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Bench
WEAVE IT TO WEBBER
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/basketball/11459010.htm
[size=-1]By PHIL JASNER[/size]
[size=-1]jasnerp@phillynews.com[/size]
AS YOU listened to Chris Webber respond to questions yesterday, there were alternating strands of optimism, disappointment, puzzlement and even moments of fascination as he reached for answers he either didn't fully have or didn't want to provide in exacting detail.
Two things, though, the 76ers' starting forward made perfectly clear: In his mind, sitting out Wednesday night's regular-season finale against Atlanta with soreness and swelling in his left knee was more than a precautionary measure, and he intends to play in tomorrow's first-round NBA playoff opener against Detroit in Auburn Hills, Mich., not far from where he grew up.
"Yeah, I could have played [against the Hawks], but it would have been rough," Webber said after he, Allen Iverson, Samuel Dalembert and Kevin Ollie sat out most, or all, of yesterday's practice at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
He averaged 15.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 21 games after being acquired from Sacramento in the blockbuster trade that sent Kenny Thomas, Brian Skinner and Corliss Williamson to the Kings. He seemed, in fact, to be thinking what observers have been thinking: Those are decent numbers for a veteran forward, but not for Chris Webber, five-time All-Star and Western Conference Player of the Month in January, who is averaging 19.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists this season.
He spent last summer rehabbing and strengthening his surgically repaired knee, telling himself that if he could resume his career at his accustomed level, this season would be a success. He does not easily please himself.
"The frustration was, I don't feel like it was successful," he said. "I think that's what hurts. The personal goals - you had to feel a certain way about yourself... It's kind of back to square one. I have some things, and some goals,I want to accomplish over [the coming] summer so that next year I can get back to where I was.
"After the trade... It was more like I was on my way out, retiring, [or] I'm not a player [any longer], [or] my knee hurts... Everything. Before the trade, it wasn't like that. I'd say my goals have changed to make sure I come back and double erase [things], come back and play as well as I did in the first half of the year, and then play well enough to erase, in my mind, the second half of the season I've had."
That, needless to say, is off in the distance. He also knows he needs to raise his contribution now if the Sixers are to have any chance in their best-of-seven series against the defending champion Pistons.
So, does he want to be more of a focal point?
"You've got a guy like Allen [Iverson], you want to get him in the open court as much as you can," Webber replied. "Hopefully, with my experience in playing, knowing how to get guys shots where they're more successful, hopefully I can help with that. A lot of times, in the playoffs, your offense is your defense; if you take bad shots, that's bad defense as well because you're allowing a team to get out and run, get a rhythm. Hopefully, I can do some good things on our side of the court."
Well, then, would he prefer to get more touches in the post, where he can use his passing and scoring skills to better advantage?
"You've got to talk to coach [Jim O'Brien] about that," he said, smiling. "Obviously, you're trying to go somewhere with that, that 'inside presence.' I don't know, man. I want the ball any time I can get it. I want to be on the court every second. I want to shoot it every time, I want to pass it every time, just like Allen and anyone else. I don't want anything to be misconstrued, [as in] 'I want it here, I want it there.' I do want it, though.
"Hopefully, I can make a big impact. Now is the time for me to make the impact. Nothing that we talked about in the past matters now. Now is the time to put everything behind, and kind of move forward.
"I know what you're getting at; hopefully, I can be myself on the court. If I'm myself on the court and get where I like, I think good things can happen."
[size=-1]By PHIL JASNER[/size]
[size=-1]jasnerp@phillynews.com[/size]
AS YOU listened to Chris Webber respond to questions yesterday, there were alternating strands of optimism, disappointment, puzzlement and even moments of fascination as he reached for answers he either didn't fully have or didn't want to provide in exacting detail.
Two things, though, the 76ers' starting forward made perfectly clear: In his mind, sitting out Wednesday night's regular-season finale against Atlanta with soreness and swelling in his left knee was more than a precautionary measure, and he intends to play in tomorrow's first-round NBA playoff opener against Detroit in Auburn Hills, Mich., not far from where he grew up.
"Yeah, I could have played [against the Hawks], but it would have been rough," Webber said after he, Allen Iverson, Samuel Dalembert and Kevin Ollie sat out most, or all, of yesterday's practice at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
He averaged 15.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 21 games after being acquired from Sacramento in the blockbuster trade that sent Kenny Thomas, Brian Skinner and Corliss Williamson to the Kings. He seemed, in fact, to be thinking what observers have been thinking: Those are decent numbers for a veteran forward, but not for Chris Webber, five-time All-Star and Western Conference Player of the Month in January, who is averaging 19.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists this season.
He spent last summer rehabbing and strengthening his surgically repaired knee, telling himself that if he could resume his career at his accustomed level, this season would be a success. He does not easily please himself.
"The frustration was, I don't feel like it was successful," he said. "I think that's what hurts. The personal goals - you had to feel a certain way about yourself... It's kind of back to square one. I have some things, and some goals,I want to accomplish over [the coming] summer so that next year I can get back to where I was.
"After the trade... It was more like I was on my way out, retiring, [or] I'm not a player [any longer], [or] my knee hurts... Everything. Before the trade, it wasn't like that. I'd say my goals have changed to make sure I come back and double erase [things], come back and play as well as I did in the first half of the year, and then play well enough to erase, in my mind, the second half of the season I've had."
That, needless to say, is off in the distance. He also knows he needs to raise his contribution now if the Sixers are to have any chance in their best-of-seven series against the defending champion Pistons.
So, does he want to be more of a focal point?
"You've got a guy like Allen [Iverson], you want to get him in the open court as much as you can," Webber replied. "Hopefully, with my experience in playing, knowing how to get guys shots where they're more successful, hopefully I can help with that. A lot of times, in the playoffs, your offense is your defense; if you take bad shots, that's bad defense as well because you're allowing a team to get out and run, get a rhythm. Hopefully, I can do some good things on our side of the court."
Well, then, would he prefer to get more touches in the post, where he can use his passing and scoring skills to better advantage?
"You've got to talk to coach [Jim O'Brien] about that," he said, smiling. "Obviously, you're trying to go somewhere with that, that 'inside presence.' I don't know, man. I want the ball any time I can get it. I want to be on the court every second. I want to shoot it every time, I want to pass it every time, just like Allen and anyone else. I don't want anything to be misconstrued, [as in] 'I want it here, I want it there.' I do want it, though.
"Hopefully, I can make a big impact. Now is the time for me to make the impact. Nothing that we talked about in the past matters now. Now is the time to put everything behind, and kind of move forward.
"I know what you're getting at; hopefully, I can be myself on the court. If I'm myself on the court and get where I like, I think good things can happen."
