WEBVTT - The BroadCast | Who Steps Up? 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.640 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers Podcast Network 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:08.399 search seventy Sixers podcast wherever you get your pods. It's 0:00:08.440 --> 0:00:11.400 been a tricky balance for the seventy Sixers managing injuries 0:00:11.400 --> 0:00:14.200 while getting ready for the playoffs. But with the seating 0:00:14.240 --> 0:00:17.720 schedule winding down, there have been some promising signs. Josh 0:00:17.800 --> 0:00:20.600 Richardson will step back fifty quarter, hier Archer, it's up 0:00:20.640 --> 0:00:22.599 and good head. The Sixers have their first lead of 0:00:22.600 --> 0:00:27.400 the night. Herford's for three. Yes, Oh Horford coming off 0:00:27.520 --> 0:00:30.760 lard With Ben Simmons and Joel embad out, other guys 0:00:30.840 --> 0:00:33.400 have been forced to step up. We'll talk about who 0:00:33.479 --> 0:00:36.000 needs to do what in order for the Sixers to 0:00:36.000 --> 0:00:38.480 make a push in the postseason. I feel like it's 0:00:38.479 --> 0:00:41.600 an opportunity to galvanize the team and look at the 0:00:41.640 --> 0:00:46.440 team respond I got great confidences. I'm Lauren Rogan, I'm 0:00:46.479 --> 0:00:49.560 Divine Givens, I'm Brian Seltzer and this is the broadcast 0:00:49.760 --> 0:00:57.640 from the seventy Sixers Podcast Network. We're back. You know, 0:00:57.640 --> 0:01:00.200 the NBA took it's hiatus, not that it wanted too. 0:01:00.960 --> 0:01:03.680 For four months. We felt at some point the three 0:01:03.680 --> 0:01:06.320 of us were entitled to a mini hiatus. We took 0:01:06.360 --> 0:01:09.480 one last week, but we are back raring to go. 0:01:10.120 --> 0:01:12.800 Seeding game schedule for the seventy six ers winding down. 0:01:12.800 --> 0:01:16.039 The playoffs are going to start next week. Lauren Devon, 0:01:16.120 --> 0:01:18.920 Great to be with you again. Tell meselfing new about yourself. 0:01:19.000 --> 0:01:23.000 What's different since the last time we spoke fourteen days ago? Well, 0:01:23.040 --> 0:01:26.199 so this is my first remote recording of the podcast. 0:01:26.600 --> 0:01:29.480 Oh tell us more. Took a little trip down to 0:01:29.520 --> 0:01:32.959 my old stomping grounds in Durham, North Carolina, having some 0:01:33.080 --> 0:01:36.679 family time, got to walk around, have some fresh air. 0:01:36.720 --> 0:01:39.160 I love Philly. I love Philly, but it is nice 0:01:39.200 --> 0:01:41.200 to be somewhere a little bit more spread out. It 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:44.040 was my first time leaving Philadelphia since the hiatus began. 0:01:44.400 --> 0:01:47.760 Now stomping grounds, your true stomping grounds are not Durham, 0:01:47.800 --> 0:01:51.760 North Carolina, of course true. I am from Houston, Texas, 0:01:51.800 --> 0:01:53.640 but I went to college here in Durham, and it's 0:01:53.720 --> 0:01:56.840 nice to just be back somewhere a little warmer, with 0:01:57.000 --> 0:02:00.520 a little more space and fresh air. Divine, have you 0:02:00.560 --> 0:02:02.880 ever heard of a college in Durham, North Carolina? They 0:02:02.880 --> 0:02:06.360 have a school down there, I believe. So. Yeah, A 0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:09.600 couple of short letter words and you know, nice, nice place, 0:02:09.680 --> 0:02:12.360 and absolutely so it's good to see Lauren taking that 0:02:12.440 --> 0:02:17.240 trip back down to Durham, North Carolina and settling in 0:02:17.600 --> 0:02:21.600 getting that fresh air. Absolutely, Durham State University. That's the one, right, 0:02:24.480 --> 0:02:27.320 that's what I thought. That's what about you, d Well. 0:02:27.360 --> 0:02:30.000 I mean, listen, I'm dealing with the heat. Lauren has 0:02:30.040 --> 0:02:33.359 that nice heat down in North Carolina, but here in Philadelphia, 0:02:33.480 --> 0:02:37.480 the heat wave is still pushing along. I got a haircut, 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:42.000 feeling good, and we have summer basketball. How about that? 0:02:42.560 --> 0:02:46.520 It's tremendous. I too, got a haircut. People can't see it, 0:02:46.720 --> 0:02:49.040 but Divine, you're looking fresh. I guess maybe maybe you 0:02:49.080 --> 0:02:50.440 guys can tell you that. Yeah, if I take my 0:02:50.480 --> 0:02:52.919 headset off, you can kind of see that. Maybe it's 0:02:52.960 --> 0:02:56.680 not quite as whispy or curly in the back. Not 0:02:56.720 --> 0:03:00.560 to get too follically in depth on this podcast, asked Divan, 0:03:00.680 --> 0:03:02.560 but did you have I'm going to describe an issue 0:03:02.600 --> 0:03:04.120 I had right after my haircut, and I want to 0:03:04.120 --> 0:03:07.200 ask you if you experience something similar. My scalp was 0:03:07.280 --> 0:03:10.240 hitching for probably forty eight hours after I got my 0:03:10.240 --> 0:03:12.240 hair cut. It had been that long my last haircut 0:03:12.280 --> 0:03:14.520 was in the middle of January. So this for me 0:03:14.560 --> 0:03:16.840 has been about long since were gone nearly seven months, 0:03:16.960 --> 0:03:19.760 and for about forty eight hours straight, I just couldn't 0:03:20.240 --> 0:03:22.960 stop scratching the itch. No, actually no, you know, you 0:03:23.000 --> 0:03:26.760 get the haircut, wash the hair, treat it how you 0:03:26.800 --> 0:03:29.120 need to treat it right away, and so I didn't 0:03:29.160 --> 0:03:32.079 have that problem. Also, my last one was in March, 0:03:32.280 --> 0:03:35.440 right before we did our final show from the Center 0:03:35.560 --> 0:03:39.440 before the hiatus. And yeah, so I guess I had 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:43.000 a few months on you, and I actually made sure. 0:03:43.040 --> 0:03:45.480 I just went and washed the old hair and made 0:03:45.480 --> 0:03:48.600 sure everything was all good, and I was straight. I was. 0:03:49.040 --> 0:03:51.880 But I'm glad you're feeling better now, Yeah, needed some time, 0:03:52.320 --> 0:03:55.280 need some time. Yeah, but I'm good. Good. This is 0:03:55.320 --> 0:03:57.040 why the people are here, of course, this is why 0:03:57.080 --> 0:03:59.440 the pets, right, they want to hear this type of conversation. Hey, 0:03:59.520 --> 0:04:03.520 we're not the only ones, okay. Yeah, we've seen plenty 0:04:03.600 --> 0:04:07.600 from the players, from listeners, from social media, people who 0:04:07.640 --> 0:04:10.520 reach out. Everyone was going through this with the haircut, 0:04:10.600 --> 0:04:13.760 so of course they're into this absolute We're just trying 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:18.120 to relate everyday experiences during a pandemic into the podcast 0:04:18.200 --> 0:04:21.480 forum as it pertains to seventy Sixers basketball. That's right, 0:04:22.040 --> 0:04:24.600 not an easy task. Three people have to do it. 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:27.720 That's us. I want to get this out of our 0:04:27.720 --> 0:04:31.160 system right away. There are two players who are currently 0:04:31.200 --> 0:04:36.040 unavailable for the seventy Sixers, Ben Simmons with a left 0:04:36.440 --> 0:04:40.919 knee injury, Dwell Embiid with a left ankle injury. So 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:43.360 the Sixers, we don't know how long we're gonna have 0:04:43.400 --> 0:04:45.960 to go without them. And you just can't snap your 0:04:45.960 --> 0:04:48.640 fingers and replace two all stars. I think that's a 0:04:48.680 --> 0:04:53.600 reality that we all certainly need to acknowledge. You try 0:04:53.600 --> 0:04:56.600 to go through something like they're about to four seating 0:04:56.640 --> 0:04:59.520 games remaining, a part of me three seating games remaining, 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:03.200 and then you look at the postseason. You want your 0:05:03.200 --> 0:05:05.560 two best players out there, as good as the team 0:05:05.640 --> 0:05:09.600 might be field together. You go as far as your 0:05:09.600 --> 0:05:11.880 two stars go, your two all stars, and Joel Embiad 0:05:12.000 --> 0:05:14.960 Ben Simmons, so wish them make speedy recovery, hopefully they're 0:05:14.960 --> 0:05:18.760 back sooner rather than later, and get this push going. Yeah, Devine, 0:05:18.760 --> 0:05:21.560 you never want to lose your two all stars, two 0:05:21.640 --> 0:05:24.039 players that have such a high upside like a Ben 0:05:24.040 --> 0:05:28.080 Simmons or a Joel Embiid. However, against the Trailblazers, it 0:05:28.200 --> 0:05:30.440 was good to see a guy like Josh Richardson heat up. 0:05:30.480 --> 0:05:33.600 We've seen good performances from Al Horford and Tobias Harris, 0:05:33.880 --> 0:05:36.080 so while their silver linings will be few and far 0:05:36.120 --> 0:05:38.360 to come by without those two, it was good to 0:05:38.400 --> 0:05:41.680 see those guys heat up, and as long as we 0:05:41.800 --> 0:05:45.240 are without Ben Simmons Joel Embiid, hopefully they can continue 0:05:45.279 --> 0:05:48.880 to build on what they've started in Orlando. As much 0:05:48.880 --> 0:05:52.159 of a bummer as those two's injuries were and are. 0:05:52.600 --> 0:05:55.919 The other thing is the seventy six ers. I feel 0:05:55.920 --> 0:05:59.760 like they have a been resilient b up until the 0:05:59.760 --> 0:06:02.719 game against the Trailblazers. They had been winning. They won 0:06:03.080 --> 0:06:04.760 three in a row, that was the longest winning streak 0:06:04.800 --> 0:06:08.120 inside the Bubble save for the Phoenix Suns, and they 0:06:08.160 --> 0:06:10.280 gave Portland a real run for their money in the 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:12.280 game on Sunday night, and that was a game where 0:06:12.560 --> 0:06:14.839 even though they fell behind by seventeen points in the 0:06:14.839 --> 0:06:16.640 first half, to me, it felt like it might as 0:06:16.640 --> 0:06:18.680 well have been seventeen hundred points. It was just one 0:06:18.680 --> 0:06:20.760 of those games where it seemed like they were out 0:06:20.800 --> 0:06:23.120 of early they want to buy six late just couldn't 0:06:23.120 --> 0:06:25.359 hold off Dame Lillard and the rest of the Blazers, 0:06:25.560 --> 0:06:27.280 a team that has a lot to play for, but 0:06:27.400 --> 0:06:31.840 they have shown some determination, which I know that's a 0:06:31.920 --> 0:06:36.360 kind of moral victory esque storyline to focus on, but listen, 0:06:36.400 --> 0:06:38.360 you gotta start somewhere. If you don't have two of 0:06:38.360 --> 0:06:40.520 your best players, then you're going to need that type 0:06:40.520 --> 0:06:43.200 of effort from the rest of the roster, and hopefully 0:06:43.200 --> 0:06:46.599 that will produce performances from other guys who the seventy 0:06:46.640 --> 0:06:49.200 sixers will need to get great performances from. I know 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:51.880 you don't like to focus on moral victories, like you said, 0:06:52.160 --> 0:06:54.080 but I agree. In that first quarter, it kind of 0:06:54.080 --> 0:06:56.000 seemed like the Sixers were maybe just going to be 0:06:56.000 --> 0:06:57.640 down and out for the rest of the game. They're 0:06:57.640 --> 0:07:00.599 playing against a team that had everything to gain in 0:07:01.000 --> 0:07:03.880 fighting for the playoffs. They're super motivated, they had a 0:07:03.920 --> 0:07:07.400 tough loss just the day before, and feisty Damian Lillard 0:07:07.520 --> 0:07:10.040 is never going to be easy to contain. So in 0:07:10.080 --> 0:07:12.320 that first half it did seem maybe like the Sixers 0:07:12.320 --> 0:07:14.600 were going to just let that game get away from them, 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:16.840 and instead they showed a lot of fight. They showed 0:07:16.840 --> 0:07:18.240 a lot of heart, They showed a lot of grit, 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:19.920 and they almost won a game that I think a 0:07:19.920 --> 0:07:22.440 lot of people might have said that they had no 0:07:22.520 --> 0:07:25.160 business winning. I actually looked at that once they got 0:07:25.200 --> 0:07:28.440 down seventeen and bead hurt. I thought it would be 0:07:28.640 --> 0:07:30.600 a tough client for them to come back, and for 0:07:30.760 --> 0:07:32.680 them to fight back the way that they did, it 0:07:32.720 --> 0:07:35.000 was good to see. And if Embiad is not available 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:38.240 for the next game that they have and that's something 0:07:38.280 --> 0:07:41.520 that the coaching staff and the players also can playoff 0:07:41.560 --> 0:07:45.239 of and look back at from Sunday's game and try 0:07:45.280 --> 0:07:47.400 to now set the game plan up to the event 0:07:47.800 --> 0:07:50.840 and knowing that again they had a tough matchup, a 0:07:50.880 --> 0:07:54.400 tough assignment against Damian Lillard and company, and still found 0:07:54.400 --> 0:07:56.520 a way to make it a game. At the very end, 0:07:57.040 --> 0:07:59.600 Joel Embiad has been the seventy six Ers leading score 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:01.880 side the bubble, just under twenty four and a half 0:08:01.880 --> 0:08:04.480 points per game, one of the top rebounders in the 0:08:04.560 --> 0:08:07.120 NBA at eleven and a half per game. Right behind 0:08:07.200 --> 0:08:10.560 Joel on the offensive side is Tobias Harris around twenty 0:08:10.560 --> 0:08:12.520 two and a half points per game, shooting forty three 0:08:12.520 --> 0:08:15.280 and a half percent overall, just under forty one percent 0:08:15.320 --> 0:08:17.720 from three point territory. What I want to do, guys 0:08:17.840 --> 0:08:20.760 moving forward for the rest of our deep dive segment 0:08:20.920 --> 0:08:23.400 is kind of like going through a checklist of sorts 0:08:23.720 --> 0:08:25.880 for different members of the roster and what the seventy 0:08:25.920 --> 0:08:29.600 sixers might need from them in the absence of Ben Simmons, 0:08:29.600 --> 0:08:32.920 we know for a period of time Joel Embiide, we 0:08:32.960 --> 0:08:35.760 don't know for how long. But regardless of that, everyone's 0:08:35.760 --> 0:08:37.920 got to be on heighten alert with the playoffs coming. 0:08:38.280 --> 0:08:41.800 So what do we need from Tobias Harris Divan Now 0:08:41.840 --> 0:08:43.880 that the seventy sixers are in the current situation, they 0:08:43.880 --> 0:08:47.800 are elevated scoring production, and we know he's been thirty 0:08:47.960 --> 0:08:53.280 twenty five HI HI twenties overall, he's played very well offensively. 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:55.600 I thought that they could have used him a little 0:08:55.600 --> 0:08:58.080 bit more in the Portland loss. There there were some 0:08:58.120 --> 0:09:00.560 times where it looked like there was a moment where 0:09:00.600 --> 0:09:03.240 Tobias Harris could step up and really take over, but 0:09:03.320 --> 0:09:05.440 the lid was on the basket forum for the most part. 0:09:05.520 --> 0:09:08.719 He had a tough night. So going forward, he is 0:09:08.760 --> 0:09:11.880 going to be the featured offensive scorer for this basketball team. 0:09:11.920 --> 0:09:14.400 So what you need is some elevated scoring play, some 0:09:14.520 --> 0:09:18.439 efficiency as well, get to his spots, find his spot, 0:09:18.480 --> 0:09:22.080 to get to those spots, and make sure that these 0:09:22.120 --> 0:09:25.960 are good looks because every possession is crucial for the 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:30.240 Philadelphia seventy sixers going forward with no Indeed and no Simmons, 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:32.840 he's always been the second or third option with those 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:34.319 two out there on the floor. He's not gonna be 0:09:34.440 --> 0:09:36.679 focs first, so he's going to be the focal point 0:09:36.760 --> 0:09:40.040 of the defense. Can you get some consistent scoring punch 0:09:40.200 --> 0:09:43.720 from him, some efficiency as well, and if the double 0:09:43.760 --> 0:09:45.880 team does find him, is he able to get out 0:09:45.880 --> 0:09:48.040 of that double team and find his teammates to get 0:09:48.040 --> 0:09:51.320 a better look overall? So I look for those things 0:09:51.320 --> 0:09:54.520 from Tobias Harris, at least going from the next game 0:09:54.600 --> 0:09:57.960 that they have against the Phoenix Suns and moving on. Well, look, 0:09:57.960 --> 0:10:01.199 we know Tobias could have given and more to that 0:10:02.520 --> 0:10:05.160 to the Blazers game. He could have been more productive offensively, 0:10:05.240 --> 0:10:08.600 more accurate from the field. But he's also been very 0:10:08.679 --> 0:10:10.520 vocal about the fact that he wants to be the 0:10:10.520 --> 0:10:13.240 guy that can step up in those situations. He's shown 0:10:13.360 --> 0:10:15.560 his intention to do it. He said he wants to 0:10:15.600 --> 0:10:17.640 be able to be that guy that takes over. So 0:10:17.679 --> 0:10:20.079 I would imagine that in these next few games coming up, 0:10:20.120 --> 0:10:21.839 he's going to give it another shot. He's going to 0:10:22.240 --> 0:10:25.079 commit to what he's already said that he really wants 0:10:25.120 --> 0:10:28.240 to do and make good things happen for the team offensively. 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.600 So I think we're in for some good performances from 0:10:31.600 --> 0:10:35.080 Tobias Harris. Sixers big possession. They lead by one shake 0:10:35.160 --> 0:10:37.960 built with a buff a screen by to Bias Milton. 0:10:38.000 --> 0:10:40.440 I'll top to it, beat inside feed at the Bias 0:10:40.480 --> 0:10:43.040 he taps it up and he didn't even captured. He's 0:10:43.040 --> 0:10:44.280 had it with the right hand, with his back to 0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:47.400 the basket and scores the ball for me. Two things 0:10:47.520 --> 0:10:50.280 I'm looking at is he's got to continue to rebound 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:53.640 the basketball really well. Obviously, if the Sixers didn't have 0:10:53.679 --> 0:10:55.840 Ben Simmons, they would need to Bias to pick up 0:10:55.840 --> 0:10:58.000 a little bit more, but certainly with that Joel Embiid. 0:10:58.360 --> 0:11:01.080 And another thing is Tobias could find himself in a 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:03.720 spot now where he might be asked to do a 0:11:03.720 --> 0:11:06.240 little bit more defensively on opposing wings. Some of the 0:11:06.280 --> 0:11:09.720 most dangerous scores in the NBA. So I think defense 0:11:09.880 --> 0:11:14.040 overall and obviously rebounded the basketball in addition to that 0:11:14.200 --> 0:11:17.600 primary need of scoring. Like Devon and Lauren, you guys said, 0:11:18.080 --> 0:11:21.319 certainly on the to do list. Four Tobias Harris about 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:23.000 ball with the four and o' clock goes out, the 0:11:23.080 --> 0:11:25.160 Richards up for three and it's good. Are you kidding me? 0:11:25.480 --> 0:11:28.440 Josh richards who will beyond the arc over the outstretched 0:11:28.480 --> 0:11:30.920 arm of c J. McCollum and Richards and now with 0:11:31.040 --> 0:11:34.160 six threes at thirty four points? All right? Next up 0:11:34.440 --> 0:11:38.920 Josh Richardson, coming off of a really great performance against 0:11:38.920 --> 0:11:41.600 the Trailblazers that almost was enough to get the seventy 0:11:41.640 --> 0:11:44.640 six ers of victory. Thirty four points was a sixer 0:11:44.760 --> 0:11:46.880 high for him since he joined the Sixers, going back 0:11:46.920 --> 0:11:49.120 to last summer, and he tied a season high with 0:11:49.160 --> 0:11:51.480 six to three pointers. He had a really balanced game 0:11:51.800 --> 0:11:54.080 against the Blazers. He was in a good groove. He 0:11:54.160 --> 0:11:57.120 was in a really good groove against the Portland Trailblazers 0:11:57.400 --> 0:11:59.760 and they needed every bit of those thirty four And 0:12:00.160 --> 0:12:02.640 when we talk about him and possibly being the fourth 0:12:02.640 --> 0:12:06.200 and fifth option in this offense, Josh Richardson, and we 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:09.160 know about his two way ability. This is what you 0:12:09.200 --> 0:12:11.679 can get from time to time. Now if you are 0:12:11.720 --> 0:12:14.880 able to get something a little more consistently from him 0:12:14.880 --> 0:12:18.040 instead of the fourteen close to fourteen points on the 0:12:18.120 --> 0:12:22.360 season average, maybe fifteen to seventeen where he gives them 0:12:22.360 --> 0:12:26.800 that extra offensive punch that they need, that would be good. 0:12:26.840 --> 0:12:29.120 But to see him do what he did against the 0:12:29.120 --> 0:12:32.640 Portland Trailblazers, knowing that again in bid was out, Tobias 0:12:32.679 --> 0:12:36.040 Harris is struggling. You get something from Alec Burks. He 0:12:36.200 --> 0:12:39.760 grabbed the reins early and kept on going throughout the 0:12:39.960 --> 0:12:43.160 entirety of the game. They are always those questions of 0:12:43.440 --> 0:12:45.920 when are we going to get that Josh Richardson game. 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:49.040 Outside of the thirty two against the Miami Heat earlier 0:12:49.040 --> 0:12:51.600 in the season, the nineteen point quarter that he had 0:12:51.679 --> 0:12:54.520 in a victory as well, those were all at home. 0:12:54.559 --> 0:12:58.320 So it was great to see those and know that 0:12:58.480 --> 0:13:01.880 it's in there. But how often can we get that 0:13:02.160 --> 0:13:04.560 from him? And for me, it's got to be the threes. 0:13:04.840 --> 0:13:07.719 You guys both mentioned the threes, but for Josh to 0:13:07.880 --> 0:13:10.680 hit six threes against the Blazers the same amount he 0:13:10.760 --> 0:13:13.400 hit against Miami in that first big breakout game he 0:13:13.480 --> 0:13:15.959 had at home. If he can get the threes to fall, 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:17.920 that's going to be absolutely huge for this team. I 0:13:17.920 --> 0:13:19.720 know we talk about it all the time, but when 0:13:19.720 --> 0:13:22.120 the threes are falling, this six Ers team is really 0:13:22.200 --> 0:13:24.400 hard to beat because we know they're strong in other 0:13:24.440 --> 0:13:27.200 areas of their offense. So if Josh can keep throwing 0:13:27.280 --> 0:13:29.040 them up from deep, then they can keep going in. 0:13:29.240 --> 0:13:31.720 That's going to be absolutely huge down the stretch. We 0:13:31.840 --> 0:13:33.600 know that he can do stuff when he's got the 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:35.520 ball in his hands. And one thing that I really 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:37.840 liked about the game against the Blazers as far as 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:40.920 his performance was concerned, in that third quarter, when he 0:13:41.000 --> 0:13:43.720 started to pick up more attention, he started dishing the 0:13:43.720 --> 0:13:46.000 ball out a little bit and making things happen for 0:13:46.040 --> 0:13:48.400 his teammates. I thought that was good to see show 0:13:48.440 --> 0:13:51.920 the versatility of his game. And again, defensive end, when 0:13:51.920 --> 0:13:54.920 he takes someone like Ben Simmons out and you factor 0:13:54.960 --> 0:13:57.880 in the type of players that Ben Simmons might be 0:13:57.920 --> 0:14:01.240 asked to guard. Josh Richardson. We saw against the Blazers 0:14:01.280 --> 0:14:03.920 he was on Damian Lillard a lot. He's gonna really 0:14:03.920 --> 0:14:05.200 need to key in on that end of the floor. 0:14:05.200 --> 0:14:08.520 As well. Absolutely, he's the number one perimeter defender at 0:14:08.520 --> 0:14:10.880 this point. Matista wil comes off the bench in that 0:14:11.000 --> 0:14:13.360 starting role. Josh Richardson is the one again as a 0:14:13.400 --> 0:14:16.960 two way player with a reputation already for being a 0:14:17.000 --> 0:14:20.000 strong defender in this league. He's absolutely gonna have to 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:23.000 take on those tough responsibilities going forward. And Devin Booker 0:14:23.040 --> 0:14:25.560 is up next. Horford with it again, goes right around 0:14:25.600 --> 0:14:28.120 Gary Clark and jams it at the radio man not 0:14:28.160 --> 0:14:30.760 the only guy seeing the mismatch there. Sixers go right 0:14:30.840 --> 0:14:33.920 to him a pirouette down low right and Horford with 0:14:33.960 --> 0:14:38.040 a jam. He's got six timeout Orlando. Steve Clifford's got 0:14:38.040 --> 0:14:41.720 to figure out who's gonna guard big Al. Mister. Al 0:14:41.920 --> 0:14:44.680 Horford is the next player on our list, a guy 0:14:44.720 --> 0:14:48.160 who I think is getting more and more recognition for 0:14:48.280 --> 0:14:50.600 the high quality of play he has been giving the 0:14:50.640 --> 0:14:53.520 Sixers in Orlando. And it's funny I think back to 0:14:54.200 --> 0:14:57.640 one of the first zoom media sessions that Al Horford did. 0:14:58.160 --> 0:14:59.720 I think it was even when the Sixers were still 0:14:59.720 --> 0:15:03.200 in Amen before they left, someone asked about how he's 0:15:03.280 --> 0:15:06.680 approaching all of this, and my takeaway from his comment 0:15:06.880 --> 0:15:09.440 was you know. I'm a veteran, I've been around a while. 0:15:09.640 --> 0:15:11.400 I'm going to get down to Orlando. I'm going to 0:15:11.480 --> 0:15:14.320 use the scrimmages and even the seating games to build 0:15:14.360 --> 0:15:16.720 myself up and make sure I'm ready to go once 0:15:16.720 --> 0:15:19.240 the playoffs roll around. I think it's been the exact 0:15:19.320 --> 0:15:21.960 opposite for me. From the jump. He has looked like 0:15:22.000 --> 0:15:25.880 he's been locked in, focused, playing really at a high 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:30.440 intensity level and physically, which are certainly from the physicality standpoint, 0:15:30.480 --> 0:15:33.880 something the seventy six ers need. We've been talking about 0:15:34.000 --> 0:15:36.480 physicality with Al Horford a lot this weekend. It's something 0:15:36.480 --> 0:15:39.240 that his head coach, Brett Brown spoke about prior to 0:15:39.280 --> 0:15:42.840 Friday's game. The way that Al's defense has been strong, 0:15:42.960 --> 0:15:46.080 his offense has been strong, but the intangibles, his physicality, 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:48.920 his spirit has been the biggest thing that he's added 0:15:48.960 --> 0:15:52.480 to this group, particularly when you're losing other stars. That's 0:15:52.480 --> 0:15:54.960 what you need from a veteran like Al Horford is 0:15:55.000 --> 0:15:57.680 to bring that intensity, to bring that physicality, to bring 0:15:57.680 --> 0:16:00.440 that no quit attitude that we've seen from him since 0:16:00.440 --> 0:16:03.040 he got to Orlando. Yeah, he's been very good. Especially 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:05.080 when Ben Simmons went down, he had to step in 0:16:05.080 --> 0:16:08.000 into that starting role and he gave you a very 0:16:08.120 --> 0:16:11.040 very good game. I believe it was twenty one and 0:16:11.280 --> 0:16:14.320 nine in that game, and it was good to see 0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:16.920 him back out there. Seemingly that he when he had 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:19.160 his issues during the season and he was relegated to 0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:21.520 the bench, and you know, no disrespect and when I 0:16:21.560 --> 0:16:25.000 say relegated, he was a team guy. He did what 0:16:25.120 --> 0:16:27.920 was asking him and he played his role. And the 0:16:28.360 --> 0:16:31.120 thing was, this guy didn't forget how to play basketball, 0:16:31.360 --> 0:16:33.760 and now that you see him back out there, you 0:16:33.800 --> 0:16:37.280 start to remember and just go back to or ask 0:16:37.400 --> 0:16:39.880 him being a veteran, the guy that we're talking about 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:42.400 in the past that has had playoffs successes, All Star 0:16:42.520 --> 0:16:45.520 success and so on, and right now we're seeing at 0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:48.120 al Horford again where he's just going out there making 0:16:48.160 --> 0:16:52.440 the right plays, whether it's defensively, scoring or passing. Al 0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:55.200 Horford has been playing some really good basketball so far 0:16:55.240 --> 0:16:57.880 inside the bubble. When you don't have Joel Embiid, you 0:16:57.880 --> 0:17:00.320 don't have one of the best rim protectors in the game. 0:17:00.400 --> 0:17:02.320 But like you just said, Divine, there are other things 0:17:02.680 --> 0:17:05.120 that al Horford can do that makes suffer that whether 0:17:05.160 --> 0:17:08.760 it's positioning his physicality, how he attacks the glass. I 0:17:08.760 --> 0:17:12.440 don't like to go too far into making a ton 0:17:12.600 --> 0:17:15.520 out of numbers like this, because I'm not sure I 0:17:15.560 --> 0:17:18.679 don't necessarily think that they paint the entire picture. But 0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:21.600 the on off court numbers for al Horford, they're the 0:17:21.640 --> 0:17:25.240 best out of any sixer who's played substantial minutes since 0:17:25.280 --> 0:17:27.080 the team got into Orlando. And I do think that 0:17:27.080 --> 0:17:29.439 that's a stat that's indicative the way that he's been 0:17:29.480 --> 0:17:32.640 playing in the impact that al Horford's had on the team. Yeah, absolutely, 0:17:32.800 --> 0:17:34.960 undred percent. I agree with you and the impact that 0:17:35.119 --> 0:17:37.520 you can see it now and that leadership with he 0:17:37.600 --> 0:17:40.760 and Tobias Harris out there. That's why we still believe 0:17:40.840 --> 0:17:42.960 that at the very least, you know they're gonna be competitive, 0:17:42.960 --> 0:17:44.600 they won't give up. They're gonna go out there and 0:17:44.640 --> 0:17:46.760 they're gonna fight and try to get everything out of 0:17:46.760 --> 0:17:50.280 themselves and their teammates. Knowing that, indeed, and Simmons, at 0:17:50.320 --> 0:17:52.520 least for the short term, we're not out there. Alec 0:17:52.560 --> 0:17:55.000 Burke's with a ball, crosses over on his Zonnya makes 0:17:55.000 --> 0:17:57.480 it another boom and he gets it n a foul 0:17:57.520 --> 0:17:59.560 and as Zonia got him with the body, so it 0:17:59.720 --> 0:18:03.680 changed job directions. A double crossover there at Burks will 0:18:03.680 --> 0:18:05.560 go to the line for what could be an old 0:18:05.640 --> 0:18:09.879 fashioned three point play. Alec Burks, guys, he's been another 0:18:09.880 --> 0:18:13.480 one who's been a revelation in Orlando. He is on 0:18:13.520 --> 0:18:16.159 a great run right now, back to back twenty point games. 0:18:16.480 --> 0:18:18.480 He hasn't done that since he was with the Utah 0:18:18.560 --> 0:18:23.160 Jazz back in twenty seventeen. He's really looked lively. He's 0:18:23.160 --> 0:18:25.359 looked more comfortable. We've talked about that a little bit, 0:18:25.400 --> 0:18:28.480 but I think the last two games, especially without Ben Simmons, 0:18:28.520 --> 0:18:30.679 from start to finish, he's shown that he can be 0:18:30.720 --> 0:18:33.520 an asset at the point of attack for sure. Saltzan 0:18:33.560 --> 0:18:36.200 we talked yesterday with coach Brett Brown about the fact 0:18:36.200 --> 0:18:39.040 that he can play on or off the ball pretty well, 0:18:39.040 --> 0:18:41.159 and we've seen that from him in these last few games. 0:18:41.200 --> 0:18:43.320 I think with a guy like Alec Burks who joins 0:18:43.320 --> 0:18:45.399 the team at the trade deadline, it's always going to 0:18:45.440 --> 0:18:46.920 be a little bit of a rush to get ready 0:18:46.960 --> 0:18:49.400 for the playoffs. Now you add in a four month 0:18:49.480 --> 0:18:52.000 hiatus away from the team after he only was able 0:18:52.000 --> 0:18:54.280 to play a few games with them following that trade. 0:18:54.600 --> 0:18:56.640 To see him heat up. The way that he is now, 0:18:56.680 --> 0:18:58.800 I think is really promising for what he can do 0:18:58.840 --> 0:19:01.000 for the Sixers the stretch, and that's what they're going 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:02.560 to look for from him. Someone who's gonna come off 0:19:02.560 --> 0:19:05.480 the bench and be productive immediately, whether he's backing up 0:19:05.520 --> 0:19:08.280 Shake Milton at point guard or whether he's waiting for 0:19:08.320 --> 0:19:11.639 other guys to find him for big shots. He's shown 0:19:11.680 --> 0:19:13.280 that he can do both and I think that's going 0:19:13.320 --> 0:19:15.320 to be really big for this group. And he knows 0:19:15.359 --> 0:19:17.920 his role, he knows what's asked of him. He's gonna 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:19.520 come in, he's gonna be a score. Yes, we'll we 0:19:19.560 --> 0:19:21.680 have the ball from time to time, and being that 0:19:21.800 --> 0:19:24.280 backup point guard if you will, sure, But at the 0:19:24.359 --> 0:19:26.800 end of the day, Alec Brooks, Seltz and Lauren, he 0:19:26.960 --> 0:19:29.040 is a scorer. And if he's going to come off 0:19:29.040 --> 0:19:31.639 the bench and they need a boost off the bench, 0:19:32.040 --> 0:19:34.760