WEBVTT - The BroadCast | Shake's Shot 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.640 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers Podcast Network 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:08.320 search seventy Sixers podcast wherever you get your pods. Since 0:00:08.360 --> 0:00:10.840 we last spoke, it was arguably the biggest development to 0:00:10.880 --> 0:00:13.800 emerge from the seventy Sixers Bubble Shake. Milton is getting 0:00:13.800 --> 0:00:16.320 a shot to run with the ones. It's been pretty well. 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:19.040 When I'm playing with guys who are telling it makes 0:00:19.079 --> 0:00:21.599 my job a lot easier. After showing plenty of poison 0:00:21.640 --> 0:00:24.120 promise right before the break, the twenty three year old 0:00:24.160 --> 0:00:25.959 will try to pick up right where he left off. 0:00:26.239 --> 0:00:28.440 And just as important, what does this all mean for 0:00:28.480 --> 0:00:32.080 Ben Simmons? How has he responded to that like a star? 0:00:32.360 --> 0:00:35.560 I think he's been great accepting that and really killing 0:00:35.600 --> 0:00:39.879 it in practice. I'm more I'm Devon Givens and I'm 0:00:39.920 --> 0:00:42.520 Brian Seltzer And this is the broadcast on the seventy 0:00:42.520 --> 0:00:49.480 Sixers Podcast Network. Another edition of the broadcast, another step 0:00:49.520 --> 0:00:54.200 closer to actual, real basketball. And yes, I am absolutely 0:00:54.240 --> 0:00:59.640 considering Friday afternoon scrimmage basketball inside the Orlando Disney World 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:03.639 bubble as actual basketball. It counts. Gosh, darn it, am 0:01:03.640 --> 0:01:07.280 I wrong? You're not wrong, Felts. I think every video 0:01:07.440 --> 0:01:10.280 clip that we see of players playing five on five 0:01:11.240 --> 0:01:13.320 gets us a little closer to that moment where they're 0:01:13.319 --> 0:01:15.920 going to play another team five on five. I think 0:01:16.040 --> 0:01:19.120 scrimmage absolutely counts as real basketball, and it's a heck 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:20.640 of a lot more than we've had in the last 0:01:20.680 --> 0:01:23.160 four months. So I am stoked about it. Do you 0:01:23.160 --> 0:01:26.600 give me your excitement level? Is this normal preseason basketball 0:01:26.600 --> 0:01:30.960 excitement level or does this feel like something bigger, something grander. 0:01:31.319 --> 0:01:35.360 This certainly does seem bigger because of the nature of 0:01:35.360 --> 0:01:38.440 how we've gotten here, because of the layoffs that we've had, 0:01:38.880 --> 0:01:42.640 seeing them last on March eleventh, seeing the NBA last 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:45.320 on March eleventh, So this certainly does seem a little 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:48.520 bit bigger. I think I'm also trying to temper my 0:01:48.680 --> 0:01:53.960 expectations until we actually see the dribbling count on the floor, 0:01:54.920 --> 0:01:57.920 knowing that we actually have basketball back, But the excitement 0:01:58.000 --> 0:02:02.560 level is through the room temper a bit. I'm the 0:02:02.640 --> 0:02:05.520 kind of guy who, under normal circumstances, I always look 0:02:05.560 --> 0:02:09.480 forward to that first spring training game, that first preseason game, 0:02:09.560 --> 0:02:12.000 that first exhibition game of any kind, just because I 0:02:12.000 --> 0:02:13.799 haven't seen a team in such a long time. I 0:02:13.840 --> 0:02:16.960 want to get a taste to tease. Well, just multiply 0:02:17.120 --> 0:02:20.919 that by like four and a half months worth of time. 0:02:21.360 --> 0:02:23.760 And that's where I'm at. With the seventy Sixers getting 0:02:23.800 --> 0:02:27.000 things going on Friday. There is so much to look 0:02:27.040 --> 0:02:30.040 forward to in this first weekend of action and as 0:02:30.040 --> 0:02:32.600 the Sixers work their way towards the seeding games which 0:02:32.639 --> 0:02:35.320 start on August the first. But I gotta tell you, 0:02:35.560 --> 0:02:41.200 I was out of town the past week, tried to detach, unplug, 0:02:41.960 --> 0:02:44.320 went up to the mountains, gotten from of some water, 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:46.840 and even up there where the cell phone reception might 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:50.280 not be as great or the Wi Fi connection as strong, 0:02:50.600 --> 0:02:54.799 it was impossible to avoid hearing about one of the 0:02:54.840 --> 0:02:58.079 developments taking place inside the bubble for the seventy Sixers 0:02:58.560 --> 0:03:02.880 and involved, of course, the Pride of Owasso, Oklahoma. And 0:03:02.919 --> 0:03:05.040 as we do our deep dive to begin this episode 0:03:05.080 --> 0:03:07.440 of the podcast, we got to start with the fact 0:03:07.480 --> 0:03:10.720 that at this point in time, Brett Brown has given 0:03:11.160 --> 0:03:16.200 what sounds like primary on ball responsibilities to Shake Milton. Yes, 0:03:16.440 --> 0:03:19.200 I love it because this is something that I thought 0:03:19.520 --> 0:03:23.160 was should have taken place once Ben Simmons finally returned 0:03:23.400 --> 0:03:27.119 whenever he did before the league shut down. The thing 0:03:27.160 --> 0:03:29.600 that I wanted to see really was how Shake Milton 0:03:29.639 --> 0:03:32.520 and Ben Simmons would operate together on the floor. Now, 0:03:32.520 --> 0:03:34.960 while I did not necessarily think that it would come 0:03:35.040 --> 0:03:38.440 in this particular role where Brett Brown uses the word 0:03:38.560 --> 0:03:42.520 as primary four primarily at the four for Ben Simmons 0:03:42.560 --> 0:03:47.480 and Shake Milton running with the ones here, I'm intrigued 0:03:47.880 --> 0:03:51.400 by this whole setup that Brett Brown and his coaching 0:03:51.440 --> 0:03:55.920 had stat has decided to go along with to run 0:03:55.960 --> 0:03:59.400 everyone back through the timeline. This started to come to 0:03:59.440 --> 0:04:03.600 the surface, this development on July thirteenth, Brett Brown met 0:04:03.600 --> 0:04:06.240 with the media and he gave them a little bit 0:04:06.240 --> 0:04:08.920 of nugget. The last few days I've played then, you know, 0:04:09.000 --> 0:04:13.360 exclusively as as a formia. Then after Brett spoke, Joel 0:04:13.400 --> 0:04:17.480 Embiid kind of pulled back the curtain that much more. 0:04:18.320 --> 0:04:22.400 The stint gone. And I think he has a huge 0:04:22.440 --> 0:04:25.039 apportion it into your help us. And you've been sitting 0:04:25.040 --> 0:04:28.400 in on all the media availabilities so far. What was 0:04:28.440 --> 0:04:31.880 your impression when you heard some of these drips and 0:04:32.000 --> 0:04:35.800 drabs and Easter eggs being hidden and planted throughout July 0:04:35.960 --> 0:04:40.360 thirteenth media availabilities? Well, I think that when the hiatus 0:04:40.480 --> 0:04:43.400 began and Shake had been playing so well he sort 0:04:43.440 --> 0:04:46.560 of burst onto the radar, and obviously with Ben out, 0:04:46.680 --> 0:04:50.479 he was having some more opportunities in that primary ball 0:04:50.560 --> 0:04:52.919 handling position. But I'm excited to hear that he's going 0:04:52.960 --> 0:04:55.440 to continue to have those opportunities now that Ben and 0:04:55.560 --> 0:04:58.600 Joel and everyone is back and healthy. It's cool to 0:04:58.680 --> 0:05:00.680 see that they're going to take I could work that 0:05:00.760 --> 0:05:02.760 Shake put in and the success that he had and 0:05:02.880 --> 0:05:06.120 continue to reward that. I'm excited about the idea of 0:05:06.200 --> 0:05:08.880 them all playing healthy together. I'm excited about the new 0:05:08.960 --> 0:05:13.159 partnerships that are going to emerge here between Shake and Ben, 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:17.040 Shake and Joel, Joel and Ben. I think all around, 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:19.960 there are a lot of exciting opportunities, especially on the 0:05:20.080 --> 0:05:23.040 offensive end, putting Shake into the position that he's in, 0:05:23.160 --> 0:05:25.840 and I'm excited to see his teammates embracing him and 0:05:25.960 --> 0:05:28.400 trusting him to do that. I guess when we look 0:05:28.440 --> 0:05:30.840 back over the last year and a half with the 0:05:30.920 --> 0:05:34.120 seventy sixers, maybe we shouldn't have been all that surprise 0:05:34.320 --> 0:05:37.760 that this is something that ultimately came to fruition. Because 0:05:37.760 --> 0:05:40.799 if you go back to last spring and the playoffs, 0:05:41.400 --> 0:05:44.520 the Sixers started working Jimmy Butler on the ball more, 0:05:44.720 --> 0:05:47.200 having Ben Simmons playoff at more, and perhaps at that 0:05:47.320 --> 0:05:49.320 point in time you might have looked at it as 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:53.920 a byproduct of how teams were defending the Sixers and Simmons, 0:05:54.360 --> 0:05:57.039 whereas now it looks like this is something the Sixers 0:05:57.160 --> 0:05:59.880 feel like could work to their advantage and they want 0:06:00.040 --> 0:06:01.400 more of a say and want to be able to 0:06:01.440 --> 0:06:04.359 dictate it. Yes, I guess my only thing with this one, Selts, 0:06:04.520 --> 0:06:06.560 is just who that person is who was taken over 0:06:06.800 --> 0:06:09.320 not named Jimmy Butler. I would have never guessed there 0:06:09.320 --> 0:06:11.320 would have been Shake Milton, with all due respect the 0:06:11.400 --> 0:06:14.520 player that I've liked coming out of SMU, but looking 0:06:14.560 --> 0:06:16.240 at the path that he has going through with the 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:19.240 injuries in the G League with the Blue Coats, going 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:21.760 from Delaware to Philadelphia quite a bit during his rook 0:06:21.800 --> 0:06:24.840 to season, being rewarded with the two years with the contract. 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:28.960 Over the off season, we were talking more backup minutes 0:06:29.080 --> 0:06:33.320 for Shake Milton, then starter minutes alongside Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, 0:06:33.360 --> 0:06:36.480 Tobias Harrison, and Dwell Embiid. And as we get ready 0:06:36.560 --> 0:06:40.279 for a playoff scenario, I didn't think that this would 0:06:40.320 --> 0:06:42.680 be the conversation that we would be having, so while 0:06:42.720 --> 0:06:46.360 we were already giving a taste of what this could 0:06:46.480 --> 0:06:50.960 look like with Jimmy Butler, I just I'm surprised that 0:06:51.040 --> 0:06:53.880 it has come to this with Shake Milton, but pleasantly 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:56.920 surprised because I liked the player. I liked the situation 0:06:57.000 --> 0:07:00.320 that if starting five is now in and it does 0:07:00.440 --> 0:07:03.240 for the overall team once they do step on the floor, 0:07:03.760 --> 0:07:07.599 lasting impressions aren't everything they do, however, count for something. 0:07:08.080 --> 0:07:10.560 We're all aware of how well Shake played in relief 0:07:10.600 --> 0:07:13.360 at Ben Simmons and even at times Josh Richardson before 0:07:13.480 --> 0:07:16.960 the suspension of the NBA season, where last we left 0:07:17.000 --> 0:07:19.040 it with Shake, he was averaging right under ten points 0:07:19.080 --> 0:07:21.800 per game, shooting almost fifty percent from the field and 0:07:22.320 --> 0:07:25.680 over forty five from three. He's a guy that has 0:07:25.720 --> 0:07:28.960 just seemed like he has been ready for opportunity after 0:07:29.040 --> 0:07:32.240 opportunity that has come his way when it's presented itself, 0:07:32.520 --> 0:07:34.800 just not getting too high or too low, just kind 0:07:34.800 --> 0:07:36.880 of staying level headed and just kind of thinking next 0:07:36.920 --> 0:07:39.000 play mentality, no matter if I make a shot or 0:07:39.200 --> 0:07:40.800 if I turn the ball a little or anything like 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:45.160 that just playing confident, being confident in myself and confident 0:07:45.200 --> 0:07:48.240 of my abilities, and playing with no fear. I've just 0:07:48.280 --> 0:07:51.800 been so impressed with the way that Shake looks at 0:07:51.880 --> 0:07:54.240 all these opportunities. We've talked about it a lot, but 0:07:54.440 --> 0:07:57.720 his ability to stay calm, cool and collected, come what may, 0:07:58.240 --> 0:08:00.480 it's so impressive to me just on a person a level. 0:08:00.720 --> 0:08:04.200 I don't have that level of consistency under pressure, and 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:07.240 it's really cool to see someone who's so young really 0:08:07.360 --> 0:08:11.680 keep a cool head, embrace challenges, embrace opportunities the way 0:08:11.720 --> 0:08:14.480 that he has. And I'm excited to see the fact 0:08:14.520 --> 0:08:18.880 that his teammates again have all expressed how much they 0:08:18.960 --> 0:08:22.040 trust him, even after only playing with him for a 0:08:22.080 --> 0:08:25.200 short amount of time. Alec Burke's Glenn Robinson the Third 0:08:25.640 --> 0:08:28.080 only had a few games to share the court with Shake, 0:08:28.200 --> 0:08:30.880 and they've already talked about how wonderful he's been and 0:08:30.960 --> 0:08:33.480 how much they trust him. I think the fact that 0:08:33.600 --> 0:08:37.600 these older veterans with playoff experience, all stars are saying 0:08:37.679 --> 0:08:40.920 that they really trust Shake, someone who just got his 0:08:41.080 --> 0:08:44.000 first full time NBA contract and hasn't appeared in the 0:08:44.040 --> 0:08:47.760 playoffs before, the fact that he's already earned that level 0:08:47.880 --> 0:08:50.680 of trust from his teammates, I think speaks volumes about 0:08:51.000 --> 0:08:53.360 who he is off the court and the potential he 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:56.280 has in a high pressure situation on the court. That 0:08:56.400 --> 0:08:59.240 speaks volumes, as you just laid out, Lauren, because of 0:08:59.360 --> 0:09:02.199 the fact that we're all talking about proven starters in 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:05.680 this league, from Joel embiid on down to Josh Richardson, 0:09:05.800 --> 0:09:08.040 proven guys who have done it in the playoffs, who 0:09:08.080 --> 0:09:11.160 have made All Star teams, and who have earned big contracts, 0:09:11.360 --> 0:09:13.880 and to rely on a young player like Shake Milton's 0:09:13.960 --> 0:09:16.720 second round pick in the second season, where he has 0:09:17.200 --> 0:09:19.640 never really given an opportunity, never really been given an 0:09:19.640 --> 0:09:23.600 opportunity to play these types of meaningful minutes and these 0:09:23.679 --> 0:09:26.559 types of meaningful games, and for them to feel like 0:09:26.720 --> 0:09:29.720 as you just spoke of him being so poised under 0:09:29.760 --> 0:09:33.160 control on the floor, playing in Los Angeles on national 0:09:33.240 --> 0:09:37.400 television and hanging thirty nine on the Los Angeles Clippers 0:09:37.480 --> 0:09:40.160 with the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Patrick Beverley, and Paul 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:43.559 George all take a turn and he's still doing his thing. 0:09:44.000 --> 0:09:47.320 I totally agree with you that it does say something 0:09:47.440 --> 0:09:50.920 when these players feel so comfortable with that young player 0:09:50.960 --> 0:09:54.280 and Shake Milton handling the rock to start game, start 0:09:54.360 --> 0:10:05.959 the games off shots, which did the league basically got 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:09.640 shut down, he was, so we're going into it. We're 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:12.480 keeping golf now. I do think it's worth noting that 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:16.920 this is not a change that is set in stone, 0:10:16.960 --> 0:10:19.400 or at least that's how it stands, because when Brett 0:10:19.400 --> 0:10:21.960 Brown has been talking about his decision to put Shake 0:10:22.000 --> 0:10:24.400 Milton primarily on the ball and play Ben Simmons for 0:10:24.440 --> 0:10:27.280 a little bit more, it's been couched with. Well, listen, 0:10:27.360 --> 0:10:30.520 we only have a set number of practices before the 0:10:30.559 --> 0:10:33.440 scrimmages start. We have three scrimmages, then we have these 0:10:33.520 --> 0:10:36.000 eight seeding games, and then we get ready for the 0:10:36.120 --> 0:10:39.640 postseason in the middle of August. To me, it sounds 0:10:39.720 --> 0:10:43.520 like this is something that the Sixers definitely obviously want 0:10:43.559 --> 0:10:46.880 to try and give some lease two to see where 0:10:46.920 --> 0:10:49.920 it pans out. But they're also not closing the door 0:10:50.040 --> 0:10:53.280 on anything that has been in the past or something 0:10:53.320 --> 0:10:56.440 else knew that could be in the future. Ben Simmons 0:10:56.480 --> 0:10:58.240 has had a lot of success at the point guard 0:10:58.280 --> 0:11:01.120 position for the seventy Sixers. They're back to back fifty 0:11:01.160 --> 0:11:04.880 win teams in seventeen eighteen and eighteen nineteen, of course 0:11:05.559 --> 0:11:08.439 with this basketball team, so there's no way that the 0:11:08.520 --> 0:11:10.360 ball won't end up in his hands quite a bit. 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:12.760 And also running the show for this team, so I 0:11:12.840 --> 0:11:15.839 do expect to still see that they've had success with 0:11:15.960 --> 0:11:18.360 it before, there's no reason why we wouldn't see it 0:11:18.360 --> 0:11:21.400 again in a posseason. As for why the seventy sixers 0:11:21.520 --> 0:11:24.760 think this move is so important, in listening to Brett 0:11:24.840 --> 0:11:27.959 Brown over the last week, the one Xino concept that 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:30.120 it seems like he continues to go back to and 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:34.000 revisit and emphasize is call what you want screen and roll, 0:11:34.280 --> 0:11:38.200 pick and roll, having Shake be able to free up 0:11:38.320 --> 0:11:40.880 End Simmons to play more of a screening role, and 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:43.920 then giving the seventy sixers more options off that we 0:11:44.040 --> 0:11:46.400 haven't had a ton of guards over my time, the 0:11:46.760 --> 0:11:49.679 defenders a force to go over. You know, when you 0:11:49.840 --> 0:11:53.599 have a guard and you have a point guard, the 0:11:53.800 --> 0:11:57.880 defense is told and the players scouted, we prefer you 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:01.439 chasing over pick and rolls more than shooting gaps and 0:12:01.559 --> 0:12:05.360 going under, because you know Shake can punish that with 0:12:05.559 --> 0:12:08.880 his skill shooting. Then the world makes, you know, even 0:12:08.960 --> 0:12:11.959 more sense. It opens up Ben even more so on 0:12:12.120 --> 0:12:16.360 those honey spot half roles, especially that sort of gather 0:12:16.520 --> 0:12:20.280 step area ends up being so much more available and 0:12:20.400 --> 0:12:24.800 open if a defended chases from Brett Brown to Joel 0:12:24.880 --> 0:12:29.000 Embiid to other starters to guys on the bench. It 0:12:29.120 --> 0:12:31.679 seems like this is a move that is energizing and 0:12:31.840 --> 0:12:36.559 exciting everyone. Yeah. Absolutely, So, Like we were talking about before, 0:12:37.040 --> 0:12:39.559 the fact that Ben and Joel have both sort of 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:43.480 given their blessing to Shake is really exciting because we're 0:12:43.480 --> 0:12:47.160 going to see Ben and Joel obviously have their own 0:12:47.200 --> 0:12:50.040 relationship that's going to look a little different now with 0:12:50.240 --> 0:12:53.400 Ben playing more. Brett Brown called it a big, big relationship, 0:12:54.080 --> 0:12:55.760 and then each of them are going to have independent 0:12:55.800 --> 0:12:58.600 relationships with Shake as a ball handler, and I'm excited 0:12:58.679 --> 0:13:02.240 to see the way that that will change the look 0:13:02.320 --> 0:13:04.640 of the offense because obviously it will quite a bit 0:13:04.720 --> 0:13:08.240 with Shake being more of a traditional ball handler type 0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:10.439 and a really good shooter, like you said, Sel, So 0:13:10.760 --> 0:13:12.800 I think it opens up a lot of opportunities. And 0:13:13.280 --> 0:13:14.800 I know I've said it already, but I like the 0:13:14.880 --> 0:13:18.120 way that everyone seems to be embracing this change. He 0:13:18.200 --> 0:13:20.240 plays really well. You can shoot the ball. Here's a 0:13:20.320 --> 0:13:23.920 high i Q gets the red finish. He's just somebody 0:13:24.000 --> 0:13:25.880 you can play with and you can you can say 0:13:25.960 --> 0:13:28.880 something soon and they'll put it in a play and 0:13:28.960 --> 0:13:31.160 that's what you need. And then somebody like Shape or 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:33.880 players like that. He's development still and he's come a 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:35.480 long way since you know, the first day I see 0:13:35.559 --> 0:13:38.360 to play. He's only getting better. And the relationship that 0:13:38.440 --> 0:13:41.719 you talk about with the bigs having their relationship and 0:13:41.840 --> 0:13:44.920 then both of them having a relationship with Shake Milton 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:47.960 if they have success, is that role man dive into 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:50.120 the basket and doing the things that they need to do, 0:13:50.280 --> 0:13:53.280 finishing in the paint. Just imagine it's seltilated out for 0:13:53.360 --> 0:13:55.320 us law and forty five percent from behind three. While 0:13:55.360 --> 0:13:57.800 they may not main change throughout the season, he is 0:13:57.840 --> 0:13:59.880 already a threat from behind a three point line because 0:13:59.880 --> 0:14:01.959 he is shown that he can make that shot and 0:14:02.160 --> 0:14:04.760 make that shot in big spots against big defenders, not 0:14:04.840 --> 0:14:07.640 just big defenders in size, but big defenders in terms 0:14:07.760 --> 0:14:10.640 of name and stature in this league with what comes 0:14:10.679 --> 0:14:13.760 along with the all NBA defensive squads. So I totally 0:14:13.840 --> 0:14:16.199 agree with the relationship that he can have with his 0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:18.679 bigs and how that will also benefit the team with 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:21.440 his outside shooting. And then while we're talking about the 0:14:21.520 --> 0:14:25.160 starting five, we haven't mentioned Tobias Harris or Josh Richardson, 0:14:25.280 --> 0:14:28.840 who obviously are huge threats themselves. So the fact that 0:14:28.920 --> 0:14:32.680 there's almost no weak spot in the entire offense is 0:14:33.080 --> 0:14:35.600 really exciting because you know the bigs are going to 0:14:35.680 --> 0:14:38.520 bring it. You know that Shake, based on what he's done, 0:14:38.600 --> 0:14:41.600 can bring it. And then Tobias and Josh are so versatile, 0:14:42.080 --> 0:14:44.040 Josh on both ends of the court, and we've talked 0:14:44.040 --> 0:14:47.520 about Tobias's defensive improvements all season. So to look at 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:50.600 this starting unit on both ends of the floor and 0:14:50.720 --> 0:14:53.400 have them be so formidable, I think it's really exciting. 0:14:53.800 --> 0:14:56.680 And the person who sounds like he could be most 0:14:56.760 --> 0:14:59.920 pumped of all is Ban himself. Yeah, right to be 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:01.920 things out to see if they work, because we're not 0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:03.840 in the stage where we can be comfortable yet. You know, 0:15:03.880 --> 0:15:05.920 I'm still trying to figure it out myself to where, 0:15:06.040 --> 0:15:08.400 you know, what feels comfortable, what's right for this team, 0:15:08.800 --> 0:15:11.240 how we're gonna win. If it's this way that I'm 0:15:11.320 --> 0:15:14.920 all for it. Ben has had nothing but really encouraging 0:15:15.000 --> 0:15:17.800 things to say about what this move off the ball 0:15:18.080 --> 0:15:20.920 on most occasions might do. I think there's definitely going 0:15:20.960 --> 0:15:24.600 to be spots and situations where you see Simmons bring 0:15:24.840 --> 0:15:27.200 the ball up. Why wouldn't you have him tear down 0:15:27.240 --> 0:15:29.440 the floor off a miss or something like that and 0:15:29.560 --> 0:15:32.640 put pressure on the defense immediately. But he seems like 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:35.320 he's totally on board, and that could be as much 0:15:35.360 --> 0:15:38.040 of a key to this whole thing working out as 0:15:38.080 --> 0:15:40.240 it is to the skill set of a player. I 0:15:40.320 --> 0:15:42.600 think you're right, Selts, that's something that has come up 0:15:42.640 --> 0:15:47.000 a lot. This isn't a binary change. Ben Simmons is 0:15:47.040 --> 0:15:49.560 still going to be handling the ball, Shake Milton is 0:15:49.600 --> 0:15:51.880 still going to be sharing the ball. There's going to 0:15:51.920 --> 0:15:54.880 be a lot of collaboration between both of them, and 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:57.520 they both have their own individual skill sets. Like you said, 0:15:57.760 --> 0:16:00.200 Ben on the break, there's almost no one as good 0:16:00.240 --> 0:16:02.440 as Ben in terms of getting out in transition. His 0:16:02.600 --> 0:16:05.440 speed is unparalleled, So we're still going to see plenty 0:16:05.480 --> 0:16:07.680 of that. It's not like Ben is no longer going 0:16:07.760 --> 0:16:09.560 to be on the ball. It's just an opportunity for 0:16:09.640 --> 0:16:13.320 him to showcase his versatility both places, and I think 0:16:13.360 --> 0:16:16.520 it's really exciting. It's absolutely exciting to see that it 0:16:16.720 --> 0:16:20.200 shows the growth and maturity as a player too. Looking 0:16:20.280 --> 0:16:23.200 at where we are right now in this situation with 0:16:23.360 --> 0:16:26.840 the restart, this is about the eight seeding games and 0:16:27.000 --> 0:16:30.880 certainly the playoffs egos are put aside right now. We 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:34.000 hope for the seventy six is where they're just looking 0:16:34.080 --> 0:16:35.800 to go out there and when not that it never 0:16:36.080 --> 0:16:39.000 was the case because we know they take it on 0:16:39.120 --> 0:16:41.120 the chest when they lose and they don't like it 0:16:41.760 --> 0:16:45.160 like we've seen during the season, but in this particular scenario, 0:16:45.280 --> 0:16:48.200 when it's called upon for a different role but still 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:51.360 have success in your new role, that again just shows 0:16:51.560 --> 0:16:54.280 team first for this basketball team, and we hope it 0:16:54.400 --> 0:16:58.000 extends throughout the duration of the playoffs. This is something 0:16:58.120 --> 0:17:01.240 that I think at times now and I just feel 0:17:01.240 --> 0:17:03.720 like we focus on other things with Ben Simmons, but 0:17:03.760 --> 0:17:05.720 I feel like this sometimes gets lost in the conversation 0:17:05.760 --> 0:17:09.080 about Ben. He is a playmaker probably first and foremost, 0:17:09.359 --> 0:17:11.280 and he spoke about that at the end of day. 0:17:11.280 --> 0:17:12.760 If you know me, you know, if you put me 0:17:12.800 --> 0:17:15.680 on the floor, I'll make anything happen. I already look 0:17:15.720 --> 0:17:18.920 at it as like a title of position. That's raining 0:17:19.000 --> 0:17:21.760 for you guys. With articles I think that he's a 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:24.399 playmaker on the offensive end. We've certainly seen it on 0:17:24.480 --> 0:17:27.760 the defensive end. And the way he chalks it up is, listen, 0:17:27.920 --> 0:17:30.440 you put me out there. I'm confident enough in my 0:17:30.520 --> 0:17:33.639 basketball IQ that I'm going to find a way to 0:17:33.840 --> 0:17:37.119 make positive plays that affect the basketball team. So now 0:17:37.160 --> 0:17:39.000 we're just going to see the next phase in that evolution. 0:17:39.040 --> 0:17:41.440 Even if it's only for a couple scrimmages and or 0:17:41.600 --> 0:17:44.200 seating games. Who knows how long it's gonna last, but 0:17:44.280 --> 0:17:47.320 it is a really important story for the Sixers as 0:17:47.359 --> 0:17:49.320 they're going to trying something new. And before we close 0:17:49.440 --> 0:17:51.880 the book on discussing this, I think we've hit upon 0:17:52.000 --> 0:17:56.399 the two primary angles of this whole situation. It's Shake 0:17:56.640 --> 0:17:58.879 getting an opportunity in the starting lineup, and then what 0:17:58.960 --> 0:18:00.639 does it do for Ben Simon is freeing him up 0:18:00.640 --> 0:18:03.080 a little bit more, But then also the idea of 0:18:03.200 --> 0:18:06.600 how this can affect the seventy sixers bench, because right now, 0:18:06.640 --> 0:18:08.440 as it stands, the starting lineup is going to be 0:18:09.760 --> 0:18:14.440 Shake Richardson, Tobias Ben and Joe Well. That leaves such 0:18:14.440 --> 0:18:17.400 an experienced and I think heavy player and Al Horford 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:20.679 coming off the bench, which could then give the seventy 0:18:20.720 --> 0:18:23.760 sixers a different look with that second unit, which we 0:18:23.880 --> 0:18:28.640 saw work at various times, especially in the month three 0:18:28.680 --> 0:18:31.960 weeks or so before the regular season was put on pause. 0:18:32.280 --> 0:18:36.440 The epitome of leadership, the epitome of putting your ego 0:18:36.480 --> 0:18:39.480 aside and understanding what's at stake here and trying to 0:18:39.640 --> 0:18:43.520 win for this basketball team. We're talking about a multiple 0:18:43.560 --> 0:18:45.840 time All Star and someone who has made deep runs 0:18:45.880 --> 0:18:48.440 in the postseason in the past. He knows what it takes, 0:18:48.480 --> 0:18:51.000 so you feel comfortable knowing that he's going to be 0:18:51.080 --> 0:18:54.160 the guy who is backing up Joe Ellenbi. You don't 0:18:54.280 --> 0:18:58.000 lose anything in terms of running the floor and transitioning 0:18:58.040 --> 0:19:00.960 and having someone like Al Horford, someone who can play 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:02.879 that pick and pop to when we talked about the 0:19:02.960 --> 0:19:05.520 relationship that Ben Simmons and Joel and b will have 0:19:05.600 --> 0:19:08.199 with Shake Milton, we've also seen that relationship with Ben 0:19:08.280 --> 0:19:11.399 Simmons and Al Horford as well. And when Shake Milton 0:19:11.480 --> 0:19:15.000 does come in and you know, give Ben Simmons a 0:19:15.080 --> 0:19:18.000 breather and he is once again running the point guard position. Hey, 0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:20.720 again that pick and pop, that pick and roll for 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:24.720 Al Horford. Defensively, Overall, we're talking about someone who knows 0:19:24.760 --> 0:19:27.240 how to play the game of basketball, and right now, 0:19:27.400 --> 0:19:30.199 this is where they need him, and that's somewhere that there. 0:19:30.320 --> 0:19:32.119 I think we'll see some success with the big man. 0:19:32.480 --> 0:19:34.840 And just because Al Horford might not be with the 0:19:34.920 --> 0:19:37.440 first group to start a game, I'm not sold on 0:19:37.600 --> 0:19:39.200 that meaning that he's not going to be out there 0:19:39.359 --> 0:19:43.320 in certain situations to end games for sure, because we 0:19:43.480 --> 0:19:46.760 know the value of having someone who is a very smart, 0:19:46.840 --> 0:19:51.480 intuitive player out there, especially in crunchtime situations, especially in 0:19:51.560 --> 0:19:55.600 the postseason, and the versatility he brings the defense is 0:19:55.760 --> 0:19:58.520 something that is immensely valuable. I think, at least I 0:19:58.600 --> 0:20:01.000 agree with you Salton. I thin there's an argument to 0:20:01.080 --> 0:20:04.520 be made that the Sixers achilles heel in the playoffs 0:20:04.640 --> 0:20:07.119 last season was what do they do when Joel Embiid 0:20:07.240 --> 0:20:10.520 is off the floor. They didn't have the best answer 0:20:10.600 --> 0:20:13.400 to those situations, and they were still able to take 0:20:13.680 --> 0:20:16.440 the Raptors, who would ultimately become the champions, to a 0:20:16.560 --> 0:20:18.639 Game seven that came down to the last second. I 0:20:18.680 --> 0:20:20.520 know it might be still sensitive to talk about, but 0:20:20.640 --> 0:20:24.480 that's what happened. And to now have a great option 0:20:24.640 --> 0:20:28.480 when Joel is off the floor, I think can't be understated. 0:20:28.520 --> 0:20:31.240 And for that option to be Al Horford, a bona 0:20:31.280 --> 0:20:33.680 fide All star, we know he's a stud in the playoffs. 0:20:33.760 --> 0:20:36.960 I think that's something that the team will rely on 0:20:37.119 --> 0:20:41.119 and that fans can have more confidence in seeing someone 0:20:41.240 --> 0:20:45.640 with that resume be the backup is quite the luxury 0:20:45.760 --> 0:20:49.560 to have and someone that the head coach trusts. Right, 0:20:50.240 --> 0:20:52.520 just laid all that stuff out, Lauren, and when it 0:20:52.640 --> 0:20:55.000 all really comes down to it, the head coach trust. 0:20:55.160 --> 0:20:58.600 Head coach trust that player to go in and spell 0:20:58.720 --> 0:21:01.560 Joel Embiid for whatever amount of minutes there are and 0:21:01.640 --> 0:21:03.680 to your points out as well to close out a game. 0:21:04.280 --> 0:21:07.720