WEBVTT - "I Like When He Dunks" | Sixers Sweep Bulls 0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:03.400 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:12.399 search seventy Sixers Insiders wherever you get your podcasts day. 0:00:12.480 --> 0:00:24.840 Everybody up, Yeah, seventy six I'll take it away right now. 0:00:25.079 --> 0:00:28.840 A one twenty one, one oh six win for the 0:00:28.880 --> 0:00:32.600 Philadelphia seventy Sixers on Monday at home against the Chicago Bulls. 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:37.040 The Sixers are forty and twenty four now and their 0:00:37.120 --> 0:00:40.839 second in the Eastern Conference. Welcome back to another Sixers 0:00:40.880 --> 0:00:44.919 Twitter spaces. I'm Matt Murphy with Lauren Rosen. Can't wait 0:00:44.960 --> 0:00:49.120 to break things down and hear from everyone out there. 0:00:49.159 --> 0:00:52.239 A big Joe LMBAD game in this one before we 0:00:52.360 --> 0:00:56.280 dive into the full box score, how about mbiads ten 0:00:57.040 --> 0:01:00.560 forty point ten rebound game, forty plus points, ten plus 0:01:00.560 --> 0:01:05.000 redound game of the current season, and the Sixers sweep 0:01:05.080 --> 0:01:08.880 the Bulls. A Bulls team that yes shorthanded at times, 0:01:08.959 --> 0:01:14.280 shorthanded in this most recent matchup as well, but one 0:01:14.319 --> 0:01:17.640 of the surprises of the season, one of the better 0:01:17.720 --> 0:01:21.199 teams in the Eastern Conference, and the Sixers took all 0:01:21.360 --> 0:01:25.160 four meetings from the Bulls this year. Very impressive and 0:01:25.360 --> 0:01:28.920 bead and hardened leading the way Lauren for the Sixers 0:01:28.959 --> 0:01:32.360 on Monday. Yeah, it's tough to win all four. The 0:01:32.400 --> 0:01:35.399 Sixers managed to get it done. Matt. You mentioned Joe 0:01:35.400 --> 0:01:40.360 ellen Beads ten forty plus point double doubles this season. 0:01:40.680 --> 0:01:43.800 The last player to have such a season his teammate 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:47.880 James Harden in the twenty eighteen nineteen season. Harden also 0:01:48.040 --> 0:01:51.800 a strong performance last night. The Sixers now undefeated in 0:01:51.960 --> 0:01:55.440 games in which James Harden plays. There have only been five, 0:01:55.560 --> 0:01:58.600 but all five strong victories. And as you mentioned, this 0:01:58.680 --> 0:02:01.000 is the part where we jump in to the box score. 0:02:01.120 --> 0:02:03.120 My hope is that this box score will spark some 0:02:03.200 --> 0:02:05.560 questions or comments from you guys. So as I run through, 0:02:06.320 --> 0:02:09.160 think about what you'd like to discuss. Continue sending us 0:02:09.200 --> 0:02:12.800 your DM's comment on the tweet. Make sure you're engaging 0:02:12.960 --> 0:02:15.000 there and we'll try to get to you as many 0:02:15.080 --> 0:02:19.080 questions and comments as we can. So five Sixers finish 0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:22.120 in double figures last night, let's talk through all five. 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:27.640 Joelmbad finished with forty three points, fourteen rebounds, two assists, 0:02:27.800 --> 0:02:31.120 two steals, and three blocks. Let's do that again. Forty 0:02:31.320 --> 0:02:35.800 three points, fourteen rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:38.840 blocks and bead shot fifteen for seven for twenty seven 0:02:39.120 --> 0:02:42.919 from the field, twelve for sixteen from the free throw line, 0:02:43.120 --> 0:02:45.079 and then you work your way to the sixers next 0:02:45.200 --> 0:02:47.160 leading score. And a reminder, by the way, some of 0:02:47.160 --> 0:02:49.600 these numbers down for some of the other Sixers, but 0:02:49.680 --> 0:02:51.919 when someone goes out there and gets you forty three 0:02:51.960 --> 0:02:56.160 and fourteen, productivity might skew a little bit lower, but 0:02:56.240 --> 0:02:58.800 let's talk about it anyway. Tyrese Maxie had a great 0:02:58.880 --> 0:03:02.720 second half. He finished with seventeen points, four assists, and 0:03:02.840 --> 0:03:07.800 a steal. James Harden's a sixteen point, fourteen assist double 0:03:07.840 --> 0:03:12.359 double plus eight rebounds two rebounds, shy of another triple 0:03:12.440 --> 0:03:16.919 double as a seventy six er. Matisse Thible twelve points 0:03:17.200 --> 0:03:20.000 and a rebound, four for five from the field, three 0:03:20.080 --> 0:03:23.160 for four from the free throw line, one for one 0:03:23.480 --> 0:03:27.359 from long range, and yes, the Sixers remain undefeated when 0:03:27.400 --> 0:03:31.400 Matisse Thival scores in double figures this season. George Niang 0:03:31.720 --> 0:03:34.960 led the way off the bench fourteen points, three assists 0:03:35.000 --> 0:03:38.680 and two steals. He shot four for seven from the field, 0:03:38.760 --> 0:03:42.720 all shots from three, four for seven from long range. 0:03:42.840 --> 0:03:45.760 So if any of those jump out to you, send 0:03:45.840 --> 0:03:48.320 us a DM, let us know what you think. The 0:03:48.360 --> 0:03:51.240 team shot overall forty eight point eight percent from the field, 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:54.840 forty percent from three, and seventy nine point four percent 0:03:54.880 --> 0:03:57.200 from the line, So that free throw shooting number goes 0:03:57.280 --> 0:03:59.600 down a little bit, but very nearly. A fifty forty 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:02.760 nine from the seventy six ers from the field an 0:04:02.760 --> 0:04:07.560 exciting one. The center was absolutely rock in. There were 0:04:07.560 --> 0:04:09.480 more than a few times where it felt like the 0:04:09.560 --> 0:04:11.480 ceiling was going to burst off that place. And the 0:04:11.520 --> 0:04:13.440 best is yet to come, as we had down the 0:04:13.440 --> 0:04:15.920 stretch this season end into the playoffs. So, Matt, what 0:04:16.040 --> 0:04:18.360 stood out most to you among those performances? Of course 0:04:18.400 --> 0:04:20.680 we have to talk about Joel Embiid, but what else 0:04:20.760 --> 0:04:25.239 did you like? And Bead kind of engaging, not kind 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:28.120 of and Bead engaging with the crowd towards the end 0:04:28.120 --> 0:04:33.320 of his forty point night, All business throughout a lot 0:04:33.360 --> 0:04:37.440 of it. Tyrese Maxie, you said was the second leading scorer. 0:04:37.520 --> 0:04:39.800 Most of his points came in the fourth quarter. We 0:04:39.880 --> 0:04:42.280 do need to talk about James Harden and the assists 0:04:42.320 --> 0:04:45.040 and the passing, and that ties into George Niang who 0:04:45.360 --> 0:04:48.240 stayed hot from three point range. But let's not move 0:04:48.240 --> 0:04:51.640 away from embiid just yet, Lauren. I think lost in 0:04:51.680 --> 0:04:56.479 this is that he scored his eight thousandth career point 0:04:56.720 --> 0:05:00.680 last night. But there were so many stats and streaks 0:05:00.720 --> 0:05:04.359 and Sixers Bulls related things and the seasons sweep, and 0:05:05.279 --> 0:05:07.920 it happened towards the very end of the game that 0:05:08.040 --> 0:05:10.200 Joel got to eight thousand. So I think we need 0:05:10.240 --> 0:05:12.680 to look into that a little bit more in the 0:05:12.720 --> 0:05:17.840 coming days and kind of contextualize that. But we were 0:05:17.960 --> 0:05:20.919 sort of waiting the last couple games for this type 0:05:20.920 --> 0:05:24.799 of performance from Mbiad, and it always happened seemingly against 0:05:24.800 --> 0:05:27.400 the Bulls. He's had their number, not just this season. 0:05:27.440 --> 0:05:30.040 Two of his forty ten games have come against the 0:05:30.040 --> 0:05:32.279 Bulls this season, but he's had fifty in the past, 0:05:32.360 --> 0:05:35.320 and his averages are very good. Against the Chicago Bulls, 0:05:35.320 --> 0:05:38.039 He's never lost. He's eleven and oh against the Bulls. 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:43.120 The Sixers have beaten the Bulls now eleven straight times 0:05:43.800 --> 0:05:47.640 as well. But a really good MBAD game and a 0:05:47.680 --> 0:05:53.760 lot we can talk about with Joel. Afterwards, both Harden 0:05:53.880 --> 0:05:57.160 and Doc Rivers talked about Joel's big night, and Harden 0:05:57.240 --> 0:06:00.400 said he recognized early that Joel kind of had it going, 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:04.039 and Doc was pleased with how Joel had it going 0:06:04.080 --> 0:06:07.160 in a lot of ways, finding him in the post, 0:06:07.200 --> 0:06:10.359 in transition, those types of things. So it was clear 0:06:10.400 --> 0:06:12.560 from the start that Joel was going to bounce back 0:06:13.400 --> 0:06:15.920 in a big way, and he really carried this team 0:06:15.960 --> 0:06:19.400 to victory. Although strong contributions all around. What did you 0:06:19.440 --> 0:06:22.520 see from Joel or what did you like? Well, we 0:06:22.560 --> 0:06:24.960 talk a lot about Joel Embiid refusing to have two 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:27.640 bad games in a row, but by his estimation, he 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:30.240 did have a tough back to back on Friday and Saturday. 0:06:30.279 --> 0:06:32.200 He did not like what he was able to do. 0:06:32.279 --> 0:06:34.520 But that being said, twenty two points both nights, a 0:06:34.600 --> 0:06:38.279 twenty two point fifteen rebound double double Saturday in Miami. 0:06:38.320 --> 0:06:41.839 But Joel not happy with either of those performances, and 0:06:41.880 --> 0:06:43.800 he came back in a big way. I really like 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:46.839 what Doc Rivers had to say about what Joel was 0:06:46.880 --> 0:06:51.039 able to do tonight. Doc post game said, quote, he 0:06:51.160 --> 0:06:53.000 just got into a rhythm. He didn't force it. We 0:06:53.040 --> 0:06:54.839 got him to the right spot. I thought the cutting 0:06:54.880 --> 0:06:57.600 and the spacing what he did early, he passed a couple, 0:06:57.720 --> 0:06:59.599 got a couple of threes, they pulled off. Did some 0:06:59.640 --> 0:07:02.240 trapp and then Joel one on one is very difficult. 0:07:02.440 --> 0:07:03.880 I also like that he got a lot of it 0:07:03.920 --> 0:07:06.080 in transition in the post I liked that a lot. 0:07:06.120 --> 0:07:09.560 So Joel embiid by his head coach's estimation, doing a 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:13.440 little bit of everything and making it happen for his teammates, 0:07:13.480 --> 0:07:18.280 continuing to engage. I've loved watching him and James Harden 0:07:18.480 --> 0:07:21.880 start to get along, two MVP caliber players that again 0:07:21.960 --> 0:07:24.760 have only played in five games together and have won 0:07:24.840 --> 0:07:27.840 all five, but both feel that there is still a 0:07:27.960 --> 0:07:32.560 long way to go. James said of Joel post game, 0:07:32.800 --> 0:07:35.040 I'm just happy. All I needed to do was go 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:37.040 out there and be a playmaker tonight, and from the 0:07:37.120 --> 0:07:39.040 beginning you saw that I was there to help him, 0:07:39.080 --> 0:07:41.360 get out there to help him. But forty plus points 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:45.360 is still a pretty good game. I agree with James Harden, who, 0:07:45.360 --> 0:07:49.320 by the way, post game immediately following a pretty hard 0:07:49.320 --> 0:07:54.360 fought victory is out in the stadium running stadiums and 0:07:54.400 --> 0:07:56.480 you absolutely love to see it. For those who are unaware, 0:07:56.560 --> 0:07:59.600 James Harden has been working out post game following games 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:02.360 four a bulk the bulk, if not all of his career, 0:08:02.400 --> 0:08:05.760 but he's been certainly doing that since joining the seventy 0:08:05.800 --> 0:08:08.360 six ers, some really great photos of him doing so 0:08:08.480 --> 0:08:11.680 following their first game together in Minnesota, and then of 0:08:11.680 --> 0:08:15.640 course that trend continuing last night into a little cardio 0:08:15.680 --> 0:08:18.000 on the steps, which if you ran that cardio loop, Matt, 0:08:18.080 --> 0:08:21.080 you know that's a tough one to do. But James Harden, 0:08:21.200 --> 0:08:24.520 even after playing a solid night's work, did a really 0:08:24.920 --> 0:08:28.280 good thing by the estimation of most fans and his dumates, 0:08:29.200 --> 0:08:31.720 I know, do I know? Though? Was the question you 0:08:31.760 --> 0:08:34.560 said you never run stadiums about Murphy. I mean, it's 0:08:34.600 --> 0:08:40.600 been years, but maybe in high school play sports at 0:08:40.640 --> 0:08:46.360 even close to a high level. So well, I had 0:08:46.360 --> 0:08:49.440 to run a lot of stadiums. I was a college athlete. 0:08:49.440 --> 0:08:51.040 I had to run a lot of stadiums in college. 0:08:51.200 --> 0:08:53.920 They're really not fun outside inside. Once you've run stadiums 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:55.600 outside inside, it's a little bit more fun. But what 0:08:55.600 --> 0:08:57.160 I've never had to do was play in an NBA 0:08:57.240 --> 0:09:00.000 game thirty six minutes as hard in thirty eight minutes, 0:09:00.160 --> 0:09:02.240 rather as Harden did last night, and then get out 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:04.920 there and do just that. Shout out of course to 0:09:05.000 --> 0:09:08.200 James Harden also for tying Reggie Miller on the all 0:09:08.280 --> 0:09:10.360 time at three point list. He now, of course, just 0:09:10.440 --> 0:09:13.280 needs one to move ahead of the great Reggie Miller 0:09:13.320 --> 0:09:16.480 on the all time three point list. I've actually never 0:09:16.520 --> 0:09:20.160 heard someone refer to them as stadiums. I don't think either. Yeah, 0:09:20.240 --> 0:09:23.440 that's what we call it doing welliums. I disagree in 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:26.280 this context because it's an arena, not a stadium, like 0:09:26.320 --> 0:09:30.120 an outdoor stadium, So he's not technically in a stadium. 0:09:30.200 --> 0:09:32.480 So I'm going to disagree with you on that. I 0:09:32.520 --> 0:09:35.320 don't think it applies. No, I think that's what it's called, Matt. 0:09:35.360 --> 0:09:37.720 I don't think it's like my opinion on the matter. 0:09:37.760 --> 0:09:39.240 But we can do some we can do some digging. 0:09:39.280 --> 0:09:40.840 If you guys ever had to run up and down 0:09:40.880 --> 0:09:43.080 the steps of a stadium or an arena, let us 0:09:43.080 --> 0:09:45.160 know what you called it in the comments or in 0:09:45.200 --> 0:09:49.640 the dms, like bleachers, bleachers maybe in for high school athletes, 0:09:49.720 --> 0:09:55.040 or stairs or steps bleachers. I think I think running bleachers. 0:09:56.040 --> 0:10:01.480 I'm ready to move on. Hey, it's Joe Conklin joined 0:10:01.559 --> 0:10:04.559 me for Conklin's Comedy Night in Parks. 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We mentioned at 0:10:36.040 --> 0:10:40.680 fourteen points four for seven from the field. Joe from 0:10:40.760 --> 0:10:43.559 Consho Hacken Matt Murphy shout out to Concho Hocken. Joe 0:10:43.559 --> 0:10:46.400 from Concho Hacken says, George Niang is exactly what the 0:10:46.400 --> 0:10:50.000 Sixers have needed this season. Love watching he and Harden 0:10:50.200 --> 0:10:52.760 work together out there. There were a couple things I 0:10:52.760 --> 0:10:54.880 want to address on that one. George Niang, one of 0:10:54.880 --> 0:10:59.400 his signature celebrations is smacking his head, making the three 0:10:59.480 --> 0:11:01.560 sign with his hand and then smacking the top of 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:04.720 his head. James Harden found him for three last night, 0:11:04.760 --> 0:11:07.560 and then the two of them smacked their heads in Unison, 0:11:07.640 --> 0:11:09.959 which is something that you absolutely love to see from 0:11:09.960 --> 0:11:12.920 a team building perspective. I love what Doc Rivers had 0:11:12.960 --> 0:11:16.400 to say about George Niang and James Harden ahead of 0:11:16.840 --> 0:11:19.599 Friday's game against the Cavaliers, talking about the way that 0:11:19.640 --> 0:11:22.360 they are such a perfect pair together. It's a perfect 0:11:22.400 --> 0:11:25.240 marriage because of what James Harden is able to do 0:11:25.280 --> 0:11:27.840 as a passer and what George Niang is able to 0:11:27.840 --> 0:11:29.800 do as a shooter. George, of course, has such a 0:11:29.840 --> 0:11:32.600 quick trigger. Whenever he's open, he's going to shoot. If 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:35.240 he's not open, he's also probably going to shoot. And 0:11:35.280 --> 0:11:37.760 if James Harden has been great at one thing since 0:11:37.840 --> 0:11:40.560 arriving at the seventy six ers, he's been great at 0:11:40.600 --> 0:11:42.760 finding his shooters. So the two of them, of course 0:11:42.760 --> 0:11:45.640 have skills that perfectly highlight one another. And it's been 0:11:45.679 --> 0:11:48.800 a pleasure to watch that now game after game and 0:11:48.840 --> 0:11:53.400 watch George and James rejoice in one another's success. I've 0:11:53.440 --> 0:11:57.320 loved watching that pairing. Matt, what have you seen? We've 0:11:57.360 --> 0:12:01.800 got to reference the one staff that comes from the 0:12:01.840 --> 0:12:08.640 Elias Sports Bureau Bureau. Excuse me, relayed by Sixers stats. 0:12:09.640 --> 0:12:11.400 First of all, this is not the stat, but the 0:12:11.440 --> 0:12:13.760 Sixers are five and oh with Harden playing. And then 0:12:13.880 --> 0:12:15.920 here's the stat. One hundred and twenty three points and 0:12:16.000 --> 0:12:19.480 sixty two assists in those five games. The first player 0:12:19.520 --> 0:12:23.360 to post such totals within their first five games with 0:12:23.760 --> 0:12:27.000 a franchise, So any franchise first player to do it 0:12:27.200 --> 0:12:29.439 couldn't have asked for a better start. For James Harden 0:12:30.120 --> 0:12:34.319 in a six Ers uniform, fourteen assists. The connection with 0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:38.640 George Niang, It's incredible to watch the behind the back 0:12:38.679 --> 0:12:42.199 passes and other types of nifty passes from Harden to shooters, 0:12:42.200 --> 0:12:44.680 and Niang has been the most ready for all of 0:12:44.679 --> 0:12:49.360 these to start and hitting the most probably, George said 0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:52.959 afterwards in part of an answer when I'm out there 0:12:52.960 --> 0:12:55.120 on the court, the fact that he draws so much 0:12:55.120 --> 0:12:57.080 attention as a scorer and then he just has an 0:12:57.120 --> 0:12:59.360 ability to make quick passes or no look passes and 0:12:59.480 --> 0:13:01.319 hit me right on the hands. I mean, it's like 0:13:01.360 --> 0:13:04.240 a dream come true. I think the key phrase there 0:13:04.440 --> 0:13:08.319 is hit me right on the hands, because people players 0:13:08.320 --> 0:13:12.880 shouldn't be able to make accurate passes in the effortless 0:13:12.920 --> 0:13:16.080 way that James Harden does, and he racked up the 0:13:16.120 --> 0:13:18.920 fourteen assist. He was finding George for three. He was 0:13:19.000 --> 0:13:22.480 finding Matisse Thyble for cuts throughout a lot of this game. 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:24.640 Matissa is someone we should also talk about as we 0:13:25.160 --> 0:13:27.439 go forward, because he had a very strong game and 0:13:27.520 --> 0:13:34.120 efficient game. But I'm continually impressed by Harden's ability to 0:13:34.160 --> 0:13:38.200 make accurate passes that are difficult, like the degree of 0:13:38.200 --> 0:13:41.680 difficulty on the passes is high, and he hits the 0:13:41.760 --> 0:13:44.800 shooters right in the shooting pocket. And Niang has been 0:13:44.840 --> 0:13:47.840 making a ton and I love that they've they both 0:13:47.880 --> 0:13:51.439 had the celebration going. George does it right when he's 0:13:51.440 --> 0:13:53.719 off the bench. If he makes one, most times he's 0:13:53.760 --> 0:13:58.800 gonna celebrate, and you need that. We've talked, not even 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:02.760 just on this show, about different lineups and such, and 0:14:03.240 --> 0:14:05.760 we kind of kind of agreed that the spark that 0:14:05.800 --> 0:14:09.960 George gives you coming off the bench and the energy 0:14:10.000 --> 0:14:13.600 that he brings just by making one shot is very 0:14:13.640 --> 0:14:16.280 important to this team, and it played out that way 0:14:16.320 --> 0:14:20.160 against the Bulls. In this final meeting, Annie writes to 0:14:20.280 --> 0:14:22.720 us Matt and says, do you think George coming off 0:14:22.760 --> 0:14:25.960 the bench and scoring the way that he does gives 0:14:26.000 --> 0:14:29.840 the other bench player's energy. Sounds like you and Annie, 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:33.240 who is a loyal listener, are right on the same page, 0:14:33.240 --> 0:14:35.240 and I think the answer is absolutely gives the other 0:14:35.240 --> 0:14:38.080 players energy. When George was the first sub last night, 0:14:38.080 --> 0:14:39.720 when he comes in and he gives a boost to 0:14:39.720 --> 0:14:41.520 the guys that have been playing, that are already feeling 0:14:41.560 --> 0:14:43.440 it a little bit, a little bit tired out there, 0:14:43.760 --> 0:14:47.160 certainly certainly inject energy into that lineup, and then is 0:14:47.200 --> 0:14:50.400 always engaging the bench those that haven't even checked in yet. 0:14:50.600 --> 0:14:54.440 George and Eang certainly an energy giver on this team. 0:14:54.680 --> 0:14:59.080 Uncle Craig says George was feeding and bead last night too. 0:14:59.120 --> 0:15:02.960 True enough. We've loved watching the chemistry developed between those 0:15:03.040 --> 0:15:07.360 two as well. Embad of course, had a iconic now 0:15:07.440 --> 0:15:11.160 quote about George following just the second matchup between the 0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:13.320 Sixers and the Bowls this season. I believe that was 0:15:13.360 --> 0:15:17.680 November sixth in Chicago, talking about what Joel's perception of 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:21.760 George Niang was ahead of becoming teammates versus what George 0:15:21.760 --> 0:15:25.160 has been like as a teammate. Joel said, I thought 0:15:25.200 --> 0:15:28.200 that he sucked, honestly, but now I'm just happy to 0:15:28.240 --> 0:15:30.760 have him. That, of course, is a paraphras version of 0:15:30.800 --> 0:15:34.080 the longer quote that began with talking about Joel's initial 0:15:34.080 --> 0:15:37.840 feelings about George Niang, But an absolute pleasure to watch 0:15:37.880 --> 0:15:40.000 that group get to know each other and for George 0:15:40.000 --> 0:15:42.560 a role player in this league, to be such a 0:15:43.560 --> 0:15:47.000 starring role player, especially when it comes to playing alongside 0:15:47.000 --> 0:15:49.760 at Joel Embiid and now a James Harden, been an 0:15:49.760 --> 0:15:52.240 absolute pleasure to watch, for sure, Matt where to next? 0:15:53.880 --> 0:15:58.440 More on Harden when he has somebody set up for 0:15:59.080 --> 0:16:03.000 just crossing them over. He had a step back three, 0:16:03.000 --> 0:16:06.880 but he also beat his defender a couple times to 0:16:07.000 --> 0:16:11.440 the rim, especially early in this game. The energy in 0:16:11.440 --> 0:16:15.440 the building is real, like it you're watching something special. 0:16:15.480 --> 0:16:18.280 When he kind of has somebody on an island and 0:16:18.680 --> 0:16:21.760 he's going between his legs and you're anticipating either the 0:16:21.800 --> 0:16:24.240 step back or a drive or one of those behind 0:16:24.280 --> 0:16:28.640 the back passes. It is special and you feel it 0:16:28.840 --> 0:16:31.560 and the energy. A lot of people in the first half, 0:16:31.960 --> 0:16:34.520 a lot of Sixers fans around where I was sitting 0:16:35.720 --> 0:16:38.600 across from me, were like, who's going to stop him? 0:16:38.680 --> 0:16:41.120 Not just in that bulls game, but who is going 0:16:41.160 --> 0:16:44.800 to stop him from doing what he wants with the basketball, 0:16:44.880 --> 0:16:47.080 or getting where he wants to go, or taking the 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:49.960 shots that he wants to take. And that's a great 0:16:50.040 --> 0:16:52.720 question because the Eastern Conference playoffs are going to be 0:16:53.200 --> 0:16:56.280 so exciting and these teams not only have to worry 0:16:56.280 --> 0:16:58.800 about Joel embi but now they have to worry about 0:16:58.880 --> 0:17:03.560 James Harden and Joel is an MVP candidate, James is 0:17:03.560 --> 0:17:06.680 a former MVP, and it just adds to the mix. 0:17:07.040 --> 0:17:09.560 It creates problems because who is going to stop James 0:17:09.560 --> 0:17:11.600 Harden and who's going to stop Joel embiid and how 0:17:11.640 --> 0:17:14.920 are you going to stop them? We'll see, We'll see 0:17:14.920 --> 0:17:18.520 teams try, but I don't know that they can. The 0:17:18.560 --> 0:17:21.440 Sixers have put together quite a one two punch, and that, 0:17:21.520 --> 0:17:24.560 of course surrounded by the likes of Tyrese Maxie. We're 0:17:24.560 --> 0:17:27.400 going to talk about Matisse, Thyble. Tobias Harris still has 0:17:27.440 --> 0:17:32.159 plenty left to show within this new grouping, but threats abound. 0:17:32.560 --> 0:17:34.720 We saw it from George Niang last night and I've 0:17:34.760 --> 0:17:40.160 absolutely thoroughly enjoyed watching dunks and dunk one another. Yeah, 0:17:40.200 --> 0:17:46.920 Tobias Harris, Big dunk Matisse, Thyble, Big Dunk Matise, postgame, 0:17:46.960 --> 0:17:50.400 talking about Joel's performance, said I like when he dunks. 0:17:50.840 --> 0:17:53.680 My favorite quote of the night. We both missed a 0:17:53.800 --> 0:17:57.520 layup earlier on in this space is Lauren. We each 0:17:57.600 --> 0:18:00.159 kind of asked each other what we liked about Joel's game, 0:18:00.000 --> 0:18:02.359 and we could have taken the Matisse Thible route and 0:18:02.400 --> 0:18:07.240 just said that we like when he done. But there 0:18:07.240 --> 0:18:12.240 were a few big dunks from Joel and Tobias and 0:18:12.280 --> 0:18:19.560 Mattisse had huge dunks, maybe underrated and perhaps the biggest 0:18:19.640 --> 0:18:22.439 dunk of the year from either of them, both in 0:18:22.480 --> 0:18:25.480 the same night, in the same half. Really impressive stuff 0:18:25.480 --> 0:18:28.119 from the two of them. Didn't really I continue to 0:18:28.160 --> 0:18:31.240 be surprised by Matisse Thyble's athleticism and then continue to 0:18:31.240 --> 0:18:34.240 be surprised by the same with Tobias Harris, both of 0:18:34.280 --> 0:18:37.760 them I believe finishing through contact. So really impressive stuff 0:18:38.000 --> 0:18:41.639 or sorry, perhaps Tobias finishing through contact rather, but really 0:18:41.680 --> 0:18:44.119 impressive stuff from the two of them. They liked to 0:18:44.119 --> 0:18:47.240 read books, but they also liked dunk. Matt Murphy and 0:18:47.400 --> 0:18:51.240 both on full display last night. I love it. I'm 0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:55.040 gonna start sharing some more tweets at the top of 0:18:55.040 --> 0:18:58.400 the space. I've been slacking on that a little bit 0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:00.800 in the last couple, but I'm also going to pick 0:19:00.840 --> 0:19:04.000 out a couple questions or comments as well in between, 0:19:04.080 --> 0:19:06.840 So keep your thoughts coming. You can click on our 0:19:06.840 --> 0:19:10.120 photos at the top, myself or Lauren Rosen and send 0:19:10.240 --> 0:19:12.800 us a DM with your thoughts anything you want to 0:19:12.840 --> 0:19:18.560 talk about today. I've had a couple come in. Let's 0:19:18.640 --> 0:19:21.000 let's go to Mary's first. As I sort through some others, 0:19:21.800 --> 0:19:28.640 Mary asks if we know anything about Embiid's hand gester 0:19:28.720 --> 0:19:31.600 Embiad seems to be doing with just Maxie after free 0:19:31.600 --> 0:19:33.760 throws wholesome. I don't know if you know anything about that, 0:19:33.760 --> 0:19:36.760 but I told Mary that we would ask the next 0:19:36.840 --> 0:19:39.960 chance we get about Embiid and Maxi thing that we 0:19:40.200 --> 0:19:42.320 watch a little bit closer, but of course the two 0:19:42.359 --> 0:19:44.160 of them. That was one of the one of our 0:19:44.200 --> 0:19:47.560 biggest storylines in Twitter spaces ahead of the acquisition of 0:19:47.680 --> 0:19:50.280 James Harden, the way that Joel Embiad has really taken 0:19:50.359 --> 0:19:53.919 Tyrese Maxie under his wing challenge to Tyrese to become 0:19:53.960 --> 0:19:56.720 the player that he's become today. And of course every 0:19:56.720 --> 0:19:59.399 time Joel has has laid out a call or a 0:19:59.480 --> 0:20:02.600 challenge four Tyrese Tyres has answered it in a matter 0:20:02.640 --> 0:20:05.040 of days, if not hours. It's been really cool to 0:20:05.040 --> 0:20:06.600 watch the two of them get along, and then, of 0:20:06.600 --> 0:20:08.760 course really cool to watch the two of them sitting 0:20:08.800 --> 0:20:12.840 courtside together at the All Star Game. Really impressive on 0:20:12.880 --> 0:20:14.840 All Star weekend to watch their bond, but then really 0:20:14.880 --> 0:20:18.840 impressive now to watch them continue to adjust their partnership, 0:20:19.160 --> 0:20:22.639 incorporating one of the best scorers to ever do it. 0:20:22.720 --> 0:20:26.000 Matt I had a couple of questions about Matisse thyble. 0:20:26.119 --> 0:20:28.280 Mike Descano said, can we talk about Harden's past to 0:20:28.320 --> 0:20:31.840 Matisse's dunk and that's the head exploding emoji? I think 0:20:31.840 --> 0:20:35.399 we just talked about that, agreed, Mike, And then Ben 0:20:35.560 --> 0:20:39.760 Wiggins says, Mick Wiggins says, do you think Matise flybol 0:20:39.800 --> 0:20:43.280 will continue to grow offensively alongside James? This is a 0:20:43.359 --> 0:20:46.480 question coming from Melbourne, Australia, looking forward to coming to 0:20:46.560 --> 0:20:49.880 my first in person NBA game this week against Brooklyn. 0:20:50.240 --> 0:20:53.439 Oh my goodness, But so if I am, if I 0:20:53.440 --> 0:20:56.680 am to read this in depth, I believe that means 0:20:56.680 --> 0:20:59.960 that you're going to be journeying from Melbourne to Philadelphia 0:21:00.000 --> 0:21:01.879 the next two days or so. Best of luck on 0:21:01.920 --> 0:21:04.440 your journey, and if we can give you any recommendations 0:21:04.440 --> 0:21:07.320 while you're here, just let us know. Love the question, 0:21:07.480 --> 0:21:10.359 it's a good one. Matisse had a quiet back to back, 0:21:10.840 --> 0:21:13.480 as did Joel Embiid, but then the last couple of 0:21:13.560 --> 0:21:17.399 games has been pretty outstanding for the third year player, 0:21:17.480 --> 0:21:21.199 or rather the two ahead and the one following have 0:21:21.280 --> 0:21:24.439 been pretty outstanding for the third year player. In his 0:21:24.520 --> 0:21:28.480 first game with James Harden, eleven points, seven rebounds, two 0:21:28.480 --> 0:21:32.359 assists and three steals. Second game with James Harden eight points, 0:21:32.440 --> 0:21:37.080 six rebounds, six rebounds, two assists and three steals for Matisse, 0:21:37.920 --> 0:21:40.760 Then they went to New York ten points, two assists, 0:21:40.880 --> 0:21:44.360 three blocks for Matisse. The back to back, Matisse goes scoreless, 0:21:44.359 --> 0:21:47.359 but then comes back with a vengeance against Chicago twelve 0:21:47.400 --> 0:21:51.240 points and a rebound four or five again from the field. 0:21:51.280 --> 0:21:53.639 So Matisse has talked a lot about the way that 0:21:53.760 --> 0:21:57.439 James Harden has unlocked more for him offensively, and one 0:21:57.440 --> 0:21:59.840 of my favorite quotes from last night's post game was 0:22:00.040 --> 0:22:03.440 actually talking about the way that he feels that James Harden, 0:22:03.520 --> 0:22:07.719 of course has unlocked him offensively, but Matisse has enjoyed 0:22:07.760 --> 0:22:11.720 helping James unlock defensively. There was a quote from last 0:22:11.760 --> 0:22:15.680 week James discussing the fact that Matisse's defense inspires him 0:22:15.720 --> 0:22:19.000 to be better defensively, and then Matisse says, obviously, it's 0:22:19.040 --> 0:22:21.240