Sixerscan wrote:Eyeamok wrote:Sixerscan wrote:
I'm sure all of this has been drilled into guys for years, sometimes they screw up because of how fast the game is. I'm sure the Celtics coaches tell the Celtics not to let Embiid get a wide open dunk from the set spot he starts with the ball 70 times a game and that still happened in crunch time.
Doc certainly has issues especially with playoff adjustments but they've been generally very good in crunch time this year. The fact that you're pointing to two games that happened 4 months apart should tell you something.
If anything Doc cares too much about guys committing dumb fouls like why do you think it took Reed so long to get minutes.
If it has been drilled in it's not working so a new approach has to be taken. Look at how the 76ers lost to Boston in February, a last second 3 point shot. Look how Boston almost tied and then almost won the game last night, a last second 3 point shot. When the team is close to a win they get very relaxed. That's a lack of discipline that falls on coaching. Look at the missed free throw Doc is talking to Embiid from the sidelines. Embiid has his head turned towards Doc when the shot goes up. WTF. Then afterwards Doc takes a timeout. What! He could have taken a timeout and prepared the team for what was coming. Instead he chooses that exact moment to distract his best rebounder to have a conversation with him. You can't make this crap up.
It took Reed this long to get minutes because Doc did not want to be proven wrong when it came to the development of Reed. Reed was playing well at the end of last season and when this season starts he is back to square 1 again.
You talk about opposing teams not letting Embiid do what he does. Embiid is one of the top 10 players in the NBA today. Almost impossible to stop very hard to game plan for. You may know what he is going to do but so what! That is just how good he is. What I am talking about is mental mistakes, laps in judgement which to me comes down to poor coaching.
Look at Doc distracting Embiid. Harris and Harden are in la la land. No one was prepared and the one guy that could have got the rebound was distracted by his coach.
I mean that Celtics game from last month also involved the Celtics blowing a 10 point lead with 6 minutes to go. Tatum made a shot at the end, he's a good player and they're a good team I'm not sure what that has to do with the Sixers' lack of execution. They're not going to win every close game. They've out-executed other good teams down the stretch plenty of times this year.
Embiid is great but allowing a wide open dunk to him is just a break down.
I don't think Doc is talking to Embiid, he's either talking to the ref or Maxey. I'm not being pro-Doc here, I just think you're not giving professional athletes enough credit if you think the coach needs to constantly remind them to not commit dumb fouls or block out on free throws.
Well the game, as you said, moves fast, emotions are involved, thinking gets cloudy and people revert to automatic behaviors. In these situations Doc's veteran leadership has to be the voice of reason. The eyes that see what is going on, the captain that guides them through the rough water. He has to be the one that tells them put wax in your ears, tie yourself to the masts and do not listen to the song of the sirens (apparent victory) stay focused. I think in this situation he was severely lacking in his duty as a leader and it almost cost the 76ers the game. When Smart stepped up to take that free throw the entire 76ers team was unprepared.
I don't expect the 76ers to win every close game just all the close ones against Boston would be nice.
