Cheeks Going Back to Basics on Defense

Padrino

All-Star
Cheeks going back to basics on defense

By Joe Juliano

Inquirer Staff Writer

The 76ers are 35 games into the season, and their coach says they need to return to the fundamentals of playing defense.
Allen Iverson says the Sixers are doing a lot of things wrong.
Chris Webber says he's not sure whether the team knows itself yet, more than three months after starting training camp.
"We're not happy," Webber said.
Nevertheless, coach Maurice Cheeks introduced "Defense 101" to his team yesterday at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. The Sixers spent more than 21/2 hours watching tape and working on playing, positioning and communicating at the defensive end.
As a player, this stuff came rather easily to Cheeks, the 76ers' all-time leader in steals. As a coach, though, it has proved to be tougher to get through to players what he wants defensively.
"There's no substitute for effort, and that's how we're going to get better," Cheeks said. "The harder we practice it, the harder we play it, the better we'll get at it.
"It's got to be more repetitious on the defensive side. Today was a more concerted effort on the defensive end. It's going over repetitions, of getting guys in the right positions, getting some talking out on the floor, just getting guys to understand what they need to do in terms of being a better defensive team."
The urgency follows a week in which the Sixers allowed two teams to establish season highs for field-goal percentage against them. The Los Angeles Lakers converted 58.5 percent of their shots last Friday, and the Utah Jazz topped that with a 58.8 percent mark on Wednesday.
After the Jazz game, Iverson said the Sixers were doing a "lot of things" wrong and that the main problem was defense "99 percent of the time."
Before they met the Lakers, the Sixers ranked 18th in the NBA in field-goal-percentage defense and 27th in points allowed. Their standing since then has dropped to 24th (46.2 percent field-goal shooting by opponents) and 29th (102.3 points allowed).
"We just have to play team defense," Webber said. "When we talk about playing together, it just means as a team defensively. If there are mismatches defensively, just help each other out and stop the problem before it becomes a problem."
When asked if he has ever been on a team on which the wheels have come off like they have for the Sixers, Webber replied, "I'm sure I have. But on a team with this much talent, I don't think so."
In discussing Utah, Webber said the Jazz "know themselves." When asked if the Sixers knew themselves, he answered, "I'm not sure."
But Webber wasn't all gloom and doom. He said he can see a time, maybe as soon as tonight, when the Boston Celtics visit the Wachovia Center, when the Sixers get things together.
"It's just playing together, and I have no doubt we'll do that," he said. "I have no doubt that we'll better our [17-18] record."
Perhaps motivated by pride, or embarrassment, or having to spend another 21/2 hours going over defense, the Sixers would like to do that.
Election returns. Iverson remains the top vote-getter among Eastern Conference guards in voting for the 2006 NBA All-Star Game. Iverson has attracted more than 1.54 million votes, with Miami's Dwyane Wade in second. Webber is fourth among forwards (434,637 votes).
West's star rising. Celtics point guard Delonte West, who played his college ball at St. Joseph's, is on a tear. In his last 11 games, he is averaging 15.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/basketball/nba/13614042.htm

whether cheeks' strategy works or not, someone should email this to rick adelman...
 
Looks like they still need more practice


On a side note I just saw the craziest play so far this year.

Webb double teamed then he does a behind the back dribble between his legs to get past the defenders. Then Webb lobs it to Sammy who somehow rises up from under Mark Blount for a reverse dunk, posterizing him.

It was so sick that it made Iggy (a guy who throws down insane dunks of his own) grab his head in disbelief. Bill Walton said he had never seen anything like it.

I'll post a link of the video later, once it comes up.
 
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Webb came up big. The block on West and then the final strip from behind on Mark Blount.

Korver also with 2 big plays. The 3 to force tripple OT and then the strip later in that 3rd OT.
 
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That was one crazy game. Webber was great, Korver's three was clutch, but the moment of the game has to be Webb not calling a time out in 1st OT. Everybody just cracked up laughing on the Sixers, especially Webb.
 
bozzwell said:
That was one crazy game. Webber was great, Korver's three was clutch, but the moment of the game has to be Webb not calling a time out in 1st OT. Everybody just cracked up laughing on the Sixers, especially Webb.
Another funny moment was when Scalabrine inbound off of Korvers butt. Also when Mark Blount got an offensive rebound and then the Sixers team ran in the opposite direction because they were so tired they thought the rebound was defensive and from their basket.
 
Mad D said:
Another funny moment was when Scalabrine inbound off of Korvers butt. Also when Mark Blount got an offensive rebound and then the Sixers team ran in the opposite direction because they were so tired they thought the rebound was defensive and from their basket.

That's right, ESPN can have a whole Sportscenter just for this game.

The only bad thing is that I am starting to like Sixers after watching them (I tune in for Webber, so I can't help it). I can't have that. My whole basketball existance is centered around the idea of hating EC teams with passion, especially Sixers, Celts and Knicks.
 
Yeah but he can't play defense anymore.. :rolleyes:
After watching the Kings game followed by this one tonight I only have two words to say... Good trade.
 
bozzwell said:
That's right, ESPN can have a whole Sportscenter just for this game.

The only bad thing is that I am starting to like Sixers after watching them (I tune in for Webber, so I can't help it). I can't have that. My whole basketball existance is centered around the idea of hating EC teams with passion, especially Sixers, Celts and Knicks.
Least it helped me get my mind off tonights game against the Hornets.
 
KP said:
Yeah but he can't play defense anymore.. :rolleyes:
After watching the Kings game followed by this one tonight I only have two words to say... Good trade.

and today's award for appropriate sarcasm goes to KP!!!

:D
 
bozzwell said:
... The only bad thing is that I am starting to like Sixers after watching them (I tune in for Webber, so I can't help it). I can't have that. My whole basketball existance is centered around the idea of hating EC teams with passion, especially Sixers, Celts and Knicks.
Your "whole basketball existance?" :confused:

And why do you hate eastern conference teams?
 
Mr. S£im Citrus said:
Your "whole basketball existance?" :confused:

And why do you hate eastern conference teams?

I could try to offer some justification, complain about the style of play and east coast bias and all that but in reality, once I choose the team I have to "hate" every other team in the league. EC is just convinent to pile bile on as they are easily identifiable subset of the larger group (NBA - Kings). I hate AFC and AL too.

And yes, basketball identity instead of "existance" was more appropriate.
 
bozzwell said:
I could try to offer some justification, complain about the style of play and east coast bias and all that but in reality, once I choose the team I have to "hate" every other team in the league. EC is just convinent to pile bile on as they are easily identifiable subset of the larger group (NBA - Kings)...
But that's backwards; if you have to "hate" other teams, it makes more sense to "hate" the teams from your team's same conference, particularly your division rivals. Those are the teams that you have to play through to advance in the playoffs.

I mean, I could see if we were a championship-caliber team, and we kept running into the same team from the east every year, but we aren't, and we don't. What's the rationale behind hating teams that you only play twice a year? :confused:
 
Bozz is just a hater. :p

Of course all the ugly crap the EC has thrown out there in the past 8 years or so has made many a hater out of those of us marooned out here. Only in the last 2-3 that there is finally a fun team or two to watch over here.
 
Mr. S£im Citrus said:
But that's backwards; if you have to "hate" other teams, it makes more sense to "hate" the teams from your team's same conference, particularly your division rivals. Those are the teams that you have to play through to advance in the playoffs.

I mean, I could see if we were a championship-caliber team, and we kept running into the same team from the east every year, but we aren't, and we don't. What's the rationale behind hating teams that you only play twice a year? :confused:

Of course, I would have to agree with you Slim as your point is based on sound reasoning. However, my "hatred" of EC is completely irrational. Believe me, I tried liking some EC teams, for example I liked Miami (Wade) but then they traded for Shaq and that just reinforced my bias.
 
bozzwell said:
Of course, I would have to agree with you Slim as your point is based on sound reasoning. However, my "hatred" of EC is completely irrational. Believe me, I tried liking some EC teams, for example I liked Miami (Wade) but then they traded for Shaq and that just reinforced my bias.
Hey, what does being a sports fan have to do with rationality anyway? More power to you Bozz.
 
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