WEBVTT - Playoff Pod: Episode 22 - Devon Givens Previews Game 7 0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:04.240 It is almost here, the grand finale of the Eastern 0:00:04.240 --> 0:00:07.400 Conference semi Finals. You can't be scared at the moment 0:00:07.480 --> 0:00:09.560 leaving anything out there, and we have to do that 0:00:09.600 --> 0:00:12.560 on Sunday on Sunday Night, a defining moment as the 0:00:12.640 --> 0:00:19.040 seventy sixers aim to advance the more different right now, 0:00:19.040 --> 0:00:25.360 everybody is just still gashas tall Day shows the difference 0:00:25.400 --> 0:00:30.680 the game seven seventy Sixers Toronto Raptors up north. We'll 0:00:30.720 --> 0:00:33.760 talk all about it with Devon Gibbons on this episode 0:00:33.760 --> 0:00:39.880 of the broadcast. How are we doing out there, seventy 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:44.440 sixers pod people, How we feeling? What's the temperature, what's 0:00:44.479 --> 0:00:48.839 the confidence, the pulse. We are just hours away from 0:00:48.880 --> 0:00:52.479 a decisive Game seven of these second round matchup between 0:00:52.520 --> 0:00:55.920 the seventy Sixers and the Toronto Raptors. A berth to 0:00:55.960 --> 0:00:58.920 the Eastern Conference Finals is on the line. Seventy six 0:00:59.000 --> 0:01:01.320 ers trying to get there for the first time since 0:01:01.360 --> 0:01:04.200 two thousand and one. I'm Brian Seltzer, first of all, 0:01:04.200 --> 0:01:07.280 wishing anyone out there to whom it applies a happy 0:01:08.000 --> 0:01:10.800 Mother's Day, one of the great days of the year, 0:01:11.360 --> 0:01:14.840 and certainly for all you moms out there. Big ups, 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:18.800 mad props to what you do. Love it's and hopefully 0:01:18.800 --> 0:01:21.480 there's a great way to celebrate later on tonight when 0:01:21.480 --> 0:01:24.600 the seventy Sixers take on the Raptors. We're gonna speak 0:01:24.600 --> 0:01:26.760 with the von Givens of ninety seven five to the 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:29.640 Fanatic in just a moment to preview this matchup. First 0:01:29.640 --> 0:01:32.160 reminders that to subscribe to the podcast, you can go 0:01:32.200 --> 0:01:37.000 to any one of your favorite podcast hosting platforms Apple Podcasts, 0:01:37.040 --> 0:01:42.200 Google Podcasts, tune in, SoundCloud, anywhere else. Type in Sixers 0:01:42.240 --> 0:01:45.119 Podcast Network that will take you to where you need 0:01:45.160 --> 0:01:48.440 to go to subscribe to our feed. We've got new 0:01:48.480 --> 0:01:51.240 episodes just about every day of the playoffs and we 0:01:51.320 --> 0:01:56.480 hope to continue that trend. After Sunday Night, six are 0:01:56.560 --> 0:01:59.760 sent out to Toronto early. They left Friday afternoon following 0:01:59.800 --> 0:02:03.520 a big one twelve one on one Game six victory 0:02:03.560 --> 0:02:05.760 Thursday night at the Center. Thought it was awesome the 0:02:05.760 --> 0:02:09.280 way that Joel embiid Ben Simmons responded in particular, Jimmy 0:02:09.320 --> 0:02:14.120 Butler remained fantastic. Another one sided game in this series 0:02:14.160 --> 0:02:16.440 that has been so hard to figure out. That's something 0:02:16.440 --> 0:02:18.360 that I definitely want to bring up with Devon Gibvens. 0:02:18.760 --> 0:02:20.799 But before we do, wanted to play back some sound 0:02:20.880 --> 0:02:24.760 from Saturday morning, the seventy six ers final practice heading 0:02:24.760 --> 0:02:28.400 into Sunday's Game seven at Scotia Bank Arena. Brett browns 0:02:28.440 --> 0:02:32.000 coached as part of four game sevens in his coaching history, 0:02:32.080 --> 0:02:35.040 all with the San Antonio Spurs, the two thousand and 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:38.639 five and two thirteen NBA Finals and also the two 0:02:38.720 --> 0:02:41.760 thousand and six and two thousand and eight Western Conference semifinals. 0:02:41.800 --> 0:02:43.840 So yes, Brett Brown is a guy who knows about 0:02:44.280 --> 0:02:47.799 everything that goes into game sevens, and these were his 0:02:47.960 --> 0:02:54.200 thoughts about the all important, decisive game. It's a life experience, 0:02:54.280 --> 0:02:59.400 it's sports, euro sporting experience, but planning game sevens are different. 0:02:59.520 --> 0:03:02.799 I've coached there in two game sevens in the NBA Championship. 0:03:03.800 --> 0:03:08.440 I've done it in a Western Conference championship. I've done 0:03:08.440 --> 0:03:12.399 it in a Western Conference semi final and a few 0:03:12.480 --> 0:03:17.840 places you know, earlier days. My experiences and my memory 0:03:18.520 --> 0:03:24.040 are one of the possession per possession mentality is heightened. 0:03:24.120 --> 0:03:26.560 If you you all want to be entertained, go go 0:03:26.720 --> 0:03:30.840 back and watch fourth periods of game sevens and everything 0:03:31.520 --> 0:03:39.080 is just zoomed in it's it's just raw. And you know, 0:03:39.200 --> 0:03:44.200 it always gets back to, in my opinion, defense and 0:03:45.000 --> 0:03:47.640 there are no there'll be no like, oh that's a 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:52.720 great shot. Everything's contested. Lots of times you just hope 0:03:52.760 --> 0:03:57.240 to get a shot. And there just is a heightened 0:03:57.280 --> 0:04:02.040 sense of urgency in game sevens, and it incrementally increases 0:04:02.800 --> 0:04:07.440 as the clock winds down. Game seven's life experiences heightened 0:04:07.560 --> 0:04:11.040 urgency and intensity. Brett Brown knows all about it, having 0:04:11.120 --> 0:04:14.760 been involved in four game sevens in his career. Joellenbiad 0:04:14.800 --> 0:04:17.440 this will be his first Game seven as a professional. 0:04:17.800 --> 0:04:20.640 He's not getting caught up in what the outcome of 0:04:20.720 --> 0:04:23.240 Sunday's game could have on his legacy up to this 0:04:23.360 --> 0:04:26.280 point in his career now three seasons old. I don't care. 0:04:26.400 --> 0:04:28.400 I just want to win. This is a big game, 0:04:28.760 --> 0:04:32.400 you know, whatever I needed to do, I gotta show 0:04:32.480 --> 0:04:38.560 up and I gotta produce offensive and defensively. So I 0:04:38.680 --> 0:04:42.800 don't I don't really I want to remember that this point. 0:04:43.240 --> 0:04:46.720 I just want to win. Joellenbiads seventeen and twelve a 0:04:47.240 --> 0:04:51.040 just outrageous plus forty in the game on Thursday night 0:04:51.120 --> 0:04:54.359 at the Center. Jimmy Butler's played in one Game seven. 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:55.680 I have to go all the way back to his 0:04:55.760 --> 0:04:58.720 second year as a pro with the Chicago Bulls when 0:04:58.720 --> 0:05:01.640 the Bulls knocked off the Brooklyn Nets. Butler played all 0:05:01.720 --> 0:05:05.920 forty eight minutes in that game, and he understands the 0:05:06.040 --> 0:05:08.800 type of mindset that Game seven requires. Do whatever to 0:05:08.839 --> 0:05:10.720 ask me to do, it's got a best in my 0:05:10.800 --> 0:05:13.400 ability to win the game and help in any way 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:15.920 that they tell me or want me to do it. 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:20.200 I don't know what that called for right now, but 0:05:20.960 --> 0:05:23.400 all else we just want to win. What role could 0:05:23.680 --> 0:05:27.720 experience playing Game seven? And they look at all the 0:05:27.760 --> 0:05:31.640 other subplots surrounding Sundays win or go home matchup. We 0:05:31.760 --> 0:05:33.520 bring on a guy who there is no one else, 0:05:33.800 --> 0:05:36.320 seriously who I would rather speak with on the day 0:05:36.440 --> 0:05:39.320 of a Game seven than our guy from ninety seven 0:05:39.400 --> 0:05:41.080 five to the fanatic. You hear him on in the 0:05:41.160 --> 0:05:44.359 post all the time after games and also for pregame 0:05:44.400 --> 0:05:48.040 coverage as well. The One and Only Divine Givens Divine. 0:05:48.080 --> 0:05:50.680 I feel like we've been ships passing at different portions 0:05:50.720 --> 0:05:53.760 of this playoff series. You're on the post game sometime, 0:05:54.080 --> 0:05:56.840 I'm on the post game sometime. You're always on the pregame, 0:05:57.320 --> 0:05:58.760 but I feel like we have to talk it out. 0:05:58.839 --> 0:06:02.240 This is game set at defining moments of what has 0:06:02.279 --> 0:06:04.680 been a great season so far. It has been a 0:06:04.800 --> 0:06:08.000 great season sells thanks to having me. I look forward 0:06:08.080 --> 0:06:11.159 to it. This is exciting. Who does not get excited 0:06:11.200 --> 0:06:13.720 for Game seven? I don't know about you. I feel 0:06:13.720 --> 0:06:16.120 like the build up to this one has been an eternity. 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:18.839 It's probably because there's been an extra day in between games, 0:06:18.880 --> 0:06:21.640 but I'm just like, it's got to start. It is 0:06:21.680 --> 0:06:24.920 time to get this thing rolling. Yeah. Absolutely. This is 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:27.720 one of those deals where after Thursday's big win one 0:06:27.920 --> 0:06:30.000 twelve one on one, of course, and how things played 0:06:30.000 --> 0:06:32.640 out in Philadelphia at the Center, you wanted to get 0:06:32.720 --> 0:06:35.360 right back at it. You wanted this on Saturday. Let's see, 0:06:35.360 --> 0:06:37.800 all right, one day to travel, both teams get to 0:06:37.920 --> 0:06:41.160 Toronto and let's jump ball and figure out where we 0:06:41.279 --> 0:06:44.520 go from here. But the drama is set the NBA. 0:06:44.640 --> 0:06:47.120 He knows how they do things scheduling wise, and with 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:50.880 the Game seven, they certainly have the entry already build up. 0:06:51.480 --> 0:06:54.360 I've been talking to family members, some friends, and they've 0:06:54.360 --> 0:06:56.600 been asking me, well, how do you feel about Game seven? 0:06:56.680 --> 0:06:58.720 What do you think and I really don't know what 0:06:58.920 --> 0:07:01.960 to feel. I feel good and confident based upon the 0:07:02.000 --> 0:07:04.400 performance seventy six Ers had in Game six with their 0:07:04.400 --> 0:07:06.719 backs against the wall, an elimination game at the center, 0:07:07.240 --> 0:07:08.960 but at the same time, given what the stakes are 0:07:09.040 --> 0:07:10.840 when or go home there, at least for me is 0:07:10.920 --> 0:07:14.360 just this natural underlying sense of a little bit of 0:07:14.480 --> 0:07:18.640 nerves anxiety. How are you feeling well? I'll take it 0:07:18.680 --> 0:07:22.200 back to Thursday before Game six, where I was pretty indifferent, 0:07:22.280 --> 0:07:25.040 and I kept using that word of being unsure of 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:27.080 how to feel going into a Game six with so 0:07:27.200 --> 0:07:29.480 many key young players on the seventy six ers side, 0:07:29.520 --> 0:07:32.200 specifically Ben Simmons and Joel and Be never being in 0:07:32.280 --> 0:07:35.400 a spot like this, how would they respond to that 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:39.040 particular situation. And as I got closer, as we got 0:07:39.160 --> 0:07:43.320 closer to game time on Thursday night, I felt better. 0:07:43.560 --> 0:07:45.320 I felt so much better. And then the way that 0:07:45.400 --> 0:07:48.320 they came out, both teams at a little tight, you know, 0:07:48.640 --> 0:07:51.640 no scoring quickly, but once they did get the scoring 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:54.120 going and you realize how things played out, the Sixers 0:07:54.200 --> 0:07:55.800 ending up with the eight point lead at the end 0:07:55.800 --> 0:07:59.720 of the first I felt really good about that particular game. 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:02.120 Right now, I think I'm a little more with you. 0:08:02.720 --> 0:08:05.000 I'm not gonna say I'm indifferent, but I understand the 0:08:05.080 --> 0:08:07.960 nature of a game seven, a tournament style one and 0:08:08.080 --> 0:08:12.160 done thing win. I'll go home here, particularly in this game. 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:16.600 But I do feel better about the seventy sixers chances 0:08:16.760 --> 0:08:19.480 despite what we saw in game number five earlier in 0:08:19.520 --> 0:08:22.680 the week in Toronto, and how we know that one 0:08:22.760 --> 0:08:25.600 turned out. I look at the seventy Sixers team knowing 0:08:25.680 --> 0:08:29.600 that while there is pressure, the majority of the pressure 0:08:29.680 --> 0:08:32.520 is on Toronto Raptors because you are at home. This 0:08:32.720 --> 0:08:34.559 is why you play the regular season the way you do. 0:08:35.120 --> 0:08:37.480 You are a two seed over and three seed, and 0:08:38.360 --> 0:08:41.480 how that normally plays out is the home team is 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:43.920 supposed to win. But then I also go back Selts 0:08:43.960 --> 0:08:46.840 and think back to some of those one and one 0:08:47.320 --> 0:08:52.240 series percentages, and the team that goes two and one 0:08:52.400 --> 0:08:54.680 win Games three, they win, and you go to game 0:08:54.720 --> 0:08:57.160 five and the team that percentages win and that one 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:02.400 it has you had me at least going back and 0:09:02.559 --> 0:09:04.679 forth on how I feel. I think it will be 0:09:04.800 --> 0:09:08.439 a close game tonight against these two teams. No one 0:09:08.559 --> 0:09:11.720 game has been like the other of both teams has 0:09:11.800 --> 0:09:15.800 done certain things with a blowout, a close win, and 0:09:17.360 --> 0:09:19.959 this is what Game seven is all about. But I 0:09:20.120 --> 0:09:22.920 do right now as we speak, like the seventy six 0:09:23.200 --> 0:09:26.520 chances on the room. The pressure thing is really interesting 0:09:26.559 --> 0:09:29.199 because you have the whole specter of Kawhi Leonard and 0:09:29.320 --> 0:09:31.960 his future with Toronto. And I know that nothing's set 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:33.920 in stone with the core that the seventy six ers 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:36.360 have right now talking about the veterans they brought in, 0:09:36.520 --> 0:09:39.920 Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris beyond this season whenever it ends. 0:09:39.920 --> 0:09:43.120 But it just feels like the looming issue of Kawhi 0:09:43.320 --> 0:09:45.719 Leonard and his future is something more for Toronto, and 0:09:46.360 --> 0:09:48.400 I'm just curious to see how that plays itself out. 0:09:48.440 --> 0:09:50.160 I have no doubt that Kawhi Leonard, I mean, he's 0:09:50.160 --> 0:09:52.600 a guy who has been through it before Game sevens, 0:09:52.640 --> 0:09:54.679 he's won a title. I have no doubt that he 0:09:54.720 --> 0:09:56.600 would come out ready to go. But I just wonder 0:09:56.640 --> 0:09:59.520 if that's a dynamic that might somehow play into this, 0:09:59.640 --> 0:10:04.199 into the psyche of the Raptors to a certain extent. No, 0:10:04.400 --> 0:10:06.839 and I totally agree, because not only that, there's a 0:10:06.880 --> 0:10:10.079 domino effect of Kyle Lowry with one more year on 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:12.840 his deal, the same with Surgeon blacka Marcosol. You make 0:10:12.960 --> 0:10:17.079 that move and all of those things become intertwined. Danny 0:10:17.120 --> 0:10:20.520 Green and Kawhi Leonard have been deeper into the postseason 0:10:21.160 --> 0:10:23.120 than any of them, Surgeon Blaka getting to the one 0:10:23.200 --> 0:10:25.679 Finals as a former member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:29.079 But you're right, that's all over this entire wea the 0:10:29.120 --> 0:10:32.920 the North, that what happens here. We were not supposed 0:10:32.960 --> 0:10:36.400 to be eliminated in the second round with Kawhi Leonard. 0:10:36.440 --> 0:10:38.280 This is why you made some move for him to 0:10:38.600 --> 0:10:41.240 get us to the Eastern Conference Finals and eventually represent 0:10:41.320 --> 0:10:43.599 the East and the NBA Finals. So that will not 0:10:43.760 --> 0:10:47.800 be overlooked. That will be a talking storyline the entire night. 0:10:48.200 --> 0:10:50.400 And let's not forget about the head coach. So then 0:10:50.720 --> 0:10:53.640 Nick Nurse is still a young head coach at rookie 0:10:53.720 --> 0:10:56.920 head coach, and you cannot tell me that those things, 0:10:57.400 --> 0:11:01.280 even in game won't come up eventually that it just 0:11:01.440 --> 0:11:04.040 naturally crosses your mind as a human being, even though 0:11:04.080 --> 0:11:06.199 you are the head coach trying to win in that moment, 0:11:06.600 --> 0:11:08.679 it was, it's before the game, towards the end of 0:11:08.720 --> 0:11:11.600 the game, certain things that happened and you're saying, man, 0:11:12.160 --> 0:11:14.280 you know, how do I coach this particular spot. How 0:11:14.320 --> 0:11:16.560 do I do this with Kawahi? Is Kawhi doing right? Then? 0:11:16.600 --> 0:11:19.360 How do we get everybody else involved? So that storyline 0:11:19.400 --> 0:11:22.640 will probably be selves the number one storyline, especially if 0:11:22.679 --> 0:11:25.439 the seventy sixes are able to get themselves out to 0:11:25.559 --> 0:11:27.959 an early lead or even in the middle of the game, 0:11:28.040 --> 0:11:30.360 get themselves out to a substantial league where they at 0:11:30.440 --> 0:11:34.079 least seen they have control. You know, those thoughts of 0:11:34.200 --> 0:11:36.880 Kawhi Leonard are just going to loom over the entire game, 0:11:37.480 --> 0:11:39.640 right because regardless of whether or not Brett browns coach 0:11:39.679 --> 0:11:43.280 in the postseason Game seven as a head coach before, 0:11:43.360 --> 0:11:45.559 which he hasn't, He's been there. He's had four Game 0:11:45.640 --> 0:11:47.959 seven as an assistant with San Antonio. And I know 0:11:48.040 --> 0:11:50.040 that you're not the one making all the decisions as 0:11:50.040 --> 0:11:53.160 an assistant. But Game seven of the two thousand and 0:11:53.200 --> 0:11:57.479 five NBA Final Spurs beat the Detroit Pistons two thirteen, 0:11:57.920 --> 0:12:00.400 the epic series that the Spurs lost to my Emmy head, 0:12:00.400 --> 0:12:03.200 a couple of Western Conference Semifinal Game sevens. I mean, 0:12:03.640 --> 0:12:06.520 Brett Brown at least knows what it is like to 0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:09.960 be in that type of spot, and he's learned under 0:12:10.640 --> 0:12:13.319 one of the best I'm curious to go back to 0:12:13.320 --> 0:12:15.439 something you said earlier, like what do we make of 0:12:15.480 --> 0:12:18.520 this series? I mean, how much can we extract from 0:12:19.160 --> 0:12:22.839 the first six games, because aside from Game two and 0:12:22.920 --> 0:12:24.600 I guess you could say Game four, these have been 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:27.680 really one sided games. So what do you what are 0:12:27.760 --> 0:12:29.920 some of the truths if there are any from the 0:12:29.960 --> 0:12:32.320 first six games year a series that in your mind 0:12:32.760 --> 0:12:35.360 you see could be playing out in game seven. Well, 0:12:35.440 --> 0:12:38.400 the one truth, of course is Kawhi Leonard is the problem. 0:12:39.040 --> 0:12:42.320 We already knew that. Yes, we already knew that one 0:12:42.400 --> 0:12:44.679 for sure. But one of the other truths is the 0:12:44.800 --> 0:12:47.959 leadership that we've seen now from Jimmy Butler over the 0:12:48.040 --> 0:12:50.000 course of this series. And even can even take it 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:51.959 back to the Brooklyn series where he stepped up in 0:12:52.040 --> 0:12:54.680 game one and they needed the point production thirty plus 0:12:54.800 --> 0:12:58.679 for him team loss. But after that he impacted in 0:12:58.920 --> 0:13:01.880 different ways of seven point game, I believe, a sixteen 0:13:01.920 --> 0:13:04.719 point game, but Ben Simmons started to take over and 0:13:04.800 --> 0:13:07.079 in b had a game to Bias Harrison, JJ Reddick 0:13:07.120 --> 0:13:10.120 had a game together where they really exploded. I think 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:13.839 the truths are that these two teams are maybe a 0:13:13.960 --> 0:13:18.200 little more evenly matched than we had thought. That despite 0:13:18.240 --> 0:13:20.520 the fact that Kawhi Leonard is such a great player, 0:13:20.760 --> 0:13:25.160 arguably a top three player in this league, the teams together, 0:13:25.679 --> 0:13:28.760 this thing right here is a fight to the finish 0:13:28.800 --> 0:13:31.040 because they are evenly matching. Maybe we did not know 0:13:31.200 --> 0:13:34.720 that going in where people would select the Toronto Raptors 0:13:36.600 --> 0:13:38.880 in series, and maybe not the seventy six is pushing 0:13:39.000 --> 0:13:41.079 to a seven games because they weren't capable of it. 0:13:41.160 --> 0:13:44.040 So I think the truths of how close they are 0:13:44.160 --> 0:13:48.319 in terms of team and individuals, guys being able to 0:13:48.360 --> 0:13:53.840 step up, that is true. And the fact that while 0:13:53.920 --> 0:13:56.160 Kawhi Leonard has done what Kawhi Leonard has done, we've 0:13:56.200 --> 0:13:59.520 only seen one Joe well and Bid game and it 0:14:00.160 --> 0:14:03.640 just maybe it just screams Selts that any situation like this, 0:14:04.400 --> 0:14:06.600 similar to the coach, as you said, not many guys 0:14:06.640 --> 0:14:09.240 have been there. Kawhi has been there, he'll perform. So 0:14:09.440 --> 0:14:11.240 Jibaka has been there, we don't know how he's going 0:14:11.280 --> 0:14:14.120 to perform. Jj Reddick has been to an NBA finals, 0:14:14.720 --> 0:14:17.000 we don't know how he's going to perform. Both but 0:14:17.920 --> 0:14:21.120 at the end, you say, talent does, as Brett Brown 0:14:21.200 --> 0:14:24.240 likes to say, rule the day, and Kawhi Leonard is 0:14:24.280 --> 0:14:27.000 with the Raptors, Joel Embiid is with the seventy sixers, 0:14:27.120 --> 0:14:30.280 and no matter despite any illness that he may have 0:14:30.480 --> 0:14:33.600 been going through in the ups and downs of this series, 0:14:33.960 --> 0:14:36.840 you would think that the talent will prevail at the end. 0:14:36.920 --> 0:14:40.120 The question is which side will prevail at the end. 0:14:40.720 --> 0:14:42.800 It just feels like, based on the law of averages, 0:14:43.280 --> 0:14:46.280 Joel's due for a game. Maybe it won't happen, but 0:14:46.560 --> 0:14:49.800 how good he was before the sickness came along in 0:14:49.800 --> 0:14:52.160 the illness for this series, you just feeling I know, 0:14:52.560 --> 0:14:54.480 Marcus sol has had success against him in the past, 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:56.480 you just feel like Joel Embiid could be due for 0:14:56.560 --> 0:14:59.120 a big game. Do you think the first situation like this, 0:14:59.280 --> 0:15:02.080 it's all about our players or might we see someone 0:15:02.480 --> 0:15:04.320 who we might not expect step up? I mean, I'm 0:15:04.360 --> 0:15:07.120 even thinking about Game six between the Rockets and the 0:15:07.200 --> 0:15:09.840 Golden State Warriors the other night, where yes, Steph Curry 0:15:09.880 --> 0:15:11.920 goes for thirty three and the second half, but do 0:15:12.040 --> 0:15:14.880 they win that game without andre Igodala doing what he 0:15:15.000 --> 0:15:18.280 did from three? I don't know. No, they do not, 0:15:18.480 --> 0:15:21.600 because while they needed Andrew Igodala and his played throughout 0:15:21.600 --> 0:15:24.040 the entire game, specifically in the first half way where 0:15:24.080 --> 0:15:26.800 Steph Kurry had zero and he erupted for thirty three 0:15:26.840 --> 0:15:30.080 and the second half. But that to your point, Steph 0:15:30.120 --> 0:15:32.560 Kurry erupted for thirty three in the second half and 0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:35.560 they needed every bit of that, and that would even 0:15:35.640 --> 0:15:38.120 go to the absence of Kevin Durant in that series, 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:41.400 losing that star power. So I do believe that star 0:15:41.600 --> 0:15:45.360 power is key in this game, because once again you 0:15:45.440 --> 0:15:47.840 know Kawhi Leonard is gonna get it. How do you 0:15:47.920 --> 0:15:49.840 match that? Yes, you can match it as a team 0:15:49.920 --> 0:15:53.280 where the balance is there from Butler, Harris Reddick and 0:15:53.440 --> 0:15:57.280 Bed Simmons throughout the starting five and getting the contributions 0:15:57.320 --> 0:16:01.440 that you will from the bench. But you're right, Embid 0:16:01.560 --> 0:16:05.360 had a big game in Game three subpar games, and 0:16:05.400 --> 0:16:08.440 the others did enough in Game six to help push 0:16:08.480 --> 0:16:11.720 this one bring it back to Toronto. But it says 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:15.680 situations like this, while it is about the team, it 0:16:15.960 --> 0:16:20.320 does kind of scream for another eruption from Joel Embid 0:16:20.440 --> 0:16:22.840 to enforce his will and all the things that he 0:16:23.000 --> 0:16:25.520 says and gets engaged with the crowd, and I'm the 0:16:25.600 --> 0:16:28.440 best in the business, and all of those These are 0:16:28.480 --> 0:16:31.160 the moments that those things really stand out and put 0:16:31.240 --> 0:16:34.800 you in those conversations of being the best. And this 0:16:35.000 --> 0:16:38.280 is an opportunity for him. The team overall can feed 0:16:38.400 --> 0:16:40.520 off of his dominance if he's able to do that, 0:16:40.640 --> 0:16:43.680 where you get outside shooting nights, some really good nights 0:16:43.680 --> 0:16:47.600 from Harrison and Reddick specifically, and we'll see how it 0:16:47.640 --> 0:16:50.680 plays out. But I totally agree that this does seem 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:54.480 like a spot for a Joel Embid blow up along 0:16:54.600 --> 0:16:57.080 with the steadiness that you've already gotten from Jimmy Butler. 0:16:57.920 --> 0:17:00.040 I know this is the playoffs team shoot worst the 0:17:00.120 --> 0:17:02.920 playoffs seventy six ers just under thirty three percent from three, 0:17:03.040 --> 0:17:07.000 Toronto just under thirty one percent from distance, but always 0:17:07.040 --> 0:17:09.560 seen good three point defense. I was looking at some numbers, 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:13.960 and neither team have contested a ton of shots. What 0:17:14.080 --> 0:17:15.880 do you make of how the three point shooting has 0:17:15.920 --> 0:17:18.199 gone in this game, because that to me is certainly 0:17:18.320 --> 0:17:20.720 variable that obviously in the game, seven could swing it 0:17:20.760 --> 0:17:24.040 to either side. No three point defense has been awful 0:17:24.119 --> 0:17:29.000 on both sides. You can think back there's so many 0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:32.119 chances that both teams have had way which is wide 0:17:32.240 --> 0:17:37.040 open sel it's too many wide open three. Luckily for 0:17:37.440 --> 0:17:41.320 the Sixers Gay some of those Danny Greene and Pascal Siakam, 0:17:41.400 --> 0:17:44.720 Kyle Lowry, those shots have not fall. And I'm sure 0:17:44.800 --> 0:17:48.040 the Toronto Raptors fans would think the other side, Hey, 0:17:48.160 --> 0:17:50.960 let's create that JJ Reddick and Tobias Harrison not hitting 0:17:51.000 --> 0:17:54.479 at a very high clip. But what happens in these 0:17:54.560 --> 0:17:57.760 big games, you know, what happens that maybe teams get 0:17:57.760 --> 0:17:59.880 a little bit of tight, players get a little bit tighter, 0:18:00.480 --> 0:18:03.159 and those shots will still be there. But who steps 0:18:03.240 --> 0:18:05.520 up and make those shots? As I pointed out, with 0:18:05.640 --> 0:18:07.879 him be getting the attention that he's gonna get to, 0:18:07.960 --> 0:18:09.800 Kawai Land is gonna get that same attention on the 0:18:09.880 --> 0:18:12.600 other side, because the seventy sixers do have to pay 0:18:12.640 --> 0:18:15.760 attention to Kawhi Leonard, any attention that he will draw, 0:18:15.840 --> 0:18:18.480 which will leave Kyle Lowry and Dan green and Pascalfy 0:18:18.520 --> 0:18:21.359 I'm open for a few more looks. Do they have 0:18:21.560 --> 0:18:27.040 that necessarily comfortability of being at home and feeling at ease, 0:18:27.680 --> 0:18:29.720 you know, with their role players being in front of 0:18:29.760 --> 0:18:32.399 their home crowd versus on the road. Maybe so, But 0:18:32.880 --> 0:18:35.800 then you have guys on the Sixers side that just 0:18:35.960 --> 0:18:38.560 seem like they are not afraid of the moment, Mike Scott, 0:18:38.760 --> 0:18:42.800 Jimmy Butler and JJ Reddick specifically, where that may not 0:18:42.960 --> 0:18:46.119 be a problem. So both sides, I believe, will have 0:18:46.320 --> 0:18:49.400 another night where they'll have plenty of attempts from behind 0:18:49.440 --> 0:18:52.240 the three point line. Looking at the statue from what 0:18:52.440 --> 0:18:55.720 happened on Thursday thirty six for the Toronto Raptors to 0:18:55.800 --> 0:18:58.880 the twenty eight of the seventy sixers, these two teams 0:18:58.880 --> 0:19:00.240 are going to get him up. And we know the 0:19:00.320 --> 0:19:02.399 game is played that way, but these two teams are 0:19:02.440 --> 0:19:04.000 definitely going to get him up, and it may be 0:19:04.520 --> 0:19:08.160 it may ultimately be the difference in this game tonight. Ben, 0:19:08.600 --> 0:19:10.160 what do you think it takes for Ben to bottle 0:19:10.240 --> 0:19:17.120 up what we saw in game sex bringing into Game seven? Well, 0:19:17.200 --> 0:19:20.920 so I don't know. I don't know, and I hope 0:19:21.000 --> 0:19:24.879 that whatever was in him to come out and perform 0:19:25.000 --> 0:19:27.480 the way he did from the tip from the opening tips, 0:19:27.800 --> 0:19:29.920 similar to what he did against the Brooklyn Nets in 0:19:29.960 --> 0:19:33.080 game number two after he a tough game one that 0:19:33.320 --> 0:19:36.000 he does in fact realize what the moment is, how 0:19:36.160 --> 0:19:38.680 much better this team is when he's playing like that, 0:19:38.880 --> 0:19:42.520 playing downhill, playing with a full head of steam, playing 0:19:42.560 --> 0:19:44.920 with the goal of I'm going to pass because that's 0:19:44.960 --> 0:19:48.120 just in my nature as a basketball player, but also 0:19:48.240 --> 0:19:52.000 realizing that this is what we need tonight. We need 0:19:52.119 --> 0:19:54.680 this tonight. Maybe he feels like some nights they don't 0:19:54.720 --> 0:19:56.640 need it and he can just focus on the defense 0:19:56.680 --> 0:19:59.919 of Kawhi Leonard the assist numbers to get everyone else 0:20:00.200 --> 0:20:02.520 going because he is a point guard, but right now 0:20:02.600 --> 0:20:05.320 they need to all around basketball player Ben send it. 0:20:05.440 --> 0:20:08.760 So maybe there's another conversation in there with doctor Jay 0:20:08.880 --> 0:20:13.200 or doctor Jay said enough for two games anyway, and 0:20:13.400 --> 0:20:16.320 it works and carries across the border to get him going. 0:20:16.400 --> 0:20:18.959 But still he was phenomenal on Thursday night. They need 0:20:19.080 --> 0:20:20.680 every bit of that. Again, it may not be in 0:20:20.960 --> 0:20:23.920 terms of point total with twenty one points. Maybe it's 0:20:24.359 --> 0:20:26.920 instead of twenty one points, maybe there's six more assists 0:20:27.040 --> 0:20:29.359 mixed in there in a big moment where no one 0:20:29.440 --> 0:20:31.160 can look at it and say, well, did that triple 0:20:31.240 --> 0:20:34.359 double really mean anything? Well, if he's able to bottle 0:20:34.480 --> 0:20:38.200 it up as you use that term, and bring it 0:20:38.520 --> 0:20:41.640 with him to Toronto. I hope he feels confident coming 0:20:41.680 --> 0:20:44.600 off of that game number six and decides to lay 0:20:44.640 --> 0:20:46.520 it all out on the line in this game seven. 0:20:47.280 --> 0:20:48.639 Tell me what have stood out the most to you 0:20:48.720 --> 0:20:52.200 about Jimmy Butler specifically in the second round. Whether it's 0:20:52.440 --> 0:20:55.520 tangible stuff that we can measure through stats or intangible things. 0:20:56.000 --> 0:20:58.640 I think it's more of the intangible things of the leadership, 0:20:58.880 --> 0:21:02.280 the command that he has on the floor. All year long, 0:21:02.440 --> 0:21:06.000 we've said this is Ben Simmons and Joelnbiad's team, hands down. 0:21:06.119 --> 0:21:09.040 We all knew it. But as this playoffs has moved 0:21:09.080 --> 0:21:12.040 on and we've gotten to the second round, we knew 0:21:12.080 --> 0:21:14.720 that Jimmy Butler from Afar could score. We've seen it 0:21:14.800 --> 0:21:17.359 with the Chicago Bulls, we saw it in the playoff 0:21:17.520 --> 0:21:20.840 round with the Minnesota Timberwolves. That was never a question. 0:21:21.160 --> 0:21:23.800