Thursday, March 31, 2011
Posted: 12:48 p.m.
By Reuben Frank
CSNPhilly.com
Its been tough to get a real sense of just exactly how bad Andre Iguodala is hurting these days.
The 76ers veteran forward refuses to use his worsening knee injury as an excuse for anything, and he wont talk about his knee unless hes directly asked about it.
Wednesday night, Iguodala conceded that the injury is dramatically limiting what he can do on the basketball court, and coach Doug Collins said a week of rest wont help Iguodala, that he needs a full two months off for his right knee to heal.
So even if the Sixers clinch a playoff spot Friday and lock up the No. 6 seed in the East soon after, giving Iguodala a few games off going into the playoffs wont help.
So what were seeing now from Iguodala is what were going to get down the stretch. And thats a different sort of player. Because his injury limits his ability to explode vertically more than anything, you wont see him drive to the basket as much.
What you will see -- and have seen recently -- is Iguodala adjust his game to the limitations the injury is causing him.
NBA
And Collins believes Iguodala has done that remarkably well.
Hes smart, Collins said. Hes a brilliant basketball player. He really is. He really knows how to think the game. Hes got a great feel for the game. Any time I talk at halftime or whatever, Ill always go up to him and say, Did I miss anything? Is there anything youd like to add? Because I trust him. Hes got great instincts.
And thats what ends up happening. If you get injured, if youre a smart player, you can make up for it. If youre just a talent, and you get injured and you dont understand the game, it really costs you. With a guy like Dre, he can still play at a high level because he has such a high basketball IQ.
Iguodalas instinctive ability to alter his game to take advantage of his strengths, and hide the limitations of his injury, is one of the reasons the Sixers are 39-36, three wins from their first winning season since 2005 and one win from reaching the playoffs.
Ive adjusted all year, its not that hard, Iguodala said. Ive played pretty much every position my whole life, and I know how to play the game. Just try to be the most effective I can be for my team.
Two months, Collins said Wednesday. Two months the Sixers dont have.
Two months is what Ive been told, that hes just going to have to get off it and rest it, do the rehab and therapy hes doing, Collins said. But Dre played all summer with the U.S. Olympic team, and Im sure thats a factor. He had the Achilles tendinitis early in the season and it was his left Achilles and his right knee is now sore, and usually thats what happens -- youre not playing balanced.
Iguodala, 27, has been playing non-stop since July, thanks to his commitment to the U.S. national team, which beat Turkey in Istanbul in mid-September at the FIBA world championships to win the United States first world title in basketball since 1994.
Two weeks after returning home, Iguodala was back at work with the Sixers, and he hasnt had an extended break since.
Knee is just from playing a lot of basketball, Iguodala said Wednesday night, after the Sixers beat the Rockets at the Wells Fargo Center. Played all last summer, really didnt get a break coming into the season. Just play through it.
Wednesday night, even in a tight game, Collins kept Iguodala on the bench for the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, until the Rockets put Kevin Martin back in the game. Whatever he can do to limit his minutes. Iguodala has missed 13 games this year, and the Sixers are 5-8 in those games. Theyre 34-28 when he plays.
Theres been nights I probably shouldnt have played, but I found a way to fight through it and just try to help the team win, Iguodala said. I always feel like if I can play hurt, then when Im healthy again Im going to be that much better.
Although Iguodalas scoring is way down - 14.2 points per game after averaging 18.5 over the last four years -- he continues to do things to help the Sixers win.
On Wednesday, he took only eight shots and made only three, but he finished with 10 assists, eight rebounds and nine points in 37 minutes.
I just play it by how it feels, he said. If I feel like I can contribute in any way, Ill go out there and play. Just try to be unselfish because obviously it takes away from my aggression at times. I didnt shoot the ball pretty much at all Wednesday, but I thought I was effective, and I thought I was a pretty big part of the game.
Two nights earlier in Chicago, Iguodala scored 19 points in the Sixers upset win over the Bulls.
Chicago it felt really good, he said. I was surprised. And then Wednesday night it just got sore again. It varies from day to day. ... It depends on how well it warms up or if it even has a chance to warm up during the game. Some games it feels good.
The Sixers can clinch a playoff berth Friday night either with a win over the Nets at the Wells Fargo Center or with a Charlotte Bobcats loss to the Magic in Orlando.
For the 63rd time this year, Iguodala will be out there, playing as well as a guy can play on one leg.
You just have to stay mentally tough and fight through it, Iguodala said. I know a lot of tough guys in the league who play through injuries. Its just a matter of your pain threshold and how far you can go.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com
Related: After five years, Brand closing back in on playoffsSixers move closer to playoff spot with victory