CHICAGOAs expected, Sixers coach Doug Collins has given a starting nod to guard Evan Turner for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
As a result, guard Jodie Meeks will come off the bench for Tuesday nights game against the Bulls at the United Center.
In another move, Collins inserted center Spencer Hawes back into the starting lineup as well. Hawes came out of the starting five for a game on April 10 in New Jersey and the Sixers responded with a win. With Hawes coming off the bench the Sixers went 5-3, though the team had a stretch early in the season where they were 12-2 with Hawes as a starter.
With Hawes in, rookie second-round pick Lavoy Allen will come off the bench. Allen started Game 1 and had six rebounds and a steal to go with four points in 20 minutes.
Turner came off the bench to play nearly 30 minutes in Game 1 where he relieved the largely ineffective Jodie Meeks. Though he took just nine shots, Turner had 12 points and got to the foul line five times. He added five assists and three steals. Generally, Turner caused a panic for the Bulls when he was on the floor, which is something Meeks was unable to do.
Its a move Collins made during another stretch of the season, too. For 18 straight games Turner started in place of Meeks. While the move paid off in the beginning, the Sixers went 7-11 over that span. With Meeks as a starter the Sixers went 27-19, though that is skewed with the 20-9 start.
Meeks started Game 1 and got the hook just seven minutes into the game after Bulls guard Rip Hamilton lit him up for 11 quick points. When Turner came in, Hamilton made just two more baskets over the final 41 minutes of the game.
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Meanwhile, Meeks sat on the bench until the final three minutes, shooting 0 for 1 with a foul and a turnover.
Hawes was limited to just 15 minutes in Game 1, but just 10 of those minutes came with the game still hanging in the balance. The seven-footer made two shots and scored five points, but was largely ineffective. However, for Game 2 Collins says the priority for Hawes is rebounding.
Rebounding is No. 1, Collins said. And No. 2 is our big guys have make shots. You saw it in Game 1 where Elton Brand had seven buckets in the first half and then only one in the second. So Spencer, Elton and Thad Young have to be able to hit that midrange jump shot. Theyre going to put a big guy on E.B. so for Hawes, it going to have to be the midrange shooting game.
Before the game the center said he got the message loud and clear.
We have to control the boards and offensively be more aggressive and take advantage of their aggressiveness, Hawes said.
E-mail John R. Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com