NBA
BASKETBALL: How
the 76ers Can Beat the Lakers By JAGAN
RAJAGOPALAN
June 14, 2001
1) Get quality
production from Tyrone Hill/Forward : This guy has been underperforming
for many games now. In Game 3, in a span of about half a minute in the
third/fourth qtr., Hill missed a straightforward dunk, a 6-foot jump shot
and made then committed a foul at the defensive end. To compound all this,
with the Sixers trailing by one, he couldn't make the tip-in on a rebound
from an A.I. drive to the basket. These are only the most visible of his
mistakes and in short, Hill's play has been HORRIBLE. If this guy doesn't
do well with his shooting and rebounding in the coming games, the Sixers
can bid goodbye to their chances.
2) Extract
maximum minutes from Matt Geiger. This guy is in a nice shooting groove
and is consistently making the 10-15 foot jump shot. If this guy can contribute
10-15 points in about 15-20 minutes, the Sixers get a great boost.
3) Run A.I.
off screens : With the kind of holding defense that the Lakers are playing
on A.I., he has been unable to get free to drive and to get his shots off.
They need to use Geiger and Mutombo on screens for him to give him the
needed space to shoot and drive. I believe that if the 76ers don't do this
consistently, they will lose.
4) Get the
timing of the double-team right : I thought they got this right through
most of the last game until they got Horry free for the big 3 at the end
of the game. The Sixers are great one-on-one defenders and with Mutombo
to back them up, they must play all the Lakers one-on-one except Shaq,
with whom they have to help out at the right moment. In Game 2, the Sixers
left Fisher open for the big 3 and in Game 3, they left Horry open for
the Big 3. In both cases, the bad timing of the double-team was to blame.
5) Use Todd
MacCulloch's touch well : If A.I. is not able to get free, the Sixers must
bring Todd into the game and run plays through him in the paint. Todd has
a very fine touch around the basket and is capable of making even tough
baskets. This will also get Shaq into foul trouble. Mutombo must also attempt
to penetrate, get the short hooks and jumpers off and get Shaq in foul
trouble.
6) Employ the
full-court press and the run-and-jump defense to maximum effect.
