2020-21-22 Sixers Season

[xogfog]

Sixers win game two in dominant fashion. Good performances all around led by the big guy with a 31 and 11 game.

Off to Toronto on Wednesday up 2-0, nice way to start the playoffs. Thybulle gets a vacation. I wonder if he still gets paid for missing these games?

[zambonir]

Pretty sure he does not (though it may be that I think that because that's MLB policy. They also don't get service time).

And I am admittedly surprised by how good it's gone so far. A lot less pressure to just get a split. They're already basically doing it without Thybulle.

[jimbomill]

already basically doing it without Thybulle

At best is he their 4th best player? I was not fretting over the Toronto/Canada situation for him. But do very much like what I saw in Games 1 and 2.

[VoteForKalas]

Toronto is missing players too, Barnes & Young to injury and Trent could not play last night due to sickness.

They looked quite lost on the court as the 76ers danced around and through them for a dominant win. 76ers got sloppy in the 4th and allowed a 20-2 run, but then shut the door with authority.

Minor degrees, but Harden to me looked a bit quicker than Game 1. I do grimace every time Embiid or Maxey fall awkwardly etc. Got to keep those two healthy.

[zambonir]

At best is he their 4th best player?

Well, he has an important role, and together he and Green are basically one player. But I'd still put Harris 4th.

Gotta give Doc some credit here, he prepared for this series knowing Thybulle wasn't fully available. And while Green may not be what he was, he was also missed last year.

[xogfog]

Trent did play, but was obviously not himself and committed four fouls in ten minutes.

[bigegypt0417]

Watching the development of Maxey's jumper really does amplify how little Ben Simmons actually did to improve his jump shot. Maxey is turning himself in to a star by simply developing an outside shot.

The combination of Maxey and Harden makes the type of defense Toronto tries to play even harder to pull off.

Nick Nurse is also a really whiny coach.

[xogfog]

Nick Nurse is also a really whiny coach.

Apparently, Nurse and Embiid had an exhange towards the end of the game and Embiid told him to "stop bitching about calls".

[VoteForKalas]

Trent did play, but was obviously not himself and committed four fouls in ten minutes.

Oh, ok I watched the 2nd half only and they had pulled him out by then I guess

[xogfog]

For that matter, Young played too. Only Barnes was truly out.

[jimbomill]

But I'd still put Harris 4th

I agree, Harris over Thybulle for the 4th spot. But others may think differently, and that's OK, but he's not critical, especially if he'll be eligible for over half the games.

[bigegypt0417]

Here's the thing...it's ok to say both Harris and Thybulle are critical since they profile completely differently. Thybulle is among the better defenders in the NBA.

It's unfortunate that he's unable to play.

[zambonir]

Well, it's not unfortunate exactly. But if all goes well, he won't even miss a third game. And his minutes have already been reduced (both in this series and leading up to it) as part of the adjustment. His absence is only not criticial because (so far) the Sixers so have that much more talent than Raptors, and that talent is stepping up.

Obviously they can't do without him against Brooklyn or Milwaukee especially.

[bkeich]

If the voters were watching tonight I think Embiid just clinched the MVP. Amazing winning shot.

Maxey is probably already the #2 player on this team. Kid is simply unstoppable at times.

[phillychuck]

MVP vote is already in--they vote when the regular season is over. It will be the Joker.

[zambonir]

Yup, the three finalists are based on the votes already being counted, they just aren't saying how it ended up yet. A lot of people saying Joel is gonna make them regret their vote but that's not how it works!

[VoteForKalas]

Really sloppy game by the 76ers, but they hung in there and were finally able to close the deal after choking away many chances before OT.

The 2nd half they played better with Embiid and Maxey leading the way.

Toronto had their game going, causing turnovers, beating the 76ers in transition, crashing the offensive boards and making the game chaotic, but they could not sustain it and eventually wilted just enough for the 76ers to squeak by them.

Hopefully, we can sweep them because any extra games invite the potential for injury. Embiid already has the elbow and thumb issues, Harris looked gimpy near the end of the game and we need Harden to rest.

[zambonir]

I think Harris just took a little contact that might have left a bruise, but it wasn't a knee or foot per se. Then again I was watching the game on a very tiny airplane TV so who knows.

Might be tough to close it but they should also be able to play a lot better. And the energy the Raptors had when they still had a chance to even the series by holding at home won't be there at the jump this time.

[zambonir]

Let the doom and gloom begin.

(Not that they are going to lose this series, but extra games + Joel's injury does not bode well in the long run.)

[VoteForKalas]

Another very sloppy game by the 76ers. Embiid and Harris clearly have injuries.

Instead of James Harden, it appears we got his alter ego Jimmy whose only way to score appears to be at the foul line

Not sure why Embiid had so much panic with the double team and why Doc could not get it straightened out.

The frustration is the game was there to take at many junctures of the game, but the 76ers kept killing themselves.

I still think we'll win the series, but Embiid's inability to stay healthy, the 76ers poor defense and their turnover offense are still concerns as they have been all year unfortunately.