Maxey Challenged Embiid in Team Meeting

[Magicman125]

What has jimmy won???

Multiple conference finals, even more second round playoff series. Still very impressive playoff performer whose teams just didn't have enough against the other conference's opponent either time. Jimmy is still way more of a winner than Embiid, indisputably.

[76ciology]

That’s why having an alpha on the team is crucial. Jimmy and James were the closest we’ve had—George isn’t and Maxey could be that but not right now.

But can we wait for Maxey to take that step? Maybe Embiid’s knee would already be grinding bone on bone when that happens.

It feels like Embiid has a “little brother” personality, and you see it when he’s around players like James or Jimmy. He thrives when there’s a stronger, more assertive personality to take charge.

An alpha changes everything. Without Embiid, the alpha can lead the team and maximize the depth we have. With Embiid, the alpha can lead the team, utilizing both Embiid’s talent and the team’s depth to win. It provides a structure that works with or without him on the floor.

Again, been saying all that for years, and no, Harden isn't one either. He gives the illusion of it because he plays point guard and runs the show on the court, but nobody who crumbles in the face of adversity in high stakes games as often as he does is an alpha. And I said that here just as soon as he was acquired. He wasn't the solution for the "Embiid problem" noted above, and Paul George isn't either.

When you get to the level of the second round of the playoffs and beyond, this stuff becomes far less about "adding pieces that fit [physically speaking] around Embiid" (Harden, George) and far more about team leadership and the kinds of emotional dynamics noted above. That's what distinguishes teams at that level of play, because all of them at that point have the "necessary pieces that fit." The physical talent across teams at that level is relatively equal, and the ones with the best team dynamics of the kind noted above win.

And this is of course why the Sixers can never get past that point in the playoffs -- they have the necessary physical talent to compete at that level, but not the necessary leadership and emotional dynamics to win at that level. They simply get beaten by teams with better player leadership every year. The closest they came to overcoming that during the Embiid era was when they actually DID have the leadership -- the Jimmy Butler year. That's no coincidence.

True, I think we’re on the same page but viewing it from different angles. Jimmy’s alpha mentality is on a completely different level compared to Harden’s. That said, Harden’s alpha level is still effective enough to win regular-season games, giving Embiid the rest he needs (just look at how he’s carrying the Clippers right now or his performance in Game 1 against the Celtics). However, Harden isn’t the type to elevate a team to a championship level, and he knows it—that’s why you see his “quit” energy in so many key games. On the other hand, Jimmy operates on a whole different plane; he genuinely believes he’s the best player in the league and can carry a team of G League players to the Finals. But even he has limitations, as we’ve seen with his underwhelming performances in the Finals.

You play this game long enough, and you start to understand your limitations. You know when to grind it out and when to conserve your energy. Especially for these multi-millionaire athletes, where the joy of owning a mansion or living a luxury lifestyle can have the same feeling of winning a championship.

[sixers hoops]

So you decide to compound a mistake by doubling down and fighting for a 10th seed for a 1st rnd exit and missing out on getting a stud in a loaded draft while giving your only hope right now a full season to rehab?

Every one knows the NBA will NOT allow good teams who purposely tank to get Flagg unless you are so naive to think the Spurs were just lucky to win the Wemby draft with the 6th worst record that season. Those other lottery teams did not deserved Wemby but Pop after the whole Kawhi holding out drama. The Sixers who form the new Big 3 this offseason to purposely tank due to their own undoing with a tampering GM has zero chance of winning THIS lotto even with the worst record. It will most likely be the Nets after suffering thru the painful Kyrie/KD/employee #25 media circus under a new hands-off owner. Maybe Utah, but those are the only two teams most deserving for a chance to win their first ever championship with a generational talent like Flagg.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/nba-rescinds-76ers-2023-2024-second-round-picks-for-tampering-with-tucker-house

So making the playoffs this season even if we lose in the early rounds is our only viable option.

Everyone can see Joel isn't right. They shut Joel down and send him for medical treatment and rehab of the knee and there's literally no one blinking an eye at them. Not even Silver.

Tanking early rather than later is so important. Sixers end up worst or 2nd worst record and Silver cannot have lottery odds remove them from the top 6. This draft has 4 guys that could fit this team. Even if you missed on Flagg or Ace; Tre Johnson is looking legit and there's a kid in BYU who is having an amazing start to the college season. That's 4 guys.

Their win over-under is down to 37.5. I think the only way they get a lottery pick is to win under 22 games (going off last year’s worst teams). Still a long way to go, but almost at the quarter-season mark. I feel like we are going to be in the play-in range and give OKC a pretty good pick, which really sucks.

[Jstock12]

This might just be a blessing in disguise. If I'm Morey, I'd just initiate a firesale here, make the team bad enough to try and get a top-6 pick in this very deep draft and focus on building around the Maxey/McCain duo.

[Ferry Avenue]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/278299/James-Harden-Dedicated-Himself-To-Getting-More-Sleep

Classic. A professional athlete of his caliber who has to "dedicate himself" to achieving a cornerstone of physical and emotional health, as opposed to experiencing that part of life as seamlessly integrated into his performance enhancement regimen from the very beginning. This is why this guy never had what it takes to lead an NBA team to a title.

And I bet Embiid is no different. Kobe Bryants they are not.

And that's been the big mistake of the Sixers' personnel selections during "The Process" era. Their selections (Simmons, Embiid, Fultz), as well as their other acquisitions (Harden, George -- Butler notwithstanding), have far too little "Kobe Bryant" in them. Consequently nobody's had the mettle to get them past the second round.

[MikRay]

This might just be a blessing in disguise. If I'm Morey, I'd just initiate a firesale here, make the team bad enough to try and get a top-6 pick in this very deep draft and focus on building around the Maxey/McCain duo.

Morey needs to go

[ProcessDoctor]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/278299/James-Harden-Dedicated-Himself-To-Getting-More-Sleep

Classic. A professional athlete of his caliber who has to "dedicate himself" to achieving a cornerstone of physical and emotional health, as opposed to experiencing that part of life as seamlessly integrated into his performance enhancement regimen from the very beginning. This is why this guy never had what it takes to lead an NBA team to a title.

And I bet Embiid is no different. Kobe Bryants they are not.

And that's been the big mistake of the Sixers' personnel selections during "The Process" era. Their selections (Simmons, Embiid, Fultz), as well as their other acquisitions (Harden, George -- Butler notwithstanding), have far too little "Kobe Bryant" in them. Consequently nobody's had the mettle to get them past the second round.

Kobe was a great #2 to Shaq and Gasol (1/2 title years). Let's not pretend he was someone who could carry a team to a title by himself the same way Harden was asked to do in Houston, or even Embiid here. After Shaq and before Pau, the Lakers missed or barely made the playoffs and he requested a trade. Bad prototype imo.

[Ferry Avenue]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/278299/James-Harden-Dedicated-Himself-To-Getting-More-Sleep

Classic. A professional athlete of his caliber who has to "dedicate himself" to achieving a cornerstone of physical and emotional health, as opposed to experiencing that part of life as seamlessly integrated into his performance enhancement regimen from the very beginning. This is why this guy never had what it takes to lead an NBA team to a title.

And I bet Embiid is no different. Kobe Bryants they are not.

And that's been the big mistake of the Sixers' personnel selections during "The Process" era. Their selections (Simmons, Embiid, Fultz), as well as their other acquisitions (Harden, George -- Butler notwithstanding), have far too little "Kobe Bryant" in them. Consequently nobody's had the mettle to get them past the second round.

Kobe was a great #2 to Shaq and Gasol (1/2 title years). Let's not pretend he was someone who could carry a team to a title by himself the same way Harden was asked to do in Houston, or even Embiid here. After Shaq and before Pau, the Lakers missed or barely made the playoffs and he requested a trade. Bad prototype imo.

Pick whatever player in NBA history you want as an exemplar of self-determination and mettle and Harden et al. will compare unfavorably to him and nonetheless explain the Sixers' difficulties in "The Process" era. In other words, the overall point doesn't hinge on what anybody thinks about Kobe Bryant per se.

[M2J]

Also when it comes to Harden sleeping finally.....Everything closes in California at 2am and the strip clubs suck. He probably just hosts more parties at his mansion and sleeps on the sofa.