<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It wasn't much, but Sixers long-limbed center Samuel Dalembert finally got back on the court Wednesday night in the preseason finale after missing much of the preseason nursing a strained left hamstring. "I felt OK out there for the most part," said Dalembert, who scored two points in 12 minutes, 54 seconds in the Sixers' 110-88 win over New Jersey. "After a while, I felt it pulling a little more, and because I didn't want it to continue to bother me, I just told coach, 'I'm done for the day.' " Because of Dalembert's tender hamstring issue, coach Maurice Cheeks has made sure to keep a close eye on Dalembert this preseason to avoid any damage that could hinder him in the long run. Dalembert did take part in the Sixers' practice yesterday at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, but went light for the duration of the session, playing in his sweat pants. "Sam is a major presence for us in the middle," Cheeks said. "He holds it down in the middle so much that we have to keep him healthy and keep him out there on the floor." Dalembert doesn't want this season to be d?j? vu of 2005-06, when he injured his a quadriceps muscle during training camp and missed the first 13 games of the regular season. Once he returned - which some say might have been premature - there was a clear display of his lack of confidence and aggressiveness, and he began to complain that he wasn't receiving the coaching he need to be one of the leagues top centers. After finishing the regular season with 7.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.42 blocks per game, Dalembert now acknowledges he shouldn't have tried to rush back. Dalembert, who before last season signed a $64 million, 6-year deal, said he has realized his value to this team. "For us to be a good team, [Dalembert] has to have his rhythm, he has to have his timing, he has to play big for us," star guard Allen Iverson said after Wednesday's game. "I think as we go, he goes, because he's so [integral] in the defense that we play... We need him being our best defensive player." Dalembert said he has put in a massive amount of study time during the offseason in the hope of becoming the team's best defensive player. Most known for his shot blocking and rebounding ability, Dalembert can also at times be overly aggressive and find himself in foul trouble early in the game. At the end of last season, Dalembert said he collected tapes of every game in which he was in foul trouble and reviewed each game and each referee to get a better understanding of how he can play in certain situations. "One ref would tell you to do this and another ref would call a foul on you when you're standing with your hands straight up. So for me understanding who is going to referee the game and the way [they] think, as well as their tendencies, that's one thing I'm going to make sure I do my homework on before every game this year," said Dalembert, who ranked fifth in the NBA last season with 244 personal fouls. Well, are the tapes helping at all? Because in just 5:03 on the court Wednesday, Dalembert already had three fouls. "Oh that, I'm not worried about that. I wanted to foul; it's no problem," Dalembert said, laughing. With the season set to tip off on Wednesday night against the Atlanta Hawks at the Wachovia Center, the eager, 6-11 Dalembert said with a straight face that there is no doubt he will be ready to play. "Come on, man, I have to play ... I'll be ready to go," said Dalembert. Sound like d?j? vu to you? </div> Link Sammy says he's ready to go. There's not much you can do but to trust him. But hopefully he learned from last season that rushing back is not the answer.
they really need sammy healthy to have any kind of chance at allthis year. he could easily be a top 5 center in the league if he stays healthy and plays smartly.
