2020-21-22 Sixers Season

[bigegypt0417]

I think we know how they will react...and it's deserved.

[zambonir]

Do they even introduce the not-dressed players? Probably smart of him to show up rather than not show up, get it over with low-stakes. But also, high probability that someone will do something he doesn't deserve (and will get tossed for it).

[phillychuck]

Best crowd response would be complete silence if he's introduced.

[allentown]

I agree, but no chance of that happening.

[bigegypt0417]

I would hope there wouldn't be anything over the line...that would be unfortunate.

At the end of the day, we were able to get James Harden so as a sixers fan, I don't care very much about Simmons anymore...seeing that he's already getting heat from Nets fans for what looks like continued lack of effort during practice and such, it may not have ever been a "Philly" problem but a "Ben" problem.

[xogfog]

Bum Simmons is gathering steam as a possible chant...

[bigegypt0417]

Honestly....that might be best if that's as far as it goes.

[zambonir]

The take here is that Klutch plans to use the inevitable hostile atmosphere on Thursday night as part of their argument that Philadelphia was simply not a place Ben could be expected to play again.

Ben Simmons' grievance expected to be filed soon, with Sixers-Nets meeting as...

[VoteForKalas]

The take here is that Klutch plans to use the inevitable hostile atmosphere on Thursday night as part of their argument that Philadelphia was simply not a place Ben could be expected to play again.

An important precedent will be set one way or the other if they do file the grievance and the ruling comes down.

As a 76er fan and an outside observer of the situation, I've made my thoughts clear on the actions by Simmons and Klutch. If they go ahead with filing a grievance, they will hit a new low and I will lose any last shred of sympathy for Simmons and they should lose any veneer of credibility they have left.

They have already gotten away with failing to fulfill their legal contract and forcing a trade. If they also get to recoup all the money lost to legitimate fines for said behavior, the stage will have been set for any other players to do the same thing with no repercussions. Seems crazy to me.....

[zambonir]

I think it is probably much ado about nothing. The league usually wins the grievances. At the same time, if the Sixers accepted that Ben was having mental health issues he should have been paid. So that's where it would get juicy, actually having to litigate that. Seems like it would have been easier to stick with the back strain (but really, same issue: team doctors say he's healthy enough to play, player and his own people say he isn't).

At worst I think it gets quietly settled, especially if Ben did in fact get 50% of his salary before the season even started (reports seem to vary there). Contractually, was that written as an advance on future services that have to be delivered or is it more of a bonus/balloon payment? Is he supposed to give it back to cover the fines?

Either way, I seriously doubt an arbitrator is going to find anything that calls the Sixers and league's right to to fine him into question.

[jimbomill]

Hopefully the "other side" will argue what happens tomorrow night is a direct, expected, result of what Ben actuated. PLus, as it happens "in the past" from his sitting out, it shouldn't remotely count as applicable.

[zambonir]

Looking like the outfield of the 1980 World Series tonight (without the horses)

[VoteForKalas]

A brutally incompetent performance by the 76ers tonight.

Defense was swiss cheese as Nets got any shot they wanted all night

Offense had sand in the gears as Harden missed shots, turned the ball over and did not move the ball.
The Nets basically ignored both Harris & Thybulle and the 76ers did not make them pay

The moment in warmups when the crowd mockingly cheered a Simmons dunk from the same spot he passed it from in last year's Game 7 was humorous. I doubt Simmons got the joke. Unfortunately, he and his new teammates had the last laugh.

[phillychuck]

NBA basketball is a make or miss league many nights. Sixers shot themselves out of this game -- they missed Maxey's outside game, Thybulle was off, Harris was only OK, and Harden was really off his facilitator game as well as his shooting game. Honestly, no one can defend Durant and Kyrie when they are shooting like they were last night, so I don't put a ton of blame on the defense.

[VoteForKalas]

Honestly, no one can defend Durant and Kyrie when they are shooting like they were last night, so I don't put a ton of blame on the defense.

This is not the first time this season the defense has been poor, but it is more evident when the offense also does not show up.

[xogfog]

Sixers win on Embiid's birthday, with him scoring 35, Maxey 25, Harden 21, Harris 19. Only 18 points from the rest of the team, the bench continues to suck.

Simmons with another injury setback for the Nets, now they are hoping he makes it back for the last two games of the regular season.

[bigegypt0417]

Sixers beat the heat without embiid and harden.

The night after losing to the raptors.

[phillychuck]

The "role players" and Maxey played better and more aggressively without Embiid and Harden on the court. They need to learn to combine that style of play with Joel and James...

DeAndre was still mostly a disaster.

[zambonir]

Sixers just can't close games, especially the big ones.

[phillychuck]

Honestly, they need to use Maxey to close.