RealGM

Assuming no more major moves are made until the season is underway? I think we are still third behind Boston and the Bucks. I expect the Heat to take a step back this year, the Nets are too combustible to accurately predict and the Cavs look good on paper after the Mitchell trade but will have to develop chemistry much like we did last season after acquiring Harden.

There's no need to rank us behind anyone. We might not end up best in the east, but we have as much chance as anyone to end up there.

Tier 1: Sixers, Bucks, Celtics
Tier 2: Heat, Cavaliers, Hawks, Bulls, Raptors, Hornets
Tier 3: the rest
Tier X: Brooklyn

I agree that Brooklyn is nearly impossible to rank. Will Kyrie and Ben even play? Durant is at the age where he could take a HUGE step back in a single season. Maybe it happens this season, maybe not for another 3 or 4 seasons. But it happens to everyone eventually. They could be #1. They could miss the playoffs.

FlyingArrow wrote:There's no need to rank us behind anyone. We might not end up best in the east, but we have as much chance as anyone to end up there.

Tier 1: Sixers, Bucks, Celtics
Tier 2: Heat, Cavaliers, Hawks, Bulls, Raptors, Hornets
Tier 3: the rest
Tier X: Brooklyn

I agree that Brooklyn is nearly impossible to rank. Will Kyrie and Ben even play? Durant is at the age where he could take a HUGE step back in a single season. Maybe it happens this season, maybe not for another 3 or 4 seasons. But it happens to everyone eventually. They could be #1. They could miss the playoffs.

Tier:1: Bucks, Celtics
Tier 2: Sixers*, Heat, Cavaliers
Tier 3: Raptors, Hawks, Bulls
The rest

*We can move up to tier 1 if Harden returns to pre-injury form.

Brooklyn, as mentioned, is too volatile to call.

Can we please stop pretending we are as good as Milwaukee or Boston? Every preseason is like Groundhog's Day for the last 3-4 years.

GoSixersBro wrote:Can we please stop pretending we are as good as Milwaukee or Boston? Every preseason is like Groundhog's Day for the last 3-4 years.

Yeah. We’ve got to get out of the second round at-least once first lol.

Why the hell is Tobias still here

Second behind the Bucks.

SparksFly87 wrote:Why the hell is Tobias still here

Because Elton Brand isn't another team's GM calling the trade shots.

MVP1992 wrote:

SparksFly87 wrote:Why the hell is Tobias still here

Because Elton Brand isn't another team's GM calling the trade shots.

Very early Post Of The Day nominee.

mjkvol wrote:

MVP1992 wrote:

SparksFly87 wrote:Why the hell is Tobias still here

Because Elton Brand isn't another team's GM calling the trade shots.

Very early Post Of The Day nominee.

Seconded.


I also don’t understand much optimism for this season. It requires multiple players doing things they have never done before to have an upside ending. It also requires a certain coach to check his ego at the door. So Groundhog Day is the most likely outcome.

The playoffs are a different story, but I definitely think we could finish first in the East next season. Also think 6th is not out of the question.

Stanford wrote:The playoffs are a different story, but I definitely think we could finish first in the East next season. Also think 6th is not out of the question.

Aren’t we built for the playoffs?

We can win the PnR contest.
We can win the ISO contest.
We also have the best 3rd and 4th options in the league.
We have switchable defenders and high deflections guys.

Almost like one of those Celts squad that over performs in the playoffs but with better PnR play

It’s about chemistry and sacrifice right now IMO.

76ciology wrote:Aren’t we built for the playoffs?

I dunno. Our two best players have zero playoff success.

Stanford wrote:

76ciology wrote:Aren’t we built for the playoffs?

I dunno. Our two best players have zero playoff success.

Little playoff success. Zero would suggest not making it out of the first round.

Harris/Thybulle/Shake for THJ/Kleber/Bullock


Harden/Melton/Springer
Maxey/Hardaway/Joe
House/Bullock/Korkmaz
Kleber/Tucker/Niang
Embiid/Reed/Bassey

LordCovington33 wrote:

Stanford wrote:

76ciology wrote:Aren’t we built for the playoffs?

I dunno. Our two best players have zero playoff success.

Little playoff success. Zero would suggest not making it out of the first round.

I don't know about Harden but Embiid hasn't beaten a single good team in a playoff series besides, if you're generous, the Raptors last season.

Hardens Rockets definitely beat some good teams and took peak GS to the brink. We just don't know what we have with him

the_process wrote:

mjkvol wrote:

MVP1992 wrote:

Because Elton Brand isn't another team's GM calling the trade shots.

Very early Post Of The Day nominee.

Seconded.


I also don’t understand much optimism for this season. It requires multiple players doing things they have never done before to have an upside ending. It also requires a certain coach to check his ego at the door. So Groundhog Day is the most likely outcome.

That's my concern as well. As Stanford said, anywhere from 1st to 6th wouldn't be an outrageous RS outcome, but in the playoffs we really are counting on a lot of 'firsts' for this to work. Of them all, my biggest doubt is Glenn pushing the right buttons at the right time, and possessing the ability to move to a 'Plan B' if necessary.

Why Rox struggle..
On offense, Heavy reliance on 3
On defense, Switchable roster but lack of flexibility to play big or small

Why Sixers struggle..
On offense, lack of pick and roll player
On defense, lack of switchability and lack of flexibility to play big or small

Current Sixers roster
Diverse offense with elite pick and roll & ISO
Have switchability and flexibility to play big or small on defense

Doc is actually that can play “plan B” unlike a coach like MDA who can only play one style.

Aside from the obvious examples like being able to pull out the 6th man card off his sleeve like James Posey or Jamal Crawford or more recent examples like having Montrez Harrel at C to play small with the Clips.

Doc run several non traditional line-ups like running a 3 guard unit all season, sometimes 4 guard unit with Thybulle or Green at PF and even Reed-Jojo or Drummond-Jojo frontcourt. In 2020-2021, he run that Seth-Milton with Ben,Tobi and Biid which was low key a great 5 man unit (+50NetRtg), it just clearly lacks in talent.

Difference between Doc and Brett is brett is blindly tied on the numbers. If his team is down, he’d pull out his “league’s best NetRtg 5 man unit”. Doc on the other hand brings out what the situation hands him. If his guys have a hard time scoring, he’ll put Jamal Crawford with the starters or Montrez Harrell with the starters. If his guys are OK on offense, he’d put more defensive guys around his scorers. He also run super small and super big line-ups, depending on the situation