Let's hoop

Miami @

Philadelphia
8:00 PM
TNT


EAST 1ST ROUND - GAME 2

San Antonio @

Golden State
10:30 PM
TNT


WEST 1ST ROUND - GAME 2

...17 in a row...

http://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/tags/the700level-sixers

Embiid told ESPN that he hadn't been cleared to return to action yet, but that he feels great and that he has "a pretty good chance for Game 2 or Game 3." That might be optimistic player talk -- and Brett Brown has said the big man has cleared concussion protocol, but still won't play Game 2, while remaining unwilling to set a firm return date. But Embiid has been pretty good about being honest with the media about his health progress lately, so hopefully it's not totally unreasonable to expect he's close to total recovery.

the argument's been made repeatedly that the Sixers have played subpar competition, and while that is mostly true, if the Sixers go .500 or below, that scenario fits perfectly with the narrative the Sixers are below average with out Embiid, as that W-L stat was trotted out routinely in the media when he went down.

No one would have blinked an eye if they started losing games, so the fact that they have not only gone undefeated, but have increased their point differentials and run almost every team they've faced out of the gym says quite a bit about their adjustments and leadership. im starting to hate hearing Brad Stevens' name. call me a homer but i'm not sure it's particularly close.

than BB's coaching

just feels like everything started clicking at the right time

we bring back Elyasova
Fultz is healthy
Saric is healthy
JJ is healthy
RoCo is out of his slump

they definitely started feeling themselves when the schedule eased up a bit

...and then of course Embiid goes down...

but they managed to keep riding that momentum

I'm sure I could look up that stats...but I doubt the above listed players along with our other starters have played more than 20 games together all season

I guess BB can get some credit

but the situation in PHI feels more like it's about the actual players

than the coach IMO.

So if the team starts clicking, it's got something to do with the system and familiarity with the system and how the coach is going to try and use them, right?

Obviously this isn't college basketball but the NBA is still a league where teams generally do better when good coaches are given time to ride out rough patches and install a culture, too.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

For a young/inexperienced team (save for JJ & Belli) - you don't want to split at home and give Miami hope - as there will be blood in the water in Miami if they go back to Biscayne BLVD. w/ a chance to command the series.

They are playing so well right now that I understand the rush not to bring Embiid back. But I still feel like Miami remains a live underdog despite being blown out in game 1.

-->

Father Prime got South Beach in the house

Wade lookin kinda spry.

also. meanwhile Miami is going all in on their half-court press and flustering all these inexperienced players and making their shooters uncomfortable even when they break free. plus they're getting 2014 D Wade. That was really fun watching him orchestrate the offense and initiate the defense possession after possession in the 4th quarter.


Great game 2 by Spo and the Heat so far, this is a bit closer to how I expected this series to look for Simmons. He got his numbers but it didn't look nearly as easy for him even if the boxscore implies otherwise. Obviously there's a considerable elephant in the room the Heat will still have to consider, but they get to go home to think about that. I wonder if they'll continue playing Olynyk so much once Embiid is back? After another sub-20 minute game I have to imagine Spo is on the verge of losing Whiteside for the rest of the series.


Also, Covington seemed to be feeling himself a little too much all game, and rushed a lot of plays as a result. Shots he could've found a better angle for, defensive switches he gambled way too hard on, that pass to Reddick at the final minute that went through his legs. It makes how calm Simmons was throughout the game all the more impressive but they'll have to get him calmed down for Game 3.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

It may be in Golden State's interest to have this series drag along to buy time for Curry. With the way Portland has wilted as of late - they have no real immediate threat in the second round either.

-->

because they're the number 1 and 2(3 at worst) seeds

Gave a great effort. Klay, Iggy, and KD were just too much.

Glad the first half of this game was fun and it should be somewhat entertaining in San Antonio as well, but the Spurs might as well start booking their Air BnBs for the summer.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

not worried.

Our young guys got taken out to the woodshed and worked over

Great sign they didn't give up and got it to a bucket in the 4th

Hated these refs though

Saric goes top turnbuckle on Olynk = no call

... but Iliyasova got the same call on Richardson...

Really inconsistent referring IMO

We need Ben to fill some of Embiid's role

When Fultz or TJ are in...Ben needs to be on the block

...at least for a few possessions...

There was time and they were only down like 4-6 for several minutes and didn’t need to be in desperation mode yet, they just needed to keep getting buckets. But they were way too quick to take some tough, heavily contested threes.

and he gets stopped before a dunk/layup, kick it out for 3

If that's all we got...we're gonna lose

Ben and shooters is a great offense. Guys just need to hit the looks they usually do,

The 3s are there because Ds are collapsing to Ben's pressure

...so if you don't hit those shots, you got nothing...

Coach has to find a way to manufacture points past the first 2 options

Great teams do.