WEBVTT - Friday Deep Dive | Mid-Season Stock Report 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.640 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:09.440 search seventy sixers podcast wherever you get your pods Amazingly, 0:00:09.680 --> 0:00:11.600 the end of the first half of the season is 0:00:11.640 --> 0:00:15.080 almost here and the seventy sixers aren't a pretty good place. 0:00:15.440 --> 0:00:17.200 We're going to take a look back at the last 0:00:17.239 --> 0:00:20.880 couple of months, from biggest performanceive and memorable games, to 0:00:21.120 --> 0:00:26.040 encouraging trends to bold predictions spoiler, we have high hopes 0:00:26.079 --> 0:00:29.720 for the big fella. I'm Lauren Robin, I'm Devon Givens, 0:00:30.000 --> 0:00:33.120 I'm Brian Seltzer. What has been and what's to come? 0:00:33.440 --> 0:00:41.640 That's the focus of this week's Friday Deep Dive. We 0:00:41.680 --> 0:00:45.159 are diving deep on a Friday for the final time, 0:00:45.360 --> 0:00:49.199 incredibly before the end of this first half of the 0:00:49.240 --> 0:00:53.720 twenty twenty twenty one NBA season. So that means we're 0:00:53.720 --> 0:00:57.840 going to take this opportunity to gamify our impressions of 0:00:57.840 --> 0:01:00.840 the first half while starting to look ahead to half 0:01:00.920 --> 0:01:06.000 number two. Lauren Rosen, Devon Givens, great to be with you, guys. 0:01:06.720 --> 0:01:09.080 We're gonna get into this game in a moment. I 0:01:09.120 --> 0:01:11.160 think we have to talk about the All Star reserve 0:01:11.200 --> 0:01:14.160 selections first, though, we cannot let that pass by. We 0:01:14.160 --> 0:01:16.559 do have to bring it up. There's some good. Ben 0:01:16.560 --> 0:01:19.640 Simmons gone back third straight year, so I'm not so 0:01:19.680 --> 0:01:23.040 good Tobias Harris not going. I thought Ben was a 0:01:23.080 --> 0:01:27.640 worthy selection. Felt for Tobias I did. I did as 0:01:27.640 --> 0:01:31.600 well Selts. I think it's hard to get three guys 0:01:31.640 --> 0:01:34.400 in off of the same team. But we did see 0:01:34.440 --> 0:01:36.480 it from a team that isn't ranked as high in 0:01:36.480 --> 0:01:40.480 the Eastern Conference as the seventy six ers are, which 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.920 is a bummer. And I do feel that Doc Rivers 0:01:43.959 --> 0:01:47.120 expressed that we've heard people around the league express that 0:01:47.160 --> 0:01:50.000 Tobias Harris is someone that would be putting up even 0:01:50.080 --> 0:01:53.000 bigger numbers if he was the guy on his team. 0:01:53.160 --> 0:01:56.320 And we did see when the selections came out. A 0:01:56.360 --> 0:02:01.400 lot of the guys on teams that are doing winning 0:02:01.520 --> 0:02:04.360 less may get into this game because their stats are better. 0:02:04.360 --> 0:02:05.760 And you have to feel for Tobias because you have 0:02:05.800 --> 0:02:08.080 to assume that if Tobias played for one of those teams, 0:02:08.160 --> 0:02:10.040 maybe his numbers would be like one of those guys 0:02:10.040 --> 0:02:12.760 and maybe he'd get to be an All Star. So 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:16.320 is he getting penalized for being on a winning team? Maybe? 0:02:16.400 --> 0:02:18.399 And you kind of hate to see that. I did 0:02:18.480 --> 0:02:21.799 think he did enough with his resume this season so 0:02:21.800 --> 0:02:25.760 far to make it into the game. You also know 0:02:25.880 --> 0:02:28.880 that at the end of the day, there are different 0:02:28.960 --> 0:02:31.480 ways that people look at players around the league when 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:34.560 it comes to the voting, certainly with the fans and 0:02:34.639 --> 0:02:37.920 in the selection via the media and the coaches and 0:02:38.520 --> 0:02:42.760 the players as well. And Tobias Harris was the worthy candidate, guys, 0:02:43.000 --> 0:02:47.480 and I think with him, what would help him now 0:02:47.600 --> 0:02:50.160 for the next season as he looks for his first 0:02:50.200 --> 0:02:53.600 All Star birth is to help his team now get 0:02:53.639 --> 0:02:57.400 to a deep run into the postseason, possibly remain at 0:02:57.440 --> 0:02:59.600 the top of the Eastern Conference where they are the 0:02:59.639 --> 0:03:02.880 number one seed going into the playoffs, and then just 0:03:02.919 --> 0:03:05.680 being effective when he is there. It's not as if 0:03:05.680 --> 0:03:08.679 they don't know his name, but we know the name 0:03:08.760 --> 0:03:12.079 has shock value when you have a certain type of name, 0:03:12.120 --> 0:03:14.919 and you know, with all due respected Tobias Harris, it's 0:03:14.960 --> 0:03:17.280 just not there yet, fair or not. You know, he 0:03:17.960 --> 0:03:21.040 has performed well enough where it should not matter that 0:03:21.120 --> 0:03:23.280 his name doesn't have shock value because of the things 0:03:23.320 --> 0:03:25.160 that you mentioned, being at the top of the East 0:03:25.240 --> 0:03:28.600 on a winning team and being very productive second leading 0:03:28.639 --> 0:03:32.400 scorer on the team, So it is disappointing, but I 0:03:32.400 --> 0:03:35.840 hope it certainly motivates him for the overall goal of 0:03:35.880 --> 0:03:39.440 the team for the remainder of the season. A couple 0:03:39.440 --> 0:03:41.440 of things that stood out to me in the aftermath 0:03:41.600 --> 0:03:44.720 of the reserves being announced on Tuesday. One thought it 0:03:44.760 --> 0:03:47.040 was a really neat revelation that Doc Rivers said when 0:03:47.040 --> 0:03:50.200 he called around on behalf of both Ben and Tobias. 0:03:50.240 --> 0:03:52.360 He said that other coaches who talked to are like, 0:03:52.400 --> 0:03:55.280 what you're calling, You're lobbing for Ben? Why are libbing 0:03:55.280 --> 0:03:57.600 for Ben? He's good, which kind of speaks to the 0:03:57.640 --> 0:03:59.839 point D that you just made. And then that Doc 0:04:00.240 --> 0:04:03.000 has also talked about as well after the game on 0:04:03.040 --> 0:04:07.000 Tuesday when the Sixers beat the Raptors, that sometimes you're 0:04:07.040 --> 0:04:10.560 not an All Star until the season after your first 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:13.560 quote unquote All Star season. I think that's how Doc 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:15.920 put it, and I think there's something totally to be 0:04:15.960 --> 0:04:19.520 said for that. If Tobias is able to sustain the 0:04:19.560 --> 0:04:22.440 historic numbers that he's been putting up so far the season, 0:04:22.640 --> 0:04:25.320 seventy six Ers, fingers crossed for them go on a 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:28.640 great run, Tobias comes out strong next season, doing similar 0:04:28.680 --> 0:04:31.760 things to me. I don't see anyway that he's not 0:04:31.800 --> 0:04:34.440 an All Star doesn't make it right, like you said, 0:04:34.680 --> 0:04:37.560 doesn't make it any easier for Tobias, I'm sure, but 0:04:37.640 --> 0:04:39.679 I think that he's almost there. I think he's probably 0:04:39.680 --> 0:04:42.640 as close as he's ever been. I could get behind that. 0:04:42.760 --> 0:04:44.920 I just think he also might feel like maybe this 0:04:45.080 --> 0:04:47.320 was that year after the way that he played last year. 0:04:47.320 --> 0:04:50.039 And obviously the season last year didn't end the way 0:04:50.040 --> 0:04:52.359 that that Doc is saying the season should end the 0:04:52.400 --> 0:04:54.760 season before you become an All Star. But I think 0:04:54.800 --> 0:04:58.279 he might feel that he's played at an All Star 0:04:58.360 --> 0:05:00.800 level for a few years now, and it is hard 0:05:00.839 --> 0:05:04.920 to consistently raise the bar but not be rewarded. I 0:05:05.000 --> 0:05:08.200 just can't imagine that being difficult, And so props to 0:05:08.240 --> 0:05:11.400 Tobias for taking it like a champ. And hopefully Doc 0:05:11.480 --> 0:05:15.039 rivers prophecy will come true after the team makes a 0:05:15.080 --> 0:05:17.080 long run and he gets into that game next year, 0:05:17.080 --> 0:05:19.440 and next year All Star will be more fun, right, 0:05:19.480 --> 0:05:21.599 It'll be a different kind of more traditional All Star. 0:05:22.000 --> 0:05:25.039 There's your silver lining. Maybe next season is a better 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:28.440 time to get your first All Star birth my silver lining, 0:05:28.839 --> 0:05:31.560 go drop twenty five points a game the remainder of 0:05:31.560 --> 0:05:36.800 the season, deep run championship. Let's party, party time, I 0:05:36.960 --> 0:05:41.360 love it. That's right, Hey, he can make it. Tobias 0:05:41.360 --> 0:05:43.800 can make it an All Star weekend next year instead 0:05:43.800 --> 0:05:46.200 of an All Star Day. And to your point, d 0:05:46.680 --> 0:05:49.560 I think Tobias well on his way embodying that type 0:05:49.560 --> 0:05:53.280 of mindset. Had a terrific game against Toronto twelve points 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:55.960 out of his twenty three in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, 0:05:56.400 --> 0:06:00.240 seven boards, five dimes, two block shots. Came out and 0:06:00.240 --> 0:06:02.919 played a heck of a game after not receiving that 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:08.800 call to the All Star Game. All right, it is 0:06:08.839 --> 0:06:11.279 now time for everyone's favorite game, which I'm going to 0:06:11.400 --> 0:06:16.479 name on the spot of answer or sames E's we 0:06:16.640 --> 0:06:19.159 love it answer or Samesy's We're gonna throw out a question. 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:22.120 We can go round the horn here. We can each 0:06:22.160 --> 0:06:26.400 give our responses, but we don't each have to fabricate 0:06:26.560 --> 0:06:30.880 or manufacture our reply or answer to these questions. Reflecting 0:06:30.880 --> 0:06:32.680 on the first half of the season, if you happen 0:06:32.720 --> 0:06:35.279 to believe the same thing as someone who spoke before you, 0:06:35.279 --> 0:06:37.599 you just say same'si's and or pass. We don't need 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:40.480 to keep ourselves or anyone else here for that matter, 0:06:40.680 --> 0:06:42.839 longer than they need to be. We just appreciate the 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:46.760 quality minutes spent lists. We want quality minutes spent listenings 0:06:46.240 --> 0:06:52.000 r Good minutes, always good minutes, effective minutes. Yes, indeed, Okay, 0:06:52.440 --> 0:06:56.039 easy one to start with, most pleasant surprise of what 0:06:56.120 --> 0:07:00.440 has been so far a promising twenty twenty twenty one season, 0:07:00.760 --> 0:07:05.400 Lawn Rosen tip us off Well. To be honest, I 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:07.400 think I have to go with Tobias Harris and the 0:07:07.480 --> 0:07:11.520 way that he has brought confidence to his game. He 0:07:11.560 --> 0:07:15.800 has increased his efficiency, he has leveled up on defense. 0:07:16.160 --> 0:07:19.080 Tobias has really done all the things that he said 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:21.040 he wanted to do this season. And I think at 0:07:21.080 --> 0:07:23.400 the beginning of the year, it's really easy to say 0:07:23.440 --> 0:07:26.480 that I spent my offseason working hard, and I wanted 0:07:26.480 --> 0:07:29.280 to improve my defense and I wanted to improve my efficiency. 0:07:29.360 --> 0:07:31.520 We hear that from a lot of players year after year, 0:07:31.520 --> 0:07:34.400 and those are admirable things to want to do in 0:07:34.440 --> 0:07:37.040 the season ahead. I think it's really special for a 0:07:37.080 --> 0:07:39.560 guy like Tobias, who had already improved his defense and 0:07:39.600 --> 0:07:42.800 efficiency last year, to come in and really improve it 0:07:42.880 --> 0:07:45.120 this year and to sustain what he's been able to 0:07:45.120 --> 0:07:47.800 do something else. I'd like to add to the additions 0:07:47.840 --> 0:07:49.520 to Tobias his game is the way he's played in 0:07:49.560 --> 0:07:51.800 the fourth quarter since he became a seventy six er. 0:07:51.840 --> 0:07:54.440 He's expressed wanting to be a closer, wanting to be 0:07:54.480 --> 0:07:56.600 a go to guy at the end of games, and 0:07:56.680 --> 0:07:58.520 this year we've seen it a few times. Selts. You 0:07:58.560 --> 0:08:01.600 just mentioned the last game Rono who could forget his 0:08:01.680 --> 0:08:05.480 buzzer not buzzer beater, but his game winner against the Lakers. 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:08.280 This is a guy who set goals for himself, has 0:08:08.320 --> 0:08:11.440 had the guts to lay them out publicly, and then 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:14.000 has had the drive to actually go and achieve them. 0:08:14.200 --> 0:08:18.160 Am I surprised? Not necessarily so maybe I didn't answer 0:08:18.160 --> 0:08:21.920 the question that well, but am I impressed. Yes, well, 0:08:21.960 --> 0:08:24.560 I'll go the other way. No, Samesy's to start off 0:08:24.560 --> 0:08:28.000 the new game, I'm going with. I'm going with a 0:08:28.160 --> 0:08:30.640 usual suspect for a lot of different reasons, and that 0:08:30.840 --> 0:08:35.400 is four time All Star now Joel embeat. Because of 0:08:35.400 --> 0:08:38.280 how he's now elevated his game too, it seems to 0:08:38.360 --> 0:08:41.160 me to take that next step, the thing that we've 0:08:41.200 --> 0:08:43.320 been wanting him to do. We've seen twenty eight and 0:08:43.360 --> 0:08:45.360 twelve and a half and two and a half blocks 0:08:45.360 --> 0:08:48.640 in the season, and we've seen it means something at 0:08:48.679 --> 0:08:52.240 that time, but it just feels different now. So when 0:08:52.280 --> 0:08:55.920 I go and I leaned towards Joel Embiad and anyone 0:08:55.960 --> 0:09:00.640 who's listening or viewing us and say, oh, that's easy, well, no, 0:09:00.760 --> 0:09:04.360 it's not, because I think he has changed his approach 0:09:04.440 --> 0:09:07.560 now to the game and what he is doing for 0:09:07.600 --> 0:09:10.079 this team. Guys. They are number one in the Eastern 0:09:10.120 --> 0:09:14.280 Conference and that is really a lot based off of 0:09:14.280 --> 0:09:18.520 what he has done as the guy for this basketball team, 0:09:18.600 --> 0:09:22.920 so from offensively recognizing the double teams when they get there, 0:09:23.240 --> 0:09:26.719 defensively still being someone who controls the paint the way 0:09:26.760 --> 0:09:30.800 that he does, selective three point shots that are meaningful 0:09:30.840 --> 0:09:33.319 within the flow of the game and not disrupting, and 0:09:33.440 --> 0:09:37.800 it's passing overall. I think that we're seeing the maturity 0:09:37.880 --> 0:09:40.000 that I think a lot of people have been asking 0:09:40.080 --> 0:09:44.480 for from a veteran player Joel Embid although rather young, 0:09:44.679 --> 0:09:47.280 but still a veteran in this league. So I'm gonna 0:09:47.280 --> 0:09:50.760 go with Joel Embiid. I think that's totally valid both 0:09:50.760 --> 0:09:53.360 of you guys so far and listen, it's interesting because 0:09:53.360 --> 0:09:55.559 I did look this up before we started. Even though 0:09:55.640 --> 0:09:59.040 Joel's turnover numbers are relatively similar as they were last 0:09:59.080 --> 0:10:01.080 year in the year before per thirty six or one 0:10:01.160 --> 0:10:05.040 hundred possession basis to me, they don't feel as weighty 0:10:05.160 --> 0:10:06.560 as they have in the past. And I know that 0:10:06.559 --> 0:10:08.840 we're not in the playoffs yet, but it just doesn't 0:10:08.880 --> 0:10:12.640 seem like they're turning up in late game situations as 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:15.800 frequently as they did in the past. And obviously we 0:10:15.840 --> 0:10:18.199 know that after the way last year ended, that was 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:22.640 a big area of focus for him. Most pleasant surprise 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:26.240 of the season so far. You know, I could just 0:10:26.320 --> 0:10:31.480 go real folksy and cheeky and say the entire team, 0:10:32.000 --> 0:10:34.320 but I'm going to make it more specific than that, because, hey, 0:10:34.360 --> 0:10:36.320 the Sixers are in a great spot. I'm going to 0:10:36.360 --> 0:10:39.760 talk about the head coach, Doc Rivers. Not that I 0:10:39.800 --> 0:10:43.040 expect the Sixers to be a complete disaster when they 0:10:43.120 --> 0:10:46.200 hire someone has proven and accomplished as Doc Rivers, But 0:10:46.240 --> 0:10:48.960 you never know. You thought that the match was perfect, 0:10:49.360 --> 0:10:52.000 especially when Daryl Morey and Elton Brand made some of 0:10:52.000 --> 0:10:54.760 the moves they did on the heels of draft night 0:10:54.800 --> 0:10:57.079 and getting ready for training camp. But I really love 0:10:57.160 --> 0:10:59.559 the way that Doc has set the tone for this 0:10:59.720 --> 0:11:02.520 Sea and I think, especially at the outset, he kept 0:11:02.559 --> 0:11:04.719 things relatively simple in terms of what he asked the 0:11:04.760 --> 0:11:08.560 players to do, didn't try to overcomplicate things. I think 0:11:08.600 --> 0:11:11.679 he challenged individual players to try and do better than 0:11:11.720 --> 0:11:14.760 they have in the past. Clearly he's made it a 0:11:14.800 --> 0:11:16.600 point of emphasis to try and get some of his 0:11:16.679 --> 0:11:20.560 best individual players to do better together. And I just 0:11:20.640 --> 0:11:23.360 think he's got a real good pulse for this team 0:11:23.440 --> 0:11:26.640 so far more often than not, I think what he's 0:11:26.679 --> 0:11:30.200 done with the rotation who he plugs and when has worked. 0:11:30.320 --> 0:11:33.680 Take for example, for con CORKMS against the Raptors on Tuesday, 0:11:34.000 --> 0:11:35.480 and the way he broke it down after the game 0:11:35.520 --> 0:11:38.320 was real straightforward, Hey, Seth Curry's not playing. We need 0:11:38.360 --> 0:11:40.960 a great spot up three point shooter for con Cork. 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:43.200 Mose hasn't hit the bron side of the barn for 0:11:43.280 --> 0:11:45.120 two weeks, but we're gonna bring him in, give him 0:11:45.120 --> 0:11:48.000 an opportunity and it paid off. And I just think 0:11:48.000 --> 0:11:51.240 that Doc seems to be taking everything in stride, matter 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:55.280 of factly, real poised as you'd expect, and I think 0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:57.440 that he has the Sixers playing what could be on 0:11:57.480 --> 0:12:01.520 the verge trending towards championship basketball. So I think Doc 0:12:01.600 --> 0:12:04.880 has been really sharp so far. Something as simple as 0:12:04.920 --> 0:12:08.560 the furkon corkmis in inserting him into the into the 0:12:08.600 --> 0:12:12.720 starting lineup of for Curry and just simplifying it, we 0:12:12.760 --> 0:12:16.160 needed someone who's the spot up shooter for our team, 0:12:16.200 --> 0:12:19.520 for our starting five out there, and that's what you've seen. 0:12:19.559 --> 0:12:22.240 You can just feel the difference in what he has 0:12:22.240 --> 0:12:25.600 been able to do and to bring to the team. Obviously, 0:12:25.679 --> 0:12:28.600 we all wish that the fans could and just take 0:12:28.679 --> 0:12:31.680 all of that in the games in the building, but 0:12:31.800 --> 0:12:34.680 even viewing it on television, you can see the difference 0:12:35.040 --> 0:12:36.959 right now with this team. He has a team believing. 0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:40.120 It seems like they do at least, and it's a 0:12:40.200 --> 0:12:42.440 really good sight. And one other point that you made itself, 0:12:42.440 --> 0:12:44.480 it's about it be quickly before we get to larness. 0:12:45.280 --> 0:12:48.480 We know it's about the playoffs, but we're not there yet. 0:12:48.760 --> 0:12:51.840 So all we can do right now is just simply 0:12:51.880 --> 0:12:54.080 focus on what they are doing in the moment, because 0:12:54.080 --> 0:12:56.079 if they weren't doing good, we would also say that 0:12:56.440 --> 0:12:59.280 as well. So he's doing really well. When we get 0:12:59.280 --> 0:13:03.000 to the playoffs, reevaluate things there, but right now I 0:13:03.040 --> 0:13:06.120 agree with you that in the moment he's playing really well. 0:13:06.640 --> 0:13:09.080 We don't use the D word too often here on 0:13:09.120 --> 0:13:11.480 the Deep Dive unless we're talking about said deep dive 0:13:11.520 --> 0:13:14.640 itself and or divine givens. But I'm gonna throw this 0:13:14.679 --> 0:13:16.600 out there. We try to be a fair and balanced 0:13:16.679 --> 0:13:18.679 or what did I say before, balanced and fair podcast? 0:13:18.800 --> 0:13:20.480 Not fair and balanced trying to be balanced and fair? 0:13:21.480 --> 0:13:23.440 Has there been a disappointment so far? Because I'm throwing 0:13:23.480 --> 0:13:25.640 it out there, I'm gonna give you one just to 0:13:25.679 --> 0:13:27.959 maybe give you a sense of where my mind is 0:13:28.000 --> 0:13:30.800 thinking on this. It's gonna be really related to health 0:13:30.840 --> 0:13:33.120 and a guy who I kind of feel for as 0:13:33.120 --> 0:13:34.960 of late because I believe in him. I think he's 0:13:34.960 --> 0:13:36.880 done good stuff in the past. I think you could 0:13:36.880 --> 0:13:39.480 help the seventy six ers if you were fully healthy 0:13:39.559 --> 0:13:42.840 and in rhythm. I'd love to see Mike Scott healthy 0:13:43.000 --> 0:13:45.280 for a stretch, get the opportunity to get his legs 0:13:45.400 --> 0:13:48.960 under him a little bit, get back into a rhythm again. 0:13:49.000 --> 0:13:51.240 I believe in Mike. I'm not saying that he is 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:54.400 a disappointment. I'm bummed for him. It's a disappointing situation 0:13:54.440 --> 0:13:57.439 that after what I thought were two really good preseason games, 0:13:57.679 --> 0:14:00.000 he just hasn't had a chance because of a couple injuries, 0:14:00.240 --> 0:14:02.840 to get out there on the floor and get into rhythm. 0:14:02.920 --> 0:14:04.320 And I think that every bit of depth helps, and 0:14:04.320 --> 0:14:06.160 I think we've seen a few games this year with 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:08.480 the Sixers they could use some stretched depth at the 0:14:08.520 --> 0:14:11.680 four spot, and he just hasn't been out there. So 0:14:11.840 --> 0:14:13.719 that's kind of the mind that I'm thinking of. It's 0:14:13.720 --> 0:14:16.360 tough to really complain or harp upon things when your 0:14:16.400 --> 0:14:19.640 team is leading the Eastern Conference as we speak right 0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:21.760 now and has put up a great record at twenty 0:14:21.800 --> 0:14:25.040 one and eleven. My disappointment is not the same as 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:27.280 your celts, and it might be a little bit more 0:14:27.400 --> 0:14:31.600 of a cop out answer, but look, my disappointment this 0:14:31.680 --> 0:14:35.960 year is somewhat personal. I don't think the team has 0:14:36.040 --> 0:14:38.760 blown out enough team. And here's why I say that, 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:42.000 sets This is a team that's leading the East. They've 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:44.360 done an incredible job despite not having a lot of 0:14:44.360 --> 0:14:47.680 continuity with this lineup. They also are leading the league 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:50.680 in clutch wins. They have had fourteen clutch wins, which 0:14:50.720 --> 0:14:54.400 means they've had great experience in close games finding a 0:14:54.400 --> 0:14:58.240 way to win, and that is incredibly valuable. Personally, I 0:14:58.400 --> 0:15:00.240 like to be able to start writing the reac half 0:15:00.280 --> 0:15:03.280 of how the game goes before the final buzzer. It's 0:15:03.320 --> 0:15:09.160 just better for my workflow. So personally, personally, my dream game, 0:15:09.200 --> 0:15:11.600 I would love lopsided victories every night, just so I 0:15:11.600 --> 0:15:13.680 can get a head start on my work. So that's 0:15:13.680 --> 0:15:16.400 that's just me. That's just personal. At least they're leading 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:18.200 the league and clutch wins. If they want to keep 0:15:18.200 --> 0:15:20.440 doing the close ones, they're more exciting for the fans, 0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:22.640 that's fine. But if we could just throw in a 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:25.440 few more lopsided victories in the second half of the season, 0:15:25.520 --> 0:15:29.520 I would be a happy girl. Fan perspective, great reporter perspective, 0:15:29.760 --> 0:15:32.960 not so much when you're on deadlining exactly. I love it. 0:15:32.960 --> 0:15:35.440 It's it's such a cop out of an answer, but 0:15:35.520 --> 0:15:38.880 I mean, that's really this, that's really my only disappointment 0:15:38.880 --> 0:15:42.040 with this team is too many close games. That's it, right, 0:15:42.600 --> 0:15:45.160 that's a good one. Even going back to Tuesday, you 0:15:45.160 --> 0:15:47.160 get off to such a hot start. How did it 0:15:47.240 --> 0:15:49.920 get so close? But hey, they still walked away with 0:15:49.920 --> 0:15:52.200 the w to pick up their twenty first win of 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:54.840 the season. I'll go with I'll go with again something 0:15:55.000 --> 0:15:57.760 that's a usual suspect when we talk about the Philadelphia 0:15:57.800 --> 0:16:01.200 seven sixes. Albeit they are much better on the road, 0:16:01.880 --> 0:16:04.360 I would like for them to be better than they 0:16:04.400 --> 0:16:07.400 are on the road when they do get to the postseason. 0:16:07.720 --> 0:16:10.400 As we evaluate this team right now, they have to 0:16:10.440 --> 0:16:14.800 find ways to win away from the center and be 0:16:14.920 --> 0:16:17.480 it no fans, and we can factor in all of 0:16:17.520 --> 0:16:21.240 those things. It's too many of the games that Lauren 0:16:21.280 --> 0:16:23.480 you're talking about. We've seen them in some and we've 0:16:23.480 --> 0:16:26.080 seen them give away a few. The Toronto game on 0:16:26.120 --> 0:16:29.080 Sunday for an example, that one got away from them, 0:16:29.080 --> 0:16:32.280 and then Cleveland earlier in the year, and we can 0:16:32.480 --> 0:16:35.160 point out and highlight a few. Obviously, the West Coast 0:16:35.160 --> 0:16:38.000 trip where they went one in three disappointing to me 0:16:38.200 --> 0:16:41.320 because once again they were in those games. And when 0:16:41.320 --> 0:16:43.880 we talk about that different seventy six or team under 0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:48.160 Doc Rivers, while the number is much better, I need 0:16:48.160 --> 0:16:51.760 when I look at the Utah Jazz and I see 0:16:52.200 --> 0:16:56.240 what their road record is, I'm like, well, why are 0:16:56.400 --> 0:17:00.320 the seventy six is not also posting that road record? 0:17:00.400 --> 0:17:03.760 So maybe I'm picking, but that's also me having them 0:17:03.840 --> 0:17:08.000 at this level right now after these thirty plus games, 0:17:08.200 --> 0:17:11.280 where I think they are good enough to perform better 0:17:11.800 --> 0:17:15.359 away from this center. I know COVID and the health 0:17:15.520 --> 0:17:18.760 everything has kind of taken guys away from the team 0:17:18.840 --> 0:17:21.840 in certain games because of that. But for the most part, 0:17:22.320 --> 0:17:24.480 and especially the second half of the season, since we're 0:17:24.480 --> 0:17:28.200 now winding down these final four at home, I want 0:17:28.240 --> 0:17:30.639 to see them with a better road record to prepare 0:17:30.680 --> 0:17:33.720 themselves for the postseason once they get started with the 0:17:33.760 --> 0:17:36.720 second half. I love it. I like what we did there. 0:17:36.920 --> 0:17:40.800 And Hey, through two categories so far, we've had no SAME's, 0:17:40.800 --> 0:17:43.320 he's yet on what did we call this game? The 0:17:43.359 --> 0:17:45.439 horrible name that I came up with answer or SAME's 0:17:45.440 --> 0:17:51.080 he's yes, Okay, we're working with it. We'll see if 0:17:51.080 --> 0:17:55.320 we get through category number three. Hey, we'll work with it. 0:17:55.240 --> 0:18:00.480 It works all right. Trend that you want to see continue? Obviously, 0:18:00.480 --> 0:18:03.119 we want to see the seventy sixers continuing to win games, 0:18:03.520 --> 0:18:06.920 but anything else for you, guys, a trend that you 0:18:06.920 --> 0:18:09.920 would like to see continue. D I don't think you've 0:18:09.960 --> 0:18:14.200 started us off yet in a topic, so go ahead. Yeah, 0:18:13.880 --> 0:18:17.520 this is another one for me, that's the divine again. 0:18:17.680 --> 0:18:21.880 Yes again. Aggressive Ben Simmons is the best Ben Simmons, 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:24.280 the way that he has been playing as of late, 0:18:24.480 --> 0:18:27.360 aggressively looking for his when we talk about the way 0:18:27.359 --> 0:18:30.120 that he's been playing and wondering if it will fit 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:33.000 into what the style of the seventy sixies have been 0:18:33.040 --> 0:18:35.400 doing for the early part of the season, when we've 0:18:35.400 --> 0:18:39.280 seen aggressive Simmons sometimes but also more so kind of 0:18:39.480 --> 0:18:42.280 giveaway to others and allow them to do it. I'm 0:18:42.320 --> 0:18:46.160 watching these games now where I would anticipate a pass 0:18:46.240 --> 0:18:48.639 coming from Simmons to an open teammate, which is the 0:18:48.760 --> 0:18:52.240 right basketball play, But the other right basketball play, which 0:18:52.280 --> 0:18:54.679 could be the more effective play, is to keep that 0:18:54.760 --> 0:18:57.760 dribble one more time, or having your eyes set on 0:18:57.800 --> 0:19:00.959 the rim in the basket and going out there and 0:19:01.000 --> 0:19:05.040 looking for his And so far, so good with how 0:19:05.080 --> 0:19:08.199 he has done it, and I'm pleasantly surprised with what 0:19:08.240 --> 0:19:10.480 he has done. That is the one for me of 0:19:10.520 --> 0:19:12.760 the trend that I would like to continue to see 0:19:13.000 --> 0:19:16.200 as we move along in this twenty one campaign. Over 0:19:16.240 --> 0:19:19.160 the last five games, his numbers so good going into 0:19:19.200 --> 0:19:22.359 Thursday against the Mavericks, averaging twenty five points, shooting sixty 0:19:22.400 --> 0:19:26.440 five percent from the field, eighty percent on nine attempts 0:19:26.480 --> 0:19:30.080 per game from the line, yeah, nearly nine rebounds, seven 0:19:30.119 --> 0:19:33.560 a half assists, a couple steals, and two double doubles. 0:19:33.600 --> 0:19:37.440 Playing at such a high level, I will go with 0:19:37.480 --> 0:19:40.400 one of Ben simmons counterparts. I think if there's something 0:19:40.400 --> 0:19:44.840 that I want to see continue, it's the Embiid MVP campaign. 0:19:45.160 --> 0:19:48.919 I think that Joel Embiid should be Whether or not 0:19:49.000 --> 0:19:50.960 he is is not up to me. I think he 0:19:50.960 --> 0:19:53.680 should be the front runner for MVP this season based 0:19:53.720 --> 0:19:56.840 on what he is doing this season, night after night, 0:19:57.359 --> 0:20:00.200 and I hope that that continues. I hope for him. 0:20:00.240 --> 0:20:01.879 He's someone I don't have to tell you guys how 0:20:01.920 --> 0:20:05.680 much adversity Joel Embiid has faced since coming into this league. 0:20:06.000 --> 0:20:08.920 He deserves this moment. He has worked for this moment, 0:20:08.920 --> 0:20:11.080 and I hope for his sake that he can continue 0:20:11.400 --> 0:20:15.440 on the path that he's on, averaging currently almost thirty 0:20:15.480 --> 0:20:18.000 points a game, but in the last ten games thirty 0:20:18.040 --> 0:20:20.480 two point one points. They're sorry. In his last nine 0:20:20.520 --> 0:20:23.480 games thirty two point one points, eleven point seven rebounds, 0:20:23.520 --> 0:20:26.160 three point seven assists, one point four blocks, one point 0:20:26.160 --> 0:20:29.000 three steals, forty nine point two percent from the field, 0:20:29.080 --> 0:20:32.280 thirty four point eight percent from three, eighty seven point 0:20:32.320 --> 0:20:34.320 six percent from the free throw line. Do I need 0:20:34.359 --> 0:20:36.880 to go on? These are crazy numbers and he's doing 0:20:36.920 --> 0:20:40.080 it over and over again. I think it was Tobias. 0:20:40.720 --> 0:20:43.199 It was either Tobias or Matiz who recently said that 0:20:43.200 --> 0:20:44.920 that they looked at the stat sheet. It was Tobias 0:20:44.920 --> 0:20:47.600 and Joel had twenty five and twelve or twenty five 0:20:47.640 --> 0:20:49.680