I usually don't like to start threads about individual games but I think this is significant. Webber seems to have found a fountain of youth this season and he is blending in with Iverson better than a lot of us (including myself) thought he could. what do you guys think the sixers can do this season with Iverson putting up MVP numbers?
Don't start threads like this, it makes Fade cringe after giving me a hard time for picking him in fantasy basketball........ But the guy has been amazing so far this year and if he can stay healthy they ought to do well in the playoffs....but can't get past Detroit...
The Sixers are a bubble playoff team. I'm still thinking they only make the playoffs if they win the Atlantic division over the Nets. To me, the Nets are clearly better but they are clearly messed up right now. If the amazing AI continues his current numbers throughout the season, the Sixers hopes hinge on Webber. If he continues his 18pts/10reb 40 mins/game pace and AI nevers slows down (34.5 pts, 45% FG, 44 mins/game), put them in the playoffs. They could also win a 1st round matchup agains the #6 seed. If either AI or Webber drops off in production, the team is toast. Can Webber keep it up all year? I feel sorry for AI. So many times this year he's played like Superman, putting up 40+ points and they still lose. Is he part of the problem? Is he ever going to wake up one day and say, "Why am I doing all this if we're gonna lose anyway?"
That team has a lot of pieces. They've got a guy putting up mvp numbers, a big man putting up 18 and 10, a deadly outside shooter (though one-dimensional), a badass wing defender/ally-oop catcher, and a rebounding, shotblocking center. Why are they below .500? No bench? No defense? Tough schedule?
I'm sooo thankful the Rockets did not make a mega deal to get Webber at the Max. I remember being mad at him for talking trash on Francis and Mobley for not courting him enough to come to Houston.... In the spirit of good sportsmanship I am Glad CWebb is doing well....
Philadelphia is only .500 because their defense is terrible Defensive Rebounds Allowed - 6th worst Assists allowed - 2nd worst PPG allowed - 3rd worst FG% allowed - 8th worst Point Differential - 15th in the league Out of the 13 worst teams in FG% defense, only Cleveland and Milwaukee have winning records. Even though Houston has a losing record, they're in a better position than Philly to make a playoff run. It's much easier to improve offense than it is to improve defense, and the Rockets have one of the best defenses in the NBA...
I was a little shocked to see the Webber line on the ESPN ticker, too. That is a monster game no matter who you are. Let's just see if he can consistantly dominate like that. If so, the trade for him last year looks even better. Personally, I think he lost a bet or someone ticked him off. Amen to that.
What was amazing about his line, other than simply turning back the clock, is that he did it on Garnett. This guy had so much talent - to think how great his career could have been had he been injury free and had a little more heart.
What's his contract situation like? I want to say I'd heard he just signed a long-term contract within the past year... but he sure isn't playing like it. Maybe he's hoping for a trade to a better team?
It's about time he put up some impressive numbers again. Had it been four years ago these numbers would've been more commonplace.
Webber's the second-highest paid player in the league. Only Shaq makes more. He signed a max deal with the Kings a few years back and immediately made them regret it. His knees are shot and he can't jump anymore. I recommend looking over his career stats and notice what happened after his microfracture surgery in the summer of 2003. He goes from being a ~24 PPG guy to sub-19, his FG% goes from ~49% to 42.6 (42.3 this year), yet he's still taking just as many shots. Blocks disappear. Doesn't get to the line as often. Rating goes from the low 40s to 30. While he can and will still put up numbers, he's no longer a first tier player. Worse, he's determined to get his numbers because he's in denial about his decline. Last year he went on a tirade about not being a role player. When he came back to the Kings after rehabbing his knee, he was a shadow of his former self, the Kings had been rolling with Peja, and he destroyed the team by immediately wanting all his shots back and for the offense to go through him. Adleman should have lost his job for letting that happen. Don't get suckered - Webber is washed up. When he gets his, it's usually not helping the team win. Evan
you're probably right emjohn, I did look at those numbers before I started this thread, and the fg% jumped out at me. but I still think he can score a little, but the rest of his game is in decline. his knees are shot like you say.
And as a big man, a FG% in the low 40s is pretty weak. Webber is number 22 in FG% among PFs but still launchs more shots than any other PF except for Dirk. Talk about backwards thinking. I personally find Points Per Shot (PPS) to be the best indicator of whether someone is efficiently scoring or machine gunning. Webber is #25 out of 26 PFs in the link I provided. What good is 20 points if it takes away better opportunities? On the Sixers, the guys with at least 6 shots a game AI: 1.3 PPS Iguodala: 1.6 Dalembert: 1.2 Korver: 1.2 Salmons: 1.3 Webber: 1.0 If you have roughly 80 shots to take in a game, do you really want Webber taking close to a quarter of them? Me, I think Iguodala needs to be a bigger part of this offense instead of a PF who's 12th on his own team in FG%...... Evan
