[Coatesvillain]

November 21, 2004 - 6:00 PM (EST)

Philadelphia 76ers (4-5) VS Miami Heat (7-3)

@AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL
Aired on: and

Projected Starting Lineups:




STORYLINE: Like Bruce Wayne, Shaquille O'Neal seems to have no problem finding sidekicks, from Penny Hardaway to Kobe Bryant and now sophmore sensation guard Dwyane Wade is setting the league on fire with help from the Big Aristotle. The combo will present the 76ers a major problem defensively, as will perimeter bombers like Rasual Butler, Eddie Jones, and Damon Jones. The inside out challenge the Heat propose is troublesome, because during the season the Sixers have struggled against perimeter teams or teams that pound into the paint, with the Heat capable of doing both it might leave the team overextended on defense.

With Allen Iverson not taking the flight due to an elbow injury, the 76ers look to have Willie Green start his first NBA game at the PG position where not many are comfortable with his decision making. The absence of Iverson, will most likely make way for Kyle Korver's first start of his short career, with his play as of late he's certainly deserved it and has been the only consistent offensive threat the Sixers have had besides Iverson. With more focus on stopping his perimeter game, Korver has worked a great deal on his midrange game in the defeat to the Spurs, and should expect to have to use more of that today. While Korver will get a good amount of attention, the main focus goes back to Willie Green who will have the chore of checking Dwyane Wade, and he will have his hands full.

The main plot line goes to stopping Shaquille O'Neal, wait let me rephrase that, containing Shaquille O'Neal. The gameplan on beating a Shaq team was unveiled in the Finals last season as former Sixers' coach Larry Brown lead the Detroit Pistons to the NBA Championship over the Los Angeles Lakers. That gameplan? Let Shaq get his points, and stay home on your man, but that's not how the Sixers defense works so look for them to collapse onto Shaq and have to try and scramble out to defend perimeter shots, a very dangerous thing to do against a big man who's a good a passer as Shaq.

Kenny Thomas could be losing his chance at starting to the offensively minded, yet defensively inept, Corliss Williamson. Today against a smaller, yet extremely hardworking, PF in Udonis Haslem, Kenny Thomas has to step up and prove that he's a capable piece of the puzzle for the Sixers to make the playoffs. After having a series of big games when any real hope was gone at the end of last season, Thomas has come up snake eyes, without Iverson in the lineup, now is as good as anytime for Kenny to show O'Brien that he can still play.

KEY MATCHUP:
VS

INJURIES:
Sixers - Aaron McKie (shoulder - IL), Glenn Robinson (ankle - IL), Kedrick Brown (back - IL), Allen Iverson (elbow - out)

Knicks - Christian Laettner (knee - IL), Dorrell Wright (abdominal - IL), Jerome Beasley (back - IL)

STAT LEADERS:
Points: Iverson (76ers) 26.1 PPG; Wade (Heat) 26.3 PPG.
Rebounds: Thomas (76ers) 7.3 RPG; O'Neal (Heat) 11.3 RPG.
Assists: Iverson (76ers) 7.2 APG; Wade (Heat) 7.3 APG.
Blocks: Dalembert (76ers) 1.4 BPG; O'Neal (Heat) 2.9 BPG
Three Pointers: Davis (76ers) 60% 3P; Wade (Heat) 100% 3P.
Personal Fouls: Korver (76ers) 3.8 PF; O'Neal (Heat) 4.5 PF.

[Coatesvillain]

Just switched stations after watching the Eagles beat the Redskins (Eagles override everything on Sundays for me).

Sixers lead the game 51 - 47 after a Kenny Thomas jumpshot.

[Coatesvillain]

Live Gametracker: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/gameup...meId=241121014

Korver, Jackson, and Williamson are all in double figures with 13, 13, and 11 points respectively.

Sixers are wearing the ugly blue jerseys, and Kevin Ollie is seeing extended minutes.

For the Heat, Wade has 18, O'Neal has 13.

Korver just picked up his fourth foul. 60-58 Heat.

[Coatesvillain]

Korver just picked up his fifth foul, and he's going to have to sit for a while, very unfortunate for the Sixers who are struggling scoring right now in the third.

Heat lead 65-60 after a Corliss jumper, 50 seconds left in the third.

[Coatesvillain]

The Heat have a smaller lineup on the floor right now with Shaq out. Corliss is playing PF and neither Haslem or Doleac can check him.

It's moments like this where I like the trade, when he's going up against Duncan is when I hate it with all my heart.

[Coatesvillain]

With Rasual Butler out there as a SF, I really don't see why O'Brien doesn't atleast try Kenny Thomas there. Rasual Butler is faster but he's a perimeter player mostly, have Kenny take him down to the lowblock gain confidence and get some offense going.

I know he likes playing Corliss but there's no need to always bench one for the other.

And just as I say that Williamson takes a shot over Shaq for 18 on the game.

[Coatesvillain]

Damon Jones nails a three.

It's frustrating because Damon Jones can't do anything when you're up on him. Yet people will constantly leave him to help double on Shaq.

Also I've always felt that Dwyane Wade is a bigger Allen Iverson and I still feel that way. He's just courageous out there, and somehow squeezes through small cracks in the defense.

[Coatesvillain]

87-77 Heat.

The Sixers have to make a move now if they want to have a chance to win this game. I don't remember seeing this many shots just clang since.. well since the first quarter of the Spurs game.

[Coatesvillain]

Heat win 93-83.

Without Iverson it was an admirable effort, but still not enough to beat a team that's possibly an Eastern Championship contender. I'll have to go and watch the game over to decide the Player of the Game for the Sixers in this one.

Looking over the boxscore one thing stands out Skinner didn't play again, his knee must really be getting the better of him. Good thing the Sixers are off until Wednesday, the team needs the rest.

Good things that stand out..

Andre Iguodala - 8 points, 11 rebounds, 6 steals, 2 assists.

Corliss Williamson - 18 points

Marc Jackson - 21 points, 8 rebounds.

Kyle Korver - 15 points.

Willie Green - 10 assists

Bad things..
Willie Green 1-14 FGM-A
Corliss Williamson 25 minutes 0 rebounds
Kevin Ollie 17 minutes 0 assists
Samuel Dalembert 13 minutes... 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers, and 1 personal foul.

There's a lot of questions here, I don't like the trend of Dalembert losing minutes, in a game like this it would've made sense to put him on the court especially when Shaq was out to give Marc Jackson rests. 13 minutes is not acceptable.

[Max Payne]

Well O' Brien really likes impressing on the fact that he is sucha lamebrain for not playing Dalembert more...what a complete jack***.

[ChristopherJ]

IS IVERSON GOING TO BE BACK FOR THE NEXT 76ER'S GAME?

[Coatesvillain]

Originally posted by KidCanada101!
IS IVERSON GOING TO BE BACK FOR THE NEXT 76ER'S GAME?

Yeah, they were resting him because he has a ton of minor injuries. He has a six day rest period between the Spurs game and the Celtics game on Wednesday. He should be ready.