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Kwisatz Haderach
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Coatesville, PA
Age: 25
Posts: 23,975
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Skinner makes most of limited time..
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ORLANDO, Fla. - Brian Skinner has learned to readjust his expectations.
Often on the outside looking in for playing time as the third center in Sixers coach Jim O'Brien's two-man rotation, Skinner was called upon for only the second time in the last seven games in Saturday night's 105-99 loss to the Magic.
Needed to combat Orlando's interior size, especially since No. 2 center Samuel Dalembert picked up his third foul late in the first quarter, Skinner had seven points and six boards in 12 solid minutes.
"It always feels good to be able to get out there," Skinner said. "When you practice, stay in shape and do everything you can, it always feels good.
"That's what I'm supposed to do - get rebounds, play good defense and score if I have the opportunity," Skinner said. "That's my job."
A year ago, as the starting center for the playoff-qualifying Bucks, Skinner averaged career-highs in scoring (10.5 points), rebounds (7.3) and minutes (28.2) in 56 games.
In eight games this year, he is averaging 2.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.5 blocks and 12.6 minutes.
It's fair to say Skinner's current role wasn't what he expected when he signed a four-year, $20 million free-agent contract with the Sixers that is paying him $4.5 million this season.
Still, O'Brien insisted that there is a place for Skinner, even with starter Marc Jackson averaging nearly 30 minutes per game and Dalembert, who is the team's best shot-blocker, getting the bulk of the remaining time.
"He very much fits into the plan," O'Brien said. "It's the same thing - on any given night, you can only go two deep."
Barring an injury or unforeseen circumstance, it's unclear where any addition time for Skinner will come from.
Skinner played 77 minutes in the four games Dalembert missed due to injury; he accumulated just 24 in the other nine.
Asked about the possibility of going to a big lineup that includes Skinner against certain teams, O'Brien said, "Well, as long as Josh Davis is playing well and Corliss Williamson is our best power forward, I'll go with that.
"If there ever was a time where I thought it was necessary to play a Marc Jackson at the 'four' and Brian Skinner or Samuel Dalembert at the 'five,' we would. We have practiced that way, so it wouldn't come as a complete shock to them."
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I'm hoping Skinner plays a lot tonight against San Antonio. In his first stint in Philly, he proved very effective in defending Tim Duncan, the only player we have had that looked anywhere near as good defending Groundhog Day, is Dalembert.
He's not a reliable scoring post presence, most of his points will come from tip-ins and offensive rebounds instead of set plays, but he does a lot of things well on the floor. And watching him out there on Saturday, he looked like the Flash compared to Marc Jackson. The Spurs like I've said before are a team the Sixers can afford to go super sized in the front court, which means even stints for Williamson at SF, instead of exclusively at PF.
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Who cares about a championship drought?:
My teams will never win a championship anyway, so why don't you discuss everything else at my forum? Good idea, right? Yeah, I thought so. It's called.. Booing Santa Claus. See you there.
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Originally Posted by Henry Rollins
“The average is the borderline that keeps mere men in their place. Those who step over the line are heroes by the very act. Go.”
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Skinner makes most of limited time..
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