|
Spencer Hawes, the source of boos and displeasure last season, is the brightest of bright spots now for the Sixers, who have split wins and losses in the first four games, with the fifth tomorrow night in New Orleans.
Hawes is averaging 12 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists and is shooting 67.6 percent from the floor. He is barely recognizable if you compare him to what he was last season.
But if there is a stat that truly stands out, that shows just how much different a player Hawes is, it’s that he is averaging only 2.3 fouls a game – in 33.3 minutes of play. Last season, the 7-1 center was often in foul trouble, part of the reason he was on the floor for only 21.2 minutes a game.
There are many variables as to why Hawes has become such a good player in the middle for coach Doug Collins. His conditioning is so much better. He has a better frame of mind, has more confidence, and has a familiarity with his coach, all factors in his game that he has never had before.
— Reported by Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News
