#60: Harden @ The Garden. 1:00PM EST

[DHM]

I never saw Andrew Toney play. Fascinating to hear the way tenured Sixers fans talk about him.

Guy was unreal but his feet would not hold up. With the three-point line he be even better today - he was a deadly outside shooter but could get to the cup and finish amongst the trees at ease.

Here you go enjoy I remember this like it was yesterday.

Watch on YouTube

[Ferry Avenue]

Again, the percentage of the time in which the "shooting/floor spacer" role for Harris will benefit the team has increased, but certainly if Harris has the likes of Andre Drummond closing out on him beyond the arc, he should put the ball on the floor and penetrate, and either shoot or pass. He should be afforded some independence and initiative in judging that for himself.

What the hell does that even mean? How exactly should a player who is clearly not a primary offensive option be "afforded some independence and initiative" in judging anything with regard to what this offense requires from him now?

The offense should require him to exercise some independence and initiative in determining the optimal approach to any offensive situation in which he finds himself with the ball. He shouldn't be chucking up three-point shots like he's a robot programmed to "shoot at all costs" -- he should appraise the situations he's in on a case-by-case basis and determine the optimal approach. Lots of times -- and in a greater percentage of times than in the past -- that'll involve shooting from beyond the arc. Some of the time however it'll involve dribble penetration and either passing or shooting from midrange or closer to the basket.

What gave rise to this was Harden's apparent instruction for Harris to essentially "shoot at all costs" -- he shouldn't be out there doing that like some sort of robot in my opinion. He should be afforded the independence and initiative to be more flexible with what he does with the ball, as a function of the situation.

Just because Harden showed up doesn't mean everybody but he and Embiid have become "support robots." You'll have everybody demoralized real quick if they're understanding their careers to now be nothing more than shooters around Harden/Embiid. Harris is a good player who should retain some individuality in his game.

[Ferry Avenue]

I never saw Andrew Toney play. Fascinating to hear the way tenured Sixers fans talk about him.

One of the quickest first steps in the league back then.

[stormi]

Watch on YouTube

Another fun breakdown of James Harden and Joel Embiid playing basketball together for the Philadelphia 76ers.

[Stanford]

Dribbling has come a long way...

[Black Mage]

SAS doing his best to downplay Philly's success. I don't understand his odd, confused obsession with our franchise.

If he didn't have the "I worked in Philly" BS, everyone would see him for the Philly hater he is.

[mjkvol]

I never saw Andrew Toney play. Fascinating to hear the way tenured Sixers fans talk about him.

Three level scorer who also had fantastic vision and passing ability. Best first step I've ever seen, bar none. Had similar strength as we see in Harden, enabling him to penetrate, take on bigger players and draw contact, and still score the ball. Absolutely no fear and relished taking the big shot. A lock HOFer if he had stayed healthy.

Greatest nickname ever. My favorite player of all time.

Watch on YouTube

[sixers4real]

Missed you guys. It’s amazing how much joy this Philly team gives me.
I’m pretty sure everybody already said that, but Doc has to figure out of what to do with Tobias. Thats my concern #1.
#2 is back up big man.

[DHM]

I never saw Andrew Toney play. Fascinating to hear the way tenured Sixers fans talk about him.

Three level scorer who also had fantastic vision and passing ability. Best first step I've ever seen, bar none. Had similar strength as we see in Harden, enabling him to penetrate, take on bigger players and draw contact, and still score the ball. Absolutely no fear and relished taking the big shot. A lock HOFer if he had stayed healthy.

Greatest nickname ever. My favorite player of all time.

Watch on YouTube

Agreed he’s in the Hall now if he had good feet

[DCasey91]

The correlation between win percentage and bench scoring (PPG) team-by-team in the NBA this year is -0.25. There is a weak correlation between bench scoring and winning such that the more a team's bench scores, the more it loses.

Consider as well that that finding incorporates garbage time points where good teams are well ahead on the scoreboard and their reserves are inserted and are scoring all the points.

Bench scoring is overrated in the NBA.

Im not buying this.

The data are here:

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/traditional/?StarterBench=Bench&sort=PTS&dir=-1

See if you can determine a correlation between bench scoring (PPG) and win percentage in the NBA. I've already done the math -- it's -0.25.

Always thought a championship list is about 9 players that have complimentary dynamics to one another (especially the roleplayers) where the positive outcomes would be enhanced via how well it runs together.

You can see it now with Thybulle on court with Harden. Ben Simmons is disastrously bad with Thybulle on the court even with astonishing defensive pressure it just doesn’t work.

Seth is great but gets exposed not just by himself but also because we have no huge wings.

No secret Steph Curry is less effective without Draymond Green offensively and defensively as a team.

Many more examples but synergy overall is so important

Westbrook/James? Even Kobble could tell it wouldn’t work lol

So point is scoring by itself is massively overrated by casual and even serious analytic counterparts to the context of winning. To the bench it’s the same deal

Where I come from besides ability I couldn’t give a stuff about a player being a “starter” or a bench player. It’s about impact and synergy

[Ferry Avenue]

Im not buying this.

The data are here:

https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/traditional/?StarterBench=Bench&sort=PTS&dir=-1

See if you can determine a correlation between bench scoring (PPG) and win percentage in the NBA. I've already done the math -- it's -0.25.

Always thought a championship list is about 9 players that have complimentary dynamics to one another (especially the roleplayers) where the positive outcomes would be enhanced via how well it runs together.

You can see it now with Thybulle on court with Harden. Ben Simmons is disastrously bad with Thybulle on the court even with astonishing defensive pressure it just doesn’t work.

Seth is great but gets exposed not just by himself but also because we have no huge wings.

No secret Steph Curry is less effective without Draymond Green offensively and defensively as a team.

Many more examples but synergy overall is so important

Westbrook/James? Even Kobble could tell it wouldn’t work lol

So point is scoring by itself is massively overrated by casual and even serious analytic counterparts to the context of winning. To the bench it’s the same deal

Where I come from besides ability I couldn’t give a stuff about a player being a “starter” or a bench player. It’s about impact and synergy

That's certainly what it is. Consider the unrealistic hypothetical scenario in which a team had the five best players in the history of the NBA as starters, along with the seven worst bench players of all time. That team would very likely win the NBA championship despite its poor bench, hence the weak correlation between bench scoring and winning.

The variation in winning throughout the league is driven far more by the starters on teams. They play more minutes and have far more an impact.

[Zumramania]

Not giving playing time to Joe, Bassey and Reed will kill Doc in the playoffs. Our bench is trash anyway, why not give the guys a chance now so they can provide some contribution in the playoffs? It seems they do have some potential. Has a journalist ever asked Doc this question?

If they ask Glenn a tough question, he gets mad and either spazzes about politics or says something like "you wouldn't ask Pop that question, so don't ask it to me".

I'd rather if Glenn didn't talk at all, quite frankly.

I maybe the only person who likes Doc. I mean I don't agree with his politics but I respect the work he's put into the game.

Dude is a basketball lifer he probably has more knowledge of basketball then this entire board combined. I don't get some fans who don't respect people like Doc. He's literally been playing or coaching basketball his entire life.

There is no doubt that he has a lot of basketball knowledge, but it seems that he still makes stupid decisions that even people with far less basketball knowledge like us can rightfully question. His blind preference for more experienced players reminds me of some coaches in the Croatian league, who would give minutes to experienced guys and perhaps to one or two very talented young players when gunning for the title. They would neglect other young and inexperienced, but very motivated, players at the expense of washed up veterans. This would usually end up in a) them not winning a title and b) young players would go to another team and be useful pieces there.