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**Coatesvillain** · 11-26-2004, 01:52 AM

Quote:

O'Brien, 11 games into his tenure as the Sixers' coach, said Davis at power forward, Kyle Korver at small forward and Andre Iguodala at shooting guard with Allen Iverson at the point and Marc Jackson is what we will see again when Washington visits this afternoon.

"What you saw is our starting lineup," O'Brien said.

This is O'Brien's way. He will not publicly say negative things about his players. He will deflect probing questions the way he wants his players to deflect passes. But he will do what needs to be done, without regard for salaries, reputations or precedents. That is why Thomas was told Tuesday at practice that he was out as a starter; Thomas said he was not told who would take his place.

The coach wanted a higher level of intensity at the start, not to mention a lower field-goal percentage by the opponents. With Iverson back after a one-game injury absence, Willie Green - who had started at the point in the previous game - also went to the bench.

"That's not to pin it on Willie or Kenny, it just meant the unit I had just wasn't clicking," O'Brien said. "We were on a three-game losing streak. You can't remain status quo."

Thomas knew he didn't feel the same comfort level as during the final 30 games of last season under interim coach Chris Ford, when Thomas said, "coach Ford let us all play. We shared the ball real well. Everybody saw that. We still almost made the playoffs. Everybody saw that. Coming in to this season, I thought it was going to be kind of the same."

He knew he was struggling (now shooting 12-for-44 in the last six games), but he hadn't thought it would come to this.

"So he's basically saying I wasn't bringing any intensity?" Thomas said. "...So it's pretty much me then. He said the unit, but, hey, I'm not in the starting lineup."

Later, Thomas said: "I've never shot this bad in my career. He's the coach. He's got to do what he's got to do to win games. I played 3 minutes. I'm going to come out there and play hard every night. I did it for every other coach I've had. I'm going to do what I've got to do. I did it for [former Sixers coach] Larry Brown."

Enter Davis, 24, from the University of Wyoming, the CBA, a stint overseas, a preseason with Chicago and a 10-day contract with Atlanta. Before his 19-point breakout against the Celtics, he had scored a total of 12 points all season and 17 in the NBA. If he had been distracted, it would have been understandable. As he was playing, his wife, Jessica, was on her way to Denver, where her grandfather lay perilously ill.

Instead, Davis injected 13 points into the third quarter, knocking down all three of his three-pointers. In 26 minutes, he managed five rebounds, a block, a steal and just one turnover. He is playing on a $620,000 contract that includes a $125,000 guarantee, but if he was surprised to be starting he wasn't the least bit surprised at his comfort level. He said that, when he signed, O'Brien had told him the Sixers had been interested in Indiana's Austin Croshere and Boston's Walter McCarty because they wanted a power forward who could stretch the defense with perimeter skills.

"If people are surprised, I think coach isn't surprised - I don't think anybody in the organization was," Davis said. "They've been with me the whole time here. I'm just excited I could go out there and show everybody else what they've already seen. Coming from the road I came from, it was a surprising turn of events [to be starting]. I'm just excited I could do it."

LINK

Chef · 11-26-2004, 07:59 AM

I love Josh Davis's game...

I watched him play in Spain in April-May this year...

He is athletic, good defender and rebounder and a excelent outside shooter...

Pan Mengtu · 11-26-2004, 08:27 AM

Weird.

Ps!ence_Fiction · 11-26-2004, 12:32 PM

he shouldnt start over Kenny Thomas, its the coaches system that is making him play bad

**Kunlun** · 11-26-2004, 09:32 PM

Well Josh fits O'Brien's system better so let's start him. Maybe we can get something with Kenny or Corliss. One of them is expendable now.

**Coatesvillain** · 11-26-2004, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KL Dawger!
Well Josh fits O'Brien's system better so let's start him. Maybe we can get something with Kenny or Corliss. One of them is expendable now.

Corliss definitely won't be traded, and Josh Davis isn't a long term starter. Kenny Thomas just isn't fitting in the O'Brien system so far, and I wouldn't be shocked to see him moved, but it's not like he's an attractive piece in a trade.

While I wish we could put him together with Big Dog and get something that helps put the team over the top, most likely we'd have to give up something we don't want to, to get any type of good return.

QRICH · 11-27-2004, 03:11 AM

Cool. I've played against Josh Davis 5 times during HS. We were in the same division (2A;Tri-River) I would have never thought I was playing against a future NBA-Starter!

dkap · 11-27-2004, 09:15 AM

And I never thought I'd live next door to a NBA starter's family.

I know most people are still asking "who is Josh Davis?" but rest assured you've got a quality kid there that would be a positive contributor to any team. I actually knew earlier (apparently before Kenny, according to the article) he'd be moved into the starting lineup, and it wasn't really a surprise that he was as productive as he was. Those are the sort of numbers he's put up at every level. Of course, the next game (Washington) wasn't nearly as stellar, but you can't argue with 2-0 as a starter.

Dan

**Coatesvillain** · 11-27-2004, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by QRICH!
Cool. I've played against Josh Davis 5 times during HS. We were in the same division (2A;Tri-River) I would have never thought I was playing against a future NBA-Starter!

It's always awesome to hear about people who grew up with or played against current NBA players, especially when the player is a "feel good story" like Josh Davis.

Now I have to ask something QRICH, how did you fare against the Sixers current starting PF?

KG4MVP2 · 11-27-2004, 03:44 PM

Good for Josh he is a good player. Hes really come out of nowhere this year. I saw him play at the wolves summer league and he was playing with the wolves team never thought he would make a team let alone start for a team though.

**Kunlun** · 11-27-2004, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PhillyPhanatic!

Corliss definitely won't be traded, and Josh Davis isn't a long term starter. Kenny Thomas just isn't fitting in the O'Brien system so far, and I wouldn't be shocked to see him moved, but it's not like he's an attractive piece in a trade.

Why is Kenny Thomas not an attractive peice in a trade? I think that most teams like hard working double double players.

And why is Corliss not going to be traded?

**Coatesvillain** · 11-27-2004, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KL Dawger!
Why is Kenny Thomas not an attractive peice in a trade? I think that most teams like hard working double double players.

He's an undersized tweener, with a lengthy and unattractive contract. He played well on defense today, but generally he's not a good defensive player, and offensively he's not as effective as other PFs when he doesn't have the ball in his hands.

Quote:

And why is Corliss not going to be traded?

Corliss is probably Jim O'Brien's favorite player on the team outside of Iverson and Korver, and he's been the Sixers most effective and consistent PF this season.

**Kunlun** · 11-27-2004, 09:01 PM

I think Kenny is just a better and younger version of Corliss. We should trade Corliss because he's older. The only reason why I would trade Kenny before him is to get rid of his long contract.

**Coatesvillain** · 11-27-2004, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KL Dawger!
I think Kenny is just a better and younger version of Corliss. We should trade Corliss because he's older. The only reason why I would trade Kenny before him is to get rid of his long contract.

Right now, Kenny Thomas is hard pressed to be better than anyone. I'm not Corliss' biggest fan, but I can admit he gives the team instant offense off the bench and a reliable lowpost scoring threat. Kenny Thomas doesn't do that, and he's way too passive on the floor.

The one aspect that Kenny has over Corliss is rebounding, Corliss is a better jumpshooter, and a better post-up player. Passing could very well be a push.

I mean there are games where the other team has to put a better defender on Corliss to try and stop him, like Vs Miami when the Heat watched Corliss abuse Udonis Haslem and put Shaq on him. That doesn't happen with Kenny.

I'm not saying I wouldn't trade Corliss, or Kenny, Corliss is a capable sixth man, Kenny hasn't proven that much this year. All I know is the Sixers don't have a starting caliber PF, and need to improve upon the position.

**Kunlun** · 11-28-2004, 12:26 AM

Is there any way we could get a Tskitishvili or a Chris Wilcox?

*Post #7000 on the BBB.net Sixers Board!

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