Joel: unchained.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

How awkward will it be when Joel wins the MVP after not being named an All-Star starter?

It will be as equally awkward when he wins MVP and doesn't make the All NBA team.

[rzzzzz]

Though the game sucked, it was still great seeing LeBron picking Embiid 1st, and no one picking Jokic. (He said he didn’t realize that Lauri was still on stage when he just walked over before the last selection. I take him at his word. Must have been weird to see everybody going ahead of him. And no doubt, he really is a hell of a great player. Just not the best.)

[SixthStreet]

Hopefully this Warriors game gets Joel close to locking up the MVP. He can’t be playing this many games and minutes to optimize for the playoffs.

I don’t care about MVP but can appreciate he does. But I also recognize that above any personnel reshuffling or draft steal getting the MVP this year is the best thing that can happen to future championship odds for this Sixers core. Please let it be.

[Murray_17]

Hopefully this Warriors game gets Joel close to locking up the MVP. He can’t be playing this many games and minutes to optimize for the playoffs.

I don’t care about MVP but can appreciate he does. But I also recognize that above any personnel reshuffling or draft steal getting the MVP this year is the best thing that can happen to future championship odds for this Sixers core. Please let it be.

It's gonna come down to the Nuggets/Bucks games, sadly.

[eyeatoma]

Hopefully this Warriors game gets Joel close to locking up the MVP. He can’t be playing this many games and minutes to optimize for the playoffs.

I don’t care about MVP but can appreciate he does. But I also recognize that above any personnel reshuffling or draft steal getting the MVP this year is the best thing that can happen to future championship odds for this Sixers core. Please let it be.

It's gonna come down to the Nuggets/Bucks games, sadly.

This and probably Celtics.

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

[SixthStreet]

But I feel as opposed to previous years he's the leader in the clubhouse right now. He's going to have to put up stinkers whereas other years he would have needed to string together superhuman games to overcome. I don't see him putting up enough stinkers to lose the award.

[Murray_17]

But I feel as opposed to previous years he's the leader in the clubhouse right now. He's going to have to put up stinkers whereas other years he would have needed to string together superhuman games to overcome. I don't see him putting up enough stinkers to lose the award.

I think is gonna come to the matchups, if the Bucks win against the Nuggets and Denver, depending on the performance, it could made Giannis the winner. Same for Jokic.

Last year some people used the losses to the Nuggets and the Bucks as a way to justify their Jokic vote, MVP has his narratives incorporated.

This is gonna be true, especially this year, when people feel the 3 guys are neck and neck. I already heard Bill Simmons and several Athletic NBA podcasts do that argument, this week.

[Bum Adebayo]

But I feel as opposed to previous years he's the leader in the clubhouse right now. He's going to have to put up stinkers whereas other years he would have needed to string together superhuman games to overcome. I don't see him putting up enough stinkers to lose the award.

I think is gonna come to the matchups, if the Bucks win against the Nuggets and Denver, depending on the performance, it could made Giannis the winner. Same for Jokic.

Last year some people used the losses to the Nuggets and the Bucks as a way to justify their Jokic vote, MVP has his narratives incorporated.

This is gonna be true, especially this year, when people feel the 3 guys are neck and neck. I already heard Bill Simmons and several Athletic NBA podcasts do that argument, this week.

There is a difference though, last year Nuggets beat Sixers in Philadelphia and Bucks beat Sixers in Philadelphia, but this year it would be in Denver and in Milwaukee, Sixers already won against Nuggets in philadelphia this year. Sixers also won 1 game in Milwaukee, it's just unfortunate that last games are in Denver and in Milwaukee, don't you think? a bit unfair to expect Sixers to win these games.
So Giannis case would be more enhanced if he wins in Denver, and Embiid case would be more enhanced if he wins in Denver or in Milwaukee. But Denver is expected to win against both in the Altitude, so his case as MVP shouldn't improve unless he clearly dominates Giannis or Embiid and they have bad games.

[mjkvol]

But I feel as opposed to previous years he's the leader in the clubhouse right now. He's going to have to put up stinkers whereas other years he would have needed to string together superhuman games to overcome. I don't see him putting up enough stinkers to lose the award.

You guys are making the mistake of using logic and reason, things that don't apply to the national media. If the deal is already done, it isn't going to come down to any specific game or games. Trusting the media to vote objectively in these popularity contests is crazy.

[Bum Adebayo]

Embiid is having a way above average season by historic standards, he is at 10.33 RPM which would be 80th percentile or so in comparison to other seasons.
From what I've seen, only Jokic 2021-2022 and Curry 2014-2016 rank better. It's very impressive the caliber of player we've got.

[eyeatoma]

Embiid is having a way above average season by historic standards, he is at 10.33 RPM which would be 80th percentile or so in comparison to other seasons.
From what I've seen, only Jokic 2021-2022 and Curry 2014-2016 rank better. It's very impressive the caliber of player we've got.

Bro just stop with the RPM stuff. It's getting to be a bit much.

[Bum Adebayo]

Embiid is having a way above average season by historic standards, he is at 10.33 RPM which would be 80th percentile or so in comparison to other seasons.
From what I've seen, only Jokic 2021-2022 and Curry 2014-2016 rank better. It's very impressive the caliber of player we've got.

Bro just stop with the RPM stuff. It's getting to be a bit much.

Yes

[eyeatoma]

From the Athletic article:

Some people just want to watch the world burn...

Just posting the highlights

Giannis Antetokounmpo recently told The Athletic he believes the MVP criteria is ever-changing year to year. Do you agree?

The criteria does change. If we want to talk about the last three years since I’ve been in the running for it, the first year it was that I didn’t play enough games. Last year, I came back, I played enough games, I led the league in scoring, and obviously, Nikola deserved it and he won it. But then again, he won as a sixth seed in the West. And then this year, I’m leading the league in scoring, I’m doing all of these things defensively … I should be making an All-Defensive team too. I don’t care, but every year it’s something. And when you add analytics into it, which don’t make sense. You can talk about analytics all you want. When you got some guys in the league, the eye test tells you that they’re not good defensively, but analytics tell you they’re the best defenders. That’s when analytics don’t make sense at all. I don’t make the rules, I don’t choose whatever criteria that they use, so it’s really about whatever people’s preferences are.

People always thought that I was crazy when I said this — I really believe that I’m not well-liked. And it’s cool with me, that’s fine. I’ll be the bad guy. I like being the a–hole anyway. I like being the underdog. So that’s fine with me. My thing is, when I leave the game of basketball, I want to make sure that people looked at me as … it’s hard to be the greatest ever because you’ve got to win a bunch of championships and not everyone is lucky to do it because only one team can win and you have to have the right pieces around you … but when I leave the game, I want to make sure that they say: No one was stopping him offensively and defensively, and he was a monster.

That’s why I play the game — for the respect. I put in too much work. If you look at the beginning of my career and where I have been taking my game, offensively I’ve become like a guard.

Your chemistry with James is apparent — the pick-and-roll is the most dynamic in the NBA. How have you guys developed that level together?

I don’t think we’ve ever had to have a conversation. I think from the beginning, it was natural. I’d like to believe that I’m a f—ing monster. I got a high basketball IQ, and he does too. So when you have two guys that have high basketball IQs, it’s easier to figure things out. From the beginning when James came here, one thing about me is I’ve gone away from posting up a lot. I allow James to have the ball in his hands a lot because I believe he’s the best playmaker in the league, and he’s going to make my job easier. He’s going to make my teammates’ jobs easy.

From the beginning, James has given up a lot. I’ve given up a lot. And it’s worked out great for both of us and the whole team too. We understood we have two guys where you take advantage of what they’re good at. When we put it together, we have a flow.

Another thing about it is: When you have two guys that like to play with each other, it makes everything easy.

OMG this too, I'm dying!

Do you go into this postseason with a title-or-bust mentality?

Not necessarily. I don’t care about the pressure that everybody puts on me. All I care about is the pressure that I put on myself to win. People have been talking about who has the most pressure to win. People want to mention me. I’m not at the top of that list. I’m not a two-time MVP, I’ve never made first team All-NBA, I’ve never won anything. So why is there pressure on me to do something when there are guys that have won two MVPs, a bunch of MVPs and haven’t done anything either?

I feel it’s hard to win in this league. You got two great teams in Milwaukee and Boston in my conference. So we have to play them at some point. Those are two really good teams, and it’s going to be a fight to beat them. But I think we match up extremely well with each team, and for us to win, we have to be almost perfect. Everybody has to show up. I got to do my job. James has got to do his job. Tyrese (Maxey) has to show up. Tobias (Harris). The role players, the bench, we all have to come in and do our jobs. For us to win, we have to be perfect, and it’s going to take everybody.

I’m so excited. Hopefully no freak injuries happen like the last couple years where I get unlucky, but I feel like this is, as far as myself and how I can take my guys, I have a pretty good chance.

I'll say this, Jo better put his money where his mouth is today, otherwise he'll be the ultimate NBA meme.

[Bum Adebayo]

From the Athletic article:

Some people just want to watch the world burn...

Just posting the highlights

Giannis Antetokounmpo recently told The Athletic he believes the MVP criteria is ever-changing year to year. Do you agree?

The criteria does change. If we want to talk about the last three years since I’ve been in the running for it, the first year it was that I didn’t play enough games. Last year, I came back, I played enough games, I led the league in scoring, and obviously, Nikola deserved it and he won it. But then again, he won as a sixth seed in the West. And then this year, I’m leading the league in scoring, I’m doing all of these things defensively … I should be making an All-Defensive team too. I don’t care, but every year it’s something. And when you add analytics into it, which don’t make sense. You can talk about analytics all you want. When you got some guys in the league, the eye test tells you that they’re not good defensively, but analytics tell you they’re the best defenders. That’s when analytics don’t make sense at all. I don’t make the rules, I don’t choose whatever criteria that they use, so it’s really about whatever people’s preferences are.

People always thought that I was crazy when I said this — I really believe that I’m not well-liked. And it’s cool with me, that’s fine. I’ll be the bad guy. I like being the a–hole anyway. I like being the underdog. So that’s fine with me. My thing is, when I leave the game of basketball, I want to make sure that people looked at me as … it’s hard to be the greatest ever because you’ve got to win a bunch of championships and not everyone is lucky to do it because only one team can win and you have to have the right pieces around you … but when I leave the game, I want to make sure that they say: No one was stopping him offensively and defensively, and he was a monster.

That’s why I play the game — for the respect. I put in too much work. If you look at the beginning of my career and where I have been taking my game, offensively I’ve become like a guard.

Your chemistry with James is apparent — the pick-and-roll is the most dynamic in the NBA. How have you guys developed that level together?

I don’t think we’ve ever had to have a conversation. I think from the beginning, it was natural. I’d like to believe that I’m a f—ing monster. I got a high basketball IQ, and he does too. So when you have two guys that have high basketball IQs, it’s easier to figure things out. From the beginning when James came here, one thing about me is I’ve gone away from posting up a lot. I allow James to have the ball in his hands a lot because I believe he’s the best playmaker in the league, and he’s going to make my job easier. He’s going to make my teammates’ jobs easy.

From the beginning, James has given up a lot. I’ve given up a lot. And it’s worked out great for both of us and the whole team too. We understood we have two guys where you take advantage of what they’re good at. When we put it together, we have a flow.

Another thing about it is: When you have two guys that like to play with each other, it makes everything easy.

OMG this too, I'm dying!

Do you go into this postseason with a title-or-bust mentality?

Not necessarily. I don’t care about the pressure that everybody puts on me. All I care about is the pressure that I put on myself to win. People have been talking about who has the most pressure to win. People want to mention me. I’m not at the top of that list. I’m not a two-time MVP, I’ve never made first team All-NBA, I’ve never won anything. So why is there pressure on me to do something when there are guys that have won two MVPs, a bunch of MVPs and haven’t done anything either?

I feel it’s hard to win in this league. You got two great teams in Milwaukee and Boston in my conference. So we have to play them at some point. Those are two really good teams, and it’s going to be a fight to beat them. But I think we match up extremely well with each team, and for us to win, we have to be almost perfect. Everybody has to show up. I got to do my job. James has got to do his job. Tyrese (Maxey) has to show up. Tobias (Harris). The role players, the bench, we all have to come in and do our jobs. For us to win, we have to be perfect, and it’s going to take everybody.

I’m so excited. Hopefully no freak injuries happen like the last couple years where I get unlucky, but I feel like this is, as far as myself and how I can take my guys, I have a pretty good chance.

I'll say this, Jo better put his money where his mouth is today, otherwise he'll be the ultimate NBA meme.

Ok I misunderstood, I thought this was Giannis talking.

[Jailblazers7]

Oh god, Joel really just needs to shut the f*ck up at some point. Nobody likes a whiner & this award season drama has turned him into one.

[Mik317]

thats why I hope he wins more than anything.

I get it...he wants to be respected and again it would be something that solidifies his career and status...but eventually my guy, just win.

He better not come out looking sad and mopey either.

[M2J]

I have to credit him for putting his money where his mouth is. If he doesn't care about winning MVP, he's showing it by sitting it out against his main competition.

Very surprised that he's sitting out versus Denver tonight

[FireMorey]

As I've said many times winning MVP and being MVP are two separate things. You can be the MVP without winning the award. One is objective reality and the other is a subjective decision by voters. As long as he knows he's MVP, who cares what the voters think? Just go out and ball.

[Mik317]

Naw this is weak as hell

Or dumb as **** from the fo playing him against the suns

Or both

[the_process]

Jo is out tonight vs. DEN. Fascinating. Starting to really put his money where his mouth is. (Or forced to. )

Glenn has been told to lay off the throttle and the 3 seed is basically locked in I see.