<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MEMPHIS - This is a role reversal that is working far better on one end than the other. This is Steven Hunter, signed as a backup big man, making his ninth start in succession in yesterday's 94-91 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, and turning in one of his best performances. This is Hunter, contributing 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in 30 minutes, 53 seconds. This is Hunter cleanly rejecting an attempted dunk by the Grizzlies' 7-2 Jake Tsakalidis with 2 minutes, 18 seconds remaining and the Sixers down, 87-85. And this is Samuel Dalembert, with a 6-year contract worth about $64 million, coming off the bench and not faring nearly as well. Dalembert had one point, one rebound and one block in 16:32. "It feels good to finally get some rhythm out there, some confidence, getting back to feeling the way I was last year with Phoenix," Hunter said. "Coach [Maurice Cheeks] has done a good job of getting me involved down the stretch. I feel like I can be a big part of our playoff push." Still, Cheeks has heard some variation of the same question just about every day: When might Dalembert regain his starting position? And Cheeks' answer has remained consistent. "Sam is working his way back in the lineup," Cheeks said. "I don't know when. He will be back starting at some point. I just want him to be consistent; I want him to be aggressive, that's all. It has something to do with Steven; it has something to do with us as a team... "I can only say what I would like him to do - rebounding the ball, running the floor, blocking shots. Just be consistent. He's going to get back on the floor, because we need Sam to win games, [but] I'm not going to put a guy on the floor 'just because.' " Hunter attributed his success to "just playing time," but admitted "starting helps, because you know you're going to be out there, and you're playing with a pretty good unit." "It's not like Sam is on punishment," Hunter said. "I've earned my playing time. [But] it's not about starting; it's about minutes. Most of the time, we're going to play the same amount. I think coach feels he gets better production out of me as a starter than coming off the bench." Andre Iguodala called Hunter's block on Tsakalidis "huge."</div> Source
I'm glad to see Coach Cheeks isn't playing favorites, and just because you were a starter doesn't mean you are going to stay a starter. I wouldn't give Sam his spot back until he takes it back.
