Celtics vs. Sixers Game 5: Andre Iguodala Must Maintain Clutch Play in Huge Game
The common critique of the Philadelphia 76ers is that they lack an elite scorer, the sort of late-game closer that can put the team on his back and will them to victory.
It's a fair criticism, and one I've levied against them more than I care to admit.
But in these playoffs, Andre Iguodala has stepped up. His 16 points in Game 4 against the Boston Celtics—including a number of clutch shots and five points in the final 90 seconds of the fourth quarter—were huge, and the Sixers will certainly need more of the same if they hope to pull off a shocking upset of the Celtics.
Iguodala has been pretty clutch this postseason, namely when he finished off the Chicago Bulls in Game 6 the first-round series after nailing the go-ahead free throws with 2.2 seconds left. He scored 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting in that game, a performance needed in order to close out the Bulls.
The Sixers will need him to repeat that magic.
This team needs a late-game anchor they can consistently rely upon. The team's leading scorer is sixth man Lou Williams (14.9 points per game), but he can be erratic.
Young Jrue Holiday is fast becoming the team's best player, but he's not the sort of scorer who will reliably stop his dribble and nail a jump shot in a defender's face.
And while Evan Turner was vastly improved this season—9.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, including an increased role in the offense later in the year—he's not a guy you want taking the last shot. Not yet, at least.
No, the player for that job is Iggy, the $80 million man who plays elite defense and is still an amazing finisher at the basket yet has never lived up to the huge contract he was given in 2008. He was played as a first option, but ideally, Iguodala would fill a more complementary role.
I've always thought he would have been an elite sidekick if the Sixers had been able to find a superstar post-Allen Iverson.
But it wasn't to be.
Still, the core of this Sixers team is strong. They have solid depth with guys who play solid defense and have bought into Doug Collins' system. They have shown grit this postseason, having won three games they've trailed by double-digit points.
All this team needs is the top scorer they can lean on.
That player in the future is not Iguodala. We've learned that lesson by now. But if he can assume that role in Game 5 and for the rest of this series, the Sixers might just shock everyone and knock the Celtics out of the playoffs.
Crazier things have happened.
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