger that could fill a key spot should Simon Gagne be unable to return? 

But is all this worth a first round pick?  That remains to be seen.  But Paul Holmgren has yet to disappoint the fans in Philadelphia.  I think he's earned some leeway to work the magic that brough Coburn, Parent, and Timonen to the Flyer blueline.

This also means someone will be the odd man out.  If Hatcher and Smith both return to the lineup this fall (please God no!), then Lasse Kukkonen may be out.  On the other hand, should Hatcher retire or Smith sign elsewhere, having Eminger on the blue line may solve the Flyers lack of depth in D.  At least for the short term.

Oh well.  In Holmgren we trust, eh?

When considering the above preseason analysis, a 40-42 record and a playoff berth can be considered a success. Prior to the start of the season, there was little reason to believe a team playing without its two star players (Allen Iverson and Chris Webber) from the previous season could be competitive when that team could not even make the postseason. So how did the Sixers make the playoffs? I am glad you asked.

Reason #1 - Andre Miller. The most talented player on the Sixers is Andre Iguodala, but the MVP has to be Andre Miller. Miller appeared in every game, alternately playing roles of scorer, passer, leader, and big-shot maker at different points in the season. Defying the notion that he is on a career decline, Miller stepped up his game throughout the season.

Reason #2 - Chemistry and character. There is not one J.R. Rider on this squad. Watching almost every minute of every game this season, there wasn't one moment when I wanted to physically harm a Sixer (unlike most Eagles' games). Everyone of these guys seemed to enjoy playing, hustles, and cheers for their teammates. I'm certain it is not as perfect as I describe, but If you think this doesn't help a team succeed, you obviously haven't seen a Knicks' game. A lot of the credit is given to coach Mo Cheeks, and this is why he'll be back another year.

Reason #3 - Health. Before the season began, I read predictions that the Sixers would win as low as 21 games. My thought? No way a team with the Andres (Miller and Iguodala) playing 82 games a piece wins less than 30. NBA players are injured so frequently in games, practices, and by stray baggage carts that when a team's opening day lineup misses only 9 (yes 9 - Green 8 and Evans 1) games during the season, you are going to win a fair share of games you shouldn't against banged up opponents. Add in that significant reserves Jason Smith, Louis Williams, Rodney Carney, and Thaddeus Young all played in 70 or more games, and you wonder how they could not make the playoffs.

Okay, so they made the playoffs and lost in the first round. Now the question is who do you keep in your quest for a title and who do you move? Let's look at this position by position.

Point Guard

Starter: Andre Miller. As mentioned above, Miller was the team MVP from this past season. Obviously, keeping him you know you will get excellent play for 82 games. However, the rest of the team's core is quite young and may only start to peak when Miller's talent declines. Also, his trade value is the highest it will ever be, as he is coming off an excellent season AND is in the last year of his contract. So do the Sixers keep Miller, trade some youth for veterans and go title-hunting now, or trade Miller and go for the youth movement?

Backup: Louis Williams. Williams is a young, explosive sixth man who is slowly developing point guard skills. The question is whether this 21 year old can develop into a starting point or is his future as the scorer off the bench? Either way, he has shown himself to be a valuable player and a tradeable asset if the Sixers choose to go older. Note: Title contenders rarely play two guards 6'2" and under in the fourth quarter, as the Sixers did this past season.

 Third String: Kevin Ollie. I have to admit, I am a Kevin Ollie fan. I don't know if it's the funny mustache or just that he doesn't seem to care how often he plays, but I hope he gets to play somewhere next year. He is a solid defensive player who rarely turns the ball over. Unfortunately, his contract is up and I am not the Sixers' GM.

Shooting Guard

Starter: Willie Green. Willie Green had his finest season as a professional in 2007-08. Unfortunately, he still is not close to being a legitimate NBA starter. He scores fairly well when not in pressure situations and his defense was better than I expected. On the downside, his jumper looks like it will always be inconsistent and he often struggles to score for long stretches. I imagine the Sixers will move him to the bench next season, where he will be an overpaid reserve for the next few years.

Backup: Rodney Carney. Carney is actually more of a small forward, but no one else seemed to fit the mold of backup shooting guard. For the first half of the season, I was wagering with my friends that Carney would be out of the league in a couple years. The Sixers' management probably felt the same way and relayed it to Carney who majorly stepped up his game in the second half of the season. Carney will never be a star in this league, but if he sticks to dribbling little, dunking in transition, working on his three-point accuracy, and becoming a defensive stopper, he will become a valuable role player. He is an awesome athlete who has all the tools to become a Bruce Bowen-like defensive stud.

Small Forward

Starter: Andre Iguodala. Andre is the most talented player on the squad. He is both a good scorer and defender who at times plays like a superstar (the win in Boston this year being a prime example). The problem is that he will never be a superstar. He lacks a great jump shot and is not outstanding at creating his own shot. That being said, he is definitely capable of being a number 2 or 3 best player on a contending team.

Backup: Thaddeus Young. This is where the Sixers have an issue. Young is probably the second most talented player on the Sixers at present, with the ability to be the best. The problem is that he plays the same position as Iguodala. You can make the case that Young could play the 4 as he did a lot this past season or Iguodala can play the three. This may work against some teams, but Young is a bit small to play the 4 and Iguodala doesn't shoot well enough to play the 2. Anyway, Young has the ability to be an all star in this league if he can further develop his three-point shot and post moves against smaller players. He also is a hustler on defense. If I had to decide whether to keep Young or Iguodala, I might just go with Young.

Power Forward

Starter: Reggie Evans. When the Sixers swapped Steven Hunter for Evans, I was mildly pleased. On the upside, the Sixers received a true power forward. On the downside, his contract is longer than Hunter's. By the end of the season, I was just happy on all fronts, as I am just an Evans' fan. He may not be starter material and his offensive game is offensive. However, I love his hustle, rebounding, and positive energy. His toughness is also much needed on this team. I certainly don't want him as a starter, but would like to see him for 15-20 minutes a game for the next few years.

Backup: Louis Amundson. Really the Sixers just rotated Young, Evans, and Smith at the power forward spot, but I've already discussed two of them and Smith will appear in center review. Amundson had a contract for the entire season, but appeared in only sixteen games. He is an under-sized power forward who offensive ability is comparable to Evans. He is a likeable, high energy guy who you don't mind seeing jumping about for 5 minutes a game, but will likely not be back next season.

Third String: Shavlik Randolph. Randolph has been injured for much of the past two seasons, which has limited his ability to prove his value. As a rookie, he showed some promise as a hustle-guy who is a legitimate 6'10". He also can hit the 15 footer on occasion and drives hard to the basket. If he can stay healthy, he may have a future as a backup somewhere. I imagine the Sixers will at least give a camp invite.

Fourth String: Herbert Hill. Hill spent the season on the injured list. Prior to the season, he showed some good offensive ability within 10 feet. He should be vying for a roster spot again this season.

Center

Starter: Samuel Dalembert. Then GM Billy King signed Dalembert to a fairly large contract a few years ago. People laughed and laughed until it became apparent that Sammy is a legitimate center. He is decent offensively when compared to other centers and is a very good shot-blocker. Also, he finally figured out how to goal-tend less. With Dalembert achoring the Sixers' defense and the derth of alternatives at center, he will most certainly be the starting center next season.

Backup: Jason Smith. When I watched Smith during the summer league last year, I thought he was horrible. A few months later he was a completely different player appearing against pros for 15 minutes a night. Smith is a face-the-basket type of big man who has a decent jumper. But what impressed me most about him is the way he aggressively tries to block shots, even if it means being dunked on a decent amount. He needs to get stronger and become a better rebounder, but he has the potential to start in this league.

Third String: Calvin Booth. Booth appeared sparingly this season and when he did you could see why. He doesn't have any real offensive skills and has limited strength for a big man. He can block shots, which I guess always puts him in position for a third string spot.

Next week I will play GM and explore what I think are some avenues the Sixers can take in the off season.

You can contact me at TheRealNBA@yahoo.com

Doi dintre cei mai buni baschetbalisti sibieni din acest sezon, Keith Triplett si Jason Smith au declarat, ieri, pentru Sibiu Standard ca nu au primit nicio oferta de prelungire a contractului iar in aceasta dimineata vor pleca spre Statele Unite. In ultima lor zi in Sibiu, cei doi jucatori au vizitat inca odata orasul, au mers sa manance la McDonald's si au vizitat redactia Sibiu Standard. Bine dispusi, cei doi s-au declarat fericiti ca s-a incheiat sezonul. "A fost lung si obositor, asa ca ma bucur ca s-a terminat. Abia astept sa merg acasa", a spus Triplett. Deja si-au facut bagajele, iar la ora 6 au avut avionul. Spune ca s-au simtit foarte bine la Sibiu si regreta ca pleaca. "A fost frumos. Fanii si fetele mi-au placut cel mai mult", a dezvaluit Jason. (preluare sibiu standard)

Tesler and his partners Junnier and Smith had gotten a no-knock warrant, claiming that there was a kilo of cocaine in the house, but they lied about whether they had confirmed the information from their informant. Consequently they busted into the elderly woman's home in plainclothes, shot and killed her when she shot at them - undoubtedly in self-defense, believing them to be intruders - then planted drugs in her house to make it look like a "good" bust.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The jury acquitted Tesler on two charges from the illegal 2006 narcotics raid in which officers shot and killed Kathryn Johnston in her northwest Atlanta home. It found him guilty of lying in an official investigation in the cover-up of police wrongdoing that followed the shooting.

"It is not like anyone intended to hurt her, but that's what came out of it," Woltz said. "Right will win out."

Tesler, 42, faces up to five years in prison when sentenced Thursday. If he had been convicted on all counts, he could have been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The verdict came shortly after the jury reviewed a transcript of Tesler's defense testimony. He and his two partners were accused of lying to get the no-knock search warrant for Johnston's home on the mistaken belief it was the house of a drug dealer.

The Johnston killing shocked metro Atlanta and enraged many in the African-American community, who complained that shoddy or heavy-handed police work in the war on drugs was a source of repeated abuses.

You can read the article in its entirety on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Reading through various discussion boards following the Flyers' victory in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final, I noticed several Penguins fans describing their cross-state rivals as a goon squad led by a dirty 23-year-old center named Mike Richards.  Obviously, I have made my thoughts on Richards quite clear, but I found the concept interesting.    That the more skilled, talent, gifted Penguins were defeated by a punk team that won't fight fair.

Their argument is easy to assemble.  The Pens feature young stars like Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Staal, Fleury, Whitney, and Malone.  Veterans Sykora, Roberts, and Gill add grit and dependable leadership.  Meanwhile the Flyers really only have one marquis name in Danny Briere, several yappers like Scottie Upshall and Scott Hartnell, and sustained five suspensions during the early portion of the regular season.

Such contentions are somewhat one-sided.  Let's not forget that the Pens regularly dress Georges Laraque, the most feared heavyweight fighter currently playing in the NHL.  And the Flyers possess much underrated talent in defensemen Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn (and we may add Randy Jones here in the near future) as well as forwards Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, and Joffrey Lupul. 

But none of that addresses the heart of the matter: is this really a battle between the stars and the goons? 

I say no.  The Pennsylvania Cold War is about two different methods of winning.  For Pittsburgh, the game is 100% new NHL with a smattering of 1990s excellence - skill and speed to gain a lead. a strong trap to keep it.  For Philadelphia, it's old time hockey all the way - getting it done with hard work, grit, tenacity, and a huge helping of team defense.  To simplify this, it's Sidney Crosby vs. Mike Richards.

Where the Penguins rely on skill to carry them, the Flyers rely on themselves as a team unit.  Consider this: despite losing their entire top defense pairing and having a blueline with slow moving gray beards like Hatcher and Smith and unproven youngsters like Jones, Kukkonen, and Parent, the Flyers have not been blown out even once by the Penguins.  The largest goal deficit in a single game?  Three goals - one of which was an empty netter from Marian Hossa. 

In a league of superstars, number one draft picks, and trade deadline acquisitions (see entire Penguins roster), the Flyers band together to assemble their wins.  It may not be pretty, as in the case of almost every goal Mike Knuble has ever scored (well, except for that wrister he once put past Martin Brodeur).  It may involve irritating the opponent, as in the case of the Richards-Crosby scrum in Game 4.  And sometimes it requires fireworks, like Jason Smith pummelling Ryan Malone during the regular season or the various exchanges between Laraque and Riley Cote.

Only two teams in NHL history have ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit.  Some journalists have questioned whether the Flyers can generate the intensity required to win twice in a row.  But if there were ever a team with the emotional strength and the ability to perform when the chips are down, it's this Flyers squad.  And if that makes them goons, so be it.

- Fleury with some great saves on Carter.

- Biron looked much better.  Shame he couldn't bring that ability at the beginning of the game instead of just the end.

- Strange call with a minute and a half remaining.  Whatever happened to the third-man-in rule?

As previously stated, it's only game 1.  The Penguins didn't blow out the Flyers by any means, and that's without Kimmo Timonen.

End of 2nd period.  Flyers 2 - Penguins 4.  Malkin scores a short-handed goal.

- Flyers came out without a sense of urgency, and they paid for it.  Period.

- Biron improved as the period progressed.  The Flyers could come back if they score quickly in the third.

- Mike Richards is a man on a mission.  Just watch his aggressiveness physically.  He's only 5'10", but he's muscleing the bigger Penguins off the puck and creating scoring opportunities for the Flyers.  There may be a clutch goal or two ahead of him.  And that's not even factoring in assists.

- Penguins looked sluggish on their power play, struggling to set up in the offensive zone.  Bizarre.

End of 1st period.  Flyers 2 - Penguins 3.  Both Flyer goals from Richards.  Penguins from Sykora, Crosby and Malkin.

- Marty Biron does not look sharp, especially on his attempts to play the puck.  He was caught out of his net several times with the Penguins swarming - which led directly to Crosby's goal.  (The Versus color guy drooled over that, but if you can't score with a goaltender out of his net, maybe you don't desere to be an NHL superstar.  Crosby should have scored that goal, and did.)  If I were John Stevens, I'd consider using bungee cords to affix Biron to that net.  That said, Biron does tend to improve as the game continues, so don't count him out yet.

- Mike Richards is the definition of clutch.  One banked off Fleury, the other went top shelf.

- Poor defensive coverage by Jaroslav Modry led directly to the Sykora goal.  A poor defense change with 10 seconds remaining in the first led to Malkin's.  Perhaps they're trying to do too much with Timonen out.  Perhaps it's just sloppiness.  Either way, the blue line needs to tighten up.

- Flyers need to keep attacking, continue avoiding the penalty box, and see better goaltending from Marty Biron.  Fleury's not handling rebounds well, so the Flyers need to shoot the puck as often as possible.  This one isn't over yet, folks!

Pregame.
Kimmo Timonen is out.  Jaroslav Modry is in.  Not exactly a great trade off, but it will have to do.

With Timonen down, match ups increase tenfold in importance for both teams.  The Penguins will try to exploit the Flyers' slow guys - Hatcher and Smith - as well as the young guys - Jones and Kukkonen - as much as possible.  They're going to create more pressure, attempt to draw more penalties, and generally force their way towards Marty Biron.

For the Flyers, match ups are also key - and much harder to achieve since Pittsburgh has the last change by virtue of home ice advantage.  Look for the Richards line against Crosby and Carter against Malkin.  Those combinations are more about putting size against size and personality against personality.  There is absolutely no love lost between Crosby and Richards on the ice - and in the past that conflict has set a distinct tone for their respective teams.

On paper, the Penguins should win.  But with the Flyers' recent run, be ready for anything.  It's only Game 1.

Reminder: This blog is all in good fun. I love hockey and I respect all players, even if they aren't on the Flyers. Well, mostly. But I do cherish our rivalries and my arch nemeses. I might have dumb nicknames for them, but I don't think I've truly insulted anyone yet. I'm all for freedom of speech but let's not get too mean, comment wise, kay? I won't approve anything that I deem innappropriate or hurtful. Ha, that sort of makes me a ref...and I'll be so much better than the refs from the Habs series. Oh yes I did!

Unquestionably Timonen has been the Flyers best defenseman during the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs.  From his role as a key member of the five-man shutdown unit implemented against Alexander Ovechkin to his quiet, flawless efforts throughout the Montreal series, Timonen is the true unsung hero of the team.  He stands behind the goaltending genius of Martin Biron, the power play prowess of Danny Briere, and the breakout brilliance of RJ Umberger.

It's quite possible that the Penguins will exploit Timonen's absence to their scoring advantage.  Without Timonen, who will defend Crosby and/or Malkin?  Who's going to play point on the top power play unit?  And who's going to kill penalties?  I'm sure the pundits are predicting this injury skewing the series heavily in Pittsburgh's favor.

On the other hand, the Flyers may prove some unseen defensive depth.  This team has found ways to win when things seemed hopelessly stacked against them time and again.  It was not so long ago that the Flyers faced a tough final stretch in the regular season, with the highly skilled Atlantic Division teams ahead and the Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers, and Buffalo Sabres breathing down their necks.  Yet they managed to pull out some incredible victories versus the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils.

Players who could step forward:
Braydon Coburn - He's grown tremendously since the preseason, elevating his game and soaring from a second pairing with Derian Hatcher to top line duties with Kimmo Timonen.  He played excellent hockey during the first two rounds and may have yet another level within.

Jason Smith - He's a veteran who has proven his mettle in the playoffs before.  Lest you forget, he led the eighth ranked Edmonton Oilers to their unlike Stanley Cup run two years ago.  And they weren't eliminated until the third period of Game 7, despite losing starting netminder Dwayne Roloson.

Derian Hatcher - Big and slow are two words that come to mind.  But gritty hits, massive experience, and terrific penalty killing are the other side of that coin.  And as the only American to captain a Stanley Cup championship team, Hatcher knows what is required to win.

Randy Jones - At times, Jones can become overexposed in the NHL, making poor choices along the boards and shooting a lot of pucks that get blocked too close to the blueline for comfort.  On the other hand, he has a plus-eight rating in the 2008 playoffs.  And unlike Smith, Jones is capable of scoring the occasional goal.  Should he get his hands on whatever RJ Umberger's been drinking lately, he could become the story of the playoffs.

Here's a link to Tim Panaccio's coverage of Timonen's injury.

I am back home after a 4 days romantic trip to Verona (the city of Romeo and Juliet !) with my wife, finally back blogging also.

I am changing job & town in the next weeks, so it's possible that new posts and updates will have some pauses.

Anyway I'll have BIG NEWS SOON, so give me a free pass and stay tuned on Sixers4guidos.

So the Sixers season is over after the 77-100 loss to the Pistons in game 6 of the first round: 4-2, end. While I'm typing this post, Detroit has a 2-1 lead over Orlando in the second round.

Of course no need to recap the game one week after it was played, and also because it was another blowout (2-15 Detroit to start it, 12-30 after the first quarter, 33-51 at the half...).

I'll just point out some things, the feelings I had after the end of the series.

1) Detroit deserved to advance, of course. Can't argue with three consecutive wins after trailing 1-2, also because the wins came in a pretty impressive way. The best team won, simple as that.

2) I am VERY HAPPY with what Sixers did in the season and in the series. Idiots complaining about the 2-1 lead we had, about the collapses in the last two games, about Iguodala's (actual) shortcomings, perhaps forget where did we come from.

So I'd better remind you: a 40-42 regular season record, and this after a year in which many thought we'd end dead last in the Conference. Sixers overachieved, both in the regular season and in playoffs, so cut the BS criticisms this time !!!

3) I'm EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED that Sixers fans (in the pic, a cool one) couldn't sell the arena out in none of the three games played in Philly. I even heard some boos in game 6... typical Philly.

Fortunately the fans few left until the end of that (bad) game, gave our guys and the coach the standing ovation they totally deserved for this wonderful season.

4) I will root for the Pistons during these playoffs.

I always liked the Pistons, since the Bad Boys era, and the fact they kicked us out of the playoffs in our last three appearances, will not change this feeling.

Stefanski stated many times that Detroit should be a model for the Sixers (last one mentioned in this article by Bob Ford), and I like this too, I hope in 2-3 years we can reach that level.

UP SOON ON SIXERS4GUIDOS !

* a brand new home page, with cool graphics !!!

* a Sixer-by-Sixer breakdown of the 2007/2008 season, starting with Andre Miller.

* results of a poll among Sixers bloggers, giving the 2007/2008 Sixers awards

* (hopefully) a surprise from the Sixers franchise, that I've been in contact with, even today. I'm waiting for some answers about a "sensitive" topic I've been bringing up over the last months... 

It's been written and spoken about how the Sixers were 18-30 in early February, and how their season was over after a loss to Atlanta. They were written off, forgotten, and eyes turned to next year. But one group of guys never gave up, the Philadelphia 76ers team and staff. It was a frustrating season early to say the least, but to go 18-5 after their 18-30 start is something to marvel at. This team was picked to win 25 games, maybe 30 with luck. What'd they do? They won 40 games and took 2 playoff games from the number 2 seed Detroit Pistons. That's called never giving up. That's called determination and finding an identity.

Up to that February date on which the Sixers dropped to 12 games under .500, the season had been a roller coaster of emotion coupled with inconsistency. Long time president Billy King, fired. Sixers long distance shooter Kyle Korver, traded. Talks of Andre Miller being dished to another team. Everything bad that could have happened, did happen. But somehow, someway, Mo Cheeks get through to these kids. Somehow, the message was hammered home, the message every athlete should play with: if you go out there on game night and play to your maximum level of potential, good things are going to happen. It's very fair to say that good things did happen to this team.

So they were 18-30 and finished with 40 wins, but how'd they get there? How about a comeback win over the Wizards? How about a solid performance to beat the Mavericks? What about that 40 point thrashing of arch rival New York (not as impressive, but just as sweet)? What about wins over Orlando, on the road in Phoenix, on the road at Detroit, coming back from more than 20 down on the road against Chicago, beating the defending champion Spurs, and beating league best Boston at their place? These were character wins and season defining wins. The Sixers had a seemingly impossible road to the playoffs facing western conference powerhouses and top teams in the east. But they won, and they continued to win. With each new win came renewed confidence that this is no joke. Also with these wins came a new identity as a run and gun team. This team wasn't just winning games, they were playing fun basketball too.

One of the biggest catalysts to this unbelievable season was the play of Andre Miller; the captain of the ship. Miller enjoyed his best offensive season ever in the pros, averaging 17 points per game. But he was more than a scorer, he was a leader in all phases of the game. He averaged over 7 assists a game, always knowing where his teammates are on the floor. His quiet demeanor off the court was put aside to a fiery competitor on the floor. The young guys looked up to him and learned from his non-stop effort in all 82 games. Whenever the Sixers needed a bucket, a pass, or energy, it was all Miller.

What of Sami Dalembert? He was given a big contract a few years back that some thought he didn't deserve, but looking back now, who else would you rather have in the middle? A 7 foot monster in the paint who had his best season on defense, blocking shots and creating havoc in the paint. He averaged a double double, 10 and 10, for the season. Iguodala developed his long jumper too, averaging over 19 points per game.

But perhaps the biggest story is Mo Cheeks confidence in playing the young guys. Jason Smith, rookie. Thaddeus Young, rookie. Lou Williams, 2nd year player. Rodney Carney, 2nd year player. It's almost fact that the majority of coaches in the league wouldn't dare play these guys as much as Coach Cheeks did. But through trust came results. Rodney Carney had a fantastic second half, finally finding his shot. Lou Williams took every piece of advice from fellow point guard Mo Cheeks and upped his game big time: his scoring went up 7 points from a year before. Jason Smith was a mystery to fans and the team alike on what his skills would translate into in the NBA. But he developed a sweet jump shot and provided a great deal of energy and ability to run the floor. What can you say about Thaddeus Young that hasn't been said already? This 19 year old kid averaged 3 points early in the season in little minutes on the floor. At the end of the year? 11 points per contest. Pure athleticism, pure energy, a sweet jump shot that only got better, a high basketball IQ for a rookie, and always willing to learn more. The sky is the limit for this young man.

This summer should be an active one for the Sixers without a doubt. Ed Stefanski and the front office have a lot of decisions to make. What happens with Iguodala, a restricted free agent? What happens about the decision to keep Andre Miller? Will we get a needed big powerful forward to play the 4 (hello Elton Brand!)? What happens in the draft? There's an unbelievable amount of questions to answer this summer and they will be in time.

But as for right now, in this moment, appreciate what this team gave Sixers fans this year. Philadelphia is known as a football town, but it is so full of rich basketball tradition. From producing NBA players, to the Sixers history, and down to the Big 5 college match-ups, Philadelphia is a basketball hotbed. The 2007-2008 Sixers team gave the fans something to believe in and we rode it until the end. They play fast, they play hard, and they play with heart. There's nothing more valuable to Philly fans than effort, and this team breathes effort in every game. While tonight's playoff exit stings, be proud of this group; they went above and beyond what anyone thought they could accomplish. Nobody knows what the future holds for this team, but if you build off what happened this year, it's going to be more exciting times for this franchise and its fan base.

CONGRATS ON A FANTASTIC SEASON

be sure to check out our friends for more Sixers info at Cuseadelphia and Passion & Pride

all photos from NBA.com

Not much to say about Pistons' 98-81 win of last night, really.

You just "copy & paste" game 2, and the recap of game 2, and you know what happened yesterday at the Palace.

It was Pistons from start to finish, no need to go quarter-by-quarter.  

The game basically ended after the first period (35-21), with Pistons shooting 15/19 (!), led by Billups, who had 14 points on 4/5, including two threes, to go with seven assists !!

The only sign of life by the Sixers was when Iguodala stripped Prince to feed Thaddeus Young on a fastbreak for a nice layup: it was 10-10, but a 16-2 Pistons run immediately followed that beatiful play.

Iguodala had finally a good game, but unfortunately with ZERO IMPACT on the team's performance. Not blaming him again, of course, just stating a fact. Iggy went 4/4 in the first period, but fellow Andre shot 1/8, promptly extended to 1/10 at the beginning of the second, when he was finally pulled out.

Miller's poor game (the first of the series, to be honest, so not sayin it's his fault, or not only his) had a negative effect on the whole team, literally kicked in the butt for 48 minutes, while Pistons guards and Rasheed with his effective inside-outside game were partying all night.

By halftime Billups & Rip had a combined 29 points on 12/19 from the field, while Miller & Green had 14 on 5/18, including Miller getting blocked three times (see the pic...). Another stat gives you a sign of what happened in the first half: Detroit had fifteen assists, Sixers five. The 54-42 score at the break was even a bargain for us, especially considering that Billups went 0/2 from the line with just 1 second before the horn.

Nevermind, Pistons' lead in the third was quicky extended to sixteen (60-44, 9.20 to play) and it was Thaddeus Young accidentally tapping the ball in our basket (!!) to make it twenty: 68-48. Need more signs that it wasn't our night?

Everything went in the best way for Detroit, unlikely shots to beat the shot clock, threes (6/10 at one point in the third), dunks, blocks (a ton of them) and Sixers helped their opponenents in many ways, including a lane violation by Evans on a Green's (made) foul shot.

I think/hope in game 6 it will be a different story, and I hope the Wachovia center will be finally sold out....

Let's make another effort, young Sixers !

SIXERS4GUIDOS BONUS STATS AND RANDOM THOUGHTS 

Refs weren't good - All of Maxiell's three field goals were dunks, one better than the other - I would like to see more of Carney in the next game - The best Sixers play of the night came when Iguodala slammed home a lob by Lou Williams catching the ball with one hand: too bad it was garbage time already - At the end of the third (79-59), Pistons were shooting 33/55, Sixers 22/55... - Samuel Dalembert's mohawk haircut is something that I can't describe. I'll try to find a pic - Maurice Cheeks came third in the Coach of the Year award run, (deservely) won by Byron Scott. Congrats to both guys.

I will be out with wifey for few days, I don't know if and when I will be able to watch game 6 and post about it. In case, will you survive ???

In response to a Washington Post column about the Flyers fans that read "women and children could be security for Megedeth," lead singer Dave Mustaine (of Megadeath) sent a videotaped message of support. He wore Jason Smith's sweater.

Um. How much love? Words cannot express.

I remember joining those cheers the first time they arose from the Wachovia Center crowd.  It was a game between the Flyers and the Islanders.  The Orange and Black, leading 4-0, were riding a wave of beautiful saves from Martin Biron.  He didn't quite capture the shutout - the Islanders popped one through late in the third - but the assembled fans noticed and appreciated the outstanding effort Biron gave.

I trace Biron's current hot streak to that game.  That game marked the third win in the final stretch where Philadelphia went 8-1-1.  And the flames have only burned brighter since that time.  The Orange Crush chanted Marty's name after every big save, from the first period poke check to the second period glove saves to the last minute third period stops.  The goaltender every had written off is the story of this playoff series.

- I mentioned Jeff Carter as a key player in the pregame blog.  Carter's line put in two of the three goals, and the young center had 2 hits and went 55% in the faceoff circle.  The lone detractor: with less than a minute remaining in the league and the Canadiens with an empty net, Carter found the puck in the high slot of his own zone.  Instead of clearing the puck, he passes it backwards and puts it on the tape of a Canadiens stick.  It didn't hurt the team, but it came dangerously close.

- Mike Richards was another name dropped.  He had a monster game, capped off by a short-handed goal.  A plus-2 rating, 3 shots on goal, and a 57% faceoff win percentage.  And he even found time for a few extra curriculars.  It was a classic Richards performance - the type that wins games for the Flyers.

- Team defense.  Jason Smith showed why he wears the "C" - four hits tonight and several uncredited.  Randy Jones blocked 7 shots.  Kimmo Timonen blocked 5 shots, had 2 hits, and put up a plus-2 rating.  His defense partner Braydon Coburn was also a plus-2.  Even Derian Hatcher was a plus-1, despite the roughing major and game misconduct that cost his team dearly (both Montreal goals came on the ensuing 5 minute power play).  Lasse Kukkonen, however, had a bad night: 2 bad penalties and only one blocked shot.

There is still plenty of room for improvement from the Flyers squad.  It will be a battle to maintain home ice advantage on Wednesday night.

Yeah, the series is still open, yeah before it started everybody would have thought that being 2-2 after four games would have been damn good, but still I have the feeling that we missed a great chance.

1) First off, give Pistons their props for the deserved 84-93 win of last night, they proved why they have been to the Conference finals five years in a row.

2) we better try to analyze how we let a 14 point lead (43-29, 4.30 left in the second) turn into a 15 point deficit (65-80, 8.30 to play in the fourth. That means a 22-51 break in 20 minutes of action !

3) we should think about possible solutions to avoid that happening again.

Pistons played like a veteran team, never losing composure also when everything looked going in the wrong sense for them.

Sixers' FIRST QUARTER was great: Sammy knocked down a couple of free throws and had a huge block on Billups (0/3 + 3 turnovers to start the game...), igniting the crowd and setting the tone for his team mates. Iguodala hit his first two shots, one being a step back jumper (the same shot that NEVER went in before) and the other a thunderous dunk over Rasheed Wallace. We all thought it could be the right night for him and for the Sixers.

By the half of the period all Sixers starters had already scored, while Detroit (with Maxiell in at PF) struggled: it was 17-10 and it ended at 25-19, with Green and Dalembert scoring six points, Iguodala five and Young four. Mo didn't make any substitution.

The SECOND QUARTER was even better: Jason Smith had a huge impact off the bench, with a spectacular block on Hamilton, a fall away jumper that beat the shot clock and a high flying dunk off a feed by Lou Williams, followed by another throwdown by the same guard that gave us a 10 point lead (39-29). On Detroit's first defensive attempt of zone defense Carney knocked down a long three (42-29), so what could you ask more ???

A couple of turnovers kept the Pistons alive, and they closed the half down ten, 46-36, with Prince leading all scores with 10 on a nice 5/6 from the floor, while Billups and Rip were held to a combined, and pretty unbelievable, 3/18. Sixers' offense was balanced, with Iguodala at 9 (4/8), Green at 7 (3/6), Miller at 8 (4/8 but with four turnovers), Sam at 6, with five rebounds.

The THIRD QUARTER was simply another story. We could make all the possible breakdowns, but the truth is just as simple: Detroit made all shots. Pistons went 5/6 from downtown in the period, with Sheed hitting three: that helped them making the initial 11-0 run (46-47, first lead of the night) and then extending the lead to seven (53-60, Sheed's third three), and ten at 56-66, completing a 10-30 break ! 

An unstoppable Prince made a lot of damage (3/3 in the period), and second chance points absolutely killed us.

The 62-70 score at the start of the FOURTH QUARTER was something possible to overcome, but Sixers' pains continued: long rebounds were always falling in Pistons' hands and, unfortunately for us, even the horrible Rip Hamilton seen in the previous quarters woke up, scoring 10 consecutive points that put the game out of reach (69-84, 6 minutes to go).

Our lack of outside shooting was exposed, Willie Green had a nice spurt with a couple of baskets but Pistons were never really threatened. Game over.

So what went wrong for us?

1) Iguodala's second half was unwatchable. Not only he shot 0/8 in the last two quarters (and 1/13 overall after the 3/3 aforementioned start), but he was abused by Tayshaun Prince again.

Tay went 5/5 in the second half, and while everybody is (correctly) pointing the finger on Iggy's 11/49 from the floor in the series (22%...), you better combine that with Prince's 66 % (31/47), including 19/21 in the last two games  !!! To sum it up, Iguodala, known also for being a good defender, is being severely outplayed by Tayshaun on both ends.

But it's not the shots not falling, or at least not only that. It's his decision making, the kind of shots he takes (fallaway 20 footers, forced drives etc) and the turnovers that really irk me. Yesterday he gave away the ball five times, and also missed five free throws, which is totally unacceptable. Just another horrible night for him (and his agent, LOL).

This leads to another question: why is he playing so much (46 minutes yesterday ???) even when he's clearly "off"? It's not that we lack options at the shooting (?) guard-small forward spot. Thaddeus Young had another impressive game (15 points + 9 rebounds and a ton of good, smart plays), Green is being very solid (props, Willie) and he's always good for providing instant offense, while Carney responded well even in limited minutes.

I understand Iggy is the franchise player (?), that you have to wait for him bla bla bla, but... how long ???? Solution: pull him out give him a rest earlier, use a combo of Green, Lou and Carney in his place.

2) we didn't box out well, leaving Detroit too many offensive rebounds in the key moments (even if the boxscore doesn't tell it). Solution: how about playing Dalembert AND Smith together for some stretches? Smith at PF for some minutes could perhaps open some space for Sam in the paint as well: lobs, alley oops etc.

3) we didn't make shots (I guess you are impressed by this smart "behind the scene" analysis...), also because we took bad shots. Solution: more ball circulation, more movement without the ball, more screens, cuts etc, less one-on-one plays.

Now looking at the next games I'll have to say this.

The series is still open and I think we are capable of winning one more in Detroit. We simply let a winnable game slip away, even if no fan with half a brain could have thought that Pistons would given up so quickly/easily.

Still, being 2-2 after four games is nice (remember how we got here... 40 reg season wins vs Piston's 59...), and this team surprised us so many times that if they pull out a W at Detroit on Tuesday, this time I won't be... surprised. Pistons realized these Sixers are for real and that they have to play hard for 48 minutes to beat them.

SIXERS4GUIDOS BONUS STATS AND RANDOM THOUGHTS

Well, I just gave you a lot of nice stats above, what the f'k do you want more from me ?? LOL - At halftime, Sixers shot 18/33 (54%), Pistons 15/40 (37%) - That means Sixers shot 13/33 in the second half, Pistons 19/40 -  A good note: Sam Dalembert was very good again - Another thing to be happy for: Thaddeus Young's 15 points are a playoffs career high, same for his 9 rebounds  - When Andre MIller has more turnovers (4) than assists (3) it's tough - Detroit's (celebrated) bench was nowhere to be found again. All Pistons veterans logged more than 40 minutes, this might turn in our favor later - Mc Dyess played with a mask, lifting the total of Pistons looking scary to a remarkable two.