WEBVTT - The BroadCast | Mailbag Monday - Strong Start, Bench Standouts 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.640 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:09.080 Search seventy Sixers podcast wherever you get your pods. Mailbag 0:00:09.160 --> 0:00:12.719 Monday it is back for week number two and perhaps 0:00:12.760 --> 0:00:15.840 Lauren Rose and that's the best and most successful thing 0:00:16.040 --> 0:00:19.680 we can say about Mailbag Mondays so far. Absolutely, I 0:00:19.760 --> 0:00:23.600 love Mailbag Monday. I love engaging with sixers fans, whether 0:00:23.640 --> 0:00:26.759 it's in person on Twitter, well not really in person 0:00:26.800 --> 0:00:29.160 this year, but especially digitally this year. So this is 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:31.920 always a pleasure. I'm going to date myself going back 0:00:32.000 --> 0:00:34.840 five or six years now, but before your time, Lauren 0:00:34.880 --> 0:00:37.280 with the seventy Sixers, one of the early mottos of 0:00:37.320 --> 0:00:41.240 the process years from a marketing standpoint was together we build, 0:00:41.600 --> 0:00:44.080 and I think that's a nice holistic spirit with which 0:00:44.120 --> 0:00:46.440 to go about our mail Bag Mondays. We had a 0:00:46.440 --> 0:00:48.720 couple submissions last week. We have a few more this week. 0:00:48.760 --> 0:00:51.680 We're appreciative of everyone who has been hitting us in 0:00:51.720 --> 0:00:56.280 the mansions through DM some voice mails. That's great. I've 0:00:56.280 --> 0:00:58.840 had fun, yes, indeed, so thanks to everybody that reached 0:00:58.840 --> 0:01:00.920 out to us directly. I seeing what questions you guys 0:01:00.920 --> 0:01:03.240 are asking, because even not for Mailbag Monday, like when 0:01:03.280 --> 0:01:04.760 we cover the team every day. I want to be 0:01:04.800 --> 0:01:06.440 able to tell you, guys, what you want to hear. 0:01:06.440 --> 0:01:07.800 I want to be able to focus on players you 0:01:07.840 --> 0:01:10.080 want me to focus on. So always thank you for 0:01:10.120 --> 0:01:12.880 sharing your thoughts, and that goes well beyond Mailbag Monday. 0:01:12.920 --> 0:01:14.920 Whenever you do have thoughts or things you want to 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:17.480 see more of, just let us know the true function 0:01:17.880 --> 0:01:20.960 of a reporter or journalist to serve the masses. So yes, 0:01:21.040 --> 0:01:23.880 getting feedback about what you want to hear from the players, 0:01:23.880 --> 0:01:26.000 from the coaches, what stories you want to see covered. 0:01:26.360 --> 0:01:28.800 We're all about it. So it's been great. Now if 0:01:28.800 --> 0:01:31.320 this is for you out there listening your first Mailbag 0:01:31.360 --> 0:01:34.880 Monday a understandable we've only done one previously. Be let 0:01:34.920 --> 0:01:37.160 us give you a very brief rundown of what it 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:40.360 is we're doing every Monday. Lauren and I come to 0:01:40.440 --> 0:01:43.720 you right here on the pod and we run through 0:01:43.840 --> 0:01:47.200 a list of social media inquiries we get or we 0:01:47.280 --> 0:01:50.240 play back some voicemails. So to reach out to us, 0:01:50.320 --> 0:01:53.080 it's at Lauren m Rosen on Twitter for Lauren at 0:01:53.080 --> 0:01:57.040 Brian Seltzer, from me on Twitter at Seltzer six, or 0:01:57.040 --> 0:02:01.000 snaps on Instagram at Lauren m Rosen on Instagram for 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:03.960 Lauren at least I have the matching handles. I can't 0:02:03.960 --> 0:02:06.160 get at Lauren Rosen like I want to, but at 0:02:06.200 --> 0:02:09.680 least I can match on both platforms. That's my consolation prize. 0:02:09.919 --> 0:02:12.520 I know I've been kicking this around. A very non 0:02:12.560 --> 0:02:20.160 important internal debate is should I transition my dark in 0:02:20.200 --> 0:02:23.560 the Closet kid picture account, which is at Brian Selzer, 0:02:23.639 --> 0:02:26.519 a private account. Should I switch that over to my 0:02:26.919 --> 0:02:30.919 public professional account. I haven't done it yet, but I might. 0:02:31.560 --> 0:02:34.160 I mean, it's not that trivial. It is interesting to 0:02:34.200 --> 0:02:37.679 think about how you present on the internet. Apparently that's important, 0:02:37.680 --> 0:02:41.360 and apparently, especially right now, it's important. So keep me posted. 0:02:41.360 --> 0:02:43.440 Happy to work that through with you, unpack things if 0:02:43.480 --> 0:02:47.400 you'd like. I appreciate you being here for the consultation. 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.880 We also have ways that you can reach us via voicemail. 0:02:51.919 --> 0:02:54.480 Go to Anchor dot fm slash seventy six ers, follow 0:02:54.480 --> 0:02:58.200 the voicemail link there, or you can hit us up 0:02:58.240 --> 0:03:01.720 at two on five four h three pods and leave 0:03:01.800 --> 0:03:04.880 us a message on our pod hotline. We love to 0:03:04.880 --> 0:03:09.079 hear all the comments. That takes the opinions and with that, 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:11.120 oh we should also mention of course that if we 0:03:11.520 --> 0:03:13.600 select your name or not us, but if we input 0:03:13.680 --> 0:03:16.040 your name, which we will, if we read your submission, 0:03:16.040 --> 0:03:18.560 whether it's a voicemail or a social media message to 0:03:18.720 --> 0:03:22.520 our random name picker, and your name is the one 0:03:22.520 --> 0:03:24.680 that pops up at the end, you win a weekly 0:03:25.000 --> 0:03:28.440 Sixer swag bag. Love that. You know what else we 0:03:28.440 --> 0:03:30.800 should also mention what you said. We should mention one 0:03:30.800 --> 0:03:32.880 more thing. I have a second one more thing. Yeah, 0:03:32.919 --> 0:03:35.280 the Sixers have the best record in the NBA. They 0:03:35.320 --> 0:03:40.080 do the only one lost team left. It's great, it's true. 0:03:40.600 --> 0:03:43.360 Can confirm it's I mean, I woke up this morning, 0:03:43.400 --> 0:03:46.520 looked at the standings, just smiled. It's really nice to see. 0:03:46.520 --> 0:03:49.040 I know it's still early, we don't want to overreact, 0:03:49.400 --> 0:03:52.320 but very cool to see, especially from such a new 0:03:52.360 --> 0:03:55.200 group that thinks they can still get better, no question 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:57.560 about it. The seventy Sixers leaders in the pack in 0:03:57.600 --> 0:04:00.520 the NBA. And that'll be a nice transition segue into 0:04:00.920 --> 0:04:03.840 perhaps our overarching theme for this week's Monday mail Bag, 0:04:03.880 --> 0:04:06.360 which is after six games, which is at the time 0:04:06.360 --> 0:04:09.120 that we're recording this podcast. What pumps you up, what 0:04:09.240 --> 0:04:12.040 excites you the most about the seventy Sixers with a 0:04:12.080 --> 0:04:14.760 record of five and one, Lauren, Before I go to 0:04:14.800 --> 0:04:18.159 the mail bag itself, I'm gonna ask you what enthuses 0:04:18.200 --> 0:04:22.160 you the most about the five and one Philadelphia seventy Sixers. Well, 0:04:22.160 --> 0:04:23.520 I think I just gave it away when we did 0:04:23.520 --> 0:04:26.000 our little intro to talking about the Sixers. But the 0:04:26.080 --> 0:04:28.680 idea that these guys think there's still another level to 0:04:28.880 --> 0:04:31.920 unlock because if right now, obviously, again it's a little 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:33.599 early to say they have the best record in the NBA, 0:04:33.640 --> 0:04:38.520 they're leading the NBA, but they are and they feel 0:04:38.560 --> 0:04:41.840 that they can still improve. So expect other teams, of 0:04:41.880 --> 0:04:44.599 course that have had rocky starts to start to improve. 0:04:44.760 --> 0:04:47.240 Things will start to even out. But the idea that 0:04:47.279 --> 0:04:49.159 the Sixers are not at their best right now and 0:04:49.200 --> 0:04:52.719 they are technically the best right now is awesome to me. 0:04:53.120 --> 0:04:56.799 What about you. This is not to disparage or slander 0:04:56.839 --> 0:04:59.480 any of the teams the seventy Sixers have played already 0:04:59.600 --> 0:05:02.560 or that loom on the immediate horizon for the next 0:05:02.600 --> 0:05:05.360 two games, but I felt like going into this season, 0:05:05.560 --> 0:05:07.720 even after training camp, it was so important for the 0:05:07.760 --> 0:05:10.440 seventy six Ers to capitalize on a stretch of their 0:05:10.480 --> 0:05:12.960 schedule that on paper seemed like it would be a 0:05:13.000 --> 0:05:15.640 little bit more manageable than what's to come, let's say 0:05:15.680 --> 0:05:17.880 at the end of this week, and they've done that 0:05:17.920 --> 0:05:20.560 so far. They're only lost, obviously without Joel Embiid at 0:05:20.560 --> 0:05:23.400 Cleveland on the second night of back to back, after 0:05:23.480 --> 0:05:25.640 playing at New York on the road the night before that, 0:05:25.960 --> 0:05:28.000 and now later this week after they faced the Hornets 0:05:28.000 --> 0:05:29.960 to wrap up the two game series on Monday, and 0:05:30.000 --> 0:05:33.880 the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. They've got teams like Brooklyn 0:05:34.040 --> 0:05:38.360 and Denver and Atlanta and two against Miami and then 0:05:38.720 --> 0:05:41.840 week after that two against Boston. So I think everyone 0:05:41.880 --> 0:05:44.120 knows that the schedule is going to get a little 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:46.200 bit more challenging, at least it would seem on paper. 0:05:46.520 --> 0:05:49.400 So I like the fact the seventy sixers, with that 0:05:49.960 --> 0:05:52.279 in the back of our minds, have gotten off to 0:05:52.279 --> 0:05:54.560 an encouraging start. Yeah. Cool to see them get the 0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:58.599 kinks out against in winnable games, let's say. But even 0:05:58.640 --> 0:06:00.279 when they had that one loss on the road, to 0:06:00.320 --> 0:06:03.279 come back and beat a really good team right after 0:06:03.320 --> 0:06:06.120 the loss, I think also says a lot. They were 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:10.640 not willing to let that Cleveland vibe if you will continue. 0:06:11.200 --> 0:06:13.280 And they had a much harder matchup in their next 0:06:13.279 --> 0:06:15.560 game and they made it happen. So I do think 0:06:15.600 --> 0:06:18.560 the fact that they are taking the negative moments and 0:06:18.720 --> 0:06:21.360 turning them around this early in the season is going 0:06:21.360 --> 0:06:24.320 to pay dividends as they start playing harder teams, because 0:06:24.760 --> 0:06:27.000 in all likelihood they will lose more games this season 0:06:27.080 --> 0:06:28.920 and they will have to respond, and so far, they're 0:06:28.920 --> 0:06:32.880 setting a good precedent for how they respond finding ways 0:06:32.880 --> 0:06:34.839 to win together. I feel like it should be a 0:06:34.920 --> 0:06:37.800 ditty that you hear Daniel Tiger sing. You probably don't, 0:06:38.480 --> 0:06:41.160 and I hope you probably can't speak to that reference, 0:06:41.200 --> 0:06:43.920 but find a way to play together something like that. 0:06:44.000 --> 0:06:46.200 You know you would hear it on Daniel Tiger. I 0:06:46.240 --> 0:06:47.680 have no idea what you're talking about, but I'll look 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:50.920 it up. Okay, let's talk about this. Let us dip 0:06:50.960 --> 0:06:57.200 into the mail bag. You have one new message. We're 0:06:57.240 --> 0:07:00.800 gonna start off with an Instagram submission from Snacks two 0:07:00.839 --> 0:07:03.440 Triple zero. The question that we threw out there was 0:07:03.560 --> 0:07:05.720 at five and one after this start, what has you 0:07:05.800 --> 0:07:09.320 feeling good about the Sixers? Snacks two Triple zero says, 0:07:09.560 --> 0:07:13.560 feeling great. We're seeing a far foreign caps better job 0:07:13.560 --> 0:07:17.200 at holding leads and responding to deficits and runs. Lawn 0:07:17.320 --> 0:07:20.680 Rose and I concur I agree with you. We did 0:07:20.720 --> 0:07:22.720 just touch on it a little bit how this team 0:07:22.800 --> 0:07:26.800 responds to negatives and positives. When things are going poorly, 0:07:27.080 --> 0:07:29.520 they've been fighting back and when things are going well. 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:31.680 We heard Doc Rivers say it at the very beginning 0:07:31.720 --> 0:07:33.360 of the season, when things are going well, they want 0:07:33.360 --> 0:07:34.760 to keep their foot on the gas if they're going 0:07:34.800 --> 0:07:36.320 to if they're up by twenty, they want to win 0:07:36.360 --> 0:07:37.960 by thirty. If they're up by thirty, they want to 0:07:37.960 --> 0:07:40.560 be win by forty. And they're showing that they have 0:07:40.640 --> 0:07:42.960 that ability to keep their foot on the gas, especially 0:07:43.000 --> 0:07:45.080 in Orlando. So I think the way that they respond 0:07:45.080 --> 0:07:48.160 to any situation that they're in negative or positive is 0:07:48.200 --> 0:07:50.360 something to continue to watch. But so far, if you 0:07:50.440 --> 0:07:53.680 have been watching that, they've been performing well on that scale. Yeah, 0:07:53.720 --> 0:07:55.520 for a couple of games now, the seventy sixers have 0:07:55.560 --> 0:07:58.040 had the best second half defense in the NBA, just 0:07:58.160 --> 0:07:59.760 a little bit more than ninety two and a half. 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:03.280 It's allowed per one hundred possessions. And that's all well 0:08:03.280 --> 0:08:06.080 and good, but let's also look at this The seventy 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:08.800 six ers have the best overall defense right now in 0:08:08.880 --> 0:08:12.280 terms of efficiency in the entire NBA, which is exactly 0:08:12.680 --> 0:08:15.080 in the range that Doc Rivers and his staff wanted 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:16.360 to be and they wanted to be top three. Well 0:08:16.360 --> 0:08:19.040 here they are top one. It's awesome. It's great to 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:21.560 see them set a goal and accomplish it early. So 0:08:21.600 --> 0:08:24.080 let's see if they can sustain that type of success 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:26.120 on the defensive end. And we've heard from a lot 0:08:26.160 --> 0:08:28.280 of players. Seth Curry is one that speaks on it often. 0:08:28.320 --> 0:08:30.160 They think that the offense is still evolving. They set 0:08:30.160 --> 0:08:31.880 the tone on defense and the defense looks good, but 0:08:31.920 --> 0:08:34.400 the offense is still evolving. So, as you know, the 0:08:34.480 --> 0:08:37.160 numbers on offense not too shabby either. But if they 0:08:37.160 --> 0:08:40.000 can keep that defensive foundation as sturdy as it is 0:08:40.040 --> 0:08:42.040 in the start of the season and continue to build 0:08:42.040 --> 0:08:44.600 on offense, it's going to be a pretty lethal combination. 0:08:45.240 --> 0:08:49.440 Snacks two triple zero. Thank you very much. Next, you 0:08:49.559 --> 0:08:52.880 have one new message, and my name is Dan. A 0:08:53.040 --> 0:08:57.560 question is there's a lot of change and transition from 0:08:57.640 --> 0:09:01.240 last year to this year. New personnel, beicuely, new coaching staff, 0:09:02.160 --> 0:09:05.560 curious about the dial play from last year to this year, 0:09:06.000 --> 0:09:09.880 what the strategy is, and just changes in terms of 0:09:09.920 --> 0:09:13.320 the x's nose and what the coaching staff is trying 0:09:13.320 --> 0:09:16.160 to implement for this season. Yes, I think Dan makes 0:09:16.160 --> 0:09:19.280 a good point, Laren. Lots of change compared to last 0:09:19.320 --> 0:09:23.400 season and this season. New faces in the front office entirely, 0:09:23.400 --> 0:09:26.240 new coaching staff just about and some key new members 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:28.800 of the starting lineup and the bench. So yeah, Dan 0:09:28.960 --> 0:09:30.599 was asking X and O wives, what are some of 0:09:30.640 --> 0:09:32.439 the things that we've seen as far as what stoc 0:09:32.520 --> 0:09:35.720 River has been implementing. I feel like offensively, we see 0:09:35.760 --> 0:09:38.200 what the Sixers have done trying to run things through 0:09:38.320 --> 0:09:41.480 Joel Embiid his positioning deep in the post, getting him 0:09:41.520 --> 0:09:44.320 to run the floor end to end. And then defensively, 0:09:44.360 --> 0:09:46.800 we've talked about this a little bit already, Larn the 0:09:46.840 --> 0:09:49.080 Sixers trying to get back to what this team did. 0:09:49.400 --> 0:09:51.280 I want to say two or three seasons go as 0:09:51.280 --> 0:09:54.719 far as what they're prioritizing defensively, which is shut off 0:09:54.720 --> 0:09:57.840 the lane. And then this isn't to make it sound 0:09:57.880 --> 0:10:00.959 like a secondary or an important thing, but take care 0:10:00.960 --> 0:10:04.800 of the paint first, takeaway driving opportunities, and then focus 0:10:04.960 --> 0:10:08.880 on tracking down shooters on the outside. Absolutely, there have 0:10:08.960 --> 0:10:10.640 been some changes, and I think at the beginning of 0:10:10.640 --> 0:10:12.840 the season it looked a little similar to what we 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:15.400 were seeing last year from this similar group at least 0:10:15.400 --> 0:10:18.000 of stars on this team. But now we're starting to 0:10:18.000 --> 0:10:20.800 see what this group looks like with more shooting with 0:10:20.920 --> 0:10:25.319 different key defenders, something that I've enjoyed watching, and I'm 0:10:25.320 --> 0:10:28.280 a nerd, so I rewatched our most recent game against 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:33.400 Charlotte yesterday, and in that watch, I've been really intrigued 0:10:33.440 --> 0:10:36.240 with like how Joel has been working, especially on the 0:10:36.280 --> 0:10:39.960 offensive end. He's talked so much about how he handles 0:10:40.000 --> 0:10:42.280 double teams, and that's something I'm super interested in this 0:10:42.320 --> 0:10:44.800 year because before it was something that was a frustration 0:10:44.840 --> 0:10:48.040 for Joel, and understandably, so you don't want multiple large 0:10:48.040 --> 0:10:49.920 men trying to tell you you can't do your job. 0:10:49.960 --> 0:10:52.880 But Joel is really embracing it now and it almost 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:56.080 looks like he's welcoming it. He's inviting players to come 0:10:56.120 --> 0:10:57.800 and double him so he can start the offense and 0:10:57.840 --> 0:11:00.800 find somebody else. And so the idea that he wants 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:03.800 this thing that he used to sort of be afraid of, 0:11:03.920 --> 0:11:06.880 or at the least sort of irritated by is really cool. 0:11:06.920 --> 0:11:10.760 He's embracing that challenge and it's making the whole offense run, 0:11:10.840 --> 0:11:13.600 I think in a really cool way. I think, also Laren, 0:11:13.679 --> 0:11:15.760 one of the first things that Doc Rivers spoke about 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:18.600 when he was introduced as head coach in October was 0:11:18.679 --> 0:11:21.160 the emphasis on pace. And we heard that with Brett 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:23.720 Brown in the past, but one thing that Doc really 0:11:23.760 --> 0:11:26.760 stressed was he wants to see more pace and everything 0:11:26.800 --> 0:11:29.840 the Sixers do and that pace isn't necessarily a race. 0:11:30.000 --> 0:11:32.720 That was Doc Rivers phrasing. I wish I could claim 0:11:32.720 --> 0:11:34.760 credit for something as clever as that, but I can't. 0:11:35.320 --> 0:11:37.520 And I think that what we've seen the last couple games, 0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:40.360 in particular Orlando and then the first game against Charlotte 0:11:40.760 --> 0:11:44.440 Ben Simmons the straw that stirs the drink man. He 0:11:44.559 --> 0:11:48.640 is getting things going, putting immense pressure, especially off of 0:11:48.720 --> 0:11:52.040 missus from the opposition, getting the Sixers down the court, 0:11:52.080 --> 0:11:55.600 and really putting pressure on the opposing team that has 0:11:55.679 --> 0:11:58.839 them defensively on their heels. So I think like, as 0:11:58.880 --> 0:12:01.160 we step back and look at this from thirty thousand feet, 0:12:01.600 --> 0:12:03.480 in a lot of ways, if you went into the 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:06.800 season saying, well, who the seventy six ers two All Stars. 0:12:07.240 --> 0:12:10.080 We know that it's Duelmbid and Ben Simmons, and those 0:12:10.080 --> 0:12:12.079 two guys on both ends of the court have had 0:12:12.080 --> 0:12:15.160 a large say in the six or success. Absolutely, Ben 0:12:15.200 --> 0:12:17.760 looks great, and I like that Doc Rivers, it seems 0:12:18.080 --> 0:12:20.840 continues to be surprised by how many levels Ben has 0:12:20.880 --> 0:12:22.560 in his game. And this is something that Doc says. 0:12:22.559 --> 0:12:25.360 He says he didn't realize how great Ben's instincts are, 0:12:25.400 --> 0:12:27.920 and I think that's something obviously you can't teach instincts, 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:30.840 and so to have someone that's that talented on both 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:33.240 ends of the floor, who's maybe seeing things a little 0:12:33.240 --> 0:12:36.400 earlier than other people are, or able to make reads 0:12:36.440 --> 0:12:39.040 or decisions a little bit faster than anybody else can, 0:12:39.640 --> 0:12:42.160 is going to be something that's really cool for this team. 0:12:42.200 --> 0:12:44.760 I think Ben has been so good. I really appreciated 0:12:44.800 --> 0:12:47.840 what he said following I believe the Orlando game that 0:12:47.880 --> 0:12:50.000 he doesn't care if he has no points, if the 0:12:50.040 --> 0:12:52.440 team is up by fifty. He's doing something right because 0:12:52.480 --> 0:12:55.040 it means he's creating for others, he's playing great defense, 0:12:55.320 --> 0:12:59.280 he's really prioritizing what the team needs over his individual 0:12:59.280 --> 0:13:01.040 stats and then sure enough the next game he goes 0:13:01.040 --> 0:13:03.520 and gets a triple double. So great stuff from Ben, 0:13:03.679 --> 0:13:06.200 especially in the last week or so, and it's cool 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:08.360 to see the way that both of them honestly are 0:13:08.400 --> 0:13:11.640 growing this year. Totally agree. I think there has been 0:13:11.640 --> 0:13:13.520 no one who has sacrificed more, at least on the 0:13:13.559 --> 0:13:15.840 offensive end in terms of scoring so far this season 0:13:16.200 --> 0:13:19.240 than Ben Simmons. Dan, thank you for the voicemail. Back 0:13:19.240 --> 0:13:22.400 to our Instagram at mailbox we Go, you have one 0:13:22.480 --> 0:13:25.880 new message, Jay Silverman sixty three. How are you feeling 0:13:25.880 --> 0:13:29.240 about the seventy six ers? He says, great exclamation point. 0:13:29.280 --> 0:13:32.480 This group gets more comfortable together each passing game. I 0:13:32.480 --> 0:13:35.320 would agree. And when I first read that when you 0:13:35.440 --> 0:13:37.679 sent me the DM, I saw a passing game and 0:13:37.720 --> 0:13:39.280 I thought we were going to talk about how well 0:13:39.320 --> 0:13:42.559 they've been moving the ball, which they have, so yes, 0:13:43.000 --> 0:13:45.320 maybe that's where I'll start on this one. It does 0:13:45.400 --> 0:13:48.240 seem like they're getting more comfortable together, and that really 0:13:48.280 --> 0:13:50.840 shows in the way that they are moving the ball constantly. 0:13:51.040 --> 0:13:53.720 There was a play in the Charlotte game that I 0:13:53.760 --> 0:13:56.680 think ended in a turnover, but the ball movement itself 0:13:56.800 --> 0:14:00.679 was exciting enough to sort of learn something about what 0:14:00.720 --> 0:14:02.720 this team is really trying to do. Look for that 0:14:02.800 --> 0:14:04.960 great shot instead of the good shot, and obviously you 0:14:05.000 --> 0:14:06.840 want it to end in a maid shot, but the 0:14:06.880 --> 0:14:09.400 fact that that's the way that they are wired this season, 0:14:09.640 --> 0:14:12.439 especially early, they're already being able to trust each other, 0:14:12.520 --> 0:14:16.280 find each other's spots. The passing game is going to 0:14:16.320 --> 0:14:20.480 continue to maybe get better with every passing game. No team. 0:14:20.520 --> 0:14:23.080 Lauren Rosen has made more passes on average this season 0:14:23.120 --> 0:14:27.520 per game than your team, your town, your Philadelphia seventy 0:14:27.520 --> 0:14:29.480 six ers. And I think it's it's almost kind of 0:14:29.480 --> 0:14:32.360 an endearing quality when some of the younger bench guys 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:35.080 get in that they tend to overpass. You know, it's 0:14:35.080 --> 0:14:37.120 like this is probably gonna sound a little bit folksy 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:39.160 when I say it. Some people may not like the verbage. 0:14:39.200 --> 0:14:41.040 I think it's cute. It's like these young guys coming 0:14:41.080 --> 0:14:42.840 off the bench, some of them like you have Tyrese 0:14:42.960 --> 0:14:45.280 Maxie and at times Batist Thible, and they're just they're 0:14:45.280 --> 0:14:46.920 just trying to keep it, keep it going, keep the 0:14:46.920 --> 0:14:49.040 ball moving. Where it seems like the veterans, some of 0:14:49.080 --> 0:14:51.280 the starters, they might have a better handle on the 0:14:51.520 --> 0:14:54.920 right dosage of passing and how to effectively move it. 0:14:55.160 --> 0:14:57.800 But I love it. I think that's that's the whole 0:14:57.960 --> 0:15:02.480 notion that these pass heavy offenses go back to, how 0:15:02.480 --> 0:15:04.760 can it not bring everyone in and make them feel 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:06.960 like they're a part of it. I've noticed that as well, Celts. 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:08.800 I think the young guys are sort of taking a 0:15:08.880 --> 0:15:11.640 cue from the older guys, looking for that great shot, 0:15:11.640 --> 0:15:14.840 even if they have a pretty good one themselves. Something 0:15:14.840 --> 0:15:16.640 that's been the most gratifying for me to watch is 0:15:16.680 --> 0:15:20.080 in those exact instances when there's been times where Matisse 0:15:20.160 --> 0:15:22.840 or Tyrese shake. I don't know if we consider a 0:15:22.880 --> 0:15:25.280 young guy anymore, he's been so aggressive, but they've been 0:15:25.320 --> 0:15:28.119 out there with the veterans. There have been some combination 0:15:28.200 --> 0:15:31.040 lineups at times, and if Matisse or Tyrese gives up 0:15:31.080 --> 0:15:34.000 the ball, sometimes Tobias makes sure that it finds them again, 0:15:34.080 --> 0:15:36.640 for example, and sort of says, okay, no, like you 0:15:36.680 --> 0:15:39.040 do have the shot, let's go. And so I like 0:15:39.160 --> 0:15:41.480 the way that the younger guys on this team are 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:44.120 taking cues from the older guys, and then sometimes the 0:15:44.120 --> 0:15:46.080 older guys will turn it right around and force their 0:15:46.120 --> 0:15:50.960 hand instead. Jay Silverman sixty three, Thanks very much to 0:15:51.000 --> 0:15:55.120 the voicemail. Next you have one new message. I'm curious 0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:58.000 to hear what your thoughts are on the chemistry with 0:15:58.040 --> 0:16:00.600 this team. Seems like every time they make a three ball, 0:16:01.240 --> 0:16:03.200 all the players on the bench are getting up, They're 0:16:03.200 --> 0:16:06.560 clapping their hands, they seem to be genuinely happy to 0:16:06.600 --> 0:16:08.920 be around each other. Do you guys think this is 0:16:08.920 --> 0:16:12.000 the closest team they've had in a long time? If not, ever, 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:15.200 curious to hear your thoughts. Thanks again, Yes, and this 0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:19.840 is a nice layer to the topic we previously discussed. Darren, 0:16:19.880 --> 0:16:24.360 bring up chemistry. We're definitely in kumbayas and unicorns and 0:16:24.920 --> 0:16:28.240 rainbows and all that stuff right now, because hey, the Sixers, 0:16:28.280 --> 0:16:30.200 it's still early in the season and they've been winning 0:16:30.400 --> 0:16:32.840 basketball games in a lot of different ways. I do 0:16:32.880 --> 0:16:36.240 think that if they're setting precedent for good kumbaya energy 0:16:36.480 --> 0:16:39.240 now while the team is doing so well, it will 0:16:39.320 --> 0:16:43.280 help them when they inevitably or rather when they eventually 0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:47.640 face some obstacles the spirit that they have shown. I mean, 0:16:48.080 --> 0:16:50.240 I have the privilege of being at our home games 0:16:50.280 --> 0:16:53.000 and I sit across from the Sixers bench, and they 0:16:53.080 --> 0:16:55.200 really are on their feet for most of the game. 0:16:55.280 --> 0:16:57.600 Maybe it's because the seats are so spread out that 0:16:57.640 --> 0:17:00.280 they want to sort of get the energy by ending 0:17:00.360 --> 0:17:03.800 up and taking up more space themselves, But they really 0:17:03.800 --> 0:17:06.040 are on their feet. Guys that don't have that don't 0:17:06.040 --> 0:17:07.720 even get in the game, spend the whole game on 0:17:07.760 --> 0:17:09.720 their feet watching their teammates. And there's guys like Dwight 0:17:09.800 --> 0:17:13.280 Howard who are spending their time between their minutes trying 0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:15.840 to hype up a non existent crowd. The energy is 0:17:16.240 --> 0:17:21.200 really strong between this group of relatively new friends, shall 0:17:21.240 --> 0:17:23.480 we say so? I see what Darren sees. I think 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:26.639 the chemistry looks really good, especially for a team that 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:29.200 is again just getting to know each other. Now there 0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:32.120 was a shortened training camp, a shortened preseason, and now 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:34.320 they're often running on this sort of one day on, 0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:36.800 one day off, sometimes a back to back schedule. It's 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:39.880 a lot. So to see them clicking even during this 0:17:39.920 --> 0:17:43.720 sort of chaotic, hectic time of getting to know each 0:17:43.760 --> 0:17:45.679 other is a good sign. It can't it can't not 0:17:45.760 --> 0:17:47.679 be a good sign. No, listen, I think sometimes we 0:17:47.760 --> 0:17:50.480 misunderstand this whole notion of chemistry just because a team 0:17:50.520 --> 0:17:52.760 doesn't win or achieve as much as it's supposed to. 0:17:53.040 --> 0:17:55.119 Doesn't mean the guys don't like each other. I mean, 0:17:55.160 --> 0:17:58.080 I thought last year's team there were guys who had 0:17:58.080 --> 0:18:00.440 great bonds in terms of players who are ye last 0:18:00.440 --> 0:18:03.639 season and aren't here anymore. Al Horford and his friendships, 0:18:03.720 --> 0:18:07.080 Josh Richardson had his friendships. But to underscore the point 0:18:07.119 --> 0:18:09.440 that we've been talking about on the pod so far 0:18:09.480 --> 0:18:11.720 as what is this about the first week and a 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:14.200 half of the season, the seventy sixers are having success. 0:18:14.560 --> 0:18:16.640 They're off to a five and one start, and when 0:18:16.640 --> 0:18:19.879 you combine that with great relationships that are being built 0:18:19.920 --> 0:18:22.280 off the court, then it just looks that much better. 0:18:22.320 --> 0:18:23.560 So I don't know if I could say this is 0:18:23.600 --> 0:18:25.680 the closest team the Sixers have had in a long time, 0:18:26.000 --> 0:18:28.920 But I think that the good vibes of the personalities 0:18:28.960 --> 0:18:32.399 of the guys that would have come together and fomented 0:18:32.520 --> 0:18:36.080 naturally are now just being magnified that much more because 0:18:36.160 --> 0:18:38.080 the team is playing well. So I think that's a 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:40.800 great point that Darren brings up well. And look, it's 0:18:40.800 --> 0:18:43.240 also easy to get along when things are going well. 0:18:43.320 --> 0:18:45.639 So let's not forget the fact that they've won five 0:18:45.720 --> 0:18:49.119 of their six outings. But like we said at the 0:18:49.119 --> 0:18:52.400 beginning of this conversation, to have a good streak now 0:18:52.440 --> 0:18:54.480 and to allow them to build this chemistry while things 0:18:54.480 --> 0:18:56.920 are going well. While it's easy to build good chemistry, 0:18:57.280 --> 0:18:59.680 can't not be a blessing for this group. For the 0:18:59.720 --> 0:19:02.919 first time ever in Monday mail bag history, back to 0:19:03.119 --> 0:19:08.440 back voicemails, you have one new message. How has Howard's 0:19:08.520 --> 0:19:11.760 veteran presence affected the team? You know, I've seen you 0:19:11.760 --> 0:19:17.040 guys reporting that he puts in work postgame. So how 0:19:17.040 --> 0:19:20.120 are his actions, you know, affecting this team. And if 0:19:20.119 --> 0:19:22.520