Back To The Future

I like Doug Collins.  I think he's a good coach and he's great for the young guys on the team.  And I think he can be one of the reasons that this team goes from a sub .500 team to a 6th, 5th, or 4th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs within 3 years.  Before he does that, though, he's going to have to realize something... pick a lineup and stick with it.  Lose with it.  Learn with it.

I understand that because of injuries he's had to shuffle a little bit, but he's gotta understand his personnel.  Iguodala has missed a good amount of games due to an achilles injury, and Spencer Hawes is fighting lower back issues.  He's put different lineups on the floor all year though, choosing between Turner and Meeks and Williams and Young and Hawes and Speights.  He's done this all while rumors and hopes that Iggy and maybe Brand would be traded to create some cap room.  Maybe they make a move down the road shuffles the roster, but until then a little stability would nice.

Here is my proposed lineup: Holliday, Turner, Brand, Speights, and Young.  And here is why.  Holliday and Turner are the future of this team whether people believe it or not.  Turner has struggled this year, but he can only get better.  Brand stays in the lineup because he has been so good for so long in his career.  He can teach the kids things, and at the same time play at an all-star level like he has done this year.  Speights has to be in the lineup.  He is young and strong, has a beautiful mid-range jumper and hustles like crazy.  I understand that he may not be the smartest basketball player, but aren't we used to that at the center position?  Lastly, I struggled between Young and Iguodala but I picked Young because of his energy and great field goal percentage.  He drains shots at a 54% rate.  Iguodala will get his minutes anyway and should understand that.  But I want these 5 guys on the court to start every game.

That lineup sure puts depth on the bench doesn't it?  I believe it gives the Sixers a better chance to win games and develops the guys who will be on the team for the next few years.  Meeks is lights out from beyond, but hasn't made a lay-up this season, so why have him start?  Iguodala will come off the bench to spell any one of the guard or forward positions and immediately impact the game, and he'll still get thirty minutes a game, so I wouldn't worry about his ego.  I've openly stated that I wouldn't mind if the team move Lou Will, but until then, he is a natural scorer.  He has a propensity to drill shots for a stretch, but him playing point is not smart, especially when Holliday is also on the floor.  It is counter-productive to have a career bench player take high pressure moments away from a future all-star point guard.  Regardless, he can score in bunches and can cover for Turner or Holliday.

I'd rather watch a team grow together and win or lose than a team patch-worked to scrape by an average opponent.  It's a new era of Sixers basketball and it's a relatively new team.  Some will probably disagree with my proposed line-up and that is ok.  But I doubt anyone will disagree that Doug needs to sit down and make a decision on who will start.  However that line-up turns out, it needs to start with Turner and Holliday, the future of this exciting young team.

PS.  Sixers tickets aren't that bad on StubHub.  Let's get out there and support this team.

Prettiest court in the NBA