Speaker 1: This podcast is part of the seventy six Ers podcast
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Speaker 1: podcasts day Everybody seventy six The Sixers last night take
Speaker 1: a pretty dominant victory over the Chicago Bulls. D Anthony
Speaker 1: Melton steps into the starting lineup in the absence of
Speaker 1: James Harden. Shout out, of course to d'y Anthony for
Speaker 1: his versatility all season, doing whatever's asked of him, stepping
Speaker 1: up in big moments, and cool to see him sort
Speaker 1: of find a good stride in recent days and weeks
Speaker 1: heading into the playoffs. So d Anthony finishes with the
Speaker 1: team high twenty five points plus four rebounds, four assists,
Speaker 1: three steals and a block. He finished out a plus
Speaker 1: twenty nine and thirty three minutes of play, eight for
Speaker 1: sixteen from the field, four threes, five or six from
Speaker 1: the free throw line, also twenty points. Scorers also scoring
Speaker 1: twenty points rather Tyrese Naxie twenty one point, five rebounds,
Speaker 1: four assists, and a steel, eight for nineteen from the field,
Speaker 1: for for eight from the from three point territory, and
Speaker 1: Matt Doc said after the game that he was perhaps
Speaker 1: most impressed with the fact that Tyres Maxie was picking
Speaker 1: up full court last night showing some defensive intensity. Really
Speaker 1: seen some improvements from young to Irese on the defensive
Speaker 1: end in recent weeks as well. Tobias Harris the third
Speaker 1: and final twenty plus point score twenty points, nine rebounds,
Speaker 1: eight assists, so close to another triple doubl for Tobias
Speaker 1: Harris finishes at a game high plus forty. I saw
Speaker 1: on stat muse that I'm going to look to pull
Speaker 1: up about how Tobias is one of very few players
Speaker 1: to have multiple forty plus plus forty rather finishes this season. Matt.
Speaker 1: There are a few other key performers that we can,
Speaker 1: of course talk about, but I think that worth noting
Speaker 1: is how everybody contributed across the board, from the starters
Speaker 1: to the bench. At one point in the second quarter,
Speaker 1: all nine sixers that had participated scored. That include at
Speaker 1: the time, of course, Joel Embiid, who ended up leaving
Speaker 1: the game early didn't come back in the second half.
Speaker 1: I've seen a lot of tweets about that as well.
Speaker 1: The official word of course there I want to use
Speaker 1: the correct language mild right calf tightness for Joel, but
Speaker 1: expected to play Friday, and so good to see the
Speaker 1: Sixers figure it out in the second half without James
Speaker 1: Harden or Joel Embiid and do it in pretty dominant fashion.
Speaker 1: So Matt, as always, what stands out to you, Well,
Speaker 1: Lauren Rosen not a key performer? Is me right now?
Speaker 1: Because if any podcast listener sort of hears me abruptly
Speaker 1: joining the conversation right now, it's because I forgot to
Speaker 1: record the first few minutes of this show on my end.
Speaker 1: So I think the podcast is going to start with
Speaker 1: the box score, your lovely box score breakdown and my
Speaker 1: box score takeaway, which is the near triple double for
Speaker 1: Tobias Harris his sixth game of the season with at
Speaker 1: least twenty points, five rebounds, and five assists, And it
Speaker 1: was much more than that. It was it was the
Speaker 1: twenty points, but it was nine rebounds and eight assists
Speaker 1: in the thirty three minutes as you laid out. Of course,
Speaker 1: great shooting night for Tyrese Maxie and d Anthony Melton,
Speaker 1: particularly in the first half. And I know we may
Speaker 1: hear from Tobias Harris postgame on spaces right now, but
Speaker 1: how about that first half rhythm that this team was
Speaker 1: in of their three point shooting night where they had
Speaker 1: sixteen makes, they had twelve of twenty two in the
Speaker 1: first half fifty four and a half percent, and that
Speaker 1: included Maxi going four for five Melton going three for five.
Speaker 1: I thought some stats that came out of that seventy
Speaker 1: six forty eight halftime score were really interesting, including one
Speaker 1: that was tweeted by our friend Kate Scott, the TV
Speaker 1: voice of the seventy six ers, via Josh Schrager on
Speaker 1: their crew The Sixers twenty three assists on twenty six
Speaker 1: made buckets in the first half, a season high for
Speaker 1: any half and the most since December seventh, twenty nineteen
Speaker 1: for the Sixers, and they were up twenty not even
Speaker 1: five minutes into the game, in large part due to
Speaker 1: the shooting. Maxie and Melton are in quite good form
Speaker 1: from beyond the arc right now, and Tobias Harris as well.
Speaker 1: For him to finish with such a well rounded stat
Speaker 1: line it was good to see, and almost a triple
Speaker 1: double for Harris, but knocked down a couple of threes
Speaker 1: as well, So a night that you shooted that well.
Speaker 1: They were up twenty with seven forty one left in
Speaker 1: the first quarter. The second fastest into a game that
Speaker 1: a team took its twenty point lead over the last
Speaker 1: twenty five seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Shout
Speaker 1: out Elias, that's a great stat A seventeen o start
Speaker 1: ended up being a twenty three to one lead. Matt,
Speaker 1: you mentioned those the two fellas in the Academy. If
Speaker 1: you don't know what the Academy is, it means you're
Speaker 1: not subscribed to the Big Niang theory with George Niang.
Speaker 1: So make sure you're doing that. Because our first guests
Speaker 1: of the season were Deanthony Melton and Tyrese Maxie, and
Speaker 1: they talked a lot about how they worked together, working
Speaker 1: out to together with their player development coach, Spencer Rivers,
Speaker 1: and the way that they both developed that three point
Speaker 1: shot that yielded for a piece last night. Also, in
Speaker 1: the interest of getting things right here on Twitter spaces
Speaker 1: in the seventy six Ers Insiders podcast one sixteen ninety
Speaker 1: one victory for the seventy six ers last night, I
Speaker 1: believe I said one fourteen, and I have been itching
Speaker 1: to correct myself ever since. So Matt Murphy you mentioned it.
Speaker 1: I think we should hear now from mister near triple
Speaker 1: double himself to Bias Harris last night after the game,
Speaker 1: and Doc Rivers has given to Bias a lot of
Speaker 1: credit for being ready, staying ready, the ultimate professional, the
Speaker 1: ultimate inefficiency production last night shared the ball super well.
Speaker 1: That was another key takeaway from Doc Rivers. So let's
Speaker 1: hear Tobias Harris immediately postgame to Bias and the way
Speaker 1: the last game and did just what do you feel
Speaker 1: like we're the biggest corrections that you guys mean that
Speaker 1: allows you can jump out to the huge joy. Defensively,
Speaker 1: I thought we were just totally locked in from starting game,
Speaker 1: getting stops, getting on running um. You know, we know
Speaker 1: they're a team that helps overhelps a lot too, so
Speaker 1: you know, making that first pass, the quick pass as well,
Speaker 1: that opened up the game for us and we were
Speaker 1: able to make shots and just roll from there and
Speaker 1: then overall too like I thought, we did a better
Speaker 1: job of taking care of the basketball and you know,
Speaker 1: value in every possession and getting a shot up, going
Speaker 1: to the glass, offensive rebounding as well. But the defense
Speaker 1: was the name of the game earlier on and making shots.
Speaker 1: Everybody contributed and just gotten a good flow tonight. I
Speaker 1: know that kind of a mixed feelings about these back
Speaker 1: to back games that now they kind of sprinkled throughout
Speaker 1: the season. But is this a was this a good
Speaker 1: one to have because you could like immediately make those
Speaker 1: corrections and do it against the same opponent. Yeah, I mean,
Speaker 1: you know, we we knew that wasn't our best effort,
Speaker 1: you know, at home, and I thought that we just
Speaker 1: had too many mensum mistakes in that game, whether that
Speaker 1: was turnovers, defensive execution and uh on on the offensive
Speaker 1: and just not making the easy play. I thought tonight
Speaker 1: was a good job to come in and and and
Speaker 1: just take ull take where we learned from the last
Speaker 1: game and put it into play, and we got off obviously,
Speaker 1: we got off to a good start, great start really,
Speaker 1: and was able to to just let that fuel us
Speaker 1: through the through the whole night. And anytime you have
Speaker 1: that type of lead and that cushion, you know, it's
Speaker 1: easy to get relaxed. But I thought, you know, well,
Speaker 1: we did a good job of just keeping an above
Speaker 1: twenty for the majority of the time, and that was
Speaker 1: big for us. What was it for you tonight? Just
Speaker 1: within all the offensive stuff you're talking about, but being
Speaker 1: able to make an impassive rob just to be aggressive
Speaker 1: with whatever play and that necessarily doesn't mean looking for
Speaker 1: a shout every time, you know, just take what the
Speaker 1: defense is given. And um, you know, with the added opportunities,
Speaker 1: I was able to have an offensive on the offensive
Speaker 1: end a half court just being able to try to
Speaker 1: pick apart how they're playing. Um, you know, I know
Speaker 1: how they play and how they rotate on defense. So
Speaker 1: just being able to look for look for my shot
Speaker 1: coming off. But also a lot of guys will open
Speaker 1: to night on those easy skip passes. And I thought
Speaker 1: we shot We shot the ball really well tonight and
Speaker 1: even had a lot of good looks that guys would
Speaker 1: love to have another shot at. And you know that's
Speaker 1: that you know, that's that type of rhythm in the
Speaker 1: flow the whole team needs. Um Now as we you know,
Speaker 1: wind down the stretch that we have up until playoffs.
Speaker 1: We talked so much about how well you guys playing
Speaker 1: on the road this whole month. You're really challenging road month,
Speaker 1: and you guys have rolled through it. Basically, just what
Speaker 1: do you feel like maybe even the things like off
Speaker 1: the court and the way you approach games is have
Speaker 1: you guys? I want to use the word of the sure.
Speaker 1: But if you guys progressed in that way, that's now
Speaker 1: kind of the intangible stuff that's now meeting to things. Yeah,
Speaker 1: I mean, and you know we're going out on party
Speaker 1: and every night, so that's helping us. Tobias Harris having
Speaker 1: some fun there at the end with the lighthearted answer
Speaker 1: about the team's road success. Harris with twenty nine and
Speaker 1: eight in thirty three minutes at Chicago. The Sixers are
Speaker 1: forty nine and twenty three overall, third in the Eastern Conference,
Speaker 1: twenty six and eleven at home, yes, but twenty three
Speaker 1: and twelve away from home. For that forty nine and
Speaker 1: twenty three record, we talked a lot about the first
Speaker 1: half and the shooting start they got off to, but
Speaker 1: defense was key in this one as well. In fact,
Speaker 1: in the fourth quarter the Sixers held the Bulls to
Speaker 1: just fifteen points and they get the win. In night
Speaker 1: two of the miniseries, with a day off in between.
Speaker 1: After losing in Philadelphia, they beat the Bulls in Chicago.
Speaker 1: The road trip continues now flew out West La in
Speaker 1: the back to back coming up a very interesting back
Speaker 1: to back at that the Golden State Warriors at their
Speaker 1: place on Friday, and then at Phoenix the Suns on Saturday.
Speaker 1: Both of those games will be ten pm Eastern starts
Speaker 1: NBC Sports Philadelphia and ninety seven five the fanatic NBA
Speaker 1: TV as well for the Golden State game. But on
Speaker 1: paper it looks very difficult with that back to back
Speaker 1: against Golden State and Phoenix. The Warriors are thirty eight
Speaker 1: and thirty six, They're starting a homestand and they've been
Speaker 1: really good at home twenty nine and seven home record.
Speaker 1: The road has kind of been their kryptonite this year,
Speaker 1: but they're in sixth in the West. So a matchup
Speaker 1: that everyone will have their eyes on on Friday in
Speaker 1: the Bay. Yeah, a meaningful matchup for both teams. You
Speaker 1: mentioned at The Warriors have struggled on the road of late.
Speaker 1: Just took a five game road trip and lost three
Speaker 1: of those five and then one in Houston and in
Speaker 1: Dallas last night. Houston not last night, but Dallas last night.
Speaker 1: And the Warriors, of course always bring the firepower, they
Speaker 1: bring the championship experience. They will bring a challenge to
Speaker 1: the seventy sixers, who did not play tired last night,
Speaker 1: but have got to be dealing with some fatigue by
Speaker 1: and large. Then you mentioned, of course the team moves
Speaker 1: on to Phoenix and Denver. Matt, I'm looking forward to
Speaker 1: all three of these West Coast matchups, and always interesting
Speaker 1: when you get to see teams that you don't get
Speaker 1: to see all that often. Sixers after dark for those
Speaker 1: of you on the East Coast. I am. I don't know, Matt.
Speaker 1: I was going to say, do you have any of
Speaker 1: those three that stand out to you that you've had
Speaker 1: circled on your calendar? I know all three could be great,
Speaker 1: but anything you're particularly looking forward to, perhaps a single
Speaker 1: matchup that might excite you most. I don't know if
Speaker 1: you see where I'm going here, but yeah, what do
Speaker 1: you think? It's Denver for sure. And I circled this
Speaker 1: one on spaces actually a few spaces ago, I think,
Speaker 1: so Monday the twenty seventh, nine thirty Eastern start for
Speaker 1: that one in Denver. The Sixers at the Nuggets. Of course,
Speaker 1: the MVP conversation with Joel Embiid kind of being a
Speaker 1: favorite right now over Nicola, Yokich Phoenix in between Golden
Speaker 1: State and Denver. They have not had Kevin Durant since
Speaker 1: March eighth, with an ankle injury and he's expected back
Speaker 1: either at the end of this month or potentially early April,
Speaker 1: so it does not sound like he will be back
Speaker 1: when the Sixers visit the Phoenix Suns. That huge trade
Speaker 1: that went down with Durant going from Brooklyn to Phoenix.
Speaker 1: I did want to give a shout out to Jimmy
Speaker 1: who says good morning from China, and then Winona dedication here.
Speaker 1: Winona checked in and first of all said, I love
Speaker 1: how Toby is stepping up, thinks the Sixers can take
Speaker 1: the Warriors in the next game of the trip, and
Speaker 1: then said a little earlier on I was traveling last
Speaker 1: night during the game from New York to Tampa. Plane
Speaker 1: was packed and the eight dollar internet was spotty, but
Speaker 1: I had to see the fellas. Great win Let's all
Speaker 1: get some rest. But that's dedication, getting the internet watching
Speaker 1: the Sixers bulls, and I'm glad that the Sixers were
Speaker 1: able to come through for Winona. As we get ready
Speaker 1: to wind down, do you have any insight Lauren Rosen
Speaker 1: on the popcorn photo in the locker room with Tyrese Maxie.
Speaker 1: No specific insight, but we know that Tyrese is a
Speaker 1: popcorn fan. Many a meme has been born from Tyrese
Speaker 1: eating normal sized receptacles of popcorn last night. Of course
Speaker 1: it was an ultra large one. If you haven't seen it,
Speaker 1: I know Matt pinned that tweet to the top of
Speaker 1: the space. If you're listening as podcast, make sure you
Speaker 1: go either to the Sixers Twitter Instagram or Tyrese's Instagram
Speaker 1: or a night's photo of our man holding onto a
Speaker 1: very large bag of popcorn. It's how he likes to
Speaker 1: unwind after a long day. Who can blame him, Matt,
Speaker 1: Tyrese Maxie did not play in the first matchup between
Speaker 1: the Sixers and Warriors, nor did Stephen Curry, so we'll
Speaker 1: hope to see both of them tomorrow night. That's Friday
Speaker 1: Night in the Bay very much looking forward to the
Speaker 1: Sixers hopefully getting their second and final when over the
Speaker 1: Golden State Warriors this year. They took a one eighteen
Speaker 1: one oh six win in the first meeting between the teams.
Speaker 1: Joel Embiid notched to thirty four point thirteen rebound double
Speaker 1: double in that one. James Harden scored twenty seven to
Speaker 1: five and nine the Anthony Melton was big in that
Speaker 1: matchup as well. Near a triple double territory with seventeen points,
Speaker 1: nine rebounds, and seven assists. As for that Nuggets game
Speaker 1: you mentioned, there's some uncertainty in between, of course, with
Speaker 1: exactly who the Phoenix Suns not rather not uncertainty, but
Speaker 1: the Phoenix Suns matchup not quite as star studded as
Speaker 1: people might have hoped when they looked at this stretch
Speaker 1: with Kevin Durant's sideline, but the Nuggets finale for this
Speaker 1: road stretch will be something. The Sixers also won that one.
Speaker 1: The first matchup between those teams one twenty six to
Speaker 1: one nineteen Joel Embid was pretty spectacular. Forty seven points,
Speaker 1: eighteen rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks. And
Speaker 1: you know these teams are looking forward to facing off
Speaker 1: once again. Matt to do more of these with you
Speaker 1: as this road trip continues. As always, we try to
Speaker 1: do these after Big Sixers wins. We convert them to
Speaker 1: seventy Sixers Insiders podcasts. If you're not following the seventy
Speaker 1: Sixers Insiders podcast podcast feed wherever you get your podcasts,
Speaker 1: please do so now. Same goes for the Big Niang theory.
Speaker 1: With George Niang, we have an episode coming out in
Speaker 1: the next few days that I think people are really
Speaker 1: gonna like some special guests, some topical topics. Well that's
Speaker 1: not really fair. I guess many topics might be topical,
Speaker 1: but some topical discussion based on this season, based on
Speaker 1: life outside of the NBA, I think you guys are
Speaker 1: really going to enjoy that. So seventy six Ers Insiders Podcast,
Speaker 1: the Big Niang Theory podcast, Please make sure you're following
Speaker 1: us there. You can always reach out to us. The
Speaker 1: dms are always open. You can tweet at us, you
Speaker 1: can send us a note. Let us know what you
Speaker 1: guys want to see. The playoffs approach. So as we
Speaker 1: Matt and I plan our coverage for the playoffs, please
Speaker 1: let us know what you'd like to see. We are
Speaker 1: here for you guys. We love doing these. Matt Murphy,
Speaker 1: I'll let you have the last word. Yes, please follow
Speaker 1: the seventy Sixers Insiders podcast feed. In addition to the
Speaker 1: Big Niang Theory with George Niang and Lauren Rosen, we've
Speaker 1: got a bunch of conversations with Sixers players individual interviews
Speaker 1: coming to the seventy Sixers Insiders podcast feed in the
Speaker 1: very near future. For the last word. Today, I am
Speaker 1: going to repeat some stuff I mentioned at the top
Speaker 1: which got cut off from the podcast, but after this
Speaker 1: win in Chicago to bounce back when the Sixers are
Speaker 1: now ten and two in a road heavy March, They've
Speaker 1: won seven straight on the road, so everyone's looking for
Speaker 1: that to continue as they have three more games on
Speaker 1: this road trip. But that will do it for us today.
Speaker 1: Stay tuned throughout the end of the regular season. Lauren Rosen,
Speaker 1: thank you so much, thanks to the listeners, and we'll
Speaker 1: see and hear from everybody next time. See you guys.
Speaker 1: By Su