<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Four games isn't a big enough chunk of the season to give you a real indication of what a team is - who controls the offense, who takes the big shots at game's end - and most important, how opposing teams decide to guard its players. Maybe 10, 12, 15 games give teams a chance to look at you on tape, to find your strengths and weaknesses, to see what options you go to when the first one is closed off. And decide how to attack you. Do you double-team Webber when he has the ball down low or leave him alone? When Salmons and Korver run screen-and-roll, do you send two guys at Korver or hedge a little? And, this way, we'd find out about the Sixers as well. Can Korver get open without Iverson drawing so much attention? Can Iguodala and Salmons slash to the rim as easily when there's no reason for defenses to load up on the guy averaging 33.2 points a night? Can Webber pass the ball so easily when there's a defender both behind him and in his lap? What of Dalembert, in whom the Sixers have invested $64 million? Is he a guy who can catch the ball in the post, turn and score? Defensively, you may argue the Sixers are better without Iverson - who is undersize and is always taking chances for steals. Well, we're about to find out. Can the Sixers' big men handle their opposite number without Iverson digging down and helping? Can the team play 24 seconds without the deflections Iverson creates? Best of all, we're finding out at the best time of the season - when good teams kick it up a notch, and not-so-good teams that are still in the playoff hunt (this is the NBA, after all; no one gets eliminated until April) play with desperation and purpose. </div> link: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sport...ll/14101149.htm
