With only two games left on the Philadelphia 76ers preseason schedule, the competition for the opportunity to still be a part of the Sixers after the final roster cuts is only going to stiffen. With five guys inevitably facing the exits in the coming week, the Sixers will be looking to find some answers down in the post and Drew Gordon is looking to make a strong case for why he belongs.
His most impressive showing came on Saturday against the Orlando Magic and his brother Aaron Gordon. His 16 points were good enough to lead the Sixers in scoring and his noticeable willingness to do the dirty work down low resulted in six rebounds and two steals, along with some much-needed recognition from head coach Brett Brown. Per CSNPhilly.com:
"“He is known as a serviceable, blue-collar worker, a journeyman. He is that and more. There is a skill package there along with workman-like qualities, and that has surprised me.”"
Although Brown isn’t absolutely raving about Gordon, him simply acknowledging Gordon’s hardworking nature and physical skill set could go a long way towards Gordon’s chances of becoming one of the final 15 guys on the roster once the regular season kicks off.
Of course, there will be several options to choose from in the post, which is going to make Gordon’s journey over this next week one that will require him to prove himself even more and leave no doubt in the mind of Brown that he can be helpful going forward. As it stands now, Philadelphia will be able to delve into the depths of their roster for guys like Arnett Moultrie – who is making a strong case for why he should start next season –and Brandon Davies. But I say depths because Nerlens Noel will also see several minutes as a power forward this season, while rookie Jerami Grant could see minutes in the post with his gritty, pound it out preferences. JaKarr Sampson and Ronald Roberts Jr. will also be competing for a spot on the final 15-man roster.
But as seen in his post game interview after his sensational performance Saturday, Gordon understands how significant his opportunities are and what he must do to ensure he’s still a Sixers when the season opens in Indianapolis.
"“I have to capitalize on the minutes I am given,” Gordon said. “I want to do the dirty work in there. I want to do whatever I possibly can to help the team win. I am hoping that the team needs something like that, sees the value in that and keeps me around. I like this team. I like the program and I think things can work out well.”"
Up to this point, Gordon has made the most out of two of his four outings. In addition to his performance against the Magic, Gordon racked up 12 points on 6-7 shooting, along with five rebounds, two steals and a block against Minnesota. But on the other hand, in his games against the Celtics and Knicks, Gordon totaled only six points with four rebounds. Not particularly the kind of numbers that will get Gordon that spot he craves so badly as a part of the Philadelphia 76ers final roster, but if you ask coach Brown, that’s just life in the NBA.
"“That is life,” Brown said of players on the cusp of making a roster. “You have to take things. There is nothing given to any of us. Those guys are trying to take a spot and make stuff happen. As the cut date gets a little bit closer, you see how people respond to that.”"
The Sixers have two more preseason games against Brooklyn and Detroit and the time has arrived for Gordon to go out and take control of his position on the roster. A couple more games like his most recent against Orlando would all but guarantee his place I Philly, but anything less will probably result in Gordan looking from the outside in.