G1 4/20 6pm Sixers @ Knicks

[Jailblazers7]

Things I’d like to see in game 2:

1. More Embiid DHO - his conditioning is bad & using him as a stationary hub is probably better than asking him to be a screener.

2. PnR w/ Hield or Oubre as screeners - give Maxey looks at different defenders & try to get some open looks for Hield or let Oubre attack in space.

3. Better defense from Oubre - his focus off ball was not playoff caliber this game.

4. Better whistle for Maxey - he was the most consistent & effective driver of anyone in that game & only got 2 FTs

[Mik317]

The worst thing is that a Sixers playoff loss feels so predictable.

1. Tobias stinks up the joint
2. Our role players miss open shots, theirs hit tough ones
3. Embiid injury scare
4. We force feed Embiid in the clutch despite it not working

I still think we can win this series tho. That was a bad game for us & it still took some great shooting from Hart down the stretch to bury us.

Yea, if I wanted to argue why we would lose, I would say that Lowry, Harris, Hield, Oubre and Batum just won’t make enough open looks when the pressure is on.

and if it comes down to that...I'll take it.

I mean it will suck BUT previous years losses came due to "building blocks" not showing up at all. This is a team that potentially will only bring back 2 guys from this team into next year. Just play hard and have a chance each night is all I ask for at this stage.

[Embiid-MVP]

Things I’d like to see in game 2:

1. More Embiid DHO - his conditioning is bad & using him as a stationary hub is probably better than asking him to be a screener.

2. PnR w/ Hield or Oubre as screeners - give Maxey looks at different defenders & try to get some open looks for Hield or let Oubre attack in space.

3. Better defense from Oubre - his focus off ball was not playoff caliber this game.

4. Better whistle for Maxey - he was the most consistent & effective driver of anyone in that game & only got 2 FTs

I would not list Oubre on this list. If anything I liked what he was bringing on defense. He was only 1 of 3 positive players +6

[NYSixersFan]

At the end of the day, this team was not built to win this year because Morey is more focused on his off-season masterplan.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

I don't know man. We're on shaky ground with Embiids knee. If he wakes up Sunday morning and his knee is swollen and he's limping around the house, we might not see him for game two. The one thing about knee injuries is they sometimes take a night of sleep to manifest themselves. If Embiid can play, then I like our chances at making this a series, but the lack of rebounding is going to be our downfall. It's the only issue I see right now with this team. Aside from guys like Tobias and Hield vastly underperforming the rebounding woes are what will do us in. It's deflating when you defend well, force a bad shot, but give up an offensive board afterwards. Nick Nurse is going to have to play Council and KJ Martin more. Paul Reed is actually our best guy on the glass, but we won't see him and Embiid together (I wish we could). I think it's a fair trade off to play Council and KJ over Hield and Harris. I don't mean fully bench them, but they need to take some of their minutes. It's a risk I'd be willing to take with Embiid in the position that he's in with the knee injury.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Things I’d like to see in game 2:

1. More Embiid DHO - his conditioning is bad & using him as a stationary hub is probably better than asking him to be a screener.

2. PnR w/ Hield or Oubre as screeners - give Maxey looks at different defenders & try to get some open looks for Hield or let Oubre attack in space.

3. Better defense from Oubre - his focus off ball was not playoff caliber this game.

4. Better whistle for Maxey - he was the most consistent & effective driver of anyone in that game & only got 2 FTs

I would not list Oubre on this list. If anything I liked what he was bringing on defense. He was only 1 of 3 positive players +6

Oubre had 5 steals today. He played well on defense. His shots weren't falling on the other end. I agree with you. He's not part of the problem.

[Jailblazers7]

To be clear, I don’t think was all bad tonight. I just wish he had better focus off ball on defense because he absolutely lost his man & even died on some screens this game. I just need more urgency & focus from him if we’re going to win.

[TYO23]

I don’t think I’ve ever really hated an athlete but Tobias is the closest to it for me. Like Embiids entire prime is being capped by his contract.

Maybe it should be directed to Brand instead?

He’s legit ruined JoJo’s prime…and the moment Tobias rightfully gets benched. His dad or camp runs to Pompey about signing with the pistons. A true losing player who was destined to be a 17 ppg scorer on consistent 33-49 teams. If Maxey didn’t hit…we’d be in a scary space.

[mjkvol]

To be clear, I don’t think was all bad tonight. I just wish he had better focus off ball on defense because he absolutely lost his man & even died on some screens this game. I just need more urgency & focus from him if we’re going to win.

Oubre's off ball focus was not great, but on-ball he was aggressive and forced a few turnovers. I'd like to see him more active offensively, this team is better when he's slashing like he can.

I'm not going to quit on Hield like some want to. This was his first playoff game, let him get his feet wet and I'll bet he makes some noise before the series is over.

Nick has to be frustrated because his plan on defense basically worked. We took away their only real scorer and were beaten by reserves and a crazy streak by a guy who won't likely do that again the entire series. It's the rebounding - we can't defend for 2-3 possessions every time down the floor. He needs to see if KJ or Council can help in that area at some point.

[kuclas]

This game was lost on the boards. Knicks who are the best rebounding team this year. They killed us. Yes a lot of it is on embiid not in the right place for rebounds.

It was a winnable game. Make or miss league. I said it before. Knicks hit the shots down the stretch to keep
The lead.

And their bench players were amazing today.

[M2J]

To be clear, I don’t think was all bad tonight. I just wish he had better focus off ball on defense because he absolutely lost his man & even died on some screens this game. I just need more urgency & focus from him if we’re going to win.

Oubre's off ball focus was not great, but on-ball he was aggressive and forced a few turnovers. I'd like to see him more active offensively, this team is better when he's slashing like he can.

I'm not going to quit on Hield like some want to. This was his first playoff game, let him get his feet wet and I'll bet he makes some noise before the series is over.

Nick has to be frustrated because his plan on defense basically worked. We took away their only real scorer and were beaten by reserves and a crazy streak by a guy who won't likely do that again the entire series. It's the rebounding - we can't defend for 2-3 possessions every time down the floor. He needs to see if KJ or Council can help in that area at some point.

Agreed. At the end of the day there were a few issues.

Rebounding was King.

Fast break defense points, but that can be cleaned up.... There weren't a ton of turnovers.

Then the closing offense was a problem.

I'm not panicking, because they're clearly so much better than the Knicks with Joel and Maxey on the floor, it's ridiculous. I think Nurse will adjust

[Wilfried]

This game was lost on the boards.

It was lost because of that Embiid-scare moment, which makes me want to ask (and I'm very, very angry):

WHY ON EARTH DO YOU DO THAT DUNK???? ? ?????!!!!!!??????

So unprofessional if you know your knees cannot hold on to those explosions.
He looked good before that moment, pretty mobile and focused. And than, the lights in his head went out again.

It's just so, so, so, so stupid. I'm sorry, cannot say anything else.
To me, it looks like the guy just want to get injured to not have to play in the play-offs?

[M2J]

This game was lost on the boards.

It was lost because of that Embiid-scare moment, which makes me want to ask (and I'm very, very angry):

WHY ON EARTH DO YOU DO THAT DUNK???? ? ?????!!!!!!??????

So unprofessional if you know your knees cannot hold on to those explosions.
He looked good before that moment, pretty mobile and focused. And than, the lights in his head went out again.

It's just so, so, so, so stupid. I'm sorry, cannot say anything else.
To me, it looks like the guy just want to get injured to not have to play in the play-offs?

Yup

[76ciology]

Watch on YouTube

- Watch the entire clip of Josh Hart; he was sagging off Oubre and roaming.

- Embiid has to be the unluckiest defender with Kawhi's shot in 2019, Tatum dropping 3s after 3s in 2023, and this Josh Hart hail mary shot.

- Offensively, we were fine in crunch time. When Biid's jumper was off, Maxey took over, and Biid drove and got to the line. This was a good adjustment.

- Defensively is where we struggled:
1.)There was a possession when Biid didn't jump for the offensive rebound, leading to Mitchell's putback.
2.)Batum was a step late to challenge when Brunson denied the screen (Brunson likes to deny the screen).
3.)Brunson hunts Maxey; we zoned, but Oubre seemed to sag too much, leaving Hart open for a 3.
4.)Then there was a possession where OG was left open (1:36 mark). I think there was a miscommunication between Oubre and Tobi. Tobi expected Oubre to switch to Brunson while Oubre stayed on Brunson. At the very least, both guys could have made a hard trap to make it difficult for Brunson to make the crosscourt pass. I think Tobi made a mistake here (but not totally for Oubre could also have rotated), as the Knicks ran a similar play the next possession, and the guys switched correctly; Oubre stayed on Brunson, everyone stayed on their man, but Hart made the hail mary over Embiid.

- In hindsight, to win this game, we needed the Knicks to not make all 3 of those 3s down the stretch (2 by Hart and 1 by OG) or for the Knicks to only make 1 to 2 3s out of the 3 made 3s. Additionally, Embiid needed to make 1 to 2 shots (a short jumper at the elbow, a short jumper at the right baseline and a short jumper at the top of the arc) and not give up that offensive rebound to Mitchell.

- The most realistic scenario is No Tobi miscommunication or Oubre sagging too much to give up 3 for Hart, No Hart hail mary, No Embiid giving up O Reb. That way we can afford those 3 misses by Embiid.

- I think if this game is simulated 10 times, we’d win this one 6 to maybe 7 times.

[Jhawk03]

The Knicks punched the Sixers in much of the same way the Sixers punched the Heat. Hart and McBride were basically like Batum the other night. So it is what it is.

I never bring up Tobias because it's just too polarizing, but I suspect he's gonna show his ass on Monday, and I base that on absolutely nothing!

[76ciology]

.

[Jhawk03]

The worst thing is that a Sixers playoff loss feels so predictable.

1. Tobias stinks up the joint
2. Our role players miss open shots, theirs hit tough ones
3. Embiid injury scare
4. We force feed Embiid in the clutch despite it not working

I still think we can win this series tho. That was a bad game for us & it still took some great shooting from Hart down the stretch to bury us.

Yea, if I wanted to argue why we would lose, I would say that Lowry, Harris, Hield, Oubre and Batum just won’t make enough open looks when the pressure is on.

and if it comes down to that...I'll take it.

I mean it will suck BUT previous years losses came due to "building blocks" not showing up at all. This is a team that potentially will only bring back 2 guys from this team into next year. Just play hard and have a chance each night is all I ask for at this stage.

I'm gonna find a hack that'll allow me to And1 this 1000X

[eyeatoma]

Good news about Jo possibly. Kyle was in the lockeroom after Jo showers, saw him with his birthday suit on and a pair a sunglasses right out of the shower. He seemed in good spirits, and he specualted that the knee seemed to be better than was being let on. Said he thinks things could be fine, and Joel will be good to go. We'll see, but there is that...

Watch on YouTube

Starts at 1hr 2 minutes on the pod.

[76ciology]

Good news about Jo possibly. Kyle was in the lockeroom after Jo showers, saw him with his birthday suit on and a pair a sunglasses right out of the shower. He seemed in good spirits, and he specualted that the knee seemed to be better than was being let on. Said he thinks things could be fine, and Joel will be good to go. We'll see, but there is that...

Watch on YouTube

Starts at 1hr 2 minutes on the pod.

Thanks for the update!

It sounds like Biid’s condition is similar to that of one of my friends who is recovering from ACL surgery. Much of it is mental, and the condition can change from game to game. In the early stages, you are cautious about whether it's totally okay or not, and leaning more on a feeling that “something’s wrong” but in reality there’s nothing much wrong with it and you’re just getting used to it. This is just my guess.

There was one clip when down the stretch, Biid tried have the ball made contact with his groin in a deadball situation, so i can confirm that he’s in good spirits.

[eyeatoma]

Good news about Jo possibly. Kyle was in the lockeroom after Jo showers, saw him with his birthday suit on and a pair a sunglasses right out of the shower. He seemed in good spirits, and he specualted that the knee seemed to be better than was being let on. Said he thinks things could be fine, and Joel will be good to go. We'll see, but there is that...

Watch on YouTube

Starts at 1hr 2 minutes on the pod.

Thanks for the update!

It sounds like Biid’s condition is similar to that of one of my friends who is recovering from ACL surgery. Much of it is mental, and the condition can change from game to game. In the early stages, you are cautious about whether it's totally okay or not, and leaning more on a feeling that “something’s wrong” but in reality there’s nothing much wrong with it and you’re just getting used to it. This is just my guess.

There was one clip when down the stretch, Biid tried have the ball made contact with his groin in a deadball situation, so i can confirm that he’s in good spirits.

Hahahah yuuuup, I laughed out loud when I saw that!

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I tweeted this and got a follow from Kyle! Woohooo!

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As I was thinking, IMO the brace cut him, and the blood on his compression tights, and had some pain there, hence no brace and only a sleeve during the 2nd half. IMO that's more dangerous, but better for movement.

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