Game 4: Sixers (1-2) vs. Knicks (2-1) | Sun Apr 28 1:00 PM (EST) TV: ABC

[Bum Adebayo]

You can have all the talent you want, if you don't play hard enough, if your superstar goes MIA in 4th quarters, if he has loser vibes on the court, etc, it won't matter.

[Ferry Avenue]

You can have all the talent you want, if you don't play hard enough, if your superstar goes MIA in 4th quarters, if he has loser vibes on the court, etc, it won't matter.

Precisely. If Embiid was relegated to a more peripheral role, as he was when Jimmy Butler was on the team, that wouldn't matter anywhere near as much. But with him as the spearhead of the team you have a major problem that puts a low ceiling on the team's ability to advance in the playoffs when it comes time to face teams that have talent AND drive, and the back-and-forth, punch-counterpunch seven-game playoff series you play against them generates lots of emotion and resolve in the opposing team as the series moves along. It's then that you typically fold when you function in this manner. You simply can't match or overcome the opposing team's drive.

[Embiid P]

Some of you guys have been far too easy on Morey & co for the Tobias situation

Bad contracts get traded all the time & there’s no rule which says that the situation has to be resolved by one trade

It was Brand who signed Tobias to his contract, not Morey. True Morey could have moved him for an equally bad or worse contract but his masterplan was to accumulate enough cap space in order to acquire another star in free agency or by trade this offseason. Whether or not it actually happens remains to be seen.

[phillynative]

The team has talent, but can't win with the pieces it has. Tobias Harris is a waste and had only 10 points while missing open gimme shots. The bench rounded it out with a whopping 6 points. Payne looked good with the limited time he was given, but Nurse pulled him and didn't put him back in. There was a total lack of energy toward the end of the game. Hield can't even see the floor. I'm sorry but Morey failed with the build-out again. Hopefully when this season over, Harris walks and then we will see how good Morey is. No to PG also. This team needs shooters !!!

We need everything. We need athletes just as much as we need shooters. Give Maxey some players to run and gun with when Embiid goes to the bench.


It would really also be nice to get Maxey a backcourt mate with Legit 2guard size and Embiid a legit back up center. FFS!

[Bum Adebayo]

The team has talent, but can't win with the pieces it has. Tobias Harris is a waste and had only 10 points while missing open gimme shots. The bench rounded it out with a whopping 6 points. Payne looked good with the limited time he was given, but Nurse pulled him and didn't put him back in. There was a total lack of energy toward the end of the game. Hield can't even see the floor. I'm sorry but Morey failed with the build-out again. Hopefully when this season over, Harris walks and then we will see how good Morey is. No to PG also. This team needs shooters !!!

We need everything. We need athletes just as much as we need shooters. Give Maxey some players to run and gun with when Embiid goes to the bench.


It would really also be nice to get Maxey a backcourt mate with Legit 2guard size and Embiid a legit back up center. FFS!

You have just described Devin Booker, the perfect compliment to Maxey, let's get it done!

[Embiid P]

The team has talent, but can't win with the pieces it has. Tobias Harris is a waste and had only 10 points while missing open gimme shots. The bench rounded it out with a whopping 6 points. Payne looked good with the limited time he was given, but Nurse pulled him and didn't put him back in. There was a total lack of energy toward the end of the game. Hield can't even see the floor. I'm sorry but Morey failed with the build-out again. Hopefully when this season over, Harris walks and then we will see how good Morey is. No to PG also. This team needs shooters !!!

We need everything. We need athletes just as much as we need shooters. Give Maxey some players to run and gun with when Embiid goes to the bench.


It would really also be nice to get Maxey a backcourt mate with Legit 2guard size and Embiid a legit back up center. FFS!

You have just described Devin Booker, the perfect compliment to Maxey, let's get it done!

Wouldn't the Suns want to rebuild if they're trading Booker? We have the assets to get it done without having to trade Embiid IMO.

[Bum Adebayo]

We need everything. We need athletes just as much as we need shooters. Give Maxey some players to run and gun with when Embiid goes to the bench.


It would really also be nice to get Maxey a backcourt mate with Legit 2guard size and Embiid a legit back up center. FFS!

You have just described Devin Booker, the perfect compliment to Maxey, let's get it done!

Wouldn't the Suns want to rebuild if they're trading Booker? We have the assets to get it done without having to trade Embiid IMO.

There was a Suns fan on GB that said Suns wouldn't say no to this trade, I checked on their board and I haven't seen animosity towards the idea, though there isn't much about this trade there.
What are those assets for Booker then?

[Embiid P]

You have just described Devin Booker, the perfect compliment to Maxey, let's get it done!

Wouldn't the Suns want to rebuild if they're trading Booker? We have the assets to get it done without having to trade Embiid IMO.

There was a Suns fan on GB that said Suns wouldn't say no to this trade, I checked on their board and I haven't seen animosity towards the idea, though there isn't much about this trade there.
What are those assets for Booker then?

Our future picks and the picks we got from the Clippers in the Harden deal. Plus we'll be under the cap this offseason so the salaries don't have to match. The Suns would be granted a TPE to use in future trades as well I believe.

[Bum Adebayo]

Wouldn't the Suns want to rebuild if they're trading Booker? We have the assets to get it done without having to trade Embiid IMO.

There was a Suns fan on GB that said Suns wouldn't say no to this trade, I checked on their board and I haven't seen animosity towards the idea, though there isn't much about this trade there.
What are those assets for Booker then?

Our future picks and the picks we got from the Clippers in the Harden deal. Plus we'll be under the cap this offseason so the salaries don't have to match. The Suns would be granted a TPE to use in future trades as well I believe.

Don't want to mortgage our future even more. Let's keep our picks and build around a Maxey-Booker duo in the meantime, we can satisfy both camps if we do that, no straight rebuild while not mortgaging our future.

[epics2002]

If Nurse plays Tobias 30+ minutes again, he does not get a free pass from me.

Who else can he play?

[smw6230]

Joel Embiid: "we are the better team"

To be fair, we are. Its just this team can’t be the better team on fourth quarters because we dont have gas left in our tank compared to NY.

They're not. Time and time again we overestimate the talent on the roster from the top down.

Even with a healthy Embiid I'd take the Knicks starting 5 (Brunson, whomever, Randle, Robinson and Anunoby) over Phillys. There's no dead weight with any of their starters and they are incredibily versatile. And we haven't even gotten to the bench yet where NY has actual contributors like Hartenstein.