Championship hopes

[VDT]

Seems like defensive anchors are becoming increasingly less relevant to the performance of a defensive unit. The driving force behind what is or what isn't a good defensive unit in games that matter, these days, appears to be whether or not you have enough non-exploitable defenders on the perimeter.

The Sixers didn't project to have a good playoff defense even before Ben Simmons got hurt, just based on the guys that were projected to be playing in our rotation. Without Ben, it's going to be a downright crapshow defensively. I don't think Embiid can impact that fate.

This is partially true due to the increase in the importance of the 3 point shot and how spammable pnr is. But neither the ability to play good defense without a rim protecting big is new ((0s Bulls) nor is the importance of a defensive anchor small. It is not like in Russell's era and probably not like in Hakeem's era but it is still quite important.

[76ciology]

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Meek Mill got his moves from Al Horford

[Negrodamus]

Read on Twitter

That's a relief.

[76ciology]

Problem with our 1-5 PnR defense. What do you think our problem is?

JRich and Thybulle are good Pg defenders then you have either Biid or Al or Pelle.

I think we lack trapping, blitzing and other type of defense and we’re kind of unpredictable.

I also think we lack a secondary rim protector that can help whenever Biid steps out.

[76ciology]

I really really believe we want that 6th spot over 5th spot. And we’re virtually locked for the 6th spot

I expect Biid to play his next game with G1 of the Celts series

[76ciology]

Read on Twitter

Run it back?

[76ciology]

Look at the standings.

Is there any benefit to win the remaining games?

[SixthStreet]

If we can't find a on ball shot creator, the path forward offensively is just to bomb threes. Become Mavs-like. Doncic is a light years better half court player than Simmons but he can still be a facsimile. If Embiid's passing improvements are real it's plausible. Both Embiid and Simmons could be capable of producing a lot of looks. Probably need a new coach though. I don't think that Brett would be comfortable with a team shooting 40+ 3s a game. Need a mindset change to tell both Tobias and Richardson to simply let them fly with the slightest of daylight, forget about attacking closeouts. The rest of the current roster already know it's their role to shoot them.

[Negrodamus]

If we can't find a on ball shot creator, the path forward offensively is just to bomb threes. Become Mavs-like. Doncic is a light years better half court player than Simmons but he can still be a facsimile. If Embiid's passing improvements are real it's plausible. Both Embiid and Simmons could be capable of producing a lot of looks. Probably need a new coach though. I don't think that Brett would be comfortable with a team shooting 40+ 3s a game. Need a mindset change to tell both Tobias and Richardson to simply let them fly with the slightest of daylight, forget about attacking closeouts. The rest of the current roster already know it's their role to shoot them.

I'd honestly rather us play these games without Embiid so we can see what our options are in the playoffs in the event Embiid goes cold. Our currently "smash the ball into the post for Embiid at all cost" works sometimes, but he often opts for mediocre shots, especially when he's tired. Last night showed we have offensive options for when Embiid is going through the motions and I feel like we should really work on that aspect of our team.

[TeamHigh]

Yeah, such an elite defense.

Embiid either hobbled, with bubble guts, or preserving his energy because he wants to carry an offensive load sitting around helpless as our terrible perimeter defenders got switched onto and torched for easy buckets. So much good having an elite rim protector did for us during the Celtics series in 2018 and the Raptors series in 2019.

This is such a bizarre take. So because better teams beat us it means rim protection doesn't matter? So every year that LeBron didn't win the title he wasn't the best player in the league?

You see the on-off playoff numbers and come to this half-baked conclusion that having bad rim protectors is extremely detrimental (even with the exact same perimeter defenders) but can't take the half step further and see the flipside that having good rim protectors is a good thing?

Having a 94.8 DRtg is objectively elite defense. There's other aspects to winning a basketball series than how well your defense does while your starting center is in the game. But I'm not sure where this "rim protection doesn't matter" take comes from, especially when it's backed by seemingly nothing.

[Negrodamus]

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Oh man, it's going to get ugly.

[Bum Adebayo]

If we can't find a on ball shot creator, the path forward offensively is just to bomb threes. Become Mavs-like. Doncic is a light years better half court player than Simmons but he can still be a facsimile. If Embiid's passing improvements are real it's plausible. Both Embiid and Simmons could be capable of producing a lot of looks. Probably need a new coach though. I don't think that Brett would be comfortable with a team shooting 40+ 3s a game. Need a mindset change to tell both Tobias and Richardson to simply let them fly with the slightest of daylight, forget about attacking closeouts. The rest of the current roster already know it's their role to shoot them.

What's the point in chasing stupid trends when there will always be a team with better 3pt shooting? we have different strengths than that.

[elchengue20]

Yeah, such an elite defense.

Embiid either hobbled, with bubble guts, or preserving his energy because he wants to carry an offensive load sitting around helpless as our terrible perimeter defenders got switched onto and torched for easy buckets. So much good having an elite rim protector did for us during the Celtics series in 2018 and the Raptors series in 2019.

This is such a bizarre take. So because better teams beat us it means rim protection doesn't matter? So every year that LeBron didn't win the title he wasn't the best player in the league?

You see the on-off playoff numbers and come to this half-baked conclusion that having bad rim protectors is extremely detrimental (even with the exact same perimeter defenders) but can't take the half step further and see the flipside that having good rim protectors is a good thing?

Having a 94.8 DRtg is objectively elite defense. There's other aspects to winning a basketball series than how well your defense does while your starting center is in the game. But I'm not sure where this "rim protection doesn't matter" take comes from, especially when it's backed by seemingly nothing.

Our problem in the Playoffs hasn't been the defense. It's the halfcourt offense, extremely predictable. Especially in the 2018 Playoffs.

[Kobblehead]

rim protection doesn't matter?

It's becoming increasingly less relevant. Having as few exploitable perimeter defenders in your rotation as possible is far more important. As is coaching/scheme.

[Kobblehead]

Our problem has been both.

We have nobody that can score off the dribble and we field far too many exploitable defenders on the perimeter.

[TeamHigh]

rim protection doesn't matter?

It's becoming increasingly less relevant. Having as few exploitable perimeter defenders in your rotation as possible is far more important. As is coaching/scheme.

It's still very relevant if the drop off between Embiid and non-rim protector is 20+ points in DRtg. That's more than any individual perimeter defender in the league.

Yes, it's also important to not have a bunch of minus perimeter defenders who get headhunted on defense. But that doesn't come close to diminishing the impact of a rim protector. As you advance further into the playoffs, you face stronger and stronger opposition by design. Thus, to beat them you need to have fewer and fewer flaws yourself. If we had a bunch of great perimeter defenders and no rim protection, we'd still get bounced in the playoffs with the offense we've had the last few years.

The reason we've lost in the playoffs the last two years is not because we've had a bad defense, but because our offense sputters in the half court when it really matters.

[sixers4real]

We are not winning title this year. No chance.

The way i see it for the rest of this season:
- play Horford a lot so his value increases. He's been a better player without Ben Simmons. Maybe trade him this summer for someone like Buddy Hield.
- play Milton and Richardson more so they are better ready for next season.
- keep Embiid out unless he's ready 100%

I try to find as much positive this season as I can, for the next one. And if this ends really bad like a first round sweep, no way BB can survive this, which is good.

But you NEVER trade Simmons OR Embiid. They just turned 24 and 26 this year.

[76ciology]

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Not that bad

[76ciology]

But you NEVER trade Simmons OR Embiid. They just turned 24 and 26 this year.

Not saying we should trade one of them. But this is exactly also the same reason why you should trade one of them.

“Get out before they find out” - Jerry West

[76ciology]

Right now the turnover of players is fast. There is another TJ warren type guy around the corner.

The more i think about it, the more i realize how teams should have a short leash on players