WEBVTT - The BroadCast | Setting the Stage for the Celtics 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.640 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:08.119 search seventy Sixers podcast wherever you get your pods. They've 0:00:08.119 --> 0:00:11.320 met over five hundred fifty times and played each other 0:00:11.360 --> 0:00:15.280 in the playoffs in twenty series. Chamberlain the CUCA put 0:00:15.320 --> 0:00:20.560 the Philadelphia ahead, followings the Bobby Gold Chris to the ball. 0:00:24.000 --> 0:00:29.120 That's the Sixers at their best here in twenty twenty, 0:00:29.280 --> 0:00:33.400 under unprecedented circumstances, the seventy Sixers and Boston Celtics will 0:00:33.440 --> 0:00:35.920 do it again as old rivals beat up inside the 0:00:35.920 --> 0:00:38.919 bubble in the opening round. There's plenty of talent on 0:00:38.960 --> 0:00:42.440 both sides. We certainly have our eyes settle on Joel 0:00:42.479 --> 0:00:44.720 and be at what type of force he can be 0:00:44.800 --> 0:00:47.760 in this series repeat against smart spins, couples with the 0:00:47.840 --> 0:00:52.040 right hand gets free and Ammerson hope right do. We'll 0:00:52.080 --> 0:00:55.360 also talk about the importance of Tobias Harris, Josh Richardson, 0:00:55.640 --> 0:00:58.680 Al Horford and the rest of the roster. Horford gets position, 0:00:58.800 --> 0:01:02.640 bakes upt, Tice goes up Horford. That stars now Horford 0:01:02.760 --> 0:01:05.520 put him into the way back machine. He's used it 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:10.920 all kinds of food. I'm I'm Devon Gibbons, I'm Brian Seltzer, 0:01:10.920 --> 0:01:13.440 and this is the broadcast first round preview from the 0:01:13.480 --> 0:01:21.679 seventy six Ers podcast network. The Playoffs, The Playoffs, Finally, 0:01:21.840 --> 0:01:25.839 at long last, about three months later, the NBA Playoffs 0:01:25.880 --> 0:01:30.119 are here. Seating games, guys. I enjoyed them. They were fun. 0:01:30.440 --> 0:01:33.640 We'll even throw the scrimmages in there too. However, I'm 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:36.160 ready for a change of scenery and significance when it 0:01:36.200 --> 0:01:39.160 comes to the impact and meaning of these NBA basketball 0:01:39.160 --> 0:01:41.640 games we're watching inside the bubble. Yeah, the stakes are 0:01:41.720 --> 0:01:44.880 high now. Every minute, every quarter, every play, it all counts, 0:01:44.880 --> 0:01:47.240 and it's kind of exhilarating to be back in that 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:52.280 playoff mindset. It's been what fifteen months, which is kind 0:01:52.280 --> 0:01:56.160 of insane. This is exactly what the restart was for 0:01:56.440 --> 0:01:59.680 to crown the champion, to get to playoff basketball, to 0:01:59.680 --> 0:02:02.840 see the best of the best in the NBA at 0:02:02.840 --> 0:02:05.320 the top of their games. So I'm really looking forward 0:02:05.320 --> 0:02:08.080 to everything that the NBA has instored. Of course, certainly 0:02:08.120 --> 0:02:11.000 here in Philadelphia. Listen, guys, we know that this is 0:02:11.040 --> 0:02:14.560 not the conventional arrangement. You put twenty two teams inside 0:02:14.560 --> 0:02:16.799 a bubble, you'll let them duke it out. You get 0:02:16.840 --> 0:02:19.960 to sixteen for the cutoff for the postseason. But I'm 0:02:19.960 --> 0:02:21.640 with you, guys. I think it is going to be 0:02:21.800 --> 0:02:25.079 nice and it'll bring some closure to the fact that 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:28.040 even though this is an untraditional arrangement, there is going 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:31.480 to be a champion for the two, nineteen two and 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:34.480 twenty season, and I think that there is importance to that, 0:02:34.520 --> 0:02:36.639 and I'm glad we're going to see it. So far, 0:02:36.760 --> 0:02:40.120 so good, right, and we've seen some very good basketball. 0:02:40.160 --> 0:02:42.600 We've seen some people step up that maybe we didn't 0:02:42.600 --> 0:02:46.640 expect once this bubble was upon us, and looking at 0:02:46.919 --> 0:02:50.440 the top people and understanding how different teams we're going 0:02:50.480 --> 0:02:54.440 to approach games as well. So this has been, as 0:02:54.440 --> 0:02:58.200 you said, the most unique situation that we've seen in 0:02:58.280 --> 0:03:01.240 professional sports in a long time. But for all of 0:03:01.280 --> 0:03:04.200 us to get back together to give this the sport 0:03:04.280 --> 0:03:06.680 back to us, to take a peek at it and 0:03:06.800 --> 0:03:10.720 enjoy some basketball from one o'clock in the afternoon all 0:03:10.760 --> 0:03:13.600 the way to one o'clock in the morning, whatever it is, 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:17.400 it's been fantastic. And now we get the actual playoffs 0:03:17.680 --> 0:03:19.960 to go along with it. And seriously, a moment of 0:03:20.000 --> 0:03:22.800 appreciation for the league too. Devan. You just alluded to it. 0:03:22.840 --> 0:03:24.880 But the fact that they've pulled this off and now 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:28.000 they're getting ready to play a full playoffs with the 0:03:28.120 --> 0:03:32.960 vast majority of the league's key players healthy in terms 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:36.440 of the pandemic and in terms of their health they've 0:03:36.440 --> 0:03:38.400 gotten back to credit to all the players as well. 0:03:38.400 --> 0:03:40.360 But the fact that this is actually happening, I think 0:03:40.520 --> 0:03:42.560 is just huge, and there are a lot of people 0:03:42.600 --> 0:03:45.040 that deserve a lot of credit. It is the oldest 0:03:45.120 --> 0:03:48.240 rivalry in the sport. The seventy Sixers and the Boston 0:03:48.320 --> 0:03:50.880 Celtics were doing it again for the second time in 0:03:51.120 --> 0:03:55.560 three years. The cast of characters obviously different for the Sixers, 0:03:56.000 --> 0:03:59.560 nucleus for the Boston Celtics, still intact. Before we deep 0:03:59.600 --> 0:04:03.040 dive into all the different layers of this matchup, guys 0:04:03.320 --> 0:04:05.240 would have put you on the spot the vine. We'll 0:04:05.280 --> 0:04:07.400 start with you. Do you think this is the matchup 0:04:07.440 --> 0:04:10.320 we would have seen had the regular season not been 0:04:10.360 --> 0:04:12.720 interrupted back in March? Is this how we would have 0:04:12.800 --> 0:04:15.240 ultimately ended up? Was it meant to be six three 0:04:15.400 --> 0:04:19.799 six or Celtics? I actually don't because I do feel 0:04:19.800 --> 0:04:22.840 at some point that the seventy six Ers, despite the 0:04:22.960 --> 0:04:26.520 up and down nature of the season the discrepancy from 0:04:26.560 --> 0:04:30.120 home and road records. There were enough home games and 0:04:30.560 --> 0:04:33.840 they would have probably moved up, in my opinion, to 0:04:34.000 --> 0:04:36.080 a higher seat, whether it be four or even as 0:04:36.160 --> 0:04:39.800 high as as Harmony, whether it's five or even as 0:04:39.880 --> 0:04:43.000 high as four. I just think that at some point 0:04:43.040 --> 0:04:45.800 they would have made enough of a push to get 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:48.400 back even though Ben Simmons was not available during the 0:04:48.960 --> 0:04:52.039 end of the regular season as we knew it back 0:04:52.080 --> 0:04:55.159 in in the spring, I believe that they would have 0:04:55.200 --> 0:04:59.320 moved up at least one spot higher than the sixth seat. 0:04:59.400 --> 0:05:01.760 Right now, but as you said, so this is what 0:05:01.839 --> 0:05:04.520 it was before the season was put on hold, this 0:05:04.560 --> 0:05:07.320 is what it is right now as they get ready 0:05:07.360 --> 0:05:11.039 to start this game number one. And you said it 0:05:11.720 --> 0:05:15.360 arguably the best rivalry in sports, best rivalry in basketball, 0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:18.560 and I'm here for it all. I agree with you, Divon. 0:05:18.680 --> 0:05:21.239 I think that if they had played out the full season, 0:05:21.279 --> 0:05:23.599 they would have found themselves in that five or that 0:05:23.680 --> 0:05:27.480 four spot facing Miami or Indiana. Like he said, a 0:05:27.520 --> 0:05:29.240 lot of home games were left, and the strength of 0:05:29.240 --> 0:05:31.040 schedule was just not there. They were playing a lot 0:05:31.080 --> 0:05:33.640 of teams in those last few games that were already 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:37.440 eliminated back then, or not necessarily officially eliminated, but teams 0:05:37.440 --> 0:05:40.000 that weren't going to be contenders, teams that weren't going 0:05:40.040 --> 0:05:41.760 to put up much of a fight, even when the 0:05:41.760 --> 0:05:43.600 Sixers visited them on the road. So I do think 0:05:43.600 --> 0:05:45.200 if they had played out the rest of the season, 0:05:45.560 --> 0:05:47.320 they would have had more wins, they would have found 0:05:47.320 --> 0:05:51.800 themselves in a higher seed, but the same situation obviously, 0:05:51.800 --> 0:05:54.120 sadly for Ben Simmons. He was out then and he's 0:05:54.160 --> 0:05:56.080 out again now, and that's just such a shame for 0:05:56.200 --> 0:05:59.479 Ben personally. He worked so hard to get back, but 0:06:00.480 --> 0:06:02.960 now it means that the lineup now is probably what 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:05.400 it would have been then. I too, agree with both 0:06:05.440 --> 0:06:08.440 of you guys. I do feel the Sixers were probably 0:06:08.480 --> 0:06:10.240 going to move up at some point, doing part of 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:12.279 the fact that I thought they were Listen. I know 0:06:12.320 --> 0:06:14.240 the record didn't show for it, but I thought they 0:06:14.279 --> 0:06:16.840 started to play better on the West Coast, and then 0:06:16.839 --> 0:06:19.479 they played great in that game against the Detroit Pistons. 0:06:19.480 --> 0:06:23.080 So I kind of felt like the mojo was moving 0:06:23.120 --> 0:06:25.960 in the right direction right around the time the suspension happened. 0:06:26.600 --> 0:06:28.640 Will we ever know how it would have ended up? 0:06:28.680 --> 0:06:30.400 Of course, we won't but what we know now is 0:06:30.400 --> 0:06:34.320 it's the Sixers and Boston going up against each other 0:06:34.640 --> 0:06:37.279 Atlantic Division rivals in the opening round of the playoffs. 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:40.080 The Sixers, they finished four and four during seating play, 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:45.640 they blew out the Houston Rockets. I was initially surprised 0:06:45.800 --> 0:06:48.160 with the extent of action that some of the top 0:06:48.200 --> 0:06:51.360 guys for the Sixers got in that seating game finale 0:06:51.360 --> 0:06:53.680 against Houston. I was also surprised that so many of 0:06:53.720 --> 0:06:56.440 the Rockets top guys played for as long as much 0:06:56.480 --> 0:06:58.120 as they did, But I think that was a good 0:06:58.160 --> 0:07:01.920 way for the Sixers to springboard in the postseason on. Thankfully, 0:07:02.000 --> 0:07:04.240 they got out of the game without any incident in 0:07:04.320 --> 0:07:06.480 terms of injury, and they were able to knock off 0:07:06.480 --> 0:07:08.320 their rust as a top group one more time, which 0:07:08.520 --> 0:07:10.520 I think there's something to be said for that. Yeah, 0:07:10.640 --> 0:07:13.560 it's the second largest margin of victory that the Sixers 0:07:13.560 --> 0:07:16.320 had all season, and obviously the second half wasn't necessarily 0:07:16.480 --> 0:07:19.119 indicative of how great either team is, but they really 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:21.960 got off to a hot start and just stayed hot 0:07:21.960 --> 0:07:24.960 the whole time. I think if I remember correctly, eight 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:28.440 Sixers in double figures. That's obviously huge and again a 0:07:28.520 --> 0:07:30.600 result of the heavier minutes, and some of those bench 0:07:30.640 --> 0:07:32.920 guys did play. But like you said, in terms of 0:07:32.920 --> 0:07:35.960 a springboard, beating a good team by such a steep 0:07:36.000 --> 0:07:39.360 margin has to feel good as you enter these couple 0:07:39.440 --> 0:07:43.200 days before the intensity begins, I too was surprised that 0:07:43.320 --> 0:07:45.560 the amount of time that they played. Certainly, I have 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:47.160 to be honest with you, I didn't think many of 0:07:47.160 --> 0:07:49.400 them would even play in the game at all, just 0:07:49.480 --> 0:07:52.360 get ready for the practice during their off days and 0:07:52.800 --> 0:07:56.400 starting for the game number one against the opponent which 0:07:56.440 --> 0:07:58.960 was already known to be the Boss and Celtics, I 0:07:59.080 --> 0:08:01.400 was surprised. And then for them to come out and 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:04.200 perform at the level that they did despite not having 0:08:04.280 --> 0:08:09.360 Russell Westbrook for the Houston Rockets, James Harden, PJ. Tucker, 0:08:09.800 --> 0:08:12.720 Eric Gordon, Robert Covington, they all came to play and 0:08:12.800 --> 0:08:15.280 they took the game seriously, and the Sixes did come 0:08:15.280 --> 0:08:18.000 out on top. They beat the starters. James Harden's James Hardy, 0:08:18.240 --> 0:08:21.840 he does what he does. That's gonna happen. But Sixes 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:24.680 were able to, despite some very very good runs by 0:08:24.720 --> 0:08:27.480 the Rockets, hold them off and come away later on 0:08:27.600 --> 0:08:29.720 with that victory. So a good way for them to 0:08:29.720 --> 0:08:31.800 get ready for the start of the postseason, knowing how 0:08:31.840 --> 0:08:35.000 serious things are when they get underway. In game number one, 0:08:35.480 --> 0:08:38.120 I hear you somewhat on the surprise of the amount 0:08:38.160 --> 0:08:40.880 of minutes that the starters played on Friday, But you 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:43.800 have to think about this playoffs scenario, with no travel days, 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:45.800 the fact that they only have one day off between 0:08:45.880 --> 0:08:48.440 each game, and the fitness level, an endurance level that 0:08:48.440 --> 0:08:51.080 that's going to require. You have to wonder if putting 0:08:51.320 --> 0:08:53.920 the starters in that game on Friday breaks up what 0:08:53.960 --> 0:08:57.240 could have then been five days off before starting the playoffs. 0:08:57.600 --> 0:08:59.520 Maybe it helps a little bit with the fitness level, 0:08:59.520 --> 0:09:01.400 with getting in the rhythm. So that was the only 0:09:01.400 --> 0:09:03.839 reason that I wasn't super surprised to see those guys 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:06.679 getting some significant run in because you don't want them 0:09:06.679 --> 0:09:08.600 to be caught off guard on Monday when things are 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:11.800 really in test. Despite the fact that he played, I 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:13.480 mean regardless of whether or not he had played, just 0:09:13.559 --> 0:09:16.480 merely the fact that Joel Embiid was available was good news. 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:19.600 Finished with fourteen point six rebounds in that game. Another 0:09:19.640 --> 0:09:22.559 strong showing from it to Bias Harris on both ends 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:24.760 of the floor and a lot of guys were able 0:09:24.800 --> 0:09:28.160 to build more and more confidence going into the playoffs 0:09:28.160 --> 0:09:30.520 and we're gonna get to Boston. But I think before 0:09:30.520 --> 0:09:34.880 we shift the conversation to this series, to me, there 0:09:34.920 --> 0:09:37.960 are a couple of guys who you might not put 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:42.480 in that same tier as certainly Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons 0:09:42.559 --> 0:09:44.680 if he were healthy, or some of the starters, but 0:09:44.800 --> 0:09:47.680 some guys who when you're thinking about the playoffs and 0:09:47.760 --> 0:09:49.679 whether or not it's the Celtics the Sixes are going 0:09:49.720 --> 0:09:52.079 up against in the first round or knock on wood, 0:09:52.120 --> 0:09:54.880 it's later on in deeper rounds of the playoffs, but 0:09:54.960 --> 0:09:57.560 guys who will need to step up and give you 0:09:57.600 --> 0:10:01.679 something more than perhaps you might of your standard baseline 0:10:01.800 --> 0:10:04.520 level of expectation for. And I think those are guys 0:10:04.640 --> 0:10:08.679 like and Alec Burks for con Corkmise Matisse Styble. We're 0:10:08.679 --> 0:10:11.240 talking about some of the bench players. Certainly who will Nato, 0:10:11.280 --> 0:10:14.199 who used when, who knows when or how often he's 0:10:14.200 --> 0:10:16.000 going to be used. But there are some guys who 0:10:16.080 --> 0:10:18.760 really build up some justifiable confidence I think based on 0:10:18.800 --> 0:10:22.400 how they played in the bubble during the seating games. Sure, 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:25.200 and I would certainly start with Alec Brooks to continue 0:10:25.840 --> 0:10:28.040 play that he had where he would put up those 0:10:28.080 --> 0:10:32.240 twenty points easily on these given nights, three straight twenty 0:10:32.280 --> 0:10:34.040 plus point games. He missed the game, then he came 0:10:34.040 --> 0:10:37.240 back and he performed well once again. And just to 0:10:37.240 --> 0:10:39.000 be able to have that type of punch coming off 0:10:39.000 --> 0:10:41.760 the bench for you, the scoring load that he might 0:10:41.880 --> 0:10:44.920 have to pull for this basketball team when he does 0:10:44.960 --> 0:10:47.880 come in, providing that spark for the team. Knowing that 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:50.480 now that you have someone as good as good defensively 0:10:50.559 --> 0:10:53.600 the offensive punch overall the Boston Celtics have, but now 0:10:53.640 --> 0:10:57.199 the defensive acumen of someone like Marcus Smart coming off 0:10:57.200 --> 0:11:00.679 the bench who plays started minutes alis, I believe he 0:11:00.760 --> 0:11:03.360 is going to be a key contributor to this basketball 0:11:03.400 --> 0:11:06.920 team in this series because of all the things I've 0:11:06.960 --> 0:11:09.280 just mentioned for the opposition, and knowing that with no 0:11:09.400 --> 0:11:12.560 Ben Simmons, while others may pick up their play offensively 0:11:12.720 --> 0:11:15.719 in the starting five, you're gonna need that also from 0:11:15.760 --> 0:11:18.839 the bench unit as well. So being able to see 0:11:18.880 --> 0:11:21.560 Alec Burks do what he did, I agree with you 0:11:21.600 --> 0:11:25.400 one cells that some of these games for some people 0:11:25.520 --> 0:11:28.280 really helped out. And he's number one for me and 0:11:28.440 --> 0:11:31.280 especially since the health status of someone like Glenn Robinson, 0:11:31.320 --> 0:11:34.200 the third another veteran bench option, is somewhat murky right 0:11:34.240 --> 0:11:37.319 now with this left tip injury. Absolutely absolutely, he was 0:11:37.400 --> 0:11:39.920 one that I thought that with the amount of wings 0:11:40.000 --> 0:11:43.560 that the Boston Celtics have, that Glenn Robinson would would 0:11:43.640 --> 0:11:46.360 ring key in this particular series because of his two 0:11:46.400 --> 0:11:49.000 way play, his defensive ability at least be able to 0:11:49.040 --> 0:11:53.280 match up with Hayward Tatum and Brown as well. Lauren, Yeah, 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:55.120 I mean, I agree with both of you. Obviously, Alec 0:11:55.160 --> 0:11:57.440 Burks has kind of been a revelation. Maybe he shouldn't 0:11:57.440 --> 0:12:00.640 have been based on how good he was Olden State, 0:12:00.679 --> 0:12:02.640 but I think what a pleasure it is to see 0:12:02.679 --> 0:12:05.640 someone perform at a level that you were hoping that 0:12:05.720 --> 0:12:08.560 they would perform when they first came to Philadelphia. And 0:12:08.600 --> 0:12:10.760 obviously with that trade, you didn't know exactly how he 0:12:10.880 --> 0:12:12.920 was going to fit into this lineup, and it took 0:12:12.960 --> 0:12:14.520 him a little bit to get warmed up. But to 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:17.120 see him producing at this high clip now in the 0:12:17.200 --> 0:12:20.160 year twenty twenty, it's nice to see something live up 0:12:20.160 --> 0:12:23.560 to or even exceed expectations the way that Alec Burks has. 0:12:23.640 --> 0:12:25.440 So I love that he's doing well. I love that 0:12:25.440 --> 0:12:27.800 he's getting credit for doing well, and hopefully he can 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:30.080 keep riding this way and helping the team in a 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:32.720 big way in these playoffs. I think if something's good 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:35.719 by normal standards in the year twenty twenty, we can 0:12:35.760 --> 0:12:39.439 automatically qualify it as an exceptional rating or something like that. 0:12:39.800 --> 0:12:43.520 You know, it comes beyond great in twenty twenty. All 0:12:43.600 --> 0:12:46.240 the bonus points for just performing how you're supposed to do, 0:12:48.400 --> 0:12:50.280 all right. So the Sixers, they went four and four 0:12:50.320 --> 0:12:53.320 in the bubble, finished the regular season plus the seeding 0:12:53.360 --> 0:12:56.440 games forty three and thirty, the Boston Celtics forty eight 0:12:56.480 --> 0:12:59.200 and twenty four. Between the regular season and seeding games, 0:12:59.200 --> 0:13:02.560 they went five three inside the bubble. I look more, 0:13:02.600 --> 0:13:05.040 guys at their five and two record before they played 0:13:05.040 --> 0:13:08.400 a meaningless game against and already eliminated Washington Wizards team 0:13:08.400 --> 0:13:10.880 in their finale, they played some really good teams. They 0:13:11.200 --> 0:13:14.320 had a challenging schedule. In their seating games. Talking about Boston, 0:13:14.640 --> 0:13:17.079 they lost to Milwaukee by three and their opener. They 0:13:17.120 --> 0:13:20.559 then beat Portland. They lost by six to Miami, another 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:23.199 top seat out of the East. They beat Brooklyn Handley, 0:13:23.360 --> 0:13:26.680 they got past Toronto Handley beat the Orlando Magic the 0:13:26.679 --> 0:13:28.640 eighth seat out of the East and overtime, and then 0:13:28.679 --> 0:13:31.120 they knocked off Memphis by fifteen. I mean, those are 0:13:31.160 --> 0:13:34.920 all teams that, with the exception of their finale against Washington, 0:13:35.000 --> 0:13:36.920 could have been at some point in time during the 0:13:36.920 --> 0:13:39.120 bubble in position to move on to the playoffs. So 0:13:39.559 --> 0:13:42.960 that's something that I do take note of sure, and 0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:45.400 knowing that it's the one that really stood out to 0:13:45.440 --> 0:13:48.160 me was that Toronto game. And I understand that there 0:13:48.160 --> 0:13:50.840 were games for all of these twenty two teams where 0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:55.720 certain players star level were key important players for their teams. 0:13:55.840 --> 0:13:59.400 Set out that being said, Boston just kept riding at 0:13:59.440 --> 0:14:03.400 a very high level steadily throughout the entire time that 0:14:03.480 --> 0:14:06.520 they were there inside that bubble against their opponents. So Cells, 0:14:06.640 --> 0:14:08.160 I, I I agree with you one percent with that five 0:14:08.160 --> 0:14:10.600 and two record. It was real. They were very good 0:14:10.640 --> 0:14:13.400 and you saw some of their players, the key players 0:14:13.640 --> 0:14:17.520 in Brown, Tatum, even Hayward Walker when he was out there. 0:14:17.559 --> 0:14:19.560 While the point production may not have been as high, 0:14:19.640 --> 0:14:21.720 you know he's probably going to be ready to go 0:14:21.760 --> 0:14:25.160 for the postseason. Those two in particular, with Tatum and 0:14:25.280 --> 0:14:29.960 Brown taking those necessary steps every time out, just hitting 0:14:29.960 --> 0:14:33.520 those those benchmarks, if you will, for young players, and 0:14:33.560 --> 0:14:37.960 they were really, really good in those seven eight games 0:14:38.480 --> 0:14:41.480 for the Boston Celtics. Yeah, Tatum d average around twenty 0:14:41.480 --> 0:14:43.360 two and a half points per game. He shot terrific 0:14:43.360 --> 0:14:46.640 from the outside, just under forty five percent. You mentioned Kemba. 0:14:46.800 --> 0:14:50.040 His offensive numbers didn't jump off the page during the 0:14:50.040 --> 0:14:52.840 seating phases, around fourteen points per game. But I kind 0:14:52.840 --> 0:14:55.120 of looked right at that three point shooting percentage, which 0:14:55.200 --> 0:14:58.440 was roughly forty three percent. So yeah, I think to me, 0:14:58.680 --> 0:15:03.080 I test passed actually based on how he did. And 0:15:03.160 --> 0:15:05.680 quickly remember the very first game that Tatum played. I 0:15:05.680 --> 0:15:07.720 don't remember if it was a scrimmage or the first 0:15:07.720 --> 0:15:11.040 game of the seating games, where he was terrible. He 0:15:11.120 --> 0:15:14.520 performed terribly and you know, make fun of the haircut 0:15:14.600 --> 0:15:16.840 or whatever it was, right, we had to shave his 0:15:16.880 --> 0:15:19.400 hair and get back to his normal self. But once 0:15:19.400 --> 0:15:21.880 he got back to his normal self, that's when we 0:15:21.920 --> 0:15:24.920 saw him start to become the All Star Jason Tatum 0:15:24.960 --> 0:15:27.440 that we were accustomed to see him throughout the season, 0:15:27.600 --> 0:15:29.680 except for when they played the seventy six or during 0:15:29.680 --> 0:15:32.040 a regular season. Yeah, that first game against the Bucks. 0:15:32.040 --> 0:15:35.480 I don't think was super indicative of what Jason Tatum 0:15:35.600 --> 0:15:37.480 has been doing and can do. He's been such a 0:15:37.480 --> 0:15:40.080 revelation and it was cool to hear Al Horford talk 0:15:40.160 --> 0:15:42.240 about the way that he's seen Tatum grow even in 0:15:42.280 --> 0:15:44.640 the time that Horford has left the Celtics. That's someone 0:15:44.640 --> 0:15:46.560 that he says he took under his wing while he 0:15:46.640 --> 0:15:49.520 was in Boston. So separate as much as we can 0:15:49.680 --> 0:15:52.720 separate the Celtics from the Celtics that we're playing in 0:15:52.720 --> 0:15:55.600 the playoffs. Jason Tatum has been fantastic and he's going 0:15:55.640 --> 0:15:57.360 to be someone that the group is going to have 0:15:57.360 --> 0:16:00.000 to contain, especially, like you said, while Kemba Walker's numbers 0:16:00.000 --> 0:16:01.640 are a little lower, obviously we have to consider the 0:16:01.680 --> 0:16:05.120 fact that he's playing without nagging knee injury. But Kemba 0:16:05.160 --> 0:16:07.880 is someone that does rise to the occasion, and as 0:16:07.920 --> 0:16:10.760 we all talked about a little bit earlier today, he's hungry. 0:16:10.800 --> 0:16:13.040 He's looking for an opportunity now that he's in Boston, 0:16:13.040 --> 0:16:15.280 now that he's playing with a serious contender. So I 0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:18.400 wouldn't be surprised to see Kemba show some really special 0:16:18.440 --> 0:16:21.640 stuff once the playoffs begin. Guys, I'm gonna switch some 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:23.840 things up on the fly to let the people in 0:16:23.920 --> 0:16:26.400 out there with some inside or insight. On our pre 0:16:26.600 --> 0:16:29.200 podcast production meeting, I was like, well, do we go 0:16:29.360 --> 0:16:32.280 position by position in sequential order and take a look 0:16:32.280 --> 0:16:34.640 at the series through that lens? Do we then run 0:16:34.680 --> 0:16:37.720 down the Sixers players, give some reason of them individually, 0:16:37.760 --> 0:16:40.960 and then do the same for Boston scrapping both those ideas, 0:16:41.240 --> 0:16:44.200 Let's just focus on what the key storylines are for 0:16:44.240 --> 0:16:46.600 this series and I have the utmost confidence in the 0:16:46.600 --> 0:16:47.920 two of you that we will be able to cover 0:16:48.320 --> 0:16:52.000 all of the aforementioned material. I just said, so I 0:16:52.120 --> 0:16:55.280 love it. Biggest storyline I think is the big Man. 0:16:55.520 --> 0:16:58.200 Is there anyone on the Boston Celtics who can contain 0:16:58.400 --> 0:17:04.720 Joel Embiid? Daniel Tys is a very good defender for 0:17:04.800 --> 0:17:07.560 who he is, and I give him credit of course, 0:17:07.600 --> 0:17:10.520 being the way that they are built the Boston Celtics. 0:17:10.560 --> 0:17:14.720 He fits with what they do, very low maintenance in 0:17:14.800 --> 0:17:17.560 terms of wanting needing the basketball to be have an 0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:20.920 impact and be successful for what they do. But defensively, yes, 0:17:20.960 --> 0:17:23.399 this is his role to defend Joel Ebid. When we 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:26.040 talk about in bid though as good as Tys may 0:17:26.080 --> 0:17:28.280 be as a defender for the team, and they're gonna 0:17:28.320 --> 0:17:30.560 do it as a team collectively. It's not just gonna 0:17:30.560 --> 0:17:33.000 be Daniel Tys and its cancer. You will see a 0:17:33.000 --> 0:17:35.800 lot of double teams come the way, come the way 0:17:35.840 --> 0:17:39.000 for Joel Eenbid. That being said, he has had some 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:41.840 great success against them this season. He is the best 0:17:41.880 --> 0:17:45.440 player in the series in this series against the Boston Celtics, 0:17:45.680 --> 0:17:50.120 and I expect him at his best to give us 0:17:50.160 --> 0:17:53.200 exactly what we want to see from your franchise player 0:17:53.680 --> 0:17:57.520 in a seven game first round matchup against a team 0:17:57.800 --> 0:18:00.119 that you know very well. They know you very well 0:18:00.160 --> 0:18:04.120 from playing in the same division. They will throw some 0:18:04.240 --> 0:18:08.000 different looks at him, but I still ultimately believe that 0:18:08.040 --> 0:18:12.320 he will have enough success for him individually to impact 0:18:12.320 --> 0:18:14.920 the game, where the Sixes then have to do other 0:18:14.960 --> 0:18:17.159 things to come away with the victories. Well, Javan, you 0:18:17.280 --> 0:18:19.280 narrowly beat me to the punch there. But Selts ask 0:18:19.359 --> 0:18:21.880 can anyone defend Joel Embiid And my answer was also 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:27.080 going to be negative. We know that Joel is hungry. 0:18:27.160 --> 0:18:30.120 If we look back at the last ending of the playoffs, 0:18:30.119 --> 0:18:33.439 obviously it's still painful to remember Kawai's shot and the 0:18:33.480 --> 0:18:37.280 way that Joel took that shot personally, But he's hungry. 0:18:37.400 --> 0:18:40.560 He's ready to prove himself in this type of situation. So, 0:18:40.600 --> 0:18:43.879 as we discussed before the Bubble Games even started, if 0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:46.440 Joel is healthy and hungry, the Celtics are going to 0:18:46.520 --> 0:18:48.840 have problems. He's had success against Tice. Like you said, 0:18:49.119 --> 0:18:51.000 Robert Williams hasn't been a good match for him, and 0:18:51.040 --> 0:18:52.639 it's Cantor hasn't been a good match for him. And 0:18:52.680 --> 0:18:55.520 they're going to throw all those guys together separately at 0:18:55.600 --> 0:18:57.959 Joel Embiid and try to make something happen. But if 0:18:58.040 --> 0:19:00.600 Joel is firing, they're not going to have an answer 0:19:00.600 --> 0:19:03.240 for him. So hopefully Joel can come in and be 0:19:03.400 --> 0:19:05.280 that guy that plays with the chip on his shoulder, 0:19:05.320 --> 0:19:09.160 that plays wanting to sort of avenge last season's ending, 0:19:09.480 --> 0:19:10.960 and Celtics are going to have a lot of problems 0:19:10.960 --> 0:19:12.840 if he does. Guy. It's one of the many things 0:19:12.840 --> 0:19:15.800 that I love about the playoffs is that it's truth 0:19:15.840 --> 0:19:18.600 sermon time. We find out if all the things we've 0:19:18.640 --> 0:19:21.240 heard about and discussed and seen from the regular season 0:19:21.640 --> 0:19:25.520 actually translates, and going back to you would probably be 0:19:25.520 --> 0:19:27.800 able to find evidence of this even before the Sixers 0:19:27.840 --> 0:19:30.800 gathered for training camp. What was the regular season all 0:19:30.840 --> 0:19:33.720 about for Joel Embiid? It was about getting him ready 0:19:33.800 --> 0:19:38.040 for the playoffs. So between the different stuff that he 0:19:38.080 --> 0:19:41.240 has talked about as far as his own mental psyche 0:19:41.320 --> 0:19:44.280 during the regular season, when the switch was on when 0:19:44.280 --> 0:19:47.000 it might not have quite been there. It's the playoffs now, 0:19:47.080 --> 0:19:49.000 and now we're going to find out if the holistic 0:19:49.000 --> 0:19:52.560 approach for the Sixers was what Joel needed to get 0:19:52.600 --> 0:19:54.240 ready for the playoffs. And I think that's going to 0:19:54.280 --> 0:19:56.520 be fascinating to see. This is a rivalry right off 0:19:56.520 --> 0:19:58.520