Elton Brand will miss the next 2 games with a sprained thumb. Your starting front court tonight will be Andres Nocioni and Lavoy Allen.
ANDRES NOCIONI AND LAVOY ALLEN.
Andres Nocioni has played a grand total of 43 minutes heading into the game. I'd say I'm shocked by this decision (I think it should be Thaddeus Young and Nikola Vucevic), but Doug Collins has consistently been reluctant to change roles. To me, if you're going to go with a small power forward, you put your better one out there, and try to steal minutes with Nocioni and Allen when you have advantageous matchups. I could (somewhat) understand his reluctance to start Young when he had the option of going with a big front line, but if you're going small, I would start your most talented pairing. Speights defending Thad is a matchup you can exploit.
Hopefully the All-Star break can provide Elton Brand the rest he needs so this is only a minor setback. That being said, with a Sixers team on their first slide of the season, they really need to play well these final two games before the break.
0 recs | 37 comments
I love that Doug's our coach but I don't get him sometimes
KJ Brophy - February 21, 2012
Dear God.
Michael Levin - February 21, 2012
KJ Brophy - February 21, 2012
Rec’d for Super Troopers
EREX21 - February 21, 2012
Looks like my night just opened up.
EREX21 - February 21, 2012
Flyers are playing at the same time
KJ Brophy - February 21, 2012
Playing the Jets no less. I think I may just stay away from sports tonight. Better for my soul that way.
EREX21 - February 21, 2012
What about peace?
KJ Brophy - February 21, 2012
Bryz hurt his hand today today in practice - $51 million dollar man = BUST!
dp - February 21, 2012
Starting really doesn’t matter but the fact that Noce is guaranteed minutes does. Collins just reached a new level of stubbornness.
Michael Levin - February 21, 2012
Overall they’ve played well this season though, so we don’t have to worry about players getting annoyed until next year, right?
J.P.Melle - February 21, 2012
Is Vuce hurt? Why can’t he and Lavoy both start?
EREX21 - February 21, 2012
Doug doesn’t want them on the court at the same time
KJ Brophy - February 21, 2012
lol
Omg this is completely ridiculous. Pissed I have to miss this game thread. I’ll be listening to the Memphis broadcast off and on at work. I think Gasol is going to do work tonight. Revenge of Speezy and Nocioni is starting? I might have to call off haha
jrb5094 - February 21, 2012
I don’t get this at all. I’d rather start turner at the 3 and start dre at the 4 (or something crazy like that) than this.
mrprice33 - February 21, 2012
Hell start Turner at the 4. It’s not like Speights is a banger. Turner can easily out-rebound him and get a hand in his face when he takes a jumpshot. It’s not like Dougs using him in the rest of the rotation.
J.P.Melle - February 21, 2012
wow
Andres Nocioni starting? The world is ending this year.
Tj Singh - February 21, 2012
This is just terrible. so much for winning these next two games.
hey Thorn, care to address this situation at all? Our front court depth appears to be brittle at best.
jefu - February 21, 2012 via mobile
Calling Noce brittle is a compliment at this point.
Michael Levin - February 21, 2012
Why couldnt they at least start battie next to lavoy??
I hope everyone is aware this means noce is taking minutes from turner, again.
good job, doug.
jefu - February 21, 2012 via mobile
Next two games
Any takers that Noci gets more run than Turner?
RedHopeful - February 21, 2012
Pretty sure he will. The Dougy always likes to run out his new toys more than the ones that are already in the Doug-House™.
dweebowitz - February 21, 2012
Just listened to the BS report from the 17th and Simmons is convinced that Dallas would trade Marion today for any expiring contract.
mrprice33 - February 21, 2012
I think Simmons has mentioned the Sixers once this entire season.
highwaterhello - February 21, 2012
This seriously makes absolutely zero sense to me.
yosoysean - February 21, 2012
Maybe I'm Amazed...
…the Dougy has reached deeper into his bag of tricks than I expected, I have to admit. I admit I would rather have either Battie/Allen or Vuce/Allen or Battie/Thad out there (isn’t Noce a 6’6 jump-shooting SF, even if he could shake all the rust off?).
I admit I don’t get this one. Turner is the same size, Thad is bigger, Dre is about the same size. There are other, better options. Dre played PF for the US team, and he’s a better rebounder than Noce. Thad is an all-around better player than Noce (and bigger) at this point in his career. Turner is certainly a better rebounder.
In other words: Wut?
dweebowitz - February 21, 2012
Curious, though. Did the Dougie say why he’s doing this?
dweebowitz - February 21, 2012
BENCH PLAYERS PLAY ON THE BENCH
Michael Levin - February 21, 2012
I'm confused
why can’t Allen and Vuc start together again?
YBT - February 21, 2012
Maybe Noce will become our Jeremy Lin. It could happen, right guys….? Guys….? Hello?
grego314 - February 21, 2012
nope
Noc hasn’t been good in 3 years, no reason to think that’ll change
YBT - February 21, 2012
pretty sure he was being sarcastic.
jefu - February 21, 2012
I am quickly losing my patience with Doug.
EREX21 - February 21, 2012
If the losses keep mounting
and his substitutions continue to be questionable, every Philly fan will be right there with you.
RedHopeful - February 21, 2012
ditto.
i would start thad. can’t have noc and allen on the floor at the same time. hopefully doug gets thad in real fast.
cifdog - February 21, 2012
on a side note:
make a deal for kamen. no guarantees hawes will be back anytime soon. brand is banged up. kamen is solid and has an expiring contract. hornets want to get rid of him. ger him on the cheap. noc’s, speights draft pick, and one of the rookies, prefably allen.
cifdog - February 21, 2012
You know. Unless the Hornets are holding out for better than 2nd round players.
yosoysean - February 21, 2012
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