Carney fitting in on his return to the Sixers
During the early days of training camp, as new Sixers coach Eddie Jordan was able to oversee all the parts that he had inherited, one thing really stood out.
During the early days of training camp, as new Sixers coach Eddie Jordan was able to oversee all the parts that he had inherited, one thing really stood out.
It was the overall play of Rodney Carney, whom the team brought back via free-agent signing. Jordan gushed of Carney's athleticism, his ability to get out on the fastbreak, his capability to hit open jumpers and his hounding defense.
Then, as the Sixers held an intrasquad scrimmage in front of season-ticketholders at Saint Joseph's, Carney tweaked his left hamstring. It was so slight, he was back on the practice floor 2 days later. Then, toward the end of practice during a scrimmage, he hurt it worse while driving to the basket for a reverse layup.
That was Oct. 5. Since then, Carney has not suited up for a game, and has been either a nonparticipant at practice or relegated to shooting on his own.
Wednesday, the 6-7 swingman returned to full practice; yesterday, he appeared to have all the energy of a child who has been held back for more than 2 weeks.
"I'm doing all right; I've got to get my rhythm back," Carney said after taking about 15 minutes of extra shooting at the end of practice yesterday at Philadelphia College of Ostheopathic Medicine. "It's kind of hard to get your rhythm back after a couple of days."
Jordan said Carney will play tonight at 8 o'clock when the team plays its final exhibition game at Carnesecca Arena at St. John's University against the New Jersey Nets. Carney is as eager to be on the court as his coach is to put him out there.
"I don't know," Carney said when asked how long he thought he'd play, "I just want to get a good feel for the chemistry. I'll be coming off the bench with the second team. I just want to get a good feel with them - Willie [Green], [Marreese] Speights, Jason [Smith] - I just want to see what I can do out there."
As he did before the injury, Carney has impressed his coach.
"He looks great," said Jordan, whose team has won five of its seven preseason games. "We love to have him on the floor. He just adds to who we are. He's athletic, he can make a shot, he's really intense, active, plays intense, runs the floor, really gives great effort. So he really fits in. He's had two high-level practices, no setbacks."
The return of Carney, who played his first two NBA seasons with the Sixers before playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, fortifies a group of long, athletic players Jordan has said he likes - players who can play both ends of the floor and can be a threat going to the basket or shooting from the outside, and guys who can pick up the Princeton offense, which Carney has had to mostly do from the sideline.
"I got the gist of it in training camp, the basic steps and stuff," Carney said. "Since I've been out, they've put a little more snippets here and there. Ultimately, I've just got to get the chemistry with the team. I had it in training camp, and now they've got a little different terms now, so I've just got to get a feel."
And get rid of the frustration that inactivity brought.
"I was frustrated the first day of practice when I missed some open shots," Carney said. "I'm a step behind, but hopefully I can get it back. At first, it gets frustrating, but then your coach talks to you and says, 'It's gonna be there, the shot's gonna fall, you're gonna make the right cuts and decisions.' You've just got to be patient. When I was hurt, I had to be patient to get back, and now I'm here, I need patience to get my chemistry back with the team."
Six shots
The team looked sharp during the scrimmage session of practice, not surprising according to Eddie Jordan. "I think this is when they really pick it up," he said. "When you get down to your real roster, reality sets in. The guys have been cut, they're not here. This is your team." Jordan also talked of the leaders leading: "When your best players come and play in practice, everyone else follows. And our best players are really high-level. Andre [Iguodala] first, obviously. And Elton [Brand] played very well today, and Thad [Young] was very high level. When your best players bring it, everyone else follows." *