| Sixers: Square Peg, Meet Round Hole Authored by Derek Bodner - November 9, 2008 - 5:52 pm
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There's no doubt Ed Stefanski had a marvelous offseason. Marreese Speights was great value at the 16th pick in the draft, and all the moves the Sixers made to maximize their cap space paid off in spades with the signing of the premier player on the free agent market, Elton Brand. A 20/10 power forward that plays good defense isn't something you get the chance to obtain very often.
That being said, the expectations set for this team by fans and media pundits alike were unfairly high. The Sixers, as currently constructed, simply do not get the most out of the talent they have. They don't fit. And Ed Stefanski still has work to do.
Cause for concern should have been raised after looking back on the 2002-03 Los Angeles Clippers, a team Brand and Miller led to a 27-55 record. A year in which Miller, a career 45.8% shooter, connected on only 40.6% of his shots, and where Brand averaged nearly two points per game less than his career average.
Those concerns have been validated during their first six games together as members of the Sixers.
Since arriving in town, Brand has been hailed as the team's savior. A true low-post scoring power forward that can force double teams and kick out to the open man.
Sure, Brand can score in the post, and that is certainly a facet of his game that he could provide when called upon. But that's never really been his bread and butter. Even before the injury, Brand's comfort zone was the 15' jump shot, with his most profound success coming off the pick and roll. During the 2005-06 campaign, in which Brand averaged over 24 points per game, 70% of his field goal attempts were jump shots.
And herein lies the problem. With Miller's limited range and pedestrian first step, the pick-and-roll is largely ineffective.
Effectively removing Brand's favorite spot on the floor, the Sixers have forced him into trying to generate offense, both for himself and for his teammates, down on the low block.
This becomes an even more difficult task since Miller and Andre Iguodala's defenders can double down without fear of leaving their man open, and Samuel Dalembert's man doesn't have to pay too much attention to the offensively challenged center, leaving him free to provide quick double teams and help defense should Brand get the ball in the post.
And, with Brand initiating the offense in the post, it's lessened the impact of possibly his second best offensive attribute, which is crashing the offensive boards, getting putbacks and creating second chance opportunities for his team.
Fundamentally, the key pieces of the team simply may not fit.
There was considerable discussion about whether Iguodala could thrive at shooting guard, especially after the team committed a reported $80 million to the streaky outside shooter. Those concerns have been lessened at least somewhat by Thaddeus Young's increased proficiency from the perimeter. With Miller's potentially poor fit with Brand, and his unresolved contract situation, Miller might be the square peg.
That's not to take anything away from the job Stefanski was able to accomplish over the summer. Brand is a piece that is extremely hard to replace, and when the opportunity presented itself, getting a 20/10 guys like him was a no-brainer. It's also very likely that the problems with the team will appear more pronounced while the new pieces get acclimated to each other.
Ultimately, Brand is a good addition to any team in the league. His ability to get offensive rebounds, provide help defense, and pound the defensive glass is going to help any team he joins. The question is whether or not the combination of players on the roster fit well enough to maximize their individual talents.
If this team has championship aspirations down the line, Stefanski is going to have some tough decisions to make. The question of whether or not Andre Miller is a good fit with Elton Brand appears to be a valid one.
Derek Bodner can be reached at dbodner22@gmail.com |
