WEBVTT - Friday Deep Dive | Sifting Through a Challenging Week 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.640 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:08.280 search seventy Sixers podcast wherever you get your pods. The 0:00:08.360 --> 0:00:11.320 seventy Sixers had a challenging week. We sift through some 0:00:11.360 --> 0:00:13.000 of the things we saw, the bias, he's got a 0:00:13.039 --> 0:00:15.319 leg out everybody and he jams the ball, and now 0:00:15.360 --> 0:00:18.520 Mike Bootenholzer takes time out. We react to round two 0:00:18.640 --> 0:00:21.119 against the Bucks and break down what could be to 0:00:21.160 --> 0:00:23.680 come in round three. Here's Maxie in the name MAXI 0:00:23.720 --> 0:00:27.840 with the Night Poppa Gud, Tyrese, Maxie, Frida, Gavin Bucker 0:00:28.040 --> 0:00:31.040 and talk about some encouraging signs from a few guards 0:00:31.080 --> 0:00:34.360 off the bench, Tyrese, Maxie and George Hill. And speaking 0:00:34.360 --> 0:00:36.360 of George Hill, there's one of us here on the pod. 0:00:36.840 --> 0:00:39.120 Some people out there say he looks like all of that. 0:00:39.440 --> 0:00:44.920 On this week's Friday Deep Dive, Guys, I know what 0:00:44.960 --> 0:00:48.479 the reality is, but I have to ask, would it 0:00:48.560 --> 0:00:50.559 be too much for us to see some of these 0:00:50.600 --> 0:00:53.640 recent matchups with both teams at full strength. I don't 0:00:53.640 --> 0:00:56.440 mean to gripe or complain, but I want to see it. 0:00:56.800 --> 0:00:58.680 I felt like I had a tolerance and a threshold 0:00:58.720 --> 0:01:02.880 for it. The first couple of times I was like, Okay, Brooklyn, 0:01:03.280 --> 0:01:06.880 all right, Clippers, all right, this Eastern Conference stuff. I 0:01:06.959 --> 0:01:10.440 want to see it. I want to see it. I 0:01:10.440 --> 0:01:12.039 think it's hard when you get to the end of 0:01:12.080 --> 0:01:15.160 the season and you want to see good basketball, because 0:01:15.160 --> 0:01:19.720 I wonder sometimes how mutually exclusive end of season and 0:01:19.840 --> 0:01:23.960 good basketball are. I think obviously the Sixers took ownership 0:01:24.120 --> 0:01:26.679 over what's gone on these last three games, but I 0:01:26.720 --> 0:01:30.199 think you can't avoid the fact that games without Ben 0:01:30.200 --> 0:01:33.680 Simmons there's a huge hole. Games without Tobias Harris huge hole. 0:01:34.240 --> 0:01:35.880 Games on the second side of a back to back 0:01:35.920 --> 0:01:38.360 on the road against a rested team creates a hole. 0:01:38.760 --> 0:01:41.280 It just, yeah, it's been there's been a lot of 0:01:41.280 --> 0:01:43.399 build up for this period and then to not really 0:01:43.400 --> 0:01:46.200 get to see any of it at full strength on 0:01:46.240 --> 0:01:51.440 either side a bummer. A bummer, And what's the focus 0:01:51.440 --> 0:01:54.880 from either side when it comes to getting gearing up 0:01:54.920 --> 0:01:58.240 for the postseason? Knowing that for a majority of this 0:01:58.360 --> 0:02:01.160 year you've had people in another lineup, whether it was 0:02:01.280 --> 0:02:05.920 COVID related or just a simple injury illness, whatever it 0:02:06.040 --> 0:02:08.560 might be, the approach might be a little bit different 0:02:08.600 --> 0:02:11.560 for each game. And while as Lauren you just mentioned 0:02:11.560 --> 0:02:14.359 the second night of a back to back for your 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:17.200 home team, and then the other team may be well rested, 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:19.600 So there are a lot of different factors that play 0:02:19.639 --> 0:02:22.600 into it. I think I would have liked, YouTube would 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:25.680 have liked to have seen them go up against someone 0:02:25.960 --> 0:02:29.000 in the Eastern Conference at full strengths so you can 0:02:29.000 --> 0:02:33.440 get a better sense of who the teams are. But 0:02:33.720 --> 0:02:35.800 I guess we have to now wait until the postseason 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:39.720 when they match up in the quarters, semis or Eastern 0:02:39.720 --> 0:02:42.680 Conference finals. I also want to make it totally clear. 0:02:43.200 --> 0:02:47.120 I get it. I tot it. If I were running 0:02:47.120 --> 0:02:49.399 a team, if I were a player and I saw 0:02:49.440 --> 0:02:51.519 some of the injuries as of late, it would be 0:02:51.560 --> 0:02:53.880 hard not to be a little bit spooked. Like it's 0:02:53.880 --> 0:02:56.880 crushing to see a Jamal Murray go down. Trey Young, 0:02:57.120 --> 0:02:59.520 thankfully for him, doesn't seem like it's a long term 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:03.280 injury thing for Donovan Mitchell, I totally get it. I 0:03:03.280 --> 0:03:07.440 think it's just an unfortunate reality and dynamic of this season. 0:03:07.600 --> 0:03:10.200 I'm glad there's basketball first and foremost. I love that. 0:03:10.760 --> 0:03:12.720 I think this is just a first world problem of 0:03:12.760 --> 0:03:15.440 me complaining. I feel like I don't complain a lot. 0:03:15.840 --> 0:03:19.040 It's just longing and yearning for what could be. But 0:03:19.080 --> 0:03:21.000 the games have been entertaining for the most part still, 0:03:21.080 --> 0:03:24.760 It's not like there's been a lack of quality competitive games. 0:03:26.320 --> 0:03:28.799 I also think when it's your job to discuss what's 0:03:28.840 --> 0:03:31.480 going on and you don't get to discuss the storylines 0:03:31.520 --> 0:03:34.360 that are right there for you, you're more likely to 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:36.280 have complaints. I think that's reasonable, But I do think 0:03:36.280 --> 0:03:38.119 we all agree sell to you alluded to it just now. 0:03:38.360 --> 0:03:40.600 The one seed doesn't mean a heck of a lot 0:03:40.680 --> 0:03:43.200 if you're not healthy. Neither does the two seed nor 0:03:43.280 --> 0:03:45.160 the three seed. And I think that all the teams 0:03:45.160 --> 0:03:49.280 that are currently jockeying or allegedly jockeying for that one 0:03:49.360 --> 0:03:52.080 seed would agree that health has got to be so 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:55.520 much more important. And as long as the Sixers continue 0:03:55.520 --> 0:03:58.000 to prioritize that, I mean, you can't knock them for it. 0:03:58.880 --> 0:04:01.360 We take a look at the Bucks, and to me, 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:04.040 this is such an intriguing team. I feel like they've 0:04:04.360 --> 0:04:06.560 been flying under the radar this season. Do you guys 0:04:06.600 --> 0:04:08.440 agree with that? Before we even get into anything else, 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:11.600 they've kind of gone a little bit underdiscussed. Yeah, the 0:04:11.640 --> 0:04:15.560 storyline is not as exciting as the Brooklyn Nets, and 0:04:15.600 --> 0:04:19.000 they're three superstars that they have as symbol in Brooklyn 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:21.880 and of course here in Philadelphia, with the fact that 0:04:21.960 --> 0:04:24.640 you have an MVP candidate and a team that surrounds 0:04:24.760 --> 0:04:28.159 him with an All NBA level player, all Star level player, 0:04:28.279 --> 0:04:30.839 and Ben Simmons and same for Tobias Harris, all Star 0:04:30.960 --> 0:04:34.760 caliber player and everyone else that's going around. New head coach. 0:04:34.839 --> 0:04:38.000 The storyline is just simply better with those two teams, 0:04:38.240 --> 0:04:42.720 and they've simply flied, flying under the radar, getting healthy 0:04:42.920 --> 0:04:45.359 and Drew Holiday also a new addition to their team, 0:04:45.680 --> 0:04:49.600 was out because of the COVID COVID nineteen and health 0:04:49.600 --> 0:04:52.920 and safety protocols, and now they're starting around in the form. 0:04:52.960 --> 0:04:56.080 So they've just quietly gone about their business and stayed 0:04:56.080 --> 0:04:59.000 within distance. As these last couple of weeks have become 0:04:59.040 --> 0:05:02.040 really really important with the seating well month really the 0:05:02.120 --> 0:05:06.160 last month that we have in front of US Milwaukee, 0:05:07.160 --> 0:05:09.400 you have to pay attention. They've had the best record 0:05:09.400 --> 0:05:12.760 in the East accomplish for the last two seasons. Seems 0:05:12.760 --> 0:05:15.960 like they've gotten better. Now how much better we'll find out. 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:18.120 I do think that's part of why they've flown under 0:05:18.120 --> 0:05:20.760 the radar though right finishing at the top of the 0:05:20.800 --> 0:05:23.200 East the last couple of years, having the MVP the 0:05:23.240 --> 0:05:25.360 last couple of years, and then underperforming in the playoffs. 0:05:25.360 --> 0:05:28.320 It's something that the Sixers aren't a little bit unfamiliar 0:05:28.360 --> 0:05:30.839 with when you look at what they've accomplished in the 0:05:30.880 --> 0:05:33.520 regular season versus what they've accomplished in the postseason. I 0:05:33.520 --> 0:05:35.640 think maybe there's a little bit of regular season fatigue 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:37.720 with the Bucks when it comes to national narrative and 0:05:38.160 --> 0:05:39.800 the way that people talk about different teams, and the 0:05:39.800 --> 0:05:43.640 Bucks probably like it that way. It's it's as Sixers 0:05:43.680 --> 0:05:46.839 fans and people within Sixers culture. No, it's not always 0:05:46.839 --> 0:05:49.719 great to have such high expectations, and I do think 0:05:49.720 --> 0:05:53.039 that the Bucks have been part of that mold for 0:05:53.080 --> 0:05:56.000 the last couple of years, and where they stand on 0:05:56.040 --> 0:05:58.520 the radar, as you said, Celts might be a result 0:05:58.520 --> 0:06:01.640 of that. Grip has made a great point after the 0:06:01.680 --> 0:06:05.480 game on Thursday, the seventy Sixers lost that one one 0:06:05.640 --> 0:06:08.919 twenty four, one seventeen. They've made it interesting down the 0:06:08.960 --> 0:06:11.440 stretch because of a lopsided fourth quarter after the Bucks 0:06:11.839 --> 0:06:14.159 blitz them right out of the gate, and Doc said 0:06:14.200 --> 0:06:17.039 that in a matchup against the Bucks, the absence of 0:06:17.040 --> 0:06:21.000 Ben Simmons defensively becomes even that much more glaring. And 0:06:21.200 --> 0:06:24.680 I would agree. So as far as how you interpret 0:06:24.720 --> 0:06:26.960 what the Sixers were able to do against the Bucks 0:06:26.960 --> 0:06:29.320 on Thursday, and who knows if Ben's going to play 0:06:29.320 --> 0:06:32.720 on Saturday, what to make of that, I don't know. 0:06:32.800 --> 0:06:36.680 I think for me, very surface level, my takeaway from 0:06:36.680 --> 0:06:38.920 this two game series isn't even necessarily going to be 0:06:38.960 --> 0:06:41.000 who wins or who loses. It's going to be that 0:06:41.000 --> 0:06:42.800 the Bucks are a really good team. I think they're 0:06:42.800 --> 0:06:46.560 designed really well. I think they could present some matchup problems. 0:06:46.880 --> 0:06:49.160 They can really stretch the floor on offense. We saw 0:06:49.200 --> 0:06:52.200 that with what Brook Lopez did in the game on Thursday. 0:06:52.240 --> 0:06:55.039 And they've added some really really good pieces, and like 0:06:55.160 --> 0:06:57.520 Drew Holliday, he showed that even if he's not scoring 0:06:57.640 --> 0:06:59.560 a bunch, there's a lot of other stuff that you 0:06:59.600 --> 0:07:03.680 can do to impact the game. Absolutely, and I do 0:07:03.760 --> 0:07:07.320 think that they create some at least some intriguing matchup 0:07:07.560 --> 0:07:11.040 situations as far as the defensive assignments go. How much 0:07:11.080 --> 0:07:14.040 will the Sixers switch off and pass players to the 0:07:14.160 --> 0:07:16.800 next if Simmons is out there? How much of a 0:07:16.840 --> 0:07:18.960 difference does he make. I think he does make a 0:07:19.040 --> 0:07:22.320 huge difference. And we saw that Thursday night where maybe 0:07:22.320 --> 0:07:23.960 you would have liked to have seen him be on 0:07:24.640 --> 0:07:29.760 Jannis and instead sliding Ben Simmons over to brook Lopez, 0:07:29.760 --> 0:07:31.680 where you can close out a little harder. He's a 0:07:31.720 --> 0:07:35.080 little more under control, He's able to figure out different 0:07:35.080 --> 0:07:36.920 ways because brook Lopez is simply not going to put 0:07:36.920 --> 0:07:38.800 the ball on the floor. Ben Simmons is closing out 0:07:38.840 --> 0:07:40.720 on him. He's gonna now have to make a decision 0:07:40.720 --> 0:07:42.239 on where the ball is now going to be passed 0:07:42.240 --> 0:07:45.280 two or if he's gonna fire that shout up at all. 0:07:45.480 --> 0:07:49.520 So it is intriguing. I'm looking forward to now the 0:07:49.560 --> 0:07:54.240 adjustments that are made in Saturday's matchup Saturday afternoon. It's 0:07:54.240 --> 0:07:56.640 always tough to play a team the second time around 0:07:57.040 --> 0:07:59.800 the way that they shot the basketball. Can that be 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:02.360 implicated because at the end of the day to six 0:08:02.400 --> 0:08:05.040 to shot the ball pretty well, it was the three 0:08:05.080 --> 0:08:07.480 point discrepancy that really hurt them in the long run. 0:08:07.560 --> 0:08:10.040 So how much of a difference to Simmons mate. Hopefully 0:08:10.080 --> 0:08:12.880 we found out on Saturday the offensive efficiency that the 0:08:12.920 --> 0:08:16.280 Bucks had in that game. Really it was insane. I 0:08:16.320 --> 0:08:20.160 mean they made the first shots. It was out of control, 0:08:20.800 --> 0:08:22.960 and I think that in the early going. Listen, when 0:08:23.000 --> 0:08:25.400 Jannis is out there, he's affecting a game because you 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:27.560 have to pay attention to him. But it was some 0:08:27.600 --> 0:08:30.480 of the other guys for the Bucks that really stepped 0:08:30.560 --> 0:08:34.440 up and made an impact. Chris Middleton first quarter ten points, 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:37.679 four for four from the field, Yanni scored eight. Brook 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:41.640 Lopez made his impact and presence felt in the second quarter, 0:08:43.120 --> 0:08:46.360 and then you had Bobby Portis off the bench. Yeah, 0:08:47.000 --> 0:08:50.160 I mean Bobby Portis five or five from deep. Not 0:08:50.240 --> 0:08:53.319 exactly what you necessarily prepare for going into Milwaukee, and 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:57.280 probably not sustainable Knockwood, of course with the team playing 0:08:57.320 --> 0:09:00.120 the team's playing again on Saturday. But the efficiency was 0:09:00.559 --> 0:09:04.000 through the roof. They were well rested. The Sixers were not. 0:09:04.320 --> 0:09:07.280 Of course, some of those things you can't sustain. But 0:09:07.320 --> 0:09:09.360 if the Sixers are without Ben Simmons again, they're going 0:09:09.400 --> 0:09:11.840 to be challenged again when it comes to stopping Jeannie. 0:09:12.000 --> 0:09:14.400 I look forward to another matchup between the two teams. 0:09:14.440 --> 0:09:17.000 I think it'll probably be a little bit closer than 0:09:17.040 --> 0:09:20.440 the first one was. But the Sixers still didn't really 0:09:20.480 --> 0:09:22.600 get a ton of rest before this one. Given the 0:09:22.640 --> 0:09:24.319 fact that it's going to be a day game, they 0:09:24.320 --> 0:09:26.800 can't really catch a break with the schedule this week. 0:09:27.080 --> 0:09:31.760 Doc Rivers alluded to it following Thursday's game. No coaches 0:09:31.800 --> 0:09:34.560 ever want to admit. I don't think to schedule losses. 0:09:34.600 --> 0:09:36.679 But I do think that that Doc has some ground 0:09:36.720 --> 0:09:38.920 to stand on when he talks about how difficult the 0:09:39.000 --> 0:09:41.199 schedule this week has been. And I know that it's 0:09:41.240 --> 0:09:43.160 a team that's going to look forward to coming right 0:09:43.160 --> 0:09:48.600 back home to Philadelphia, regardless of the outcome of Saturday's matchup. Sure, 0:09:49.000 --> 0:09:51.320 a tough one. They're in Milwaukee, and you're right, the 0:09:51.360 --> 0:09:54.920 turnaround is rather quick. And if you are now going 0:09:54.960 --> 0:09:58.320 to implement Simmons, if he's available to Saturday game two 0:09:58.320 --> 0:10:00.559 for Tobias Harrists, good to see him him back out 0:10:00.559 --> 0:10:02.839 here on the floor. So maybe his legs underneath him. 0:10:02.840 --> 0:10:05.440 He's a lot fresher, he said, he doesn't feel much pain. 0:10:05.520 --> 0:10:08.400 So that's great to hear right now as we get 0:10:08.440 --> 0:10:12.000 ready to gear up for this matchup one Saturday afternoon. 0:10:12.080 --> 0:10:15.760 So you're right, schedules, it's how it goes, right, it 0:10:15.920 --> 0:10:18.959 is how it goes. Thirteen games remaining after this one. 0:10:18.960 --> 0:10:20.959 I'm not gonna say it's easy, but you can look 0:10:21.000 --> 0:10:25.360 at situations where they're winnable games for the team with 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:28.200 the number one seeds still in sight in the Eastern Conference, 0:10:28.920 --> 0:10:30.880 no doubt about it. I think it was great to 0:10:30.880 --> 0:10:33.280 see Tobias, especially in the third quarter. Seemed like he 0:10:33.320 --> 0:10:36.880 really found his stride. Scored twelve points during the third. 0:10:37.360 --> 0:10:39.320 It's also been talking about a tough back to back 0:10:39.360 --> 0:10:42.240 given how the team's played him for Joel Ebid. Going 0:10:42.280 --> 0:10:45.320 up against Phoenix and then the Bucks, two teams that 0:10:45.480 --> 0:10:49.000 were so aggressive on him really didn't let up much 0:10:49.000 --> 0:10:51.839 at all, played him physical, played him tough. I think 0:10:51.840 --> 0:10:54.360 he still managed to hold his own in both those games. 0:10:54.360 --> 0:10:56.319 I mean neither of those teams made it easy on him. 0:10:57.240 --> 0:11:01.360 Again shorthanded without both Harris and Simmon against Phoenix and 0:11:01.360 --> 0:11:04.600 then coming back without Simmons, but Harris returning, having a 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:07.880 good third quarter, but again getting his legs back underneath 0:11:07.960 --> 0:11:11.680 him after missing so much time MB was phenomenal. Of course, 0:11:11.720 --> 0:11:14.240 the thirty eight point performance was the twenty four on 0:11:14.320 --> 0:11:18.000 Thursday night against Milwaukee, So sure he's still gonna be himself. 0:11:18.000 --> 0:11:19.880 You need others to help out shake Milton with the 0:11:19.920 --> 0:11:24.040 twenty off the bench. In that game, Danny Green performed 0:11:24.080 --> 0:11:28.200 well against Phoenix and Matis style with Tyrese Maxie, but 0:11:28.840 --> 0:11:31.520 again just simply not enough when you are missing some 0:11:31.600 --> 0:11:34.280 key contributors to the team to take down these top teams. 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:36.640 These are not just push over teams. These are teams 0:11:36.640 --> 0:11:38.920 that are still fighting four things. Phoenix is fighting for 0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:43.040 a top spot in the Western Conference overall in Milwaukee, 0:11:43.080 --> 0:11:45.800 as we talked about, they're creeping up in the standing 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:48.560 still at number three. But as we stand here today, 0:11:48.840 --> 0:11:50.760 two and a half games from first place with the 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:53.600 seventy six or so, everyone's fighting for something, whether they 0:11:53.640 --> 0:11:55.240 want to admit it or not. When you're out there, 0:11:55.240 --> 0:11:58.679 you're going to compete, and they're competing. I know people 0:11:58.720 --> 0:12:02.040 snickered at the comment that Jannis made post game on 0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:05.640 tant while people being people who follow the seventy sixers, 0:12:05.760 --> 0:12:10.280 when Yanna City treating it like a playoff game, I 0:12:10.400 --> 0:12:12.520 buy it. I kind of buy it. They have to. 0:12:12.880 --> 0:12:15.040 It's a big series win for them and now they 0:12:15.080 --> 0:12:19.120 have a chance. Just gained another game. I was cool 0:12:19.200 --> 0:12:22.760 with coming into it like a playoff game. My confusion 0:12:22.840 --> 0:12:26.600 came with it felt like a playoff game, because so 0:12:26.640 --> 0:12:28.200 as long as as long as it felt like it 0:12:28.480 --> 0:12:32.520 on the outset, I mean, the Sixers were way less rest, 0:12:32.640 --> 0:12:34.600 that doesn't happen in the playoffs. The Sixers were without 0:12:34.640 --> 0:12:37.800 Ben Simmons in all likelihood, that doesn't happen in the playoffs. 0:12:37.800 --> 0:12:39.160 So I'm not sure I was buying that the in 0:12:39.320 --> 0:12:42.679 game competition was very playoff like. But I do understand 0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:45.320 why the stakes felt high for the Bucks and Edits 0:12:45.320 --> 0:12:47.760 an achievement. Anytime you beat the top team in your conference, 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:51.240 it's an achievement. Yeah, for them, maybe it was because, 0:12:51.320 --> 0:12:53.640 as you just pointed out, that that was their approach. 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:56.720 Their approaches now get the home court advantage. If they 0:12:56.720 --> 0:12:59.360 could number one overall seed. Sure, you still have the 0:12:59.440 --> 0:13:02.640 leat Brook to get the Philadelphia and Philadelphia has to 0:13:02.640 --> 0:13:05.360 cooperate to lose that spot. But yeah, they have to 0:13:05.520 --> 0:13:07.680 and to take the season series, is Brian alluded to, 0:13:08.000 --> 0:13:10.599 that's important for them. I mean, hey, we wanted to 0:13:10.640 --> 0:13:12.920 see the Sixers split it last night to make sure 0:13:12.960 --> 0:13:15.520 that you set up Saturday's game for you to win 0:13:16.120 --> 0:13:19.400 that season series matchup as well. So I get it. 0:13:19.600 --> 0:13:23.440 I buy it, because let's not forget about the little 0:13:24.000 --> 0:13:27.959 little rivalry that is there between Jannis and either in 0:13:28.080 --> 0:13:31.000 Bed or Simmons with how he approaches things with those 0:13:31.000 --> 0:13:33.120 two teams. So so I buyed it a little bit 0:13:33.160 --> 0:13:36.160 because they are trailing and they're playing against the top dog. 0:13:37.480 --> 0:13:40.960 Looking back at a theme from this past week, something 0:13:41.000 --> 0:13:44.440 I did want to get into was the bench backcourts. 0:13:45.080 --> 0:13:46.839 Let's start with Tyrese Maxie. There are a couple of 0:13:46.880 --> 0:13:50.040 themes and storylines from the reserve backcourt. We'll get into 0:13:50.040 --> 0:13:54.200 George Hill in a little bit. Tyrese Maxie had some 0:13:54.200 --> 0:13:56.000 stuff to say this past week in terms of how 0:13:56.000 --> 0:13:59.960 he played on the court, very encouraging. I thought, yeah, 0:14:00.200 --> 0:14:02.760 no doubt. And Tyres is a guy that ask anyone 0:14:02.800 --> 0:14:04.880 and they'll say how he really has been putting in 0:14:04.880 --> 0:14:07.320 the work since the day he got to Philadelphia, since 0:14:07.320 --> 0:14:10.200 well before he got to Philadelphia. He works out on 0:14:10.240 --> 0:14:13.160 every off day, whether or not he played the day before. 0:14:13.240 --> 0:14:15.280 And to say that he's working out every off day 0:14:15.440 --> 0:14:19.240 this season is no small feat. With the incredible lack 0:14:19.280 --> 0:14:21.880 of rest time these guys have. He loves to hoo. 0:14:22.080 --> 0:14:24.280 He's in the gym early, he's in the gym late, 0:14:24.320 --> 0:14:27.080 and he's stayed ready for opportunities like the ones he 0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:29.440 had this week, and then he capitalized on them. And 0:14:29.480 --> 0:14:32.040 that's really all you can ask for from a rookie 0:14:32.120 --> 0:14:35.120 that's playing on a really, really good team. I was 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:36.920 gonna say, does it look like he's put on weight 0:14:36.960 --> 0:14:40.720 to you a little bit in his upper body? Yeah, 0:14:40.720 --> 0:14:43.080 it looks like. It looks like he has added a 0:14:43.120 --> 0:14:45.520 little bit of muscle up there, and you know they're 0:14:45.560 --> 0:14:48.960 constantly working out. Sometimes you really can't see it throughout 0:14:49.000 --> 0:14:51.840 the season because of playing and then losing things. But 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.800 the muscle mass it looks like there seems a little 0:14:54.840 --> 0:14:57.480 bit stronger. Obviously needs to get a lot more stronger 0:14:57.520 --> 0:15:00.640 as a young player coming out of Kyle and stepping 0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:04.720 into the NBA, but yeah, he does. I've noticed that 0:15:04.880 --> 0:15:08.000 the exact same thing, and for him to be ready 0:15:08.120 --> 0:15:10.600 when his number is called, knowing that he's been sitting 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:13.440 for so long out of the rotation and to come 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:15.720 in and now starting to again. As we talked about 0:15:15.720 --> 0:15:18.560 what Harris get his feet underneath him, now, Maxie is 0:15:18.560 --> 0:15:21.320 starting to get his feet underneath him. And the way 0:15:21.360 --> 0:15:24.360 I approach this is, while I don't know, I'm not 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:26.840 sure how you to feel about this, or the listeners 0:15:26.840 --> 0:15:30.640 and the viewers. But there are times when coaches decide 0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:34.400 to go deep into their bench for spot minutes, and 0:15:34.520 --> 0:15:37.120 if the rotation is eight or nine, and of course 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:39.480 you have that nine and ten that can still contribute. 0:15:40.000 --> 0:15:43.000 Maybe Maxie is showing Rivers and the coaching staff something 0:15:43.480 --> 0:15:45.520 where if he needs to call his number at some 0:15:45.600 --> 0:15:49.280 point in the first round and he performs well, then 0:15:49.280 --> 0:15:51.520 maybe the confidence is there for him to again call 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:54.840 his number in the semifinals against a team that we 0:15:54.880 --> 0:15:57.360 would expect to be a little bit better. So for 0:15:57.440 --> 0:15:59.520 him to go out there and continue to be affectional, 0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:02.040 continue work when he's not playing, and now producing when 0:16:02.080 --> 0:16:05.480 he is out there on the floor, it's encouraging. The 0:16:05.560 --> 0:16:07.480 biggest thing for him right now is showing that he 0:16:07.480 --> 0:16:11.520 can be reliable, dependable, and I think for him, he's 0:16:11.600 --> 0:16:13.280 one of the guys who has the most at stake 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:15.880 right now on this roster or the final three and 0:16:15.920 --> 0:16:18.320 a half to four weeks of the season. I feel 0:16:18.360 --> 0:16:20.440 like some other things are starting to fall into place. 0:16:20.720 --> 0:16:23.040 You can see who might be called upon and what 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:26.880 spots in the postseason. But it seems like there could 0:16:26.920 --> 0:16:29.080 be an opportunity for Tairis because he's got a skill 0:16:29.120 --> 0:16:32.560 set that amongst the other guys playing that position they 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:38.520 don't have. For the Sixers, no doubt, and he knows it, 0:16:38.600 --> 0:16:41.160 and he's not afraid of any matchup. And we said 0:16:41.200 --> 0:16:43.160 that from the beginning his first couple of games, it 0:16:43.200 --> 0:16:45.040 was clear that it didn't matter who the opponent was. 0:16:45.080 --> 0:16:48.200 He was ready to just go for it, drive through traffic, 0:16:48.400 --> 0:16:52.320 drive up against bigger guys. He's so unafraid. He's so 0:16:52.360 --> 0:16:54.720 willing to do whatever it takes, whatever the team needs, 0:16:54.720 --> 0:16:57.480 and his attitude is just excellent. It's been really cool 0:16:57.560 --> 0:17:00.160 to watch him grow a little bit and find his 0:17:00.200 --> 0:17:03.080 footing as the year has gone on. I'm not afraid 0:17:03.200 --> 0:17:07.040 he went right at Janis and made him up. Bobby 0:17:07.080 --> 0:17:09.320 Porters will be a Bobby Porters they get the block. 0:17:09.400 --> 0:17:12.560 He's not afraid. Again. He trusts what his skill set 0:17:12.680 --> 0:17:15.360 is and when he's able to get that that layoff 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:18.480 package going high off the glass, or the one where 0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:20.359 he has a little bit of spin on it to 0:17:21.119 --> 0:17:23.640 you know, to bank it off the glass and end 0:17:24.240 --> 0:17:26.840 that that stuff works out. Now guys would be much 0:17:26.880 --> 0:17:29.879 quicker and more physical in the postseason. But if he 0:17:29.920 --> 0:17:31.800 can get that step on him. He may have the 0:17:31.840 --> 0:17:34.439 advantage if he's able to put his body into theirs 0:17:34.520 --> 0:17:36.960 and draw the contact in the foul because we know 0:17:37.000 --> 0:17:40.600 how tight things get in the half court in the postseason. 0:17:41.040 --> 0:17:43.760 A guy who I know that we've all talked about separately, 0:17:43.960 --> 0:17:46.119 who seemed like he could have been a weapon in 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:49.320 breaking defenses down, just didn't happen last year because the 0:17:49.400 --> 0:17:51.760 series and the matchup didn't allow. But anything the type 0:17:51.760 --> 0:17:53.879 of presence someone like an Alec Burks could give you. 0:17:53.920 --> 0:17:56.159 And I'm not saying that Tyrease and Alec Burks are 0:17:56.160 --> 0:18:00.119 the same player, but there's no question that Tyrese in 0:18:00.160 --> 0:18:02.760 the half court can throw a defense off. He can 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:05.960 find a way to hit a hole, get to a basket, 0:18:06.080 --> 0:18:09.359 makes something happen. I'd like to see him shoot it 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:11.240 the way he did the game against the Box. He 0:18:11.280 --> 0:18:14.119 went two for four from three. He's now in double 0:18:14.160 --> 0:18:17.080 figures three straight games going to Saturday. That's his second 0:18:17.080 --> 0:18:21.720 longest double figure streak the season. He looks confident shooting 0:18:21.720 --> 0:18:24.000 that three two, which is cool. He was a little 0:18:24.040 --> 0:18:25.600 bit more reluctant to shoot him at the beginning of 0:18:25.600 --> 0:18:27.440 the season. Maybe he wasn't sure if that's what really 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:29.440 he was going to be relied upon for. But whether 0:18:29.560 --> 0:18:31.439 or not he's shooting them at a higher volume, to me, 0:18:31.480 --> 0:18:34.000 it looks like he's shooting them with a lot more confidence, 0:18:34.600 --> 0:18:37.240 understanding that when he has the shot, he can take 0:18:37.280 --> 0:18:38.640 the shot and he can make the shot, and that's 0:18:38.680 --> 0:18:40.480 going to be huge for this team, whether it's now 0:18:40.560 --> 0:18:42.240 in a couple of months or in a couple of years. 0:18:42.800 --> 0:18:45.880 And even with the catch and shoot not creating for himself, 0:18:45.920 --> 0:18:48.919 but if someone is driving to the basket, whether it 0:18:48.960 --> 0:18:52.440 be Hill or Milton Simmons, and kicking a ball out, 0:18:52.520 --> 0:18:55.680 catching and shoot, catch ready, shot up, The shot is 0:18:55.720 --> 0:18:58.320 not flat, looks like a good amount of arc on it, 0:18:58.520 --> 0:19:00.840 and it's starting to go in. So that happens, as 0:19:00.880 --> 0:19:04.760 you know, you start to just regain that confidence, and 0:19:04.800 --> 0:19:07.520 that's good to see from a young player. In addition 0:19:07.560 --> 0:19:10.679 to the reemergence of Tyres Maxie this past week, we 0:19:10.680 --> 0:19:12.920 also saw the first emergence at least is seventy six 0:19:13.000 --> 0:19:16.159 er of George Hill. Great subplot. I liked it. I 0:19:16.240 --> 0:19:18.520 liked what I saw. Obviously, he seems to be knocking 0:19:18.560 --> 0:19:21.240 off more and more rust physically with each passing game. 0:19:21.280 --> 0:19:24.760 After missing more than about two months. But it looked 0:19:24.760 --> 0:19:27.040 really good in the game against the Suns on Wednesday 0:19:27.080 --> 0:19:30.560 night in the front of the back back. Yeah, no doubt. 0:19:30.600 --> 0:19:33.920 I thought the quickness with which he got ready to 0:19:33.960 --> 0:19:36.480 perform as well as he did against Phoenix on Wednesday 0:19:36.520 --> 0:19:39.560 was really impressive that night. Of course, two for two 0:19:39.600 --> 0:19:42.399 from three, ended up with eleven points and two assists. 0:19:42.440 --> 0:19:44.720 But he looked really comfortable for a guy that had 0:19:44.720 --> 0:19:47.800 taken he calls it three months off, somewhere between two 0:19:47.800 --> 0:19:50.480 and three months off, and he looked very comfortable. It 0:19:50.600 --> 0:19:52.680