2020-21-22 Sixers Season

[zambonir]

I dunno about that, I think their problem is defense. Last night wasn't lost in the final seconds, it was lost over the entire fourth quarter. And Maxey still played more minutes than anyone and was not having a good night.

[VoteForKalas]

I dunno about that, I think their problem is defense.

As it has been for pretty much the entire season.

I thought Harden was supposed to be their closer.

[zambonir]

Yeah neither Harden nor Maxey were much good in the 4th (Maxey was also -10 in that quarter though I assume much of that came with the bench unit). They miss Drummond but that wasn't going to be the difference-maker in a playoff series either. At the end of the day they still don't have a fifth starter. It will be another interesting off-season. They are still good enough to get to the finals but their first-round opponent could also be good enough to lose to.

[xogfog]

Either a pathetic loss to Detroit or the Sixers are trying to finish with the 3rd or 4th seed intentionally.

[zambonir]

pretty sure that was Bill Simmons' take (which probably means it's lame). But couldn't they fall all the way to 5th?

People getting on Doc now. I certainly don't consider him a plus but that's my default take anyway. Harden's obviously still not healthy and the roster is still short a few things.

[kmc1019]

The last few weeks have been such a disappointment, with Harden either hurt or age-diminished, Maxey showing flashes but too inconsistent for deep playoff run, and the bench being absolutely horrible. Feels like another year of wasting the generational talent that is Embiid.

I certainly do not fault Embiid, who is a warrior, but somehow each of the "Embiid era" teams seems to have a tendency to believe the most positive press clippings and then get outplayed, outhustled and outcoached. Would love to be proven wrong.

[bigegypt0417]

I think it may have been a bit premature to think the addition of Harden was going to make this team a title favorite...they are certainly capable of a run but at the end of the day, the roster with Harden/Embiid is flawed. I think it's going to take the offseason to really build this team in to the title contender it can be...that might mean moving Harris and developing a bench you can depend on...the issue with Rivers is that they built a young bench and he's unwilling to play them...

I'm not sure Rivers is back if they don't make a deep push since I believe, he's cost this team some games and has no idea what to do woth anyone but the starters.

[zambonir]

I agree, the roster issues could not be fixed in one deadline especially with the Simmons situation dictating everything. Also the Simmons hole is technically still there. Harden replaced Curry and the combination of Thybulle/Green isn't enough.

Swappping Harris for a really strong three-and-D guy might get them there.

But making the long expensive commitment to Harden will be risky - the ironic reality it would be best if he's the third start not the second star, which was also true of Simmons for different reasons. Is Maxey the second star, or will Daryl really be out there still be shopping for Beal/Lillard etc., if available?

I think it's also true that a 1st or 2nd round exit costs the coach his job, the clamor will be too much, and Morey didn't hire him. Gotta think it's not a perfect relationship, Doc was expecting to have more control when he thought he was working for Brand, and then Morey traded his son-in-law!

This is a weird year, it's a failure if they still finish in 4th or 5th after getting Harden, but the match-up luck can't really be controlled. Some high seed is going to get stuck with the Nets and the Sixers would presumably rather play Chicago than Toronto.

[zambonir]

Finally, the details of how the fines worked. Basically, because he got 50% of his salary prior to the suspensions, he has owed them money every week, and still does (the Nets send it to the Sixers out of each paycheck).

Right or wrong, I can't really see the league losing this, both as a general labor thing and because an arbitrator is not likely to weigh the mental health argument strongly enough (whether you think they should or not).

Sources: Simmons files grievance seeking $20M

Beginning with Simmons' first paycheck on Nov. 15, Philadelphia began to claw back the per-game salary of $360,000 for each game Simmons missed this season. Because Simmons received a $16.5 million advance of his $33 million salary in the offseason, there wasn't enough money in each paycheck to cover the per-game deductions.

Minus the amount for escrow that was withheld by the NBA, the 76ers had been withholding nearly $1.3 million of Simmons' salary in each of his paychecks. That has continued since the trade to the Nets, who were made to deduct salary from Simmons' pay to wire to the 76ers, sources said. Because Simmons' last paycheck is on April 30, the deductions should carry over to the offseason. Once again. Simmons will receive a $8.25 million advance on July 1 and Oct. 1.

[bkeich]

As the season winds down I am trying to look at the standings and see what team I hope the Sixers get in the first round. The options are surprisingly my bad.

(Making some assumptions about the play in games)

Don't want anything to do with #1 seed who will most likely face a possibly more healthy Brooklyn team. Really don't want them.

Atlanta vs #2: Umm, maybe best choice but we just lost to them.

3 vs Toronto. Maybe not a bad choice, but they eliminated us 2 years ago and has the oddity of we may lose some players that are vaccinated for the games in Canada.

4 vs Chicago. Not a terrible option but the have some players that can really score.

Obviously all of these races are close and seedlings could change, but the teams in general set (except who wins the play in).

[zambonir]

Kind of funny that in the end he probably could have just sat out with a back condition

Ben Simmons will miss rest of regular season and Play-In Tournament, Nets say

[VoteForKalas]

Kind of funny that in the end he probably could have just sat out with a back condition

Pathetic may be a better word. I'm so glad he is not our problem any longer and I hope that outrageous grievance he filed gets the proper respect it deserves i.e. gets dismissed as he is laughed out of the room with the door slammed in his face. He really cannot stop himself from digging the hole deeper.

[xogfog]

Sixers break their record for made 3s in a game going 23 of 40 in a 131-122 win over the Pacers. Embiid follows his 44 vs. the Cavs with 45 tonight. Former 76er Justin Anderson, now of the Pacers interrupted Embiid's post game interview, grabbed his headset and said "give him the damn MVP".

[zambonir]

Sixers swingman Matisse Thybulle ruled ineligible to play road game against the...

And even if he was willing to get vaxxed he can't do it in time for the potential first-round series (at least, not all of it).

Even Ben did it!

[phillychuck]

How is Canada defining fully-vaxed these days?

[zambonir]

I think even in Canada it is still the old definition - 1 J&J, two of the other, 14 days. If he went for J&J he could get back into the series (assuming it's first-round, as standings currently are).

I suspect if boosters were included you'd be missing a lot more players.

Looks like Philly mask mandate could be back by the playoffs too.

[bigegypt0417]

Derek Bodner has a really good...unlocked...article on the topic.

Matisse Thybulle is ineligible to play in Toronto. What does it mean?

[zambonir]

If the Sixers can't advance deep into the playoffs maybe we can at least see the Raptors beat a Kyrie-less Nets team.

[bigegypt0417]

Bball paul brings alot of energy and lots of fouls...needs to be coached up or he'll have trouble staying on the court. 4 fouls in 8 minutes in the first half.

[bkox]

In today's win over Indiana, Joel Embiid of @sixers became the first NBA player to have a game with 40+ points, 20+ rebounds and shoot 80.0+ percent from the field since Charles Barkley did so on November 30, 1988, also for Philadelphia.

— Stats By STATS ( @StatsBySTATS ) April 9, 2022