Game 65: 76ers @ Timberwolves

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Getting 2nd seed is useless, if MIL is 1st and BOS is 3rd, we would draw BOS in 2nd round if I'm not mistaken, and we would definitely lose against Celtics anyway even with HC advantage.

Ridiculous take. A second-round series with Boston is very likely to go 7 games. Home court in Game 7 would be critical.

If we pass them for the #2 seed, we can take them out.

2018: 1-4
2020: 0-4

Seems very unlikely to be a 7-game series.

What a superb take on your part. You bring up 2018 which was our first year in the playoffs since...Oh I don't know? 2012? Then...You follow it up with the 2020 sweep where Simmons didn't even play (he was still good back then) and we basically had Embiid and nothing else around him besides Tobias Harris who sucks in the playoffs. Jason Richardson was the lead guard in that series. Mattise Thybulle was playing big minutes despite being a rookie. Shake Milton was the other starting guard. Al Horford was coming off the bench for us and was already checked out as a member of this team.

[Eyeamok]

Ridiculous take. A second-round series with Boston is very likely to go 7 games. Home court in Game 7 would be critical.

If we pass them for the #2 seed, we can take them out.

Extremely optimistic take. Glenn, is that you?

Boston isn't that good this year and they're faltering down the stretch. If we take the #2 seed that proves they're not that good.

Plus this is our best team in the Embiid era. Harden is healthy and Maxey is levelling up. Assuming we stay healthy, we have a good chance to beat Boston if we get home court advantage. Even in spite of Doc.

Boston may not be that good but they believe they have our number. They always play like they can beat us and until we prove otherwise they do have our number and they will beat us. Those are just the facts. Now will I be rooting for the 76ers hell yeah. But I'm not going to be surprised when they lose.

[76ciology]

We’re silently the best team in the league.

No.

Why the optimism anyway? We've had multiple years before where the numbers said the Sixers should win... and nothing.

Yes, Ben is gone. But are you forgetting Harden tends to shrink in the playoffs? Are you forgetting Jo is always hurt in the playoffs? We expect that to change why?

It's a 2nd round out as always and pray the team pays Glenn to go away, and finally ditches Tobias.

-2nd best team in crunch time (can turn it up better than anyone except nuggets)
-Best scorer in the league
-Best PnR in the league
-Best ISO in the league
-Best playmaker in the league
-Top 10 in both offense and defense
-One of the most versatile and can always have 1-2 20ppg scorers on the floor
- Best player in any series from 1st round to finals
- Has players that can guard opponent’s best player on single coverage, from 1st round to finals

If your metric is more towards playoffs than reg season, you can see it. Playoffs is just a purely ISO and PnR contest with elite spacing on offense and a Zone and switch contest on defense.

Every season is different. There are some similarities but it doesnt mean 4 years of first round exit would automatically mean another first round exit. Teams and player adjusts every season and you can clearly see the much needed adjustments this season.

[M2J]

We’re silently the best team in the league.

No.

Why the optimism anyway? We've had multiple years before where the numbers said the Sixers should win... and nothing.

Yes, Ben is gone. But are you forgetting Harden tends to shrink in the playoffs? Are you forgetting Jo is always hurt in the playoffs? We expect that to change why?

It's a 2nd round out as always and pray the team pays Glenn to go away, and finally ditches Tobias.

-2nd best team in crunch time (can turn it up better than anyone except nuggets)
-Best scorer in the league
-Best PnR in the league
-Best ISO in the league
-Best playmaker in the league
-Top 10 in both offense and defense
-One of the most versatile and can always have 1-2 20ppg scorers on the floor
- Best player in any series from 1st round to finals
- Has players that can guard opponent’s best player on single coverage, from 1st round to finals

If your metric is more towards playoffs than reg season, you can see it. Playoffs is just a purely ISO and PnR contest with elite spacing on offense and a Zone and switch contest on defense.

Every season is different. There are some similarities but it doesnt mean 4 years of first round exit would automatically mean another first round exit. Teams and player adjusts every season and you can clearly see the much needed adjustments this season.

I do understand your optimism and credit you for it. You also didn't mention the efficient shooting numbers from three and this team's half court offense is the type you need in the playoffs.

However, this team because of the juggling match that is required to put two-way players on the court, plus have shooting/spacing, playmaking is a concern.

Starting lineup alone.... Harden and Maxey are capable yet not consistent defenders to put it nicely. Tucker is capable yet not consistently willing to shoot. Hell Maxey and Tobias is more than capable, yet not always aggressive enough offensively.

Boston and Milwaukee chuck a lot of 3s that I think may not go in during the playoffs consistently. I think this team has the highest upside offensively in the NBA along with PHX, but that doesn't seem to always come together, in part because they don't play with enough pace. I theorize that they don't play with enough pace sometimes with the starting lineup because they don't have the transition defense to get up and down and defend transition with Tucker being older, Joel and that backcourt. They slow it down to help their defense.... If they turn that around on both ends in the playoffs then they could be the best.

[76ciology]

No.

Why the optimism anyway? We've had multiple years before where the numbers said the Sixers should win... and nothing.

Yes, Ben is gone. But are you forgetting Harden tends to shrink in the playoffs? Are you forgetting Jo is always hurt in the playoffs? We expect that to change why?

It's a 2nd round out as always and pray the team pays on Glenn to go away, and finally ditches Tobias.

-2nd best team in crunch time (can turn it up better than anyone except nuggets)
-Best scorer in the league
-Best PnR in the league
-Best ISO in the league
-Best playmaker in the league
-Top 10 in both offense and defense
-One of the most versatile and can always have 1-2 20ppg scorers on the floor
- Best player in any series from 1st round to finals
- Has players that can guard opponent’s best player on single coverage, from 1st round to finals

If your metric is more towards playoffs than reg season, you can see it. Playoffs is just a purely ISO and PnR contest with elite spacing on offense and a Zone and switch contest on defense.

Every season is different. There are some similarities but it doesnt mean 4 years of first round exit would automatically mean another first round exit. Teams and player adjusts every season and you can clearly see the much needed adjustments this season.

I do understand your optimism and credit you for it. You also didn't mention the efficient shooting numbers from three and this team's half court offense is the type you need in the playoffs.

However, this team because of the juggling match that is required to put two-way players on the court, plus have shooting/spacing, playmaking is a concern.

Starting lineup alone.... Harden and Maxey are capable yet not consistent defenders to put it nicely. Tucker is capable yet not consistently willing to shoot. Hell Maxey and Tobias is more than capable, yet not always aggressive enough offensively.

Boston and Milwaukee chuck a lot of 3s that I think may not go in during the playoffs consistently. I think this team has the highest upside offensively in the NBA along with PHX, but that doesn't seem to always come together, in part because they don't play with enough pace. I theorize that they don't play with enough pace sometimes with the starting lineup because they don't have the transition defense to get up and down and defend transition with Tucker being older, Joel and that backcourt. They slow it down to help their defense.... If they turn that around on both ends in the playoffs then they could be the best.

This team can switch it up on defense whenever they want to.

And a almost all our guys are plus defenders and can switch, this includes Niang and Harden. If opponents would attack maxey, we can play zone or insert McDaniels with Biid or just sub him for Melton at the very worse.

We are an elite two way team, probably the best two way team if we want to turn it up on crunch time.

This team only allows 94pts per 100 in crunch time. And offensively, we can generate high ppp via ISO or PnR at will.

We have no problem defending Tatum, Giannis or Jokic on single coverage. I can’t say the same thing with their defense against Embiid. They wont be able to switch our 2 man game either unlike what Raps and Heat did to us. And if ever we did, we spent the entire offseason trying to address that.

[shrink]

Since I keep getting notifications here from a post I made on the Wolves board, I’ll post this here. I am no fan of Embiid. Great player, but like many of the players of his generation, he exemplifies a lot of the qualities I really don’t like. It’s not about team for me .. MIN has some too in DLo and KAT. But others disagree, so I wanted to write up Ant’s postgame interview for you guys because I think you’ll love it!

Reporter: “What are your thoughts about Embiid?
Ant: “Most Valuable Player in the NBA. For sure.”
Reporter: “When he’s hitting jumpers like that, is it no answer really?”
Ant: “Man, I look up at my trainer, y’know, and he says ya just got to tip your hat man, y’know? Honor greatness. He was great tonight.”
Reporter: “Offensively, is there just going to be nights like that when the team’s not hitting shots?”
Ant: “Yeah, we been hitting shots. We been shooting great from the three ball, so nights like this are bound to happen. But you get over it, look past to the next game, so hopefully we get back to ourselves.
Reporter: is he (Embiid) on your mind when you’re going into the paint, against Embiid?
Ant: Huh?
Reporter: is Embiid on your mind when you’re going into the paint, against him?
Ant: (Laughs), Nah, (laughs), Nah, Nah, Nah. . No. He’s good, but no.

[Bum Adebayo]

Good to see that greatness is apreciated

[eyeatoma]

Ouch...

Read on Twitter

?t=m3xcgNXCCiDiq6bxZGWZ8A&s=19

Happy with how James is playing but this will bite us in the ass.

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

[karch34]

He’s the one athlete I truly hate as a human being. I’ve disliked others in context of rivalry, but he has no redeeming value as a person.

Mental illness is real.

Well, they do have to put up with that sad sack franchise known as the Wolves. Made it out of the 1st round once in franchise history IIRC. I mean, you'd be miserable too.

I think he’s the MVP. No doubt for me.

That said I think when he injured a player in a game and him and Simmons made fun of it in the presser there’s a bit of a POS to his character. I’ve worked in Philly and with fans so I get the mentality of throwing anything you have at players, puking on children during a game, and beating up mascots is expected and accepted. Just not how I view things. But great to have so many fans from the city of brotherly love grace us with their presence.

[karch34]

Mental illness is real.

Well, they do have to put up with that sad sack franchise known as the Wolves. Made it out of the 1st round once in franchise history IIRC. I mean, you'd be miserable too.

I think he’s the MVP. No doubt for me.

That said I think when he injured a player in a game and him and Simmons made fun of it in the presser there’s a bit of a POS to his character. I’ve worked in Philly and with fans so I get the mentality of throwing anything you have at players, puking on children during a game, and beating up mascots is expected and accepted. Just not how I view things. But great to have so many fans from the city of brotherly love grace us with their presence.

Didn’t even notice until now this was on your board, not ours. I Went straight from notifications to the quotes. Hurts is the true MVP!!!

[eyeatoma]

Mental illness is real.

Well, they do have to put up with that sad sack franchise known as the Wolves. Made it out of the 1st round once in franchise history IIRC. I mean, you'd be miserable too.

I think he’s the MVP. No doubt for me.

That said I think when he injured a player in a game and him and Simmons made fun of it in the presser there’s a bit of a POS to his character. I’ve worked in Philly and with fans so I get the mentality of throwing anything you have at players, puking on children during a game, and beating up mascots is expected and accepted. Just not how I view things. But great to have so many fans from the city of brotherly love grace us with their presence.

Ummmm.......

[76ciology]

Ouch...

Read on Twitter

?t=m3xcgNXCCiDiq6bxZGWZ8A&s=19

Happy with how James is playing but this will bite us in the ass.

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

Not that I want Haliburton.. but its also possible that Morey told his buddy McNair to not trade for Ben because Morey knew Ben is damaged good

[eyeatoma]

Ouch...

Read on Twitter

?t=m3xcgNXCCiDiq6bxZGWZ8A&s=19

Happy with how James is playing but this will bite us in the ass.

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

Not that I want Haliburton.. but its also possible that Morey told his buddy McNair to not trade for Ben because Morey knew Ben is damaged good

I don't buy how that was a rumored deal, but also for Morey to tell him, actually don't do the trade lol.

[the_process]

Ouch...

Read on Twitter

?t=m3xcgNXCCiDiq6bxZGWZ8A&s=19

Happy with how James is playing but this will bite us in the ass.

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

Not that I want Haliburton.. but its also possible that Morey told his buddy McNair to not trade for Ben because Morey knew Ben is damaged good

Morey definitely didn't tell McNair that.

Morey always had an eye on getting Harden. Would've settled for Beal before he got hurt last year because Jo vouched for him and Harden wasn't available yet.

It was simply to remove the "stars" from his eyes, Morey required being bowled over. Which was the Fox, Haliburton, 1sts package he was pushing for.

Getting Harden for Ben was an absolute win, even if James walks this offseason.

Getting Haliburton would have been a much bigger win. And it could've been done IMO.

But it just goes in the gigantic "what if" pile out back at this point.

[76ciology]

Anyway ive always thought Morey and Harden was a package deal. And Morey used the Hali rumor as leverage to get Harden from Nets. Its just im not closing other possibilities