WEBVTT - The BroadCast | Mailbag Monday - MVPs, All-Stars, and Other Things 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.640 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers Podcast network 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:06.880 Search seventy six Ers podcast wherever you get your pods. 0:00:08.320 --> 0:00:11.080 This time on Mailbag Monday. Last week we said what 0:00:11.160 --> 0:00:13.720 if we could just have a relatively normal week to 0:00:13.800 --> 0:00:17.759 react to the next time we do Mailbag Monday. And 0:00:17.840 --> 0:00:20.120 while I'll say, Lauren, all the games on the schedule 0:00:20.160 --> 0:00:22.919 for the seventy sixers were played, I don't know if 0:00:22.920 --> 0:00:24.680 you could say this was a normal week because it 0:00:24.720 --> 0:00:27.760 was so darn good for the Philadelphia seventy six Ers. 0:00:27.840 --> 0:00:30.840 It was an excellent week to now debrief fund for 0:00:30.880 --> 0:00:33.839 this week's edition of mail Bag Monday. I feel you. 0:00:33.920 --> 0:00:36.400 The last few mornings, it has felt really good to 0:00:36.479 --> 0:00:39.360 wake up and be someone who covers or roots for 0:00:39.440 --> 0:00:42.960 the Philadelphia seventy six Ers in any way. Always good 0:00:43.000 --> 0:00:45.000 to be on top of the East. Always good to 0:00:45.080 --> 0:00:47.959 be winning your games, regardless of who the opponent is. 0:00:48.440 --> 0:00:51.640 Cool to see the team win a home away back 0:00:51.680 --> 0:00:54.000 to back, because that's something that's hard on any team, 0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:56.480 regardless of what your history is playing on the road. 0:00:57.040 --> 0:00:59.360 So I agree with you. A lot of good to 0:00:59.360 --> 0:01:01.760 talk about this week, maybe even better than we thought 0:01:01.760 --> 0:01:04.160 it might be. Perhaps the best thing that at the 0:01:04.200 --> 0:01:07.400 time of taping this edition of mail Bag Monday, your Team, 0:01:07.440 --> 0:01:10.120 your Town, You're seventy Sixers, number one in the Eastern 0:01:10.160 --> 0:01:13.600 Conference with a record of twelve and five, second most 0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:16.039 wins in the entire league, behind the two squads in 0:01:16.160 --> 0:01:19.320 la the Lakers and the Clippers, and that is pretty 0:01:19.360 --> 0:01:23.080 damn good. Riding high with three straight wins sweeping the 0:01:23.120 --> 0:01:25.920 Celtics could go for a sweep against the lowly Pistons. 0:01:26.680 --> 0:01:29.679 Love seeing what happened, especially Lauren in that series against Boston. 0:01:29.720 --> 0:01:31.800 You know, the Sixers went into that trailing Boston in 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:34.039 the standings, and I think that they made an early 0:01:34.080 --> 0:01:37.679 season statement. I hear you obviously know Jason Tatum in 0:01:37.720 --> 0:01:40.680 that series, but the Celtics have given the Sixers problems 0:01:40.720 --> 0:01:43.319 over the last few years, with or without Jason Tatum, 0:01:43.360 --> 0:01:47.040 with or without Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker, etc. So it 0:01:47.120 --> 0:01:49.720 was cool to see the Sixers take the opponent that 0:01:49.760 --> 0:01:52.200 they had and really just put the pedal to the 0:01:52.240 --> 0:01:55.720 metal and get it done. I was heartened for sure 0:01:55.840 --> 0:01:57.960 by that series, and then heartened again to see the 0:01:57.960 --> 0:02:00.560 team go out and of course not the prettiest against 0:02:00.560 --> 0:02:04.400 Detroit on Saturday, but they all count as wins, and 0:02:04.440 --> 0:02:06.320 I was happy to see the team get it done 0:02:06.840 --> 0:02:10.120 under those circumstances. We're going to dip into the mailbag 0:02:10.160 --> 0:02:11.800 in a moment, but I want to give a little 0:02:11.840 --> 0:02:14.760 take based on what you just said. I'm not getting 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:18.840 caught up in quality wins necessarily in terms of like, oh, 0:02:18.880 --> 0:02:22.280 they played this team without that player, or they had 0:02:22.360 --> 0:02:25.959 to sneak by Detroit in the closing minutes to pull 0:02:26.000 --> 0:02:27.840 out a win in the sixty world full strength and 0:02:28.120 --> 0:02:31.560 Detroit didn't have Blake Griffner Deeric Rose. It doesn't matter 0:02:31.560 --> 0:02:33.800 to me. This season is so crazy right now. You 0:02:33.800 --> 0:02:35.840 don't know who's going to play game in game out 0:02:36.120 --> 0:02:39.200 to stockpile your wins. And I would also say that 0:02:39.440 --> 0:02:42.400 really good teams win a lot of games. And I 0:02:42.480 --> 0:02:45.079 guarantee if you watched every single Laker game last year, 0:02:45.160 --> 0:02:48.120 or every single Clippers game this year, or whomever, not 0:02:48.200 --> 0:02:50.200 every game is going to be perfect. So part of 0:02:50.200 --> 0:02:52.880 being a really good team is finding ways to eke 0:02:52.919 --> 0:02:55.840 out wins and get by and survive when you have to. 0:02:55.919 --> 0:02:57.480 And I thought that was part of what we saw 0:02:57.800 --> 0:03:00.760 in the win over Detroit on Saturday. That's exactly what 0:03:00.800 --> 0:03:02.679 I was going to say, good teams find a way 0:03:02.680 --> 0:03:04.040 to make it work. And there have been a few 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:05.560 times that you and I have discussed this, I think 0:03:05.840 --> 0:03:08.160 outside of the podcast, but I've discussed it with a 0:03:08.160 --> 0:03:11.200 few of the other people that work around or cover 0:03:11.280 --> 0:03:13.880 this team, and it feels like when this Sixers team 0:03:13.919 --> 0:03:18.519 goes into halftime close or behind, they still can win 0:03:18.680 --> 0:03:20.760 the game. And that's not a way that I think 0:03:20.800 --> 0:03:24.560 we've felt as much, at least over the last few years. 0:03:24.600 --> 0:03:28.280 This team specifically has proven early that a five point, 0:03:28.320 --> 0:03:31.160 seven point ten point deficit does not mean the team 0:03:31.200 --> 0:03:33.160 is going to lose. In fact, based on the record, 0:03:33.200 --> 0:03:35.920 it means they're probably going to win. And I like 0:03:36.080 --> 0:03:39.280 having that confidence of knowing this team can gut it out, 0:03:39.320 --> 0:03:41.520 can make it happen, can find a win regardless of 0:03:41.520 --> 0:03:44.480 the opponent, even if they struggle in the first half 0:03:44.560 --> 0:03:46.840 or struggle in the second quarter, whatever it is, they've 0:03:46.840 --> 0:03:48.560 found a way to get it done. And I think 0:03:48.560 --> 0:03:50.320 that's a really good sign for a team that is 0:03:50.320 --> 0:03:53.520 still very new together to already have that quality of 0:03:53.520 --> 0:03:55.720 being able to find wins and make them happen this 0:03:55.800 --> 0:03:57.320 early in the season. Sorry, that was a bit of 0:03:57.320 --> 0:04:00.440 a ramble, but I am really excited about this whatever 0:04:00.480 --> 0:04:03.120 this is called, this intangible quality of just being able 0:04:03.160 --> 0:04:05.920 to win. I like it. I like it a lot, 0:04:06.920 --> 0:04:09.960 A very relevant pression ramble. I like it. We accept 0:04:10.000 --> 0:04:14.240 those here on Mailbag Monday. Thank you. Speaking of which, 0:04:14.320 --> 0:04:16.960 what is Mailbag Monday? If you're a first timer to 0:04:17.040 --> 0:04:20.040 listen to a Mailbag Monday edition of the pod? Pretty simple. 0:04:20.120 --> 0:04:23.080 You hit myself or Lauren Rosen up on Twitter at 0:04:23.080 --> 0:04:26.239 Brian Seltzer at Lauren m Rosen or on The Graham 0:04:26.520 --> 0:04:29.440 at Seltzer six or snaps at Lauren m Rosen. You'll 0:04:29.480 --> 0:04:31.400 leave us a question, a comment to take a thought 0:04:31.400 --> 0:04:33.320 about the sixers over the course of the week, or 0:04:34.000 --> 0:04:36.240 you give us a shout on the seventy six ers 0:04:36.440 --> 0:04:40.679 pod line two four zero three seven six three seven. 0:04:40.800 --> 0:04:44.479 That's two on five four zero three pods. See what 0:04:44.480 --> 0:04:46.599 we did there, We try, We try. Thank you Almont 0:04:46.640 --> 0:04:49.400 and I for making that happen. So yeah, that's how 0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:52.360 you get in touch. And then we gather the best 0:04:52.440 --> 0:04:54.560 of our responses and submissions of the course of the 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:56.799 week and we play them back here on the Mailbag 0:04:57.160 --> 0:04:59.279 and if we read your response, you then put into 0:04:59.320 --> 0:05:02.560 the random name picker generator in a couple of days 0:05:02.560 --> 0:05:05.839 and if your name is selected from that random picking process, 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:09.920 you win a seventy Sixers swag bag. So it's that simple. 0:05:10.240 --> 0:05:12.600 And with that, let us dive into the mailbag. We're 0:05:12.600 --> 0:05:14.560 going straight to the voicemail. After a big week for 0:05:14.600 --> 0:05:20.720 the Sixers, you have one new message. Boil m B 0:05:21.640 --> 0:05:25.080 is the MVP firm runner. Joel m B is the 0:05:25.160 --> 0:05:28.440 MVP Firmunner. I just can't believe it at all. For 0:05:28.560 --> 0:05:31.720 the past four years, everybody was saying, oh, once a 0:05:31.800 --> 0:05:36.440 bekis in shape, previstoppable, beas and shape previustypable, And now 0:05:36.520 --> 0:05:40.960 look he's in shape and he literally looks like I 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:43.240 don't even know what to say, Like he's a combination 0:05:43.279 --> 0:05:46.160 of a King the lodging more Dirk with the fade 0:05:46.200 --> 0:05:49.240 away Shock with the insight forsta King with the defense 0:05:49.279 --> 0:05:51.920 and the footwork, Like what more do you want? He 0:05:52.000 --> 0:05:54.800 is the MVP, he's a big man, he's doing it 0:05:54.880 --> 0:05:57.360 all and he's carrying the city on the shoulders right now. 0:05:57.560 --> 0:06:00.320 Who knows, maybe it takes feel to the finals World 0:06:00.360 --> 0:06:04.600 Leader Games to MVP. Let's go. Of course, we have 0:06:04.640 --> 0:06:07.880 to lead off with a Joel embiid voicemail. How could 0:06:07.880 --> 0:06:11.039 you not? He was amazing this past week and I 0:06:11.160 --> 0:06:13.440 love that calling. Listen, we want to give you credit 0:06:13.480 --> 0:06:15.640 by names, so be sure when you leave your message 0:06:15.800 --> 0:06:18.640 in certain instances. Sometimes your name comes up on our 0:06:18.760 --> 0:06:21.120 caller ID system. Sometimes it doesn't, so leave your names. 0:06:21.160 --> 0:06:23.760 We know how to give you credit. But talking about 0:06:24.120 --> 0:06:28.599 Joel showing flashes of a team, Dirk Shack that caller 0:06:28.720 --> 0:06:31.560 called in after the big game against the Boston Celtics 0:06:31.560 --> 0:06:34.200 on Wednesday, when Joe dropped forty two points. But yes, 0:06:34.279 --> 0:06:36.560 I think this notion of Embed carrying the Sixers on 0:06:36.560 --> 0:06:39.320 his back right now to a certain extent, possibly showing 0:06:39.360 --> 0:06:40.880 the form of a player who could carry this team 0:06:40.880 --> 0:06:43.520 to the finals. I agree with it all. I am 0:06:43.560 --> 0:06:47.400 here for it. Obviously. The stats speak for themselves. Averaging 0:06:47.440 --> 0:06:50.080 close to thirty points. He's fifth in the league with 0:06:50.080 --> 0:06:52.760 twenty seven point seven points per game right now, actually 0:06:52.800 --> 0:06:54.520 as of last night. Maybe I should brush up on 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:57.279 that stat and make sure. But either way, he's scoring 0:06:57.440 --> 0:07:00.440 among an elite group of players in this league, scoring 0:07:00.480 --> 0:07:02.880 higher than any other center in this league. And he's 0:07:02.920 --> 0:07:05.159 getting it done on the boards. He's playing great defense, 0:07:05.200 --> 0:07:07.200 He's really doing it all and Selts. The thing that's 0:07:07.240 --> 0:07:10.040 impressed me the most is his spirit. And I know 0:07:10.040 --> 0:07:12.440 that that might sound a little bit corny to draw 0:07:12.480 --> 0:07:14.800 attention to this early, but it seems like he's having 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:17.840 a really good time out there. He's bonding with his teammates, 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:22.360 he's gushing about them post game, he's smiling on the court, 0:07:22.440 --> 0:07:25.880 he's being demonstrative, he's gesturing to a non existent crowd. 0:07:25.880 --> 0:07:28.320 And Joel has told us over the years that when 0:07:28.320 --> 0:07:31.120 he's playing his best basketball, he's having fun, and I 0:07:31.160 --> 0:07:33.200 think that that is wonderful. I think that that's a 0:07:33.200 --> 0:07:35.800 great way to look at your job as well, and 0:07:36.440 --> 0:07:39.200 he's certainly having fun this year. I'm sure you've noticed it. 0:07:39.240 --> 0:07:40.920 I know we've talked about it, but I think it's 0:07:40.960 --> 0:07:43.920 something that just can't be undersold, is how important it 0:07:43.960 --> 0:07:47.160 is to see Joel embiad have fun for whatever reason, Lauren, 0:07:47.240 --> 0:07:51.320 when he speaks in leadership tones in terms these days, 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:55.720 it sounds like he really means and believes what he's saying. 0:07:55.720 --> 0:07:57.280 And that's not to say that his comments in the 0:07:57.320 --> 0:08:00.720 past that were along the lines of lu hip comments 0:08:00.720 --> 0:08:04.120 weren't genuine or sincere are authentic in intent, but it 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:07.520 really feels like he is talking about this team, taking 0:08:07.600 --> 0:08:10.960 ownership of this team in a way that he believes it, 0:08:11.080 --> 0:08:13.360 that this is his team, that he knows what he 0:08:13.480 --> 0:08:16.240 is capable when he's playing at this level of being 0:08:16.280 --> 0:08:18.960 able to do and the success he's being able to spark. 0:08:19.200 --> 0:08:21.160 Like the one quote he had and I know that 0:08:21.200 --> 0:08:23.920 you put it up on your Twitter just where he 0:08:23.960 --> 0:08:26.960 literally went through the laundry list of guys on the 0:08:27.000 --> 0:08:29.760 team and shadowed them at about the way they're playing. 0:08:30.160 --> 0:08:32.280 I thought it was great. Shows the sign of a leader. 0:08:32.400 --> 0:08:35.079 Can I read the quote? Would that be okay too? Please? Yes? 0:08:35.240 --> 0:08:37.960 Absolutely would love. Let me pull it up. That one 0:08:38.040 --> 0:08:39.480 really stuck out for me as well. I know we 0:08:39.520 --> 0:08:42.160 talked about it on seven sixth Live a couple nights ago. 0:08:42.200 --> 0:08:44.320 That's our live pregame show. If anyone doesn't tune in, 0:08:44.360 --> 0:08:46.800 you should about ninety minutes before every game, Selton I 0:08:46.840 --> 0:08:49.400 break it down, Please join us. This is maybe my 0:08:49.400 --> 0:08:51.400 favorite Joel and Bide quote all season, because there's no 0:08:51.480 --> 0:08:55.520 denying that he is sort of the biggest thing on 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:57.720 this team, if not in the league right now. He's 0:08:57.760 --> 0:08:59.520 really making it happen. But when he talks about the 0:08:59.520 --> 0:09:02.520 team six as he takes the opportunity to attribute it 0:09:02.600 --> 0:09:05.560 to his teammates. So here's what he said about Ben Simmons. 0:09:05.760 --> 0:09:08.199 I love playing with Ben. That fourth quarter he was 0:09:08.240 --> 0:09:11.000 a monster. This is against Boston. He had a lot 0:09:11.000 --> 0:09:13.080 of steels, he was attacking, he was aggressive. I don't 0:09:13.080 --> 0:09:15.040 even know how to explain it. It's just been fun. 0:09:15.200 --> 0:09:17.560 Ben has been amazing all year. Then he talked about 0:09:17.600 --> 0:09:19.880 Seth Curry. Seth has been huge for us. He looks 0:09:19.880 --> 0:09:22.920 like he hasn't missed a beat again after missing sixteen 0:09:23.000 --> 0:09:25.800 days with health and safety protocols. He helps us all 0:09:25.880 --> 0:09:28.200 because you have to guard him. Then he moves on 0:09:28.240 --> 0:09:30.280 to the rest of the roster, and this is all sequential. 0:09:30.320 --> 0:09:32.120 He talked about Ben in one question, but then he 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:35.439 did the whole almost the whole rotation. In another question. 0:09:35.440 --> 0:09:36.959 He said, we have a bunch of great shooters. To 0:09:37.040 --> 0:09:39.320 Bias has been playing at an all star level. We've 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:41.280 got Shake coming in, who could be a sixth Man 0:09:41.360 --> 0:09:43.240 of the Year. We have shooters all over the place. 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:46.679 Danny Green, great defender who can knock down shots. You've 0:09:46.679 --> 0:09:48.960 got Dwight Howard coming off the bench being a monster 0:09:49.080 --> 0:09:52.319 on the offensive and defensive. Glass you've got Matisse, who 0:09:52.360 --> 0:09:54.560 also has a potential to be an All Defensive team 0:09:54.720 --> 0:09:57.720 or Player of the Year or Defensive Player of the year. Rather, 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:00.280 we've got a great group of guys. We're only going 0:10:00.280 --> 0:10:02.360 to get better. And the fact that he was able 0:10:02.400 --> 0:10:04.160 to just sort of go through the roster in his head, 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:06.600 Dick And obviously there are a couple of people that 0:10:06.640 --> 0:10:08.760 I'm sure he would have loved to add to the list, 0:10:09.040 --> 0:10:11.040 but I thought this was an impressive list in it 0:10:11.080 --> 0:10:14.880 of itself, giving very specific and honestly big compliments to 0:10:15.000 --> 0:10:17.560 his teammates. He's already thinking about awards for these guys. 0:10:17.920 --> 0:10:19.640 What are we a fourth of the way through the season. 0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:23.080 It's almost like Joe's version of the Oprah Meet and 0:10:23.120 --> 0:10:25.200 you get a postgame press conference shout out, and you 0:10:25.240 --> 0:10:27.040 get a postgame press conference shout out, and you and 0:10:27.080 --> 0:10:28.400 you and you and you and you and Lauren you're 0:10:28.400 --> 0:10:31.400 a great reporter, and you know great, you know all 0:10:31.400 --> 0:10:34.800 that stuff. He seems to be obviously in a terrific place. 0:10:34.880 --> 0:10:37.360 Just looking back at the three games he played going 0:10:37.400 --> 0:10:40.080 into this week forty two and ten Game one against 0:10:40.160 --> 0:10:43.640 Boston thirty eight and eleven, Game two against the Celtics 0:10:43.679 --> 0:10:46.520 thirty three and fourteen in the opener of the two 0:10:46.559 --> 0:10:50.360 game series against the Pistons. During that time, he's just 0:10:50.440 --> 0:10:53.960 been such a force from the free throw line, just 0:10:54.320 --> 0:10:59.160 obviously such a high caliber MVP level of play for 0:10:59.280 --> 0:11:01.800 Joel and b And it seemed to me, Lauren that 0:11:01.920 --> 0:11:04.760 around midweek last week, after the Boston game, that's when 0:11:04.800 --> 0:11:08.200 some of the national media started picking up the narrative of, well, 0:11:08.320 --> 0:11:11.040 is this an early season MVP candidate in Joel Embiid? 0:11:11.240 --> 0:11:13.200 And then he did nothing to change that in the 0:11:13.200 --> 0:11:16.120 follow up nationally televised game on Friday against the Celtics, 0:11:16.280 --> 0:11:17.960 and then backed it up in the second game of 0:11:17.960 --> 0:11:21.520 a back to back, no less Saturday against the Pistons. 0:11:21.559 --> 0:11:25.080 He has been fantastic. Can I add one more thing, 0:11:25.120 --> 0:11:26.880 Celts before we moved to the next thing, all I 0:11:26.920 --> 0:11:29.880 wanted to say, love your Oprah reference. That's exactly how 0:11:29.880 --> 0:11:32.080 it felt. He was just dishing out the compliments to everybody. 0:11:32.280 --> 0:11:35.959 But when we talk about Joel speaking positively about how 0:11:36.200 --> 0:11:38.400 the season is going and speaking positively about his teammates, 0:11:38.400 --> 0:11:40.400 we know that it's genuine And that's something that I 0:11:40.440 --> 0:11:42.160 wanted to say because I think there's a lot of 0:11:42.160 --> 0:11:45.160 pressure on players to just sort of give props to 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:48.600 their teammates, not take credit for wins, etc. But Joel 0:11:48.640 --> 0:11:51.280 Embiad is so honest when he speaks. When he's unhappy, 0:11:51.320 --> 0:11:53.680 he tells you. When he's happy, he tells you. So 0:11:53.800 --> 0:11:57.000 I feel like when he gives compliments out to other people, 0:11:57.080 --> 0:12:00.200 they're really genuine. They hold a lot of weight, and 0:12:00.280 --> 0:12:02.160 I love the fact that he is giving out these 0:12:02.160 --> 0:12:04.800 compliments and you know that they're real. So that's all 0:12:04.840 --> 0:12:07.160 I'll say about the quote. We can move on, but 0:12:07.480 --> 0:12:09.200 it was important to me to hear because you know 0:12:09.280 --> 0:12:11.560 he's telling the truth. I think we could go on 0:12:11.760 --> 0:12:15.800 for multiple mail bags about how great Joel Embiid has 0:12:15.800 --> 0:12:18.280 been playing as of late. We're gonna stick with the 0:12:18.320 --> 0:12:23.120 podline and the voicemailbox. You have one new message, So 0:12:23.880 --> 0:12:27.800 Joel indeed, what makes him the MVP? Funny enough, I 0:12:27.880 --> 0:12:30.760 don't think he's just the MVP. I believe he's the 0:12:31.080 --> 0:12:33.520 MVP and the defensive player of the league, of the 0:12:33.600 --> 0:12:38.040 league for plenty of reasons, and beads last three games 0:12:38.040 --> 0:12:42.720 for example, which is straight up dominating. And I don't 0:12:42.720 --> 0:12:47.439 mean that lightly. Lake is used insane numbers totally agree. 0:12:47.920 --> 0:12:50.400 What should not be lost in the chatter about Joel 0:12:50.440 --> 0:12:54.120 Embiid making a bid for MVP is that he could 0:12:54.120 --> 0:12:56.240 also be in the running for a Defensive Player of 0:12:56.280 --> 0:12:58.600 the Year as well. And it was interesting, Lauren that 0:12:58.720 --> 0:13:03.199 voicemail was left after or the first Boston game I believe, 0:13:03.240 --> 0:13:04.880 or maybe it was a second Boston game, and the 0:13:04.920 --> 0:13:07.560 call are referred to what Joe did in Game one 0:13:07.600 --> 0:13:11.280 against the Miami Heat. Lest we not forget forty five points, 0:13:11.280 --> 0:13:14.920 sixteen boards, four assists, five steals. So really, if you 0:13:15.000 --> 0:13:16.959 take away the nine point game he had in Game 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:21.200 two against Miami, Joe's last four games that he's played 0:13:21.200 --> 0:13:25.160 in have just been insane, Like he's almost averaging thirty 0:13:25.160 --> 0:13:27.320 seven points during that stretch. If you go back to 0:13:27.400 --> 0:13:32.120 the first Miami game, a walking double double machine and listen. 0:13:32.240 --> 0:13:35.320 I think that things don't always have to be one 0:13:35.360 --> 0:13:37.880 thing or the other, black or white. I think that 0:13:37.960 --> 0:13:41.559 Joel could have really enjoyed his time with Brett Brown 0:13:41.679 --> 0:13:43.679 and the staff the last couple of years, but also, 0:13:43.800 --> 0:13:46.960 like some other players, could have benefited from some fresh 0:13:47.000 --> 0:13:49.720 air and a new perspective and just a change in 0:13:49.760 --> 0:13:52.000 the off season. I don't think it has to be 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:53.960 one or the other. I believe him when he said 0:13:54.800 --> 0:13:56.120 when he talked to us in the off season that 0:13:56.160 --> 0:13:58.240 he loved his time with Brett and the way things 0:13:58.240 --> 0:14:00.680 were going then. But sometimes you get a fresh set 0:14:00.679 --> 0:14:03.200 of eyes, fresh set of minds come in and things change. 0:14:03.240 --> 0:14:05.760 And I feel like the Sixers have made this about 0:14:05.800 --> 0:14:08.920 getting Joel the ball on offense and seeing what happens 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:11.560 from there, and so far the results have been great 0:14:11.559 --> 0:14:13.559 for him and the rest of the team. I'm with you, 0:14:14.360 --> 0:14:16.440 we need to look past just this week. It really 0:14:16.480 --> 0:14:18.840 has been such an impressive start to the season for 0:14:19.160 --> 0:14:21.960 Joel when he plays alongside the rest of the starters. 0:14:22.000 --> 0:14:24.640 This team has not lost yet. That's how good. That's 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:27.200 how well it is going. That's how good Joel Embiid is. 0:14:27.440 --> 0:14:29.600 And you mentioned that nine point game against Miami. And 0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:32.640 when you look back at MVP campaigns for some of 0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:34.600 the greatest players in the league, whether you're looking at 0:14:34.640 --> 0:14:36.880 a Lebron or a Chawhi or and Anthony Davis, those 0:14:36.880 --> 0:14:41.560 guys don't all score thirty points a game. Sometimes it's 0:14:41.560 --> 0:14:44.000 important to look at those games where you scored nine points, 0:14:44.000 --> 0:14:46.240 like Joel did in that second game against the heat 0:14:46.440 --> 0:14:48.840 and see that shake. Milton scored thirty one that night. 0:14:49.080 --> 0:14:51.960 The other starters all scored in double figures that night, 0:14:52.000 --> 0:14:55.520 So really, Joel didn't need to go crazy that night. 0:14:55.600 --> 0:14:57.840 His teammates had his back, they got the win. Maybe 0:14:57.840 --> 0:14:59.120 he could have put his foot on the gas a 0:14:59.160 --> 0:15:01.280 little more if he needed, but he didn't need to, 0:15:01.400 --> 0:15:04.120 and that's okay. He doesn't have to score thirty five 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:06.320 every night when he's on a team that's as good 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:10.000 as this Sixers team is. So I think Joel has 0:15:10.000 --> 0:15:12.040 just been phenomenal, and even in the nights where he 0:15:12.160 --> 0:15:16.040 isn't quite in the crazy stat line category, he's still 0:15:16.080 --> 0:15:18.760 doing good things. And it's important to remember that Joel 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:21.000 doesn't have to score forty every night for this team 0:15:21.040 --> 0:15:22.960 to keep winning. I have one more thing I want 0:15:22.960 --> 0:15:25.640 to talk about with Joel embian in a second. 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Also soon, 0:15:52.040 --> 0:15:54.280 I haven't been pointed an exact date yet, but soon 0:15:54.880 --> 0:15:58.080 the Scoop, our new daily five minute seventy six Ers 0:15:58.200 --> 0:16:01.640 update pod, will be shifting exclusively to its own feed. 0:16:01.760 --> 0:16:04.000 Right now, we sprinkle in some episodes on our main feed, 0:16:04.000 --> 0:16:05.880 which is where you hear the broadcast and Tom's talks 0:16:05.880 --> 0:16:08.400 and coat check, but it's got its own feed. Search 0:16:08.600 --> 0:16:12.240 seventy Sixers Scoop wherever you get your pods to download 0:16:12.240 --> 0:16:15.120 and subscribe to our new feed specifically for the Scoop 0:16:15.400 --> 0:16:20.120 and get five minute updates about your Sixers every day. Okay, 0:16:20.200 --> 0:16:22.360 i'd someone slither into the mansions on Twitter, and I 0:16:22.440 --> 0:16:24.640 want to make it clear I'm okay with slithering into 0:16:24.680 --> 0:16:27.480 the mansions on Twitter and provided a counterpoint. I think 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:29.920 I must have tweeted something about Joe making a case 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:34.600 for MVP a month into the season, and this person said, well, 0:16:34.640 --> 0:16:37.800 what about Nicola Yokich. He's averaging a triple double. He's 0:16:37.840 --> 0:16:41.200 doing things with his facilitating that no big man has 0:16:41.200 --> 0:16:45.040 ever done. I think Yoki is awesome, he's great, He's excellent. 0:16:45.320 --> 0:16:47.920 But when you look at MVP, you should be taking 0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:51.400 I think, the whole picture into account, and what Joe 0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:54.720 is doing defensively, Yoki can't even touch that. I mean 0:16:54.760 --> 0:16:57.680 the defensive impact that Joel Embiid has had defending at 0:16:57.720 --> 0:17:00.320 the rim. The Sixers numbers with him on the or 0:17:00.960 --> 0:17:03.200 I think a nice important stat to look at is 0:17:03.240 --> 0:17:06.600 the NBA the stats on NBA dot com stat about 0:17:06.640 --> 0:17:09.760 the player impact estimate. Joel's number one in the league. 0:17:10.119 --> 0:17:12.800 I just think, overall everything Joel has been doing, his 0:17:12.920 --> 0:17:16.600 offensive efficiency and his defensive ripple effects and the rest 0:17:16.640 --> 0:17:19.280 of the roster, you can't ignore what the guy's doing. 0:17:19.600 --> 0:17:21.800 And look, the Nuggets got off to a slower start. 0:17:21.840 --> 0:17:24.320 They've won their last three in a row, but they're 0:17:24.320 --> 0:17:26.639 still the fifth seed in the West right now. They 0:17:26.640 --> 0:17:29.200 are not the best team in their conference the way 0:17:29.240 --> 0:17:31.040 that the Sixers are, And so when you do look 0:17:31.080 --> 0:17:32.960 at MVP candidates, you have to look at how the 0:17:32.960 --> 0:17:35.080 team is doing. I'm sorry, that's how I've always felt. 0:17:35.280 --> 0:17:37.439 I am not a voter, but if I was, I 0:17:37.440 --> 0:17:39.480 would want to make sure I'm voting for a guy 0:17:39.560 --> 0:17:42.280 whose team is performing really well. Because that's what makes 0:17:42.280 --> 0:17:44.720 you the most valuable player. The Sixers are performing better 0:17:44.720 --> 0:17:47.120 than anyone in their conference, and it's because of how 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:50.320 well Joel Embiid has led this team, and that makes 0:17:50.359 --> 0:17:53.200 him a more valuable player in my eyes. Am I biased? Yes? 0:17:53.400 --> 0:17:56.760 Do I think I'm right? Yes? I think you're right too. 0:17:57.040 --> 0:18:00.680 For the record, whatever that's worth, Thank you Saltz. Two 0:18:00.800 --> 0:18:04.800 excellent voicemails to get mail bag Monday going what's up next? 0:18:05.160 --> 0:18:08.120 You have one new message? We'll shift over to our 0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:11.800 social mentions on IGS A couple arm will do rapid 0:18:11.840 --> 0:18:14.520 fire about the other all star on the seventy six 0:18:14.640 --> 0:18:16.640 ers who has been playing like one as of late. 0:18:16.680 --> 0:18:20.080 For certain awesome to see a resurgence from Ben Simmons 0:18:20.080 --> 0:18:22.720 in Game two against the Celtics and the opener against 0:18:22.720 --> 0:18:25.520 the Detroit Pistons. I asked on IGS a few days ago, 0:18:25.560 --> 0:18:27.879 Ben simmons last couple games have got you feeling like what? 0:18:28.440 --> 0:18:32.920 And Miles Whaley says, ring ready, I love that enthusiasm. 0:18:33.720 --> 0:18:37.280 I do as well. I think Ben has brought this 0:18:37.320 --> 0:18:39.159 attitude this year to the table, that he's going to 0:18:39.200 --> 0:18:41.800 make an impact wherever he is needed to make an 0:18:41.840 --> 0:18:44.399 impact and he's really stood by that, and then the 0:18:44.440 --> 0:18:47.199 last few games he's also been scoring really well and 0:18:47.240 --> 0:18:49.000 the team has needed him too, And so I think 0:18:49.359 --> 0:18:52.359 Ben giving this this vibe of I'm going to do 0:18:52.440 --> 0:18:54.880 whatever it takes to help the team win, and then 0:18:55.000 --> 0:18:57.760 backing it up. Especially in the last few games, he 0:18:57.840 --> 0:19:00.359 has been phenomenal. I'm really just like sort of crowd 0:19:00.480 --> 0:19:03.240 to watch him, especially coming back from an injury and 0:19:03.320 --> 0:19:05.439 having a sort of up and down beginning of the season. 0:19:05.520 --> 0:19:07.160 It's really cool to see him put his head down 0:19:07.160 --> 0:19:08.800