WEBVTT - Friday Deep Dive | What (if anything) Did We Learn From the Brooklyn Game? 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.640 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:08.880 search seventy Sixers podcast wherever you get your pods. The 0:00:08.960 --> 0:00:12.480 build up was big, the hype understandably huge, but the 0:00:12.520 --> 0:00:15.280 seventy Sixers matchup with the Brooklyn Nets took a little 0:00:15.280 --> 0:00:17.560 bit of a left turn. It didn't have as much 0:00:17.600 --> 0:00:20.720 star power as we expected or hoped, but in the 0:00:20.840 --> 0:00:25.520 end didn't really matter. Say Brooklyn and take over first place. 0:00:25.840 --> 0:00:28.560 We've raked down the Brooklyn game and what the outcome 0:00:28.680 --> 0:00:33.360 means for the long term. I'm Lauren Rosen, I'm Devon Gibbons, 0:00:33.560 --> 0:00:36.360 and I'm Brian Seltzer. Plus we look ahead to some 0:00:36.440 --> 0:00:38.919 other important games in the next week here on the 0:00:38.960 --> 0:00:45.360 Friday Deep Dive. The seventy Sixers and Brooklyn Nets did 0:00:45.400 --> 0:00:49.559 indeed play game at the Center on Wednesday three one 0:00:49.760 --> 0:00:52.360 seventeen victory for the seventy Sixers over the Nets, A 0:00:52.440 --> 0:00:55.360 big one at that not quite the same way we 0:00:55.480 --> 0:00:58.800 envisioned this matchup playing out. Guys, what was your reaction 0:00:58.800 --> 0:01:01.840 when you found out the circumstances they were going to 0:01:01.880 --> 0:01:05.200 be surrounding the Brooklyn Nets heading into the game on Wednesday? 0:01:05.280 --> 0:01:08.440 How did you receive that news? My reaction was simple. 0:01:08.480 --> 0:01:11.080 It was let's go win this game. I mean, the 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:15.200 win got easier to achieve. Of course for a spectacle, 0:01:15.319 --> 0:01:18.720 and as a fan, I would have loved to see everybody, 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:20.440 but I have a feeling there will be more opportunities 0:01:20.480 --> 0:01:23.440 to see everybody. To me, my knee jerk reaction, and 0:01:23.440 --> 0:01:25.720 I'm sure that's not the takiest, most fun answer for 0:01:25.760 --> 0:01:28.319 a podcast, but was let's go win this game. It's 0:01:28.360 --> 0:01:31.240 a hard game that got a lot easier. Let's do it, 0:01:31.520 --> 0:01:34.520 and they were able to do it despite some struggles 0:01:34.520 --> 0:01:39.679 there at the end. I agree. The sentiment for me was, Okay, 0:01:40.680 --> 0:01:43.000 go get this w The number one seed is on 0:01:43.040 --> 0:01:47.640 the line. Every win counts. With as of Wednesday nights game, 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:51.360 eighteen games remaining and you two teams tied right now 0:01:51.440 --> 0:01:54.360 for the top spot in the East, every win counts. 0:01:54.600 --> 0:01:57.440 And not only was it just that every win counts, 0:01:57.440 --> 0:02:01.640 this is also the season series breaker. So make sure 0:02:01.640 --> 0:02:03.520 you go out there and handle your business. If they 0:02:03.560 --> 0:02:06.760 want to do that, that's their prerogative, that you go 0:02:06.880 --> 0:02:09.919 handle your business and we'll figure it out later on 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:12.720 and just let's just go out there and place in basketball. 0:02:12.720 --> 0:02:15.120 So that's why I was of course, I think, like 0:02:15.160 --> 0:02:17.239 a lot of people, was disappointed. I would have loved 0:02:17.240 --> 0:02:19.880 to have seen at least two of Brooklyn's Big three 0:02:19.919 --> 0:02:22.080 out there, just to get a sense of how the 0:02:22.120 --> 0:02:25.080 seventy sixers might scheme it up. But then after that 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:28.119 initial disappointment wore off, I started thinking a little bit more. 0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:32.600 I was like, a great Brooklyn's conceding this, seventy sixers, 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:34.919 we know you have a great home court advantage, might 0:02:35.000 --> 0:02:36.760 even be more fans in the building by the time 0:02:36.800 --> 0:02:40.959 the postseason rolls around, in particular an Eastern Conference finals matchup. 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:44.600 We're in all likelihood these two teams would meet up again. Fine, 0:02:44.919 --> 0:02:47.800 go out and get it. And then I was also like, 0:02:48.520 --> 0:02:50.960 Brooklyn still has kind of a decent life. They still 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:52.800 had a decent team that they were able to roll 0:02:52.840 --> 0:02:53.880 out there. It wasn't like it was going to be 0:02:53.880 --> 0:02:56.440 a walk in a park type situation. So I thought 0:02:56.480 --> 0:02:58.400 it was still a good test for the Sixers. I 0:02:58.400 --> 0:03:00.640 thought it was still a good tests, not the we 0:03:00.720 --> 0:03:02.959 all hope for. And I was like, fine, if you 0:03:03.000 --> 0:03:06.880 want to concede seventy six ers, make him feel the pain, 0:03:07.000 --> 0:03:09.680 make him regret it. Well. Kyrie Irving was still going 0:03:09.680 --> 0:03:11.200 to play. So if he was going to play, you're 0:03:11.200 --> 0:03:14.240 still talking about an All NBA All Star level player 0:03:14.320 --> 0:03:16.440 where you have to account for him. And not only 0:03:16.480 --> 0:03:19.679 that was the challenge defensively to stopping him and not 0:03:19.919 --> 0:03:21.639 letting him go off the way that we know he's 0:03:21.680 --> 0:03:24.440 capable of doing it. And DeAndre Jordan seeing the matchup 0:03:24.480 --> 0:03:26.560 with Joel Embiid once we realize that he was going 0:03:26.600 --> 0:03:30.440 to be available. I'm a Joe Harris, you know, fan 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:33.240 from Afar where I enjoy his shooting, the way that 0:03:33.280 --> 0:03:36.480 he plays the game. So with that, as you said, 0:03:36.480 --> 0:03:41.040 so there were many there were more than enough weapons 0:03:41.120 --> 0:03:43.280 on that side for you to be worried about in 0:03:43.400 --> 0:03:46.040 respect the way that they play, where you have to 0:03:46.080 --> 0:03:47.520 go out there and make sure you lace up your 0:03:47.520 --> 0:03:49.480 sneakers and go play that game in order to get 0:03:49.520 --> 0:03:51.320 to w So I agree with you. I do think 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:53.560 what you said d was one of the initial takeaways. 0:03:53.960 --> 0:03:58.080 Obviously a right Kyrie Irving's still playing at extremely, very 0:03:58.160 --> 0:04:00.720 high of the level, and then he minded everyone of 0:04:00.760 --> 0:04:04.080 that in the first quarter. He came out and he 0:04:04.200 --> 0:04:06.880 was pulling out all the tricks are being shaken. Bake 0:04:06.920 --> 0:04:11.760 against Bible. Any fans at all is so sweet. That's ridiculous, 0:04:11.960 --> 0:04:15.280 Like Bible is elite on the defensive end, and he 0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:17.600 just left him with his wig and right away you 0:04:17.640 --> 0:04:21.200 reminded just how talented he is. So I thought that 0:04:21.320 --> 0:04:24.239 whether it was a test for Ben Simmons or someone 0:04:24.279 --> 0:04:28.440 like Matisse Thible, good to have the opportunity to see Kyrie, 0:04:28.480 --> 0:04:30.040 who I think when he's been out there's been playing 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:32.200 at a really high level this season. Yeah, and the 0:04:32.279 --> 0:04:35.679 Sixers hadn't seen Kyrie yet this season, so if nothing else, 0:04:35.800 --> 0:04:38.440 a good opportunity to see him once try to learn 0:04:38.480 --> 0:04:40.840 his tendencies, especially if you're someone like Matise who does 0:04:40.880 --> 0:04:43.960 not have that experience figuring out one of the best 0:04:43.960 --> 0:04:46.280 offensive players in the game. Really good to just get 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:48.640 those first few reps under your belt because the butterflies 0:04:48.680 --> 0:04:53.320 will be there in the playoffs for anybody, and nice 0:04:53.360 --> 0:04:55.600 to at least have some hands on experience with someone 0:04:55.600 --> 0:04:57.919 that you could see down the road before we go 0:04:57.960 --> 0:05:01.080 any further. Before the game, Steve Nash was asked how 0:05:01.120 --> 0:05:03.240 he I think the way the question was phrased, And 0:05:03.279 --> 0:05:05.160 I know, Lauren, you were on the zoom availability, so 0:05:05.279 --> 0:05:07.920 you can remind me. Steve Nash was asked, how do 0:05:07.960 --> 0:05:12.760 you weigh short term April fifteenth verse longer term May fifteenth, 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:15.400 the reporter implying that, hey, there's a game to potentially 0:05:15.440 --> 0:05:18.479 win right now for currently first place and a tiebreaker 0:05:18.520 --> 0:05:20.880 in the Eastern Conference, or do you just try and 0:05:21.080 --> 0:05:23.200 make sure that your roster's healthy and ready to go 0:05:23.279 --> 0:05:26.839 by the time the postseason rolls around. And Steve Nash's 0:05:26.880 --> 0:05:29.680 response was, We're not trying to be cute. I'm honestly, 0:05:29.720 --> 0:05:31.839 we didn't think about it that deeply at all. Like 0:05:32.200 --> 0:05:33.640 you know, I think when you start to really try 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:36.080 to be cute, you know and backfires most of the time. 0:05:36.120 --> 0:05:38.719 So for us, it was just, you know, it wasn't 0:05:38.760 --> 0:05:41.640 a strategic it was this is what this is the 0:05:41.720 --> 0:05:45.599 availability we have. That's simply what happened is that, like, 0:05:45.800 --> 0:05:47.640 let's not get cute and try to figure this out. 0:05:47.680 --> 0:05:49.200 Let's win the game in front of us, because as 0:05:49.200 --> 0:05:52.040 the season has shown, who knows what's going to happen tomorrow. Essentially, 0:05:52.040 --> 0:05:54.480 he was saying, don't read into this. There's nothing going 0:05:54.560 --> 0:05:58.280 on here, there's no gamesmanship, nothing to read into here. 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:03.200 Not buying it. I'm not buying it, and I'm not 0:06:03.240 --> 0:06:06.719 buying the gamesmanship and all they went with it, because look, 0:06:07.240 --> 0:06:10.400 you know, with everything that happened in Minneapolis earlier in 0:06:10.440 --> 0:06:12.800 the week, you know, it was sad the year that, 0:06:13.120 --> 0:06:16.560 you know, all over again. And unfortunately with that, they 0:06:16.560 --> 0:06:18.599 had a day off and they were moved to the 0:06:18.600 --> 0:06:21.200 next day, which was Tuesday, to play the game. They 0:06:21.200 --> 0:06:23.160 had a decision to make where you decided to, say, 0:06:23.240 --> 0:06:26.240 Kevin Durant against the Minnesota Timberwolves, or you can have 0:06:26.360 --> 0:06:29.120 them come and play that game against the seventy sixers, 0:06:29.120 --> 0:06:32.360 which was a prime time game, a more important game 0:06:32.480 --> 0:06:34.680 in terms of the seeing that we mentioned at the top, 0:06:35.160 --> 0:06:38.240 and that's where they could have gone. But I think 0:06:38.320 --> 0:06:41.200 to your point again, Celts, a little it was they 0:06:41.200 --> 0:06:44.159 were digging a little deeper with that that gamesmanship there 0:06:44.240 --> 0:06:48.400 where well, hey, we've we as individuals, not yet as 0:06:48.400 --> 0:06:53.040 a team, have gotten to you know, the mountaintop and 0:06:53.279 --> 0:06:56.719 gotten to the Eastern Conference party, the Eastern the Western 0:06:56.720 --> 0:06:59.880 Conference finals, whether we're talking about Harden, Irving and Durant, 0:07:00.560 --> 0:07:04.960 and we've gotten there, with all due respect, you have 0:07:05.080 --> 0:07:07.360 not just yet. So while this is a really good 0:07:07.400 --> 0:07:10.640 story and we respect you, we respect you just enough 0:07:10.720 --> 0:07:14.520 that we will if we have to concede a little bit, 0:07:14.560 --> 0:07:18.360 and that gamesmanship that they would decide that at the 0:07:18.440 --> 0:07:21.960 end of the day, they're not worried later on once 0:07:21.960 --> 0:07:25.560 we meet in the postseason. So I'm not buying what 0:07:25.760 --> 0:07:28.680 Steve Nash was selling on that book. I think Steve 0:07:28.760 --> 0:07:30.800 Nash is a good guy. I'm willing to believe what 0:07:30.800 --> 0:07:32.720 he had to say as soon as he said it. 0:07:32.760 --> 0:07:34.160 For me, it was one of those moments of like, 0:07:34.360 --> 0:07:35.840 does he have another option? Like what was he going 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:37.520 to say? Yeah, we are being cute, look at us, go, 0:07:37.680 --> 0:07:41.040 we're so smart and strategic, Like he only had one 0:07:41.080 --> 0:07:42.840 option of what to say, and he said, this is 0:07:42.880 --> 0:07:45.680 how the chips fell, and we're going to play with them. 0:07:45.840 --> 0:07:48.960 And I respect the way that he handled it, but yeah, 0:07:48.960 --> 0:07:50.600 I was with you guys immediately when I heard it. 0:07:50.640 --> 0:07:53.480 I was sort of like, I don't know, but but 0:07:53.600 --> 0:07:55.400 you know that that was the only way for him 0:07:55.440 --> 0:07:59.200 to answer the question, and who knows, maybe maybe it 0:07:59.200 --> 0:08:02.760 could come back to buy them down the road. It 0:08:02.840 --> 0:08:04.920 definitely was the only thing that he could say in 0:08:04.920 --> 0:08:07.440 that situation. But right I think there's something too what 0:08:07.520 --> 0:08:10.120 you pointed out, Divine, that there's an NBA champion on 0:08:10.160 --> 0:08:12.480 the roster and Kyrie Irving there's a champion on the roster, 0:08:12.600 --> 0:08:16.560 and Kevin Durant James Harden has been close. I think 0:08:16.560 --> 0:08:18.840 it plays into their psyche. The psyche they want to 0:08:18.880 --> 0:08:20.680 have is like, you know, what's six ers. If you 0:08:20.680 --> 0:08:23.520 want to talk all season long about wanting to win 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:27.760 the Eastern Conference, fine, go ahead do that. That's nice. 0:08:28.200 --> 0:08:30.400 Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, you've gotten as far as the 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:32.599 second round. Okay, If you want to strive for the 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:35.880 top of the conference, great, But we talking about those 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:38.959 three players, particularly two of them in Irving and Durant, 0:08:39.040 --> 0:08:42.280 know what it's like to really be at the summit, 0:08:42.520 --> 0:08:45.680 the ultimate and I think that even how the game 0:08:45.720 --> 0:08:47.920 played out, and we're going to get into some more specifics, 0:08:47.920 --> 0:08:50.240 but how the game played out with their reserves, talking 0:08:50.240 --> 0:08:52.880 about Brooklyn making a run at the end, and seeing 0:08:53.720 --> 0:08:58.440 some of the gesticulating and mannerisms and demeanorisms on the 0:08:58.480 --> 0:09:03.800 sideline of the bench with Durants and Blake Griffin. That 0:09:03.960 --> 0:09:06.800 was kind of playing up to like where the older 0:09:06.840 --> 0:09:10.360 heads here. You know, this is just fun. Look at 0:09:10.360 --> 0:09:13.520 our younger guys making a game out of exactly exactly 0:09:13.679 --> 0:09:16.920 and that's exactly how I took it again. You you said, hey, 0:09:16.960 --> 0:09:19.000 we're not being cute here, Steve and Nash is saying it, 0:09:19.040 --> 0:09:21.960 but again coming from them, it was more, you guys 0:09:21.960 --> 0:09:24.120 are cute, and we respect you. We respect you as 0:09:24.120 --> 0:09:27.280 all stars. We see we enjoy that time together. But 0:09:27.400 --> 0:09:31.200 when we see you later on, you know, okay, okay, 0:09:31.320 --> 0:09:33.680 And but that look that goes with that. As you 0:09:33.720 --> 0:09:36.040 said so to Laura, it's the games, and it's the 0:09:36.040 --> 0:09:39.160 game within the game, and that's all right, because at 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:41.320 the end of the day, how do you respond to that? 0:09:41.400 --> 0:09:44.400 So when you're a young team like Philadelphia is as 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:46.840 far as playoff experience, get into the second round, but 0:09:47.000 --> 0:09:50.319 wanting to eventually get to that Eastern Conference Finals and 0:09:50.320 --> 0:09:53.120 then even further, these are the types of hurdles that 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:55.120 you're going to have to overcome. And while Brooklyn is 0:09:55.160 --> 0:09:58.520 just coming together, and this might be the team, Milwaukee, Miami, 0:09:58.559 --> 0:10:02.240 whoever it may be. You you have your checkpoints that 0:10:02.360 --> 0:10:04.480 you have to cross off before you get to where 0:10:04.520 --> 0:10:06.040 you want to go. And maybe that is going to 0:10:06.080 --> 0:10:09.120 be the Brooklyn Nets and not the Boston Celtics or 0:10:09.559 --> 0:10:12.800 any other team. But I like it. I like the 0:10:13.000 --> 0:10:17.640 theater that now comes with this if if this is 0:10:17.679 --> 0:10:20.160 how it's looked at within the Sixers locker room, because 0:10:20.200 --> 0:10:22.000 it sets up a great part of the narrative. And 0:10:22.120 --> 0:10:24.599 if you're looking at this from a fan perspective, do 0:10:24.760 --> 0:10:26.599 maybe some of the antics of Brooklyn and how this 0:10:26.720 --> 0:10:29.640 all played out doesn't grind your gears a little bit? 0:10:29.920 --> 0:10:33.040 Of course, But that's what this is all about. It 0:10:33.200 --> 0:10:38.959 helps make a rivalry that hasn't really existed only in 0:10:39.080 --> 0:10:41.079 kind of theory. For everyone saying, well, this is where 0:10:41.080 --> 0:10:42.360 the six are gonna end up, and this is where 0:10:42.360 --> 0:10:44.160 the Nets are gonna end up, it adds something to 0:10:44.280 --> 0:10:46.400 it without some of those guys even playing in a game. 0:10:46.880 --> 0:10:49.559 So I think it just helps add another layer to 0:10:49.679 --> 0:10:52.880 a narrative that I think everyone's hopeful we get to 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:56.120 see a couple more chapters of before the end of 0:10:56.160 --> 0:10:58.360 this summer, Lauren, I can I can tell you that 0:10:58.640 --> 0:11:01.480 real fast, based on the phone calls already that I've 0:11:01.520 --> 0:11:05.959 taken the Sixer fans Number one do not like the 0:11:06.040 --> 0:11:08.880 Brooklyn Nets. And number two, just to give the other example, 0:11:09.080 --> 0:11:12.320 the Milwaukee Bucks when Jannis hit the shot and sat 0:11:12.400 --> 0:11:15.319 down at mid court. All right, there you go. So 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:18.760 that's exactly what we're talking about here. That's exactly what 0:11:18.880 --> 0:11:20.839 I was going to say. There's already a good deal, 0:11:20.960 --> 0:11:23.400 there's already a good deal of spice built up, and 0:11:23.520 --> 0:11:26.160 the playoffs are still a month away, and I love it. 0:11:26.400 --> 0:11:30.640 I also love that in this situation, the Sixers, despite 0:11:30.800 --> 0:11:32.800 leaving the East and now winning the season series with 0:11:32.840 --> 0:11:35.400 the Nets, are being considered the underdog among the two teams. 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:39.240 Is that fair? Maybe I would rather be the underdog though, 0:11:39.360 --> 0:11:41.719 than be the team that could end up disappointing. And 0:11:41.840 --> 0:11:45.000 I think that the guys on this Sixers team will 0:11:45.120 --> 0:11:49.640 thrive in an underdog situation because they've noticed what people 0:11:49.679 --> 0:11:53.079 are saying about them, They've noticed how people come to 0:11:53.200 --> 0:11:56.240 play against them. This is a group that's looking forward 0:11:56.320 --> 0:11:59.679 to seeing this team again. They're probably looking forward to 0:11:59.720 --> 0:12:02.439 see Yannis again. The odds that you see both of 0:12:02.480 --> 0:12:06.120 them again unclear, but would be cool to see either 0:12:06.160 --> 0:12:09.280 of those matchups once again. Of course, visiting the Bucks 0:12:09.400 --> 0:12:11.840 later on this month, so they'll get their opportunity there. 0:12:12.120 --> 0:12:15.960 But after that game, Dwight Howard was super spicy this game. 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:18.880 You could tell there was some spice on both sides. 0:12:19.360 --> 0:12:23.600 I really am looking forward to seeing how these playoffs 0:12:23.760 --> 0:12:25.679 shape up. I've heard a lot of people around the 0:12:25.800 --> 0:12:30.400 league complain about this season being of course too condensed, 0:12:30.520 --> 0:12:33.559 but maybe a little boring, a little predictable, or just 0:12:33.840 --> 0:12:36.240 like not a great NBA season. I don't know what 0:12:36.320 --> 0:12:39.360 they're talking about. As a Sixers person, having covered this 0:12:39.640 --> 0:12:41.880 team all year, I think this has been a great 0:12:41.920 --> 0:12:44.000 season and I'm only looking forward to what's to come. 0:12:44.679 --> 0:12:46.760 I am at a surprise some people out there. I'm 0:12:46.760 --> 0:12:50.720 not a politician, some may argue otherwise, I'm not an epidemiologist. 0:12:51.240 --> 0:12:53.559 I'm a human person. I'm all for fans in the 0:12:53.600 --> 0:12:56.640 building as long as it's done right. I think that's great. 0:12:57.400 --> 0:12:59.840 I'm totally on board with anyone and everyone making their 0:12:59.840 --> 0:13:01.880 own decision whether or not they feel comfortable being in there. 0:13:02.360 --> 0:13:05.520 I did love hearing some of the chants from the crowd, 0:13:05.600 --> 0:13:08.720 whether it was the MVP cheers for Joel Embiid, because 0:13:08.800 --> 0:13:11.079 that's not being piped in, you can tell that was 0:13:11.160 --> 0:13:14.600 real and it was fantastic. The chance directed at KD 0:13:14.800 --> 0:13:17.800 down the stretch of the game, adding flavor that has 0:13:17.800 --> 0:13:21.760 been lacking for like a year at Live Sporting events, Doris, 0:13:21.840 --> 0:13:24.360 this is the most fans in a building that I've 0:13:24.440 --> 0:13:26.720 filled a game you show. This is so much sucking 0:13:27.240 --> 0:13:30.280 of one of the best in all of post sports. 0:13:30.880 --> 0:13:33.120 But it's just so nice to feel miss buzz as 0:13:33.160 --> 0:13:37.800 Embead knocks down that shot. It was endearing. I liked 0:13:37.840 --> 0:13:39.400 hearing it, and I hope we get a chance to 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:44.920 do it all over again in July, all over again 0:13:45.200 --> 0:13:48.480 and louder I think, bit by bit, I like hearing 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:50.640 it as long as it's all being done right and 0:13:50.760 --> 0:13:53.960 everyone's doing it the right way. Yeah, just shout through 0:13:54.000 --> 0:13:56.040 your masks. You don't need to take your mask down. 0:13:56.200 --> 0:13:58.880 Just shout through your masks. I gotta be honest. I 0:13:59.000 --> 0:14:02.400 did like Kevin dury Its reaction though, because that did 0:14:02.480 --> 0:14:05.920 the chant like make any sense? No, it didn't, and 0:14:06.559 --> 0:14:08.400 his reaction of just like what is going on here? 0:14:08.520 --> 0:14:11.760 Like it was funny to me. So I appreciated Kevin 0:14:12.000 --> 0:14:14.400 for sort of just taking it in stride and and 0:14:14.920 --> 0:14:17.160 not getting too fired up about it or making it 0:14:17.480 --> 0:14:19.320 too much of a big deal. I thought it was 0:14:19.400 --> 0:14:23.520 an overall very bizarre but somewhat charming interaction between Kevin 0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:26.080 Duran and the sixerspiance. He's like, what did I do? 0:14:27.480 --> 0:14:30.240 He was just like y'all know I'm not playing. Yeah, yeah, 0:14:30.360 --> 0:14:34.000 And also they're a little bored at that point. Maybe 0:14:34.520 --> 0:14:36.480 maybe I don't know. It took me a while because 0:14:36.520 --> 0:14:38.720 it was in the in the cadence of ref you suck, 0:14:38.840 --> 0:14:42.040 which you do here frequently, and so I thought that 0:14:42.240 --> 0:14:45.440 it was just like sort of like maybe muffled voices 0:14:45.480 --> 0:14:47.000 saying ref you suck. And then by the time I 0:14:47.080 --> 0:14:50.640 figured it out, I also was confused. So anyway, whatever, 0:14:50.840 --> 0:14:52.840 I was happy to have the energy in there. Clearly 0:14:53.240 --> 0:14:55.960 Joel and company were happy to have the energy in there, 0:14:56.160 --> 0:14:59.200 and if it gets a little weird, I'm all for it, right. 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:02.080 I think this is the great thing about this potential 0:15:02.160 --> 0:15:04.360 matchup should have happen again between the Sixers and the Nets. 0:15:04.800 --> 0:15:06.880 We've gone about ten fifteen minutes so far, and we 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:09.760 really haven't discussed much of the game. There's so much 0:15:10.560 --> 0:15:15.360 compelling material and so many compelling aspects about this that 0:15:15.560 --> 0:15:17.360 I just hope that they do get to see each 0:15:17.400 --> 0:15:20.480 other at full strength at some point down the road. 0:15:21.920 --> 0:15:24.240 As we dive back into the game, we talked a 0:15:24.280 --> 0:15:26.800 little bit about Kyrie Irving making his stamp in the 0:15:26.880 --> 0:15:29.800 first quarter went off early for the Sixers, they're two 0:15:29.840 --> 0:15:32.520 all stars got off to a really good start, Ben 0:15:32.680 --> 0:15:35.600 Simmons Joel Embiad combining for nineteen points out of the 0:15:35.680 --> 0:15:39.080 Sixers thirty two in the first quarter, and I thought 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:40.400 that was great to see. I thought there was some 0:15:40.520 --> 0:15:43.440 good star power on display. And I feel like it's 0:15:43.480 --> 0:15:46.280 something that Doris Burke when she has Sixers games, She's always, 0:15:46.320 --> 0:15:48.680 I think, very consistent in talking about this, and I 0:15:48.760 --> 0:15:50.640 feel it's got to be right in line with the 0:15:50.800 --> 0:15:54.000 divine Givens school of thought about the seventy sixers. Doesn't 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:57.160 matter if Ben's scoring. As long as Ben is aggressiving, 0:15:58.200 --> 0:16:00.480 we're in a good place. She always talk about it. 0:16:00.920 --> 0:16:03.680 They were talking about it again last night and they're right. Yeah. 0:16:04.040 --> 0:16:07.080 Once they mentioned it and they talked about it, you know, 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:10.160 immediately I go to mine. You know what, I always say, 0:16:10.160 --> 0:16:12.360 aggressive Ben Simmons is the best Ben Simmons, but it 0:16:12.440 --> 0:16:15.160 doesn't always have to result in his bucket. It can 0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:17.800 result in him doing what he also does very well, 0:16:18.080 --> 0:16:20.800 putting that pressure in the defense and assisting on the 0:16:21.200 --> 0:16:23.400 may baskets that they do get. And we saw that 0:16:23.560 --> 0:16:26.960 early on. Now later on again we wish we would 0:16:27.000 --> 0:16:29.400 have saw it. I speak for myself, which I would 0:16:29.400 --> 0:16:32.320 have saw it a little bit more. And once they 0:16:32.360 --> 0:16:33.880 were going out of the game, and look, I understand 0:16:33.920 --> 0:16:35.640 that the game was a little bit lot decided at 0:16:35.680 --> 0:16:38.400 that point, but it kind of tailed off a bit. 0:16:38.480 --> 0:16:41.880 But when he is aggressively attacking the basket the way 0:16:41.960 --> 0:16:45.880 that he does, then I think that as great as 0:16:45.960 --> 0:16:49.600 Joel Embiad is as an MVP candidate, when he is attacking, 0:16:49.720 --> 0:16:53.280 he makes them complete on the offensive end with how 0:16:53.360 --> 0:16:55.920 he goes. We know about the shooting, we know he's 0:16:56.120 --> 0:16:58.760 very selective of when he wants to take his outside shots, 0:16:58.800 --> 0:17:02.119 his fadeaway shots and what have you. But the mindset 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:05.240 and we saw it, and if he can continue to 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:09.240 do that again now with seventeen games remaining, the next 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:11.640 game tonight and I'm sure we'll get to the Clippers game, 0:17:11.680 --> 0:17:15.640 but he just continue to do that and they are 0:17:15.920 --> 0:17:19.320 at their absolute best with him doing that. Because if 0:17:19.359 --> 0:17:21.880 your shooters are struggling, what do you do best? Of course, 0:17:21.960 --> 0:17:26.240 your best players get opportunities for others, and your shooters 0:17:26.359 --> 0:17:28.159 are some of those others that are very good at 0:17:28.200 --> 0:17:30.439 what they do. You put the ball in their shooting 0:17:30.480 --> 0:17:32.840 pocket right where they need it, and they knock those 0:17:32.840 --> 0:17:36.040 shots down and everyone confidence rises. And that's the thing, Lauren. 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:38.080 With the way the seventy Sixers were hitting threes in 0:17:38.200 --> 0:17:41.159 that first half, they were seven for twelve from deep Sixers, 0:17:41.240 --> 0:17:43.359 get it the Milt these wide open for three and 0:17:43.440 --> 0:17:48.080 it's good. The Sixers now with seven threes as shake Bilt, 0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:52.000 wide open and drill. I don't know how you stop 0:17:52.119 --> 0:17:54.679 them guys. When they're clicking like that offensively and they 0:17:54.760 --> 0:17:57.600 play the defense that they played, I think that they are, 0:17:58.600 --> 0:18:01.280 at least in the Eastern Conference, about as unbeatable as 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:04.119 any team when they're making their shots and Ben and 0:18:04.240 --> 0:18:06.120 Joe are doing what they're supposed to be doing. Yeah, 0:18:06.119 --> 0:18:09.480 they finished forty six point four percent from three on 0:18:09.600 --> 0:18:11.840 the night, which is great, especially when you hold your 0:18:11.880 --> 0:18:15.560 opponent to nineteen percent. Brooklyn was just four of twenty one. 0:18:15.640 --> 0:18:17.960 So even though it seemed like at times the Sixers 0:18:18.000 --> 0:18:19.960 were getting a little bit carved up, a lot of 0:18:20.160 --> 0:18:22.320 folks that spoke last night said that their defense wasn't 0:18:22.320 --> 0:18:24.480 where they really wanted it to be. Last night, the 0:18:24.600 --> 0:18:27.360 perimeter defense was on lock. The Sixers did a good 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:30.000 job of hitting shots despite the fact that their two 0:18:30.080 --> 0:18:32.800 highest volume three point shooters in Danny Green and Seth 0:18:32.880 --> 0:18:35.960 Curry actually didn't have big offensive nights, so cool to 0:18:36.040 --> 0:18:39.080 see other guys get involved, see shots go down. I 0:18:39.200 --> 0:18:41.919 completely agree with you. When the Sixers are hitting threes, 0:18:42.280 --> 0:18:45.280 they're almost impossible to beat, right, and we also know 0:18:45.400 --> 0:18:48.760 that they're impossible to be just about when Joel Embide 0:18:48.800 --> 0:18:51.680 gets into the type of groove that he ultimately ended 0:18:51.760 --> 0:18:55.720 up getting in. And to start the game, DeAndre Jordan 0:18:56.400 --> 0:18:59.960 was able to bother him a little bit. Joel shot 0:19:00.160 --> 0:19:02.840 wasn't falling right off the bat, But I feel like 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:05.720 this is I mean, he's Joel's shown this time and 0:19:05.800 --> 0:19:08.080 time again this season. You can really only keep him 0:19:08.080 --> 0:19:10.080 down for so long. He is now at the point 0:19:10.200 --> 0:19:12.560 with what he has in his tool set this year 0:19:13.160 --> 0:19:16.480 where he's going to get you at some point. Yeah, 0:19:16.640 --> 0:19:19.960 last week on our show here we talked about is 0:19:20.000 --> 0:19:21.840 he back yet? And Lauren and I both felt like 0:19:22.200 --> 0:19:24.840 based on what he was saying again against Boston and 0:19:24.960 --> 0:19:28.000 he was back, and we agreed. And when you pointed 0:19:28.000 --> 0:19:29.600 out you were the only one that went the other way, 0:19:29.720 --> 0:19:31.880 and you were also right with that because we really 0:19:31.920 --> 0:19:36.000 didn't see the Joel n B. Now we go back 0:19:36.080 --> 0:19:40.480 to Monday against Dallas where he goes off with thirty 0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:46.200 six and twenty six, and against the Nets he does 0:19:46.240 --> 0:19:49.960 it again with thirty nine in what less than thirty 0:19:50.000 --> 0:19:53.080 minutes again against the Brooklyn Nets before he had to 0:19:53.119 --> 0:19:55.120 come back into the game too well, shoots along too, 0:19:55.200 --> 0:19:56.880 just inside the top of the key, and that's good. 0:19:57.080 --> 0:19:59.920 So he's finding the rhythm and getting the touch back. Yeah, 0:20:00.080 --> 0:20:01.800 when he when he is on a roll like we 0:20:01.920 --> 0:20:04.080