ECSF Gm 6: 76ers (2-3) V Heat (3-2) | Thr 5/12 7:00PM EST ESPN

[eyeatoma]

Yea, while I don't think we'll win this series, we kinda have to win this game at home. It would look pretty bad for Embiid to **** down his leg for the two games after not winning the MVP.

I don't think it's fair that we continue to blame his performance on not winning the MVP.

It would be far easier to do that if he didn't talk about the injustices he perceives regarding the MVP voting right after a blowout loss.

I mean when something is ambiguous -- i.e., we don't know whether to attribute to his performance to moping about the MVP or to other factors -- it becomes easier to attribute it to the MVP when he himself talks about it, after a blowout loss.

If you want people to attribute your performance to things other than that, then don't talk about it. He has a lot of control over how he's perceived.

He was asked, what do you want him to say? He didn't bring it up, did you watch the interview?

Or should he have just said, "I'm a dog, I got this".

[Ferry Avenue]

I don't think it's fair that we continue to blame his performance on not winning the MVP.

It would be far easier to do that if he didn't talk about the injustices he perceives regarding the MVP voting right after a blowout loss.

I mean when something is ambiguous -- i.e., we don't know whether to attribute to his performance to moping about the MVP or to other factors -- it becomes easier to attribute it to the MVP when he himself talks about it, after a blowout loss.

If you want people to attribute your performance to things other than that, then don't talk about it. He has a lot of control over how he's perceived.

He was asked, what do you want him to say? He didn't bring it up, did you watch the interview?

Or should he have just said, "I'm a dog, I got this".

"I'll address that after the season -- right now my teammates and I are focused on winning a championship, not my individual accomplishments."

Not real difficult or sophisticated.

[eyeatoma]

It would be far easier to do that if he didn't talk about the injustices he perceives regarding the MVP voting right after a blowout loss.

I mean when something is ambiguous -- i.e., we don't know whether to attribute to his performance to moping about the MVP or to other factors -- it becomes easier to attribute it to the MVP when he himself talks about it, after a blowout loss.

If you want people to attribute your performance to things other than that, then don't talk about it. He has a lot of control over how he's perceived.

He was asked, what do you want him to say? He didn't bring it up, did you watch the interview?

Or should he have just said, "I'm a dog, I got this".

"I'll address that after the season -- right now my teammates and I are focused on winning a championship, not my individual accomplishments."

Not real difficult or sophisticated.

Dude is not a robot, sorry, that he isn't your ideal version of a super star. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Despite that, he plays with numerous injuries and is the only reason we won 2 games in this series.

[Mik317]

Lol

You would twist that into him not being who you want him to be as well

He was asked a question and gave his honest answer I’d rather that than pr fluff for better or for worse

He is allowed to be disappointed tht he did not win the award…. Especially now that his body is yet again getting in the way of success. It doesn’t make him soft or selfish or whatever either….it’s called being human

I cannot believe that this stupid narrative is being pushed seriously

[Negrodamus]

Yea, while I don't think we'll win this series, we kinda have to win this game at home. It would look pretty bad for Embiid to **** down his leg for the two games after not winning the MVP.

I don't think it's fair that we continue to blame his performance on not winning the MVP. it might be contributing to it, but the dude has a broken fake, torn finger, and just came off a concussion. He was smacked in the face on the same spot with a ball, and was rolling around the floor in tears (genuine pain, not flopping, or trying to sell the call). Dude is basically coming out of an ambulance stretcher. We also can't say, hey listen, if you can't bring it, then don't play at all.

He's an emotional guy, and once again he's getting flack for talking about the MVP, well he was asked. What should he have done, just said next question? It's TNT, and ESPN that brought up the idea that Jo was upset about the MVP and it was affecting his game. Again, I think it might have contributed a little, but I think we need to be better than the average NBA fan, and not assume it was the biggest reason for why we lost the last two games. He is playing like an absolute warrior, and his dedication and fight in the game really shouldn't be questioned.

I know, he looked like he was moping, and but he was probably also upset as hell that once again, it's his injuries that are preventing him from playing to his potential. It's very hard for a guy to be able to have to deal with this on an annual basis, since the day he was drafted. It'll have a psychological effect on you. The **** this dude has been through, and to come through it all, and be an MVP candidate for 2 years in a row. He has been through far more mental struggles, then that whiny bitch Ben Simmons.

We think of our NBA superstars as gladiators or superheros who are immune to basic human emotion, and are invulnerable to pain, but what makes Joel "Jo" is that he is like many of us. A passionate human being who wears his heart on his sleeve, but wants to win more than anything, and will play no matter what (unlike many of us, and someone else we know).

Just think it's a little too easy to immediately jump to the MVP narrative, we have to give him a little more credit than that.

I'm certainly not saying it's justified, but this is very much an optics league. To go from obliterating the Heat in the prior two games to sucking in the game after the MVP was announced and then to lose at home in an elimination game is simply a bad look from a legacy standpoint. Blame the legendary stories of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan for the standard we place on players.

It's like if we blew it to the Raptors after being 3-0. Yea, it's a devastating, unprecedented blow to endure, but it would have been purely circumstantial (Embiid's injuries) and it's just a playoff series in a year we really aren't a true contender. The only bad part would have been the optics, tbh.

[Ferry Avenue]

He was asked, what do you want him to say? He didn't bring it up, did you watch the interview?

Or should he have just said, "I'm a dog, I got this".

"I'll address that after the season -- right now my teammates and I are focused on winning a championship, not my individual accomplishments."

Not real difficult or sophisticated.

Dude is not a robot, sorry, that he isn't your ideal version of a super star. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Despite that, he plays with numerous injuries and is the only reason we won 2 games in this series.

Giving the response that indicates an appreciation of the situation he’s currently in and his role as a leader of his team wouldn’t make him a robot. On the contrary it would make him a leader who has a heartfelt desire to win a championship. Those are the kinds of players that win championships.

[eyeatoma]

Yea, while I don't think we'll win this series, we kinda have to win this game at home. It would look pretty bad for Embiid to **** down his leg for the two games after not winning the MVP.

I don't think it's fair that we continue to blame his performance on not winning the MVP. it might be contributing to it, but the dude has a broken fake, torn finger, and just came off a concussion. He was smacked in the face on the same spot with a ball, and was rolling around the floor in tears (genuine pain, not flopping, or trying to sell the call). Dude is basically coming out of an ambulance stretcher. We also can't say, hey listen, if you can't bring it, then don't play at all.

He's an emotional guy, and once again he's getting flack for talking about the MVP, well he was asked. What should he have done, just said next question? It's TNT, and ESPN that brought up the idea that Jo was upset about the MVP and it was affecting his game. Again, I think it might have contributed a little, but I think we need to be better than the average NBA fan, and not assume it was the biggest reason for why we lost the last two games. He is playing like an absolute warrior, and his dedication and fight in the game really shouldn't be questioned.

I know, he looked like he was moping, and but he was probably also upset as hell that once again, it's his injuries that are preventing him from playing to his potential. It's very hard for a guy to be able to have to deal with this on an annual basis, since the day he was drafted. It'll have a psychological effect on you. The **** this dude has been through, and to come through it all, and be an MVP candidate for 2 years in a row. He has been through far more mental struggles, then that whiny bitch Ben Simmons.

We think of our NBA superstars as gladiators or superheros who are immune to basic human emotion, and are invulnerable to pain, but what makes Joel "Jo" is that he is like many of us. A passionate human being who wears his heart on his sleeve, but wants to win more than anything, and will play no matter what (unlike many of us, and someone else we know).

Just think it's a little too easy to immediately jump to the MVP narrative, we have to give him a little more credit than that.

I'm certainly not saying it's justified, but this is very much an optics league. To go from obliterating the Heat in the prior two games to sucking in the game after the MVP was announced and then to lose at home in an elimination game is simply a bad look from a legacy standpoint. Blame the legendary stories of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan for the standard we place on players.

It's like if we blew it to the Raptors after being 3-0. Yea, it's a devastating, unprecedented blow to endure, but it would have been purely circumstantial (Embiid's injuries) and it's just a playoff series in a year we really aren't a true contender. The only bad part would have been the optics, tbh.

Fair enough, but honestly **** the optics. Optics are for casuals and the lame stream media, we should be better than that. Would I have liked him to said a more professional answer? Sure, but that's what makes Jo, the player he is. He is incredibly passionate, and when he channels that right, you see that on the court. I guarantee you, if he gave more of the "right answers" he would be a different player on the court, and I don't mean that as a compliment. Despite all of that, he has gotten a lot better with his answers over the year. No pun intend, but "it's a process".

I also know that he would have played differently if he weren't injured. Could he still have a bad game sure? But I cannot with a clear conscious blame his performance on not winning the MPV, when 99% of the NBA would not even dream of playing with the injuries he has.

[eyeatoma]

"I'll address that after the season -- right now my teammates and I are focused on winning a championship, not my individual accomplishments."

Not real difficult or sophisticated.

Dude is not a robot, sorry, that he isn't your ideal version of a super star. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Despite that, he plays with numerous injuries and is the only reason we won 2 games in this series.

Giving the response that indicates an appreciation of the situation he’s currently in and his role as a leader of his team wouldn’t make him a robot. On the contrary it would make him a leader who has a heartfelt desire to win a championship. Those are the kinds of players that win championships.

Unfortunately that's not how life works, and the world is better for it. What a boring world we would live in, if everyone gave the appropriate answer, when they were asked a question.

[eyeatoma]

Lol

You would twist that into him not being who you want him to be as well

He was asked a question and gave his honest answer I’d rather that than pr fluff for better or for worse

He is allowed to be disappointed tht he did not win the award…. Especially now that his body is yet again getting in the way of success. It doesn’t make him soft or selfish or whatever either….it’s called being human

I cannot believe that this stupid narrative is being pushed seriously

This

[snoop88]

Yeah I don’t know. Embiid seemed pretty mopey and disengaged the last game. Combined with all the feeling bad for myself quotes the last couple days, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s just mentally and physically over this season.

But if there’s one thing about that this teams that’s completely predictable it’s that they’re completely unpredictable on a nightly basis so I wouldn’t be shocked if they won by 20 tonight.

[ducler]

Read on Twitter

[FireMorey]

It's easier to latch to narratives instead of admitting the team isn't good enough. Now, I think the Sixers should beat the Heat and are the better team(even losing this series wouldn't disprove that since the Sixers didn't have Embiid for 2 games). But even if they're better than the Heat, right now they certainly are not better than the Bucks or Celtics. At least not with Embiid not at full strength.

Whether Harden's hammy is still affecting him or he just isn't the same, the second Harden went from what he was before he became a Sixer and the first few games as a Sixer to what he is now, the Sixers were toast and had no shot at a title. The reason sacrificing depth made sense was because you thought you were getting top 10-12 player James Harden in the deal. Right now they have a guy who's borderline top 25 with the way he's playing and can't dominate offensively. That was it. The team simply doesn't have the depth to win when you make that trade if you aren't getting Harden who's capable of putting up 40 on any given night.

Forget Embiid's injuries, once it was obvious at least for this season this is the Harden we were getting, I basically scrapped any expectations I had about this season and anything they accomplish to me is gravy. And even if they win this series, I think next round would be UGLY. Especially if Middleton comes back and it's the Bucks.

People keep talking about "OMG EMBIID CAN'T GET OUT OF THE 2ND ROUND!" Is getting to the ECF and getting slaughtered really going to satisfy anyone? Honestly, who cares? People have set this arbitrary barometer to what will satisfy. I just want a team capable of winning a title. If they aren't good enough, who cares what round the Sixers lose in?

[Ferry Avenue]

Dude is not a robot, sorry, that he isn't your ideal version of a super star. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Despite that, he plays with numerous injuries and is the only reason we won 2 games in this series.

Giving the response that indicates an appreciation of the situation he’s currently in and his role as a leader of his team wouldn’t make him a robot. On the contrary it would make him a leader who has a heartfelt desire to win a championship. Those are the kinds of players that win championships.

Unfortunately that's not how life works, and the world is better for it. What a boring world we would live in, if everyone gave the appropriate answer, when they were asked a question.

Yeah well, with every little bit that's dribbled away from what's associated with winning championships (in this case leadership), this team becomes less likely to win one with its current roster. So value "non-boring answers to questions" if you will, but realize that it comes at the expense of the leadership associated with winning championships.

In the end you'll have a team that answers questions in a non-boring way, but whose player leadership is associated with a perennial second-round playoff exit.

[snoop88]

It's easier to latch to narratives instead of admitting the team isn't good enough. Now, I think the Sixers should beat the Heat and are the better team(even losing this series wouldn't disprove that since the Sixers didn't have Embiid for 2 games). But even if they're better than the Heat, right now they certainly are not better than the Bucks or Celtics. At least not with Embiid not at full strength.

Whether Harden's hammy is still affecting him or he just isn't the same, the second Harden went from what he was before he became a Sixer and the first few games as a Sixer to what he is now, the Sixers were toast and had no shot at a title. The reason sacrificing depth made sense was because you thought you were getting top 10-12 player James Harden in the deal. Right now they have a guy who's borderline top 25 with the way he's playing and can't dominate offensively. That was it. The team simply doesn't have the depth to win when you make that trade if you aren't getting Harden who's capable of putting up 40 on any given night.

Forget Embiid's injuries, once it was obvious at least for this season this is the Harden we were getting, I basically scrapped any expectations I had about this season and anything they accomplish to me is gravy. And even if they win this series, I think next round would be UGLY. Especially if Middleton comes back and it's the Bucks.

People keep talking about "OMG EMBIID CAN'T GET OUT OF THE 2ND ROUND!" Is getting to the ECF and getting slaughtered really going to satisfy anyone? Honestly, who cares? People have set this arbitrary barometer to what will satisfy. I just want a team capable of winning a title. If they aren't good enough, who cares what round the Sixers lose in?

I mean I have serious issues with this roster and how this team is built and I’ve been very upfront with not thinking this is a championship team but it would be cool if for once this team could overcome adversity and exceed expectations and squeak out an ECF appearance. We have two guys on the roster who are supposed to be MVP caliber players.
Getting to the ECF is absolutely an accomplishment and sometimes a barometer of whether a team is “close” so to speak.

The Isiah Thomas Celtics and Trae Young Hawks have managed to go further in the playoffs than we have. The East is not the 2000’s Western Conference. The Miami Heat are not some unstoppable juggernaut.

There just always seems to be an excuse each year and some rationalization that excuses an early exit.

[FireMorey]

It's easier to latch to narratives instead of admitting the team isn't good enough. Now, I think the Sixers should beat the Heat and are the better team(even losing this series wouldn't disprove that since the Sixers didn't have Embiid for 2 games). But even if they're better than the Heat, right now they certainly are not better than the Bucks or Celtics. At least not with Embiid not at full strength.

Whether Harden's hammy is still affecting him or he just isn't the same, the second Harden went from what he was before he became a Sixer and the first few games as a Sixer to what he is now, the Sixers were toast and had no shot at a title. The reason sacrificing depth made sense was because you thought you were getting top 10-12 player James Harden in the deal. Right now they have a guy who's borderline top 25 with the way he's playing and can't dominate offensively. That was it. The team simply doesn't have the depth to win when you make that trade if you aren't getting Harden who's capable of putting up 40 on any given night.

Forget Embiid's injuries, once it was obvious at least for this season this is the Harden we were getting, I basically scrapped any expectations I had about this season and anything they accomplish to me is gravy. And even if they win this series, I think next round would be UGLY. Especially if Middleton comes back and it's the Bucks.

People keep talking about "OMG EMBIID CAN'T GET OUT OF THE 2ND ROUND!" Is getting to the ECF and getting slaughtered really going to satisfy anyone? Honestly, who cares? People have set this arbitrary barometer to what will satisfy. I just want a team capable of winning a title. If they aren't good enough, who cares what round the Sixers lose in?

I mean I have serious issues with this roster and how this team is built but it would be cool if for once this team could overcome adversity and exceed expectations and squeak out an ECF appearance for once.
Getting to the ECF is absolutely an accomplishment and sometimes a barometer of whether a team is “close” to speak.

The Isiah Thomas Celtics and Trae Young Hawks have managed to go further in the playoffs than we have. The East is not the 2000’s Western Conference.

There just always seems to be an excuse each year and some bizarre circumstance that excuses an early exit.

I'm not sure I agree with the excuse thing. What was the excuse last year? All I remember is people identifying why the Sixers lost. Those aren't really excuses. If the Sixers lose this series it'll be because their two best players weren't good enough.

[Ferry Avenue]

It's easier to latch to narratives instead of admitting the team isn't good enough. Now, I think the Sixers should beat the Heat and are the better team(even losing this series wouldn't disprove that since the Sixers didn't have Embiid for 2 games). But even if they're better than the Heat, right now they certainly are not better than the Bucks or Celtics. At least not with Embiid not at full strength.

Whether Harden's hammy is still affecting him or he just isn't the same, the second Harden went from what he was before he became a Sixer and the first few games as a Sixer to what he is now, the Sixers were toast and had no shot at a title. The reason sacrificing depth made sense was because you thought you were getting top 10-12 player James Harden in the deal. Right now they have a guy who's borderline top 25 with the way he's playing and can't dominate offensively. That was it. The team simply doesn't have the depth to win when you make that trade if you aren't getting Harden who's capable of putting up 40 on any given night.

Forget Embiid's injuries, once it was obvious at least for this season this is the Harden we were getting, I basically scrapped any expectations I had about this season and anything they accomplish to me is gravy. And even if they win this series, I think next round would be UGLY. Especially if Middleton comes back and it's the Bucks.

People keep talking about "OMG EMBIID CAN'T GET OUT OF THE 2ND ROUND!" Is getting to the ECF and getting slaughtered really going to satisfy anyone? Honestly, who cares? People have set this arbitrary barometer to what will satisfy. I just want a team capable of winning a title. If they aren't good enough, who cares what round the Sixers lose in?

The depth on the team isn't significantly associated with its performance however. Bench scoring remains a non-significant predictor of point differential for this team in the 30 games Embiid and Harden have played together (including the playoffs). The team's point differential continues to revolve around Maxey and Harden's scoring, in that order, as the only significant predictors of point differential. The team rises and falls with its guards, not its bench.

[Jay555]

This is going 7. Book it.

[Ferry Avenue]

Yea, while I don't think we'll win this series, we kinda have to win this game at home. It would look pretty bad for Embiid to **** down his leg for the two games after not winning the MVP.

I don't think it's fair that we continue to blame his performance on not winning the MVP. it might be contributing to it, but the dude has a broken fake, torn finger, and just came off a concussion. He was smacked in the face on the same spot with a ball, and was rolling around the floor in tears (genuine pain, not flopping, or trying to sell the call). Dude is basically coming out of an ambulance stretcher. We also can't say, hey listen, if you can't bring it, then don't play at all.

He's an emotional guy, and once again he's getting flack for talking about the MVP, well he was asked. What should he have done, just said next question? It's TNT, and ESPN that brought up the idea that Jo was upset about the MVP and it was affecting his game. Again, I think it might have contributed a little, but I think we need to be better than the average NBA fan, and not assume it was the biggest reason for why we lost the last two games. He is playing like an absolute warrior, and his dedication and fight in the game really shouldn't be questioned.

I know, he looked like he was moping, and but he was probably also upset as hell that once again, it's his injuries that are preventing him from playing to his potential. It's very hard for a guy to be able to have to deal with this on an annual basis, since the day he was drafted. It'll have a psychological effect on you. The **** this dude has been through, and to come through it all, and be an MVP candidate for 2 years in a row. He has been through far more mental struggles, then that whiny bitch Ben Simmons.

We think of our NBA superstars as gladiators or superheros who are immune to basic human emotion, and are invulnerable to pain, but what makes Joel "Jo" is that he is like many of us. A passionate human being who wears his heart on his sleeve, but wants to win more than anything, and will play no matter what (unlike many of us, and someone else we know).

Just think it's a little too easy to immediately jump to the MVP narrative, we have to give him a little more credit than that.

I'm certainly not saying it's justified, but this is very much an optics league. To go from obliterating the Heat in the prior two games to sucking in the game after the MVP was announced and then to lose at home in an elimination game is simply a bad look from a legacy standpoint. Blame the legendary stories of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan for the standard we place on players.

It's like if we blew it to the Raptors after being 3-0. Yea, it's a devastating, unprecedented blow to endure, but it would have been purely circumstantial (Embiid's injuries) and it's just a playoff series in a year we really aren't a true contender. The only bad part would have been the optics, tbh.

No, blame the fact that players like those have the character of champions. It's no accident they won many.

And if you want this franchise to ever win one again, you'll insist it has players with that kind of character.

[FireMorey]

It's easier to latch to narratives instead of admitting the team isn't good enough. Now, I think the Sixers should beat the Heat and are the better team(even losing this series wouldn't disprove that since the Sixers didn't have Embiid for 2 games). But even if they're better than the Heat, right now they certainly are not better than the Bucks or Celtics. At least not with Embiid not at full strength.

Whether Harden's hammy is still affecting him or he just isn't the same, the second Harden went from what he was before he became a Sixer and the first few games as a Sixer to what he is now, the Sixers were toast and had no shot at a title. The reason sacrificing depth made sense was because you thought you were getting top 10-12 player James Harden in the deal. Right now they have a guy who's borderline top 25 with the way he's playing and can't dominate offensively. That was it. The team simply doesn't have the depth to win when you make that trade if you aren't getting Harden who's capable of putting up 40 on any given night.

Forget Embiid's injuries, once it was obvious at least for this season this is the Harden we were getting, I basically scrapped any expectations I had about this season and anything they accomplish to me is gravy. And even if they win this series, I think next round would be UGLY. Especially if Middleton comes back and it's the Bucks.

People keep talking about "OMG EMBIID CAN'T GET OUT OF THE 2ND ROUND!" Is getting to the ECF and getting slaughtered really going to satisfy anyone? Honestly, who cares? People have set this arbitrary barometer to what will satisfy. I just want a team capable of winning a title. If they aren't good enough, who cares what round the Sixers lose in?

The depth on the team isn't significantly associated with its performance however. Bench scoring remains a non-significant predictor of point differential for this team in the 30 games Embiid and Harden have played together (including the playoffs). The team's point differential continues to revolve around Maxey and Harden's scoring, in that order, as the only significant predictors of point differential. The team rises and falls with its guards, not its bench.

It matters when you have two players in Embiid and Harden who right now whether it's injury or age shouldn't ideally be playing as much as they are. It would be nice to get them some rest, which is next to impossible with how bad the bench is right now, and it's been worse in the playoffs because Niang is unplayable right now. The Sixers basically don't even have a bench right now. You can call it overrated all you want, but at least other teams have guys they can go to without having to pray they can hang on for dear life every minute they're in the game.

[Negrodamus]

I don't think it's fair that we continue to blame his performance on not winning the MVP. it might be contributing to it, but the dude has a broken fake, torn finger, and just came off a concussion. He was smacked in the face on the same spot with a ball, and was rolling around the floor in tears (genuine pain, not flopping, or trying to sell the call). Dude is basically coming out of an ambulance stretcher. We also can't say, hey listen, if you can't bring it, then don't play at all.

He's an emotional guy, and once again he's getting flack for talking about the MVP, well he was asked. What should he have done, just said next question? It's TNT, and ESPN that brought up the idea that Jo was upset about the MVP and it was affecting his game. Again, I think it might have contributed a little, but I think we need to be better than the average NBA fan, and not assume it was the biggest reason for why we lost the last two games. He is playing like an absolute warrior, and his dedication and fight in the game really shouldn't be questioned.

I know, he looked like he was moping, and but he was probably also upset as hell that once again, it's his injuries that are preventing him from playing to his potential. It's very hard for a guy to be able to have to deal with this on an annual basis, since the day he was drafted. It'll have a psychological effect on you. The **** this dude has been through, and to come through it all, and be an MVP candidate for 2 years in a row. He has been through far more mental struggles, then that whiny bitch Ben Simmons.

We think of our NBA superstars as gladiators or superheros who are immune to basic human emotion, and are invulnerable to pain, but what makes Joel "Jo" is that he is like many of us. A passionate human being who wears his heart on his sleeve, but wants to win more than anything, and will play no matter what (unlike many of us, and someone else we know).

Just think it's a little too easy to immediately jump to the MVP narrative, we have to give him a little more credit than that.

I'm certainly not saying it's justified, but this is very much an optics league. To go from obliterating the Heat in the prior two games to sucking in the game after the MVP was announced and then to lose at home in an elimination game is simply a bad look from a legacy standpoint. Blame the legendary stories of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan for the standard we place on players.

It's like if we blew it to the Raptors after being 3-0. Yea, it's a devastating, unprecedented blow to endure, but it would have been purely circumstantial (Embiid's injuries) and it's just a playoff series in a year we really aren't a true contender. The only bad part would have been the optics, tbh.

No, blame the fact that players like those have the character of champions. It's no accident they won many.

And if you want this franchise to ever win one again, you'll insist it has players with that kind of character.

LeBron lost his first finals with the heat because he had cramps. Does he possess this “character” you speak of?