R2G3 - 76ers vs Celtics - May 5 7:30pm ET ESPN

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Cam Thomas LMMFAO! Have you seen Cam Thomas play defense? Yo I am out! Ya'll are crazy!!!! GTFOH Cam Thomas. Peace out.

[Murray_17]

Dude give it a rest, do you know the word relativity? As in player X is relative too

We already crapped the cap with the Harris/Horford/Simmons signings

Do not do the same with Harden/Maxey

Maxey is not that hard to replace imo. Players like him have less value than what the paying price is.

Yeah, 22 years old elite volume 40%+ shooters are super easy to find.

Cam Thomas, the guy with 40% USG....

The minute this team lose some of you are ready with your agendas to come out.

Like, people has said with a straight face here that Shake is a shooter and can defend

[76ciology]

Btw, we have to figure out whats wrong with Harden and Maxey.

Lets be constructive

[DCasey91]

It’s not a Cam and Maxey trade it’s about relative value.

One is currently undervalued and one is about to overvalued. If he asks for 20 million a year or more you are getting a small guard, with no in between game, zero facilitating skills and a liability on defence that isn’t a core component next to Embiid. Forget the attachment. Schroder is on a min contract for example.

Take Melton and actually look at his value in relation to Embiid. It’s very high

We are always overvaluing the core players to go along with Embiid.

[ankle420breaker]

Not much has changed since I've been born. Boston remains superior on every level (ownership, senior management, general management, coaching, coaching development, scouting, player development, etc). Even more so, they seamlessly institute their culture into every player they bring in and figure out how to maximize their impact within whatever rotational role they play (regardless of how large or small). We're one of the signature franchises in the NBA, and we do nothing to foster that level of passion. I'm approaching 40, and our hierarchy hasn't matched their playoff intensity in my lifetime.

Doc's a decent coach, but I'm pretty sure we collectively knew after last season he wasn't going to get us through any finish lines. We'll fire him after we inevitably lose, but it'll be too late. Zero accountability for ownership. If only we had a Jimmy Butler kind of guy in this series.

Sent from my SM-S901U using RealGM mobile app

Celtics = Basketball Style > Talent
Sixers = Talent > Basketball Style

but in fairness to this team, we adjusted well this season with the PnRs, ISOs and Elbow.

True, but this season is irrelevant at this point. This series is all that matters now, and our adjustments have been inadequate.

For the first time in eons, I genuinely believe we have the talent to compete, but the C's emplore a playoff intensity every year that's consistently on another level than ours. I'm going back to when they had coach O'Brian running the show. It's like from here to f'n eternity.... when is our collective brass going to sack up and start fostering that same mentality and intensity throughout every tier of OUR organization?

Sent from my SM-S901U using RealGM mobile app

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

I'm going to leave the thread with this. James Harden will be back in game four. Both him and Maxey are going to have good games and we're going to tie the series and head back to Boston. See you on Sunday. Remember this prediction because it's happening.

[Mik317]

Sometimes you just aren’t as good as the other team and the answer isn’t always just make trades

That’s the exact thought process that has left us with such little depth

There is no magic pill to fix the issues the team has yall

[DCasey91]

Cam Thomas LMMFAO! Have you seen Cam Thomas play defense? Yo I am out! Ya'll are crazy!!!! GTFOH Cam Thomas. Peace out.

You can quite literally say the exact same thing about Maxey.

[Murray_17]

It’s not a Cam and Maxey trade it’s about relative value.

One is currently undervalued and one is about to overvalued. If he asks for 20 million a year or more your are getting small guard, with a zero in between game, zero facilitating skills and a liability on defence that isn’t a core component next to Embiid. Forget the attachment. Schroder is on a min contract.

Take Melton for example and look at his value in relation to Embiid. It’s very high

We are always overvaluing the core players to go along with Embiid.

You know why Melton is good next to Embiid? because he can shoot the ball.

Maxey is the best shooter in this team and he has 22 years, he could easily get to a 8-10 shots elite volume guy in his prime. The ridicule idea he peaked as he currently plays is what's funny on this discussion.

It's obviously a commodity that has to be paid.

He also is on a minimal contract, you cannot trade him without moving more pieces until he gets paid.

The idea Cam Thomas has more relative value when he has worse facilitating skills and defense than Maxey too is absolutely fascinating.

[Negrodamus]

Maxey played more defense in the first half of this game than Cam has played in all of his minutes in the NBA.

[the_process]

Sometimes you just aren’t as good as the other team and the answer isn’t always just make trades

That’s the exact thought process that has left us with such little depth

There is no magic pill to fix the issues the team has yall

If there no fix to the build, then you have to start over.

[Jay555]

Btw, we have to figure out whats wrong with Harden and Maxey.

Lets be constructive

Aggressiveness and different mindset.

G1, it’s all on them. They were playing freely. No pressure. More touches / shots to build confidence.

G2/G3, working the big fella back into the rotation. Kept worrying about getting him touches which led to less aggressiveness and less shots and therefore bricks.

In retrospect, we should not have played Embiid in G2. We should have given the crew in G1 another go as they had all the momentum. We were unlikely to win that game but what that would have done to Harden/Maxey’s momentum would have been way different leading up to G3.

Having said that, I can not fault the decision to play Embiid in G2. Because let’s face it, We ain’t winning a damn thing without him anyways. We are the underdog vs Celtics even with Embiid.

My final thought. Celtics’ small ball lineup is so anti center no matter who you are. That’s not a knock on Embiid. It’s just a bad match up. It gives me the vibe of the Houston Rockets 2018 line up that always gave big centers fits. They always had Nuggets number because Joker is just too slow.

We can get a couple of games off them but in a 7 games series, our only hope is for them to suck 4 games at the 3 Pt line which is not realistic.

[Ferry Avenue]

Btw, we have to figure out whats wrong with Harden and Maxey.

Lets be constructive

Too much variation in their performance. Neither player is a consistent performer.

[DCasey91]

Maxey played more defense in the first half of this game than Cam has played in all of his minutes in the NBA.

He played with effort not the same thing. He got destroyed defensively

Irving puts in effort on defence... still gets destroyed.

Seth tries, JJ tries gets destroyed

See the pattern here?

[Mik317]

Sometimes you just aren’t as good as the other team and the answer isn’t always just make trades

That’s the exact thought process that has left us with such little depth

There is no magic pill to fix the issues the team has yall

If there no fix to the build, then you have to start over.

There is no quick fix which is what many here seem to want

Been saying it for years but a lot of things can be pinpointed to that flukey ass run years ago that made the fo think we were closer than we were which in turn lead to every season us fielding a whole new team due to the constant win now moves which has left us with very little to actually make any moves…. And yet people want it keep trading dudes the very moment they struggle or just blow it up and try this all over again lol

You take a step back and rebuild the asset pool ideally with younger more athletic bodies basically look for a bunch of Melton level adds and hope Maxey takes a leap or one of the many Meltons have a path forward and if it THEN make the final push or rebuild. I don’t get the rush. Oh bubut Embiids window doe right? Meh…. Worse players on worse contracts have been traded so I am not afraid of the chance his value goes down. Keep saying it but you don’t trade mvp level talents unless they ask out even if they are flawed and not as easy to build around. That’s the hardest player to get.

Embiid is not perfect at all but the fact that teams sell out to stop him is a good thing and if the fo wasn’t bad it wouldn’t be this hard lol. You have to build a team in which it is hard to just throw bodies at biid but also one that doesn’t need him to do it all. Harden ideally was that but at this stage he isn’t and also I think our coaching staff isn’t creative enough to figure that out anyway.

Basically I don’t think we at the blow it up stage and there are still other things worth trying before that

Again we blew it up because a hurt Jrue Holiday was our best player and we didn’t even sniff the playoffs….when we get there then yeah but until Biid asks out I still think the best choice of action is to keep trying new ****… we added a dog after last years failure hopefully a coaching change and philosophy change is what they take away from this year. Despite how this season will probably end I
Think there are lessons we can build off of…not to go full Giannis lol

[Jay555]

Also need PJ to yell at Harden/Maxey for their trash shooting performance. That might do wonders.

[Embiid P]

I think Maxey is dedicated enough to where he'll lock himself in the gym for hours each day to work on his game. The problem is that as DCasey alluded to, for whatever reason, he has abandoned his mid range game and is either shooting 3s or driving to the rim and thus constantly getting his shot blocked nor is he using his body to draw fouls. Maybe someone has given him bad advice in that regard but it's something that he needs to rediscover to avoid getting blocked at the rim so much.

Defensively, he'll always be limited due to his size especially against guards like the Celtics who are bigger and stronger than him. Thus his best defense is his offense as 76ciology suggested. By making shots we are limiting the amount of points the opposition scores in transition.

Harden is the bigger concern IMO since he obviously is who he is at this stage in his career. If he doesn't show up for the remainder of the series, I think we should try to do a sign and trade (for what exactly IDK) in the offseason since we're still over the cap even if he walks.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

I think we're right there, just still a step below Boston and Milwaukee. It took Dirk and the Mavs years until he finally got the better of the Spurs. I look at Boston the same way. We have the pieces, I think we're missing a two way player at the wing position. Let's see what Morey can cook up in the off-season. Regardless of how this series goes, I still think we're a contending team that can get to the Finals with just a few minor adjustments.

[76ciology]

Btw, we have to figure out whats wrong with Harden and Maxey.

Lets be constructive

Aggressiveness and different mindset.

G1, it’s all on them. They were playing freely. No pressure. More touches / shots to build confidence.

G2/G3, working the big fella back into the rotation. Kept worrying about getting him touches which led to less aggressiveness and less shots and therefore bricks.

In retrospect, we should not have played Embiid in G2. We should have given the crew in G1 another go as they had all the momentum. We were unlikely to win that game but what that would have done to Harden/Maxey’s momentum would have been way different leading up to G3.

Having said that, I can not fault the decision to play Embiid in G2. Because let’s face it, We ain’t winning a damn thing without him anyways. We are the underdog vs Celtics even with Embiid.

My final thought. Celtics’ small ball lineup is so anti center no matter who you are. That’s not a knock on Embiid. It’s just a bad match up. It gives me the vibe of the Houston Rockets 2018 line up that always gave big centers fits. They always had Nuggets number because Joker is just too slow.

We can get a couple of games off them but in a 7 games series, our only hope is for them to suck 4 games at the 3 Pt line which is not realistic.

I dont agree that this Celts is anti-center. Biid has averaged like 36ppg against them in reg season. And putting G2 warm up game aside, he played well against them all year.

Anti-center is like Gobert vs Mavs or Clips. Biid has been an asset against the Celts. Making great impact switching and protecting the rim on defense and punishing them on their man to man heavy offense.

This team was made to beat the Celts style of individual/switch heavy defense by elite ISO scoring of 1.1-1.2ppp. Defensively, we’re getting stops more often if we’re making shots or getting to the line. On deadball situations. That’s the key and that should have been the game plan.

I know the limitation of Maxey. But Harden’s poor play is unacceptable. He averaged 25ppg against them in near 50-40-90 % in reg season, also dropped 45 on them in G1. He has to atleast average 20ppg on good %, not even Houston Harden. But since Harden is struggling, Maxey then can’t be playing like this or else the problem compounds. And thats why the team plays better with Melton this series.

Make shots. Get to the line. Slow down the game. Once the game slow down and the Celts wont be able to drive with pace making it easier for us to defend them.

[76ciology]

Yeah, will take a rest. My hands are also full here, but my head is filled with frustrations about Sixers. Anyway, let’s not lose hope. Its just 2-1. Next game is must win.