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Basketball is back and there’s lots of excitement surrounding the 76ers this season for a few different reasons. They are coming off a series win in the playoffs. Not to mention Philly was one of the teams involved in the blockbuster trade this summer that sent Dwight Howard to Los Angeles and brought Andrew Bynum to the 76ers. If that’s not enough to get 76ers fans ready for opening night, the team is playing host to former 76er Andre Iguodala who is returning to the City of Brotherly Love as a member of the Denver Nuggets.Jrue Holiday joined WIP in Philadelphia with Anthony Gargano and Rob Ellis to talk about how the team looks heading into the season, if he is looking forward to having the ball in his hands more, Andre Iguodala returning, if the game has slowed down and when he expects Andrew Bynum to return.
How the team looks heading into the season:
“Yeah man we look good. We’re all excited, we play well together, it’s less than 24 hours now and even though Sandy came and tried to mess up everything we’re ready.”
If he is looking forward to having the ball in his hands more this season:
“Yeah for sure. I mean definitely growing up that’s what I did. I had the ball in my hands most of the time and making decisions but obviously it’s been a while since I was that main guy making plays, but as you can see in preseason it’s fun. It’s fun when you have J-Rich, Nick Young and Dorrell Wright on the wing and even a big man like (Andrew) Bynum, Spencer (Hawes) or Kwame (Brown) just to dump it down into, it’s fun.”
Whether he thinks it is his time to shine and be more of a point guard:
“Yeah for sure. I think last year I had to be more of a scorer, that’s what coach told me to do but this year I have to make plays, I have to make plays to get other people open and I have to be the distributor. It will be an adjustment this year and we will see what happens.”
On Andre Iguodala returning to Philly as a member of the Nuggets:
“That’s my man. Ever since I was here he was the guy that kind of took me under his wing and he’s still my friend. Coming back here hopefully it will be somewhat good for him. I feel very strongly, probably 94 percent that he’s going to get booed. (Host: You can up that a little bit.) OK cool but again I’m excited to see him and excited to see he’s doing well. He didn’t go to a team that was just complete trash, he actually went to a good team and just seeing that he’s doing so well. I think he’s done a lot for our team, especially young guys like me. I think he leads in steals and assists and I think he’s one of the best in-game dunkers I’ve ever seen in my life, there’s so many things he that he brings to the game and he did for our team, especially last year in the playoffs.”
If the game seems slower and easier for him now:
“It definitely does. I know what I want to get to, I know where people should be, on defense I have learned the other team’s offense more and I think the playoffs really helped because that is such an intense environment and if you excel or not even excel but just experience that I guess your game just progresses that much more so it’s definitely slowed down, the game has come a lot easier and I’m not saying it’s easy but it’s come a lot easier, especially from my rookie year.”
When he expects Andrew Bynum to be back in the lineup:
“I actually have no clue. I know if I was hurt that’s not something I would want to talk about all the time. When we talk it’s kind of like teammate conversations and we’re talking about whatever. Honestly we can’t really bet on when he’s coming back, right now we have to play like he’s not. (Host: We’re all anxious.) Oh me too. I’m right there with ya brother, don’t get me wrong.”
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