Boston in the 2nd round. How do the 76ers win the series?

[76ciology]

Looks like a G1 victory for me. Sixers is heavily underrated and this will give the entire playoffs into better balance.

Embiid is too focused on Embiid. Celts does not care about Maxey. But this Sixers squad saw how Trae was able to do damage against the Al and the Celts defense and I cant help but expect our guys to tell themselves how we can also do the same with Maxey.

Just my hunch.

[M2J]

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[Embiid P]

I've been saying for a while now that in order to extend his career, he needs to focus more of his energy on anchoring the defense and less on carrying the offense while letting Harden, Maxey etc. carry the scoring load.

Given that Maxey is most effective playing alongside a playmaker, a backup PG needs to be a high priority in the offseason. This is of course assuming that Harden returns.

[M2J]

I've been saying for a while now that in order to extend his career, he needs to focus more of his energy on anchoring the defense and less on carrying the offense while letting Harden, Maxey etc. carry the scoring load.

Given that Maxey is most effective playing alongside a playmaker, a backup PG needs to be a high priority in the offseason. This is of course assuming that Harden returns.

That backup would need to be a real stud though. It's not like we know he plays better with a playmaker from several examples. He's played better off of an elite playmaker in Harden. Not like Seth Curry had the same results. Plus, it's hard to take the ball out of his or Joel's hands for just anybody.

[mjkvol]

To get some different discourse on here, what are some most important things to get from the series to help for the future?

Can BBall be competitive as a starter and cement himself as Embiid's backup? Would you give Maxey the keys for a couple games to see what he can do? Maybe this is a tryout series for Harden to see whether we max him or look to look elsewhere? Etc. Interested to here what everyone is looking for.

I'm looking for one thing - Rivers being shown the door. A hideous side effect of the Embiid injury is that it once again gives Glenn the out he needs to say "what if ...?" and get another shot. I believe he was coming back regardless, though. To me, the next step is taken when we finally have a competent coach from this century.

Using a Jo playoff injury as an excuse does not fly IMO. Jo gets hurt EVERY playoffs. Acting Iike next year is finally the year he doesn't is crazy.

I realize you can't necessarily prepare for having your best player hurt... but such is life with the Sixers. Developing and encouraging Reed more Instead of burying him for the better part of two years probably would have helped?

I think he was coming back regardless. It appears that he and Morey are bound together in this.

[mjkvol]

I honestly hope that Embiid sits if not as close to 100% as he'll get. I believe the Sixers can steal game one without him - they obviously need Harden and Maxey to really step up, and guys like McDaniel and House to justify their signings. Looking forward to Reed getting a real opportunity to shine.

[Eyeamok]

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Good video. I want to see PJ Tucker working on making his 3 point shots. Over and over and over again.

[phillynative]

Looks like a G1 victory for me. Sixers is heavily underrated and this will give the entire playoffs into better balance.

Embiid is too focused on Embiid. Celts does not care about Maxey. But this Sixers squad saw how Trae was able to do damage against the Al and the Celts defense and I cant help but expect our guys to tell themselves how we can also do the same with Maxey.

Just my hunch.

Maxey has the shotmaking and speed. But he's missing the change of gears and playmaking that Trae has. Trae can have his first 3 moves shut down by a defender-change gears and turn it into a step back/floater, find a way to draw the foul, or pass to the open man or throw an easy lob.

I still would like to see Maxey be aggressive and use his speed as a factor. Derrick White has done a good job on him so far because he can stay with him and also use his length to deter him without fear of Maxey changing gears or drawing contact for a foul...

[76ciology]

Looks like a G1 victory for me. Sixers is heavily underrated and this will give the entire playoffs into better balance.

Embiid is too focused on Embiid. Celts does not care about Maxey. But this Sixers squad saw how Trae was able to do damage against the Al and the Celts defense and I cant help but expect our guys to tell themselves how we can also do the same with Maxey.

Just my hunch.

Maxey has the shotmaking and speed. But he's missing the change of gears and playmaking that Trae has. Trae can have his first 3 moves shut down by a defender-change gears and turn it into a step back/floater, find a way to draw the foul, or pass to the open man or throw an easy lob.

I still would like to see Maxey be aggressive and use his speed as a factor. Derrick White has done a good job on him so far because he can stay with him and also use his length to deter him without fear of Maxey changing gears or drawing contact for a foul...

Similar to Trae, he can hunt Al all game long. No need to attack Smart or White straight up. Harden did the same in reg season. Maxey couldnt do it because Harden is doing it when he’s on the court.

[M2J]

Doc has been "fine" this post season so far.

the one thing I often complain about him he has not done really.

so unless he just wants too go golfing more and resign....i resigned (wakka wakka) myself to to him being back next year.

Might I ask what he did poorly last postseason?

[76ciology]

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[eyeatoma]

Doc has been "fine" this post season so far.

the one thing I often complain about him he has not done really.

so unless he just wants too go golfing more and resign....i resigned (wakka wakka) myself to to him being back next year.

Might I ask what he did poorly last postseason?

The whole Paul Reed victory tour BS last year was on Doc. But this year, especially these playoffs have been better.

[Kova]

Lol, I see at least 50% of posters already packing up our bags and blowing it up.. What are you even doing here??

Anyway, if Jo can't go, I see Reed as a huge X-factor! Celtics can have all the game plans in the world, but they don't have a game plan for Reed because his hustle, length, agility is completely unpredictable. Hell, this guy sometimes disrupts our plays, let alone opposition. He can create a complete havoc on the floor and have a huge impact. As crazy as it sounds, Boston knows how to set up their game against Embiid, but not against Reed. At least not for 1 game.

Kova I'm a big Reed fan. I wanted him to play more since last season. But expecting him to play and be productive in the 2nd round is asking a lot especially against Boston and their experience. We need Harden to up his game, Maxey to not wilt and now Reed to step in and be the starting center. Wow that's a lot for one game let alone a series.

I'm not setting that expectation by any means.. I just think that he has the ability to be an X-factor or a wild card guy for that 1 game we need to win where Boston doesn't have an answer.. Preferably it's G1 if Embiid can't go.

Hell yeah! This is exactly what I meant! This was it, 'THE GAME'!!

[76ciology]

Can someone explain to me why we’re a bad match-up for the Celtics? I’ll be open minded I promise.

[ProcessDoctor]

Can someone explain to me why we’re a bad match-up for the Celtics? I’ll be open minded I promise.

bCuz TheY haVe ouR NUmbEr

[76ciology]

Can someone explain to me why we’re a bad match-up for the Celtics? I’ll be open minded I promise.

bCuz TheY haVe ouR NUmbEr

Lol yes thats mostly what I heard from the outside.

[youngcrev]

Can someone explain to me why we’re a bad match-up for the Celtics? I’ll be open minded I promise.

That first quarter when we were getting cooked and couldn't stay in front of anyone for like a good explanation.

For once, coaching and perseverance might actually be an advantage for us in a series though.

They were calling that defense like an NFL coordinator in that one after the initial beat down. Mixing up what they do and disguising their coverages. They played 2-3, they did switch everything, they played matchup zones, they played man disguised as zones. Boston looked perplexed after the layup line they had in the beginning.

Still, even if we beat them, I don't think the means they aren't a bad matchup. This one took some late game heroics on our end, choking on theirs, and a trip in the way back machine out of Harden to get a tight victory. This thing is far from over. The celebration is that it's a **** series!

[76ciology]

Can someone explain to me why we’re a bad match-up for the Celtics? I’ll be open minded I promise.

That first quarter when we were getting cooked and couldn't stay in front of anyone for like a good explanation.

For once, coaching and perseverance might actually be an advantage for us in a series though.

They were calling that defense like an NFL coordinator in that one after the initial beat down. Mixing up what they do and disguising their coverages. They played 2-3, they did switch everything, they played matchup zones, they played man disguised as zones. Boston looked perplexed after the layup line they had in the beginning.

I think we our scheme on both ends is designed to beat them on both ends. This includes the defense you’re referring.

Switch heavy teams gets burned playing the Celts. Hawks learned it the hard way in the first two games. This team watched how Celts played against the Heat and the Warriors, whom we shared a lot of similarities on defense.

Im not saying we’ll beat them. Life, specially sports, has a lot of variance involved and unknown variables that is very hard to predict.

But i just cant see how we’re a bad match-up for the Celts

[zaz102]

Can someone explain to me why we’re a bad match-up for the Celtics? I’ll be open minded I promise.

bCuz TheY haVe ouR NUmbEr

* Good D that can defend anyone on the floor.
* Horford can pull out the rim protector (less of an issue without Embiid)
* Combination of scorers and toughness.
* Capable three point shooters.

It feels like they should be able to drive to the hoop at any time. Also, they should be able to guard our scorers well. Obviously, the Sixers were able to negate these advantages in the first game and played really well in the second half so what the hell do I know.

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[youngcrev]

Can someone explain to me why we’re a bad match-up for the Celtics? I’ll be open minded I promise.

That first quarter when we were getting cooked and couldn't stay in front of anyone for like a good explanation.

For once, coaching and perseverance might actually be an advantage for us in a series though.

They were calling that defense like an NFL coordinator in that one after the initial beat down. Mixing up what they do and disguising their coverages. They played 2-3, they did switch everything, they played matchup zones, they played man disguised as zones. Boston looked perplexed after the layup line they had in the beginning.

I think we our scheme on both ends is designed to beat them on both ends. This includes the defense you’re referring.

Switch heavy teams gets burned playing the Celts. Hawks learned it the hard way in the first two games. This team watched how Celts played against the Heat and the Warriors, whom we shared a lot of similarities on defense.

Im not saying we’ll beat them. Life, specially sports, has a lot of variance involved and unknown variables that is very hard to predict.

But i just cant see how we’re a bad match-up for the Celts

How were a bad matchup for them or them a bad matchup for us?

I think Embiid makes us a tough matchup for them. Horford can't defend him without help the way that he used to, and that's just a game plan wrecker when you need to double. Other than that though, they've got tremendous perimeter defenders with length to bother Harden and Maxey. I imagine they'll be abandoning their switching on everything with the way Horford got targeted and abused.

On our end, I think Tatum, Brown, and Brogdon are all pretty tough matchups. I mean, we rely on two bad perimeter defenders in Maxey and Harden, and don't really have anyone with the foot speed/length combination to handle Brown or Tatum. And their ability to spread the floor can somewhat neutralize Embiid's defensive impact.

Scheme is going to play a huge role.