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ShareTraining Camp: Day Four Recap
The 76ers were back to work on Friday with a single session, coming off of their first scrimmage the night before. It was the first chance for Samuel Dalembert and new acquisition Reggie Evans to get on the court together, albeit on different teams.
Nevertheless, the scrimmage was an opportunity for the coaches and front office to see what they can expect from Evans, who has been opening eyes with his aggressive style of play around the basket.
“He reminds me of Marc Jackson a little bit because of the physical aspect,” Dalembert said. “It’s great to have a guy like that. You need that guy who’s just going to be down low, helping out and muscling people.”
Not only is Evans making an impact down low – he and Louis Amundson have waged battles on the glass virtually every day since the start of camp – but Dalembert was also active, despite coming off a left foot stress fracture.
“I didn’t notice a limp, I just noticed the dunks,” said Head Coach Maurice Cheeks. “I thought he played well, I didn’t notice him limping. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and what progress he’s made. … Tomorrow’s key to see how he feels.”
With both Dalembert and Evans continuing to develop chemistry on the court and around the glass, it isn’t lost on their teammates the kind of impact they can make as a combo in the frontcourt this season.
“Sam’s going to block shots; with Reggie, when we need that loose ball, when we need that rebound, he’s going to move guys out of the way,” Iguodala said. “That’s going to help Sam too because he won’t have to do all the work to get every rebound.”
And as the Sixers continue through training camp at Duke, Dalembert is prepared to build off of his experience playing with the Canadian National Team at the FIBA Americas Tournament this summer and apply it to his play this year.
“I just learned so much in the summer and my confidence is very high,” Dalembert said. “I really think I can help not only defensively, but offensively and use my athleticism to run up and down the court and get position really deep.”
FROM THE SIDELINES
PUT A LID ON IT: The focus on defense and rebounding continued today, but not without some minor kinks in the plan. During the team’s rebounding drill, Assistant Coach Bernard Smith was launching shots toward the rim, but was making a lot more than he was missing. To rectify it, they installed a “rebounding lid,” which is basically a rigged, plastic disc that fits over the rim and guarantees a miss and rebound … assuming the ball hits it. Once the lid was put on, Smith jacked up a few airballs.
“It’s the first training camp we’ve used that thing,” Dalembert said. “When we take that thing off, all his shots go in! That happens some times but it was funny.”
Said forward Louis Amundson: “When we do that drill with no thing on the basket, he always makes every one. So I was like ‘Bernie, we put a lid on it now you want to shoot airballs?’”
QUICK HIT: The Sixers went through some five-on-five sets during the first part of practice today, then brought out the referees and went through another scrimmage.
HIGH SCHOOL HIGH: Shavlik Randolph was officially inducted tonight into the Broughton High School Hall of Fame, joining "Pistol" Pete Maravich as the only other NBA player to receive the aformentioned honor from his alma mater. Log onto SIXERS.COM this weekend for recap and interview on the event.
INJURY NOTES: Reggie Evans participated in non-contact drills during the morning session due to a sprained right thumb. Derrick Byars sat out the entire session as a result of a lower back strain.
Nevertheless, the scrimmage was an opportunity for the coaches and front office to see what they can expect from Evans, who has been opening eyes with his aggressive style of play around the basket.
“He reminds me of Marc Jackson a little bit because of the physical aspect,” Dalembert said. “It’s great to have a guy like that. You need that guy who’s just going to be down low, helping out and muscling people.”
Not only is Evans making an impact down low – he and Louis Amundson have waged battles on the glass virtually every day since the start of camp – but Dalembert was also active, despite coming off a left foot stress fracture.
“I didn’t notice a limp, I just noticed the dunks,” said Head Coach Maurice Cheeks. “I thought he played well, I didn’t notice him limping. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and what progress he’s made. … Tomorrow’s key to see how he feels.”
With both Dalembert and Evans continuing to develop chemistry on the court and around the glass, it isn’t lost on their teammates the kind of impact they can make as a combo in the frontcourt this season.
“Sam’s going to block shots; with Reggie, when we need that loose ball, when we need that rebound, he’s going to move guys out of the way,” Iguodala said. “That’s going to help Sam too because he won’t have to do all the work to get every rebound.”
And as the Sixers continue through training camp at Duke, Dalembert is prepared to build off of his experience playing with the Canadian National Team at the FIBA Americas Tournament this summer and apply it to his play this year.
“I just learned so much in the summer and my confidence is very high,” Dalembert said. “I really think I can help not only defensively, but offensively and use my athleticism to run up and down the court and get position really deep.”
FROM THE SIDELINES
PUT A LID ON IT: The focus on defense and rebounding continued today, but not without some minor kinks in the plan. During the team’s rebounding drill, Assistant Coach Bernard Smith was launching shots toward the rim, but was making a lot more than he was missing. To rectify it, they installed a “rebounding lid,” which is basically a rigged, plastic disc that fits over the rim and guarantees a miss and rebound … assuming the ball hits it. Once the lid was put on, Smith jacked up a few airballs.
“It’s the first training camp we’ve used that thing,” Dalembert said. “When we take that thing off, all his shots go in! That happens some times but it was funny.”
Said forward Louis Amundson: “When we do that drill with no thing on the basket, he always makes every one. So I was like ‘Bernie, we put a lid on it now you want to shoot airballs?’”
QUICK HIT: The Sixers went through some five-on-five sets during the first part of practice today, then brought out the referees and went through another scrimmage.
HIGH SCHOOL HIGH: Shavlik Randolph was officially inducted tonight into the Broughton High School Hall of Fame, joining "Pistol" Pete Maravich as the only other NBA player to receive the aformentioned honor from his alma mater. Log onto SIXERS.COM this weekend for recap and interview on the event.
INJURY NOTES: Reggie Evans participated in non-contact drills during the morning session due to a sprained right thumb. Derrick Byars sat out the entire session as a result of a lower back strain.
