G53: Sixers @ Cavs 2/12 7pm ET

[Negrodamus]

I knew Hield has been more than a shooter for the Pacers the last few years, but I thought he was a complete liability on defense, which hasn’t been the case so far. Will need a bigger sample size however.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Pacers lost yesterday which helps keep us in the 5th spot. Knicks lost too and of course we beat Cleveland. Playoff seeding doesn't really matter to me at this point because Jo is out anyway, but I want to see us in the playoffs regardless.

[Bum Adebayo]

I told you guys, Buddy Hield is amazing, glad that you are catching up. Now the only thing remaining is peple accepting that Oubre is a good player, so many of you want him gone yesterday and it doesn't make sense.

[mjkvol]

The ignore feature is the gift that keeps on giving.

[eyeatoma]

Pacers lost yesterday which helps keep us in the 5th spot. Knicks lost too and of course we beat Cleveland. Playoff seeding doesn't really matter to me at this point because Jo is out anyway, but I want to see us in the playoffs regardless.

So you think Jo isn't coming back, can I ask why. All signs point to him returning.

1. Hyper competetive.

2. It's a meniscus tear that's been dealt with through surgery.

3. Recovering time is 6-8 weeks.

4. Bucks are weak, even Jo at 85% is better than 99% of the league.

I'd say if it was hamstring tear, and an acl/ achilles thing yes, but we've seen him play in the playoffs with tears that weren't treated. IMO, this might be the best outcome. Have him hurt before the playoffs, so he returns and his basically healthy. He'll have rust but if the plan of him returning with 10 games left is true, then he should have enough time to ramp up.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Pacers lost yesterday which helps keep us in the 5th spot. Knicks lost too and of course we beat Cleveland. Playoff seeding doesn't really matter to me at this point because Jo is out anyway, but I want to see us in the playoffs regardless.

So you think Jo isn't coming back, can I ask why. All signs point to him returning.

1. Hyper competetive.

2. It's a meniscus tear that's been dealt with through surgery.

3. Recovering time is 6-8 weeks.

4. Bucks are weak, even Jo at 85% is better than 99% of the league.

I'd say if it was hamstring tear, and an acl/ achilles thing yes, but we've seen him play in the playoffs with tears that weren't treated. IMO, this might be the best outcome. Have him hurt before the playoffs, so he returns and his basically healthy. He'll have rust but if the plan of him returning with 10 games left is true, then he should have enough time to ramp up.

Nah, I just don't have expectations for us to maintain or get back in position for a top 3 seed if he's out. If we can get him back with ten games left in the regular season then I think that'll be enough time for him to get back into game shape for the playoffs. In fact, that would be awesome. Until then I just hope we find a way to hold it down. Last nights win was awesome. The doom and gloom has left me. Maxey has some help, the young guys are stepping up. I like it. I think we've adjusted and we're moving forward. Glad the break is coming up though. These guys need it.

[Jailblazers7]

I think Tyrese is on a fairly normal learning curve for a guard of his talent. He’s now generating a ton of gravity but hasn’t figured out how to manipulate a defense yet. I think it’ll improve with a combination of personal development & good coaching. I think he’d ideally be used more like Steph but he’s got a lower & slower release point in his shot which makes it harder to weaponize him as a movement shooter.

I really want to see him gradually learn to play with better pace too. I hope Lowry teaches him some PnR tricks & how to keep his dribble alive while he snakes through traffic.

[mksp]

The amount of impatience this board has for Tyrese Maxey when he has done nothing but improve year over year is so frustrating.

Y'all just can't forget your priors.

He's struggled a bit for a week and now all of a sudden Buddy freaking Hield that we just got for a couple 2nd round picks is the better player?

FFS.

I watched him create and hit two big jumpers yesterday in crunch time, so think he's doing just fine.

[Jailblazers7]

Watching the replay, the most encouraging part of this game was the rim pressure we generated with these Embiid & Tobi less lineups. It wasn’t some fluke shooting game but the signs of a new style emerging where we have the ability to put the right combination of shooting, speed, and playmaking on the floor together.

[Jailblazers7]

The 3rd quarter run that got Cleveland back in the lead is the perfect example of why Maxey needs to become better at drawing fouls. Gotta be able to disrupt the rhythm & momentum of their run by getting to the line a couple times.

[eyeatoma]

Pacers lost yesterday which helps keep us in the 5th spot. Knicks lost too and of course we beat Cleveland. Playoff seeding doesn't really matter to me at this point because Jo is out anyway, but I want to see us in the playoffs regardless.

So you think Jo isn't coming back, can I ask why. All signs point to him returning.

1. Hyper competetive.

2. It's a meniscus tear that's been dealt with through surgery.

3. Recovering time is 6-8 weeks.

4. Bucks are weak, even Jo at 85% is better than 99% of the league.

I'd say if it was hamstring tear, and an acl/ achilles thing yes, but we've seen him play in the playoffs with tears that weren't treated. IMO, this might be the best outcome. Have him hurt before the playoffs, so he returns and his basically healthy. He'll have rust but if the plan of him returning with 10 games left is true, then he should have enough time to ramp up.

Nah, I just don't have expectations for us to maintain or get back in position for a top 3 seed if he's out. If we can get him back with ten games left in the regular season then I think that'll be enough time for him to get back into game shape for the playoffs. In fact, that would be awesome. Until then I just hope we find a way to hold it down. Last nights win was awesome. The doom and gloom has left me. Maxey has some help, the young guys are stepping up. I like it. I think we've adjusted and we're moving forward. Glad the break is coming up though. These guys need it.

Ah okay gotcha.

Sent from my SM-S928B using Tapatalk

[Jailblazers7]

Incredible win, loved the 4th quarter fireworks from Buddy & expect him to be a real weapon for us in tight games. Maxey with a rock solid performance even if he left some food on the table & made some silly mistakes. I’m begging him to stop picking up his dribble so early on his drives, it really puts him in bad positions where he’s forced to toss up an impossible floater.

Terrible refs in that game & some bedwetting by the lads near the end but a win is a win. Great to see Council playing big crunch time minutes & icing the game at the FT line. I’m very excited by his recent development.

[Stanford]

The amount of impatience this board has for Tyrese Maxey when he has done nothing but improve year over year is so frustrating.

Y'all just can't forget your priors.

He's struggled a bit for a week and now all of a sudden Buddy freaking Hield that we just got for a couple 2nd round picks is the better player?

FFS.

I watched him create and hit two big jumpers yesterday in crunch time, so think he's doing just fine.

Ignore those losers

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

The amount of impatience this board has for Tyrese Maxey when he has done nothing but improve year over year is so frustrating.

Y'all just can't forget your priors.

He's struggled a bit for a week and now all of a sudden Buddy freaking Hield that we just got for a couple 2nd round picks is the better player?

FFS.

I watched him create and hit two big jumpers yesterday in crunch time, so think he's doing just fine.

There are like 2 clownshoes on this forum suggesting these things. Use the ignore function. Maxey had 21 pts and 9 assists last night in a game we won. I'd rather see that statline as opposed to him scoring 40 and us losing.

[kriss73]

stat of the night

[Bum Adebayo]

The amount of impatience this board has for Tyrese Maxey when he has done nothing but improve year over year is so frustrating.

Y'all just can't forget your priors.

He's struggled a bit for a week and now all of a sudden Buddy freaking Hield that we just got for a couple 2nd round picks is the better player?

FFS.

I watched him create and hit two big jumpers yesterday in crunch time, so think he's doing just fine.

Both can be true, Maxey keeps improving, but Buddy can be the better player at times now. That is of course debatable, but it's essentially the same argument people were having with Wembanyama vs Chet, the now vs the future.
Of course, Maxey is the player more desirable for the future due to age, but that is another debate here, we need to sign Buddy at all costs too, he is one of the best players and fits Embiid will ever play with.

[M2J]

I loved tonight's game. But it does reaffirm to me that Maxey still has a ways to grow. And that's probably a good thing, something to look forward to from my favorite Sixer.

He's a scoring two guard imo. Just doesn't look natural in the half court. He wants to hand it off and then use his momentum to run off screens which either creates space for him to shoot or allows him to use his burst to get downhill towards the rim.

Very rarely do you see Maxey square up a set defense and get to his spots methodically the way a more natural floor general would.

Even someone like Payne looks more comfortable in that role. It's what makes me think Maxey is more of a high end champ #3 as opposed to a true #2 like Murray or Irving were.

On the flip side though, Buddy Hield has altered my brain chemistry (positive). Did not expect to see him creating his own threes in isolation off the bounce. Got me off of my seat a few times. It was whoever offense for him in the 4th quarter and he took turns frying Levert and Strus on rotation down the stretch. His connective passing and finishing at the rim has been extremely impressive. He looks like the final form of that Redick/Seth archetype that's been money alongside Joel Embiid thus far.

That's generally how many great guards have done it though.... Especially small ones. That's how Jamal Murray does it, Steph, Tony Parker, Dame... Even Ray Allen Just like Maxey they may go one on one vs a smaller guard or big where they have a disadvantage... Just like Maxey does. He's an All NBA talent and production wise. His screens and the coverage it requires makes him a great #2 if you have a #1 that can take advantage. His style promotes team ball, low turnovers, his quickness creates great pace. I'm not sold easily, I'm sold on Maxey being a #2. With a 3 and 4 the level of Harris and Hield or a3 the level of a Lavine/Beal when healthy

[76ciology]

He's a scoring two guard imo. Just doesn't look natural in the half court. He wants to hand it off and then use his momentum to run off screens which either creates space for him to shoot or allows him to use his burst to get downhill towards the rim.

Very rarely do you see Maxey square up a set defense and get to his spots methodically the way a more natural floor general would.

Even someone like Payne looks more comfortable in that role. It's what makes me think Maxey is more of a high end champ #3 as opposed to a true #2 like Murray or Irving were.

On the flip side though, Buddy Hield has altered my brain chemistry (positive). Did not expect to see him creating his own threes in isolation off the bounce. Got me off of my seat a few times. It was whoever offense for him in the 4th quarter and he took turns frying Levert and Strus on rotation down the stretch. His connective passing and finishing at the rim has been extremely impressive. He looks like the final form of that Redick/Seth archetype that's been money alongside Joel Embiid thus far.

Do you think Hield can eventually be our #2?

I was going to say no on reflex, but the more I ponder it, the more I ask myself if he couldn't replicate a lot of similar actions that Klay Thompson runs. Hield is also one of the most prolific shooters in NBA history and I think he has super intriguing upside playing off of Joel Embiid's gravity (ala Klay and Steph symbiosis).

His wiggle and isolation game is ahead of where I had initially pegged and looking a bit deeper, Klay is someone who's had 69.4% of his field goals assisted in his career (68.5% in the playoffs)

Hield is at 47.2% for his career, so he can more reliably be asked to go and get one for himself.

But that's only a part of it. What makes Klay or Murray or Irving so special is that irrational confidence and self belief to make a big shot with their back against the wall. There's so much intangible that goes into it and those are the questions that I'm still waiting to get answers from our big fella.

Rambling aside though I'd probably still say no. I think with a more defensively astute lineup he can be a 4th or 5th starter on a team that wins it all.

Currently, with Maxey, Hield, Oubre, and Tobi, we may not necessarily require an exceptionally talented #2 player. This setup resembles the Celtics' dynamic, where having four (eventually 5) threats on the court generates high-quality scoring opportunities for everyone because of the gravity each generates because of their skillset and movement.

However, once Biid returns, I anticipate Maxey and Hield becoming interchangeable as the second option, achieving what everyone hopes for from Tobias, someone who can be as good of a scorer as Maxey.

I don't think we'd run Klay-like sets for Hield. Rather, I expect us to employ Maxey with Hield's ghost screen action, which empowers Maxey’s drive, or execute a Spain pick-and-roll with Hield as the pop option.