New Look Sixers

[fightinfunbags]

Any thoughts on the Sixers new lineup with Milton at the point and Simmons moving to the 4? Simmons looked very good at the 4. They were posting him a bunch at the elbow or running a run there with him. It’s been frustrating as hell that Brown hasn’t played the most basic attack in the NBA (pick and roll) for so long but it looks like he’s coming around.

 

[trojanfan12]

Any thoughts on the Sixers new lineup with Milton at the point and Simmons moving to the 4? Simmons looked very good at the 4. They were posting him a bunch at the elbow or running a run there with him. It’s been frustrating as hell that Brown hasn’t played the most basic attack in the NBA (pick and roll) for so long but it looks like he’s coming around.

I think it's a really smart move.

If nothing else, it should take the pressure of having to make 3's off of him.

With his skillset, the Sixers can post him up as you mentioned, they can get him the ball cutting to the hoop, he can go coast to coast off defensive rebounds, he can drive from the perimeter. His point guard skills should give the Sixers more ways to attack teams as well.

If he can develop any kind of range at all, he can be a pretty devastating stretch 4 as well.

 

[fightinfunbags]

I think it's a really smart move.

If nothing else, it should take the pressure of having to make 3's off of him.

With his skillset, the Sixers can post him up as you mentioned, they can get him the ball cutting to the hoop, he can go coast to coast off defensive rebounds, he can drive from the perimeter. His point guard skills should give the Sixers more ways to attack teams as well.

If he can develop any kind of range at all, he can be a pretty devastating stretch 4 as well.

Before he can make em, he has to show a willingness to take em. He had two uncontested corner looks yesterday and without hesitation took them both in rhythm. Went 1-2. It’s a start for sure. I also think Milton gives them a player that can turn a corner on pick and roll and also pull up and make a jumper if they go under screens against him. Milton could be the piece they wanted Fultz to be but never became.
I think the East is wide open.

 

[trojanfan12]

Before he can make em, he has to show a willingness to take em. He had two uncontested corner looks yesterday and without hesitation took them both in rhythm. Went 1-2. It’s a start for sure. I also think Milton gives them a player that can turn a corner on pick and roll and also pull up and make a jumper if they go under screens against him. Milton could be the piece they wanted Fultz to be but never became.
I think the East is wide open.

Yeah, he may be more willing to shoot them from the 4 spot because there's less pressure to make them. Him actually taking 2 in a game is a good sign, imo. Especially when you consider how many games he's gone where he wouldn't even take one.

The East is definitely wide open and if this move continues to work, I think it puts the Sixers right there with teams that could come out of the East.

 

[fightinfunbags]

This league is so hard to handicap right now. You don’t know how staffs treated shut down. You don’t know who is really committed to this. These guys essentially have to live in the same hotel room for like 3-4 months to win a championship. That’s crazy to think about. Playoff experience is now somewhat neutralized. Home court advantage is definitely neutralized. Playoff basketball usually lives up to seeding. This year we may see some craziness with 3,4,5 or 6 seeds going to the Finals

 

[tlance]

This league is so hard to handicap right now. You don’t know how staffs treated shut down. You don’t know who is really committed to this. These guys essentially have to live in the same hotel room for like 3-4 months to win a championship. That’s crazy to think about. Playoff experience is now somewhat neutralized. Home court advantage is definitely neutralized. Playoff basketball usually lives up to seeding. This year we may see some craziness with 3,4,5 or 6 seeds going to the Finals

Still betting on one of the Clippers, Lakers or Bucks to take the title, but there are for sure a lot of teams that have a chance who would not have before the shut down. The 6ers are definitely in the mix to win the East. But I do think they need to take care of business in the seeding games to avoid a first round matchup with Boston.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Still betting on one of the Clippers, Lakers or Bucks to take the title, but there are for sure a lot of teams that have a chance who would not have before the shut down. The 6ers are definitely in the mix to win the East. But I do think they need to take care of business in the seeding games to avoid a first round matchup with Boston.

I’d actually love to get Boston in round 1 over the Heat. Celtics are straight trash at the 5 and have no answer for Embiid. The Sixers are also much more athletic on the wings than they were before in past years vs the Celtics.

 

[tlance]

I’d actually love to get Boston in round 1 over the Heat. Celtics are straight trash at the 5 and have no answer for Embiid. The Sixers are also much more athletic on the wings than they were before in past years vs the Celtics.

Good luck with that.

I just don’t want to see that matchup in the 1st round because I think Philly and Boston are the 2 toughest outs for the Bucks.

We shall see.

 

[Gman]

Celtics are straight trash at the 5 and have no answer for Embiid.

Celtics had similar situation at the center position a couple of seasons ago when they beat the '6ers in a playoff series.

Just sayin'.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Celtics had similar situation at the center position a couple of seasons ago when they beat the '6ers in a playoff series.

Just sayin'.

Did they? Horford and Baines played Embiid very well defensively and because they could knock down jump shots they pulled Embiid away from the basket to negate his rim protection. Sixers are 3-1 vs the Celtics this year. Best record the Sixers have had against the Cs since Embiid and Simmons have come onto the scene. Miami is a much tougher matchup for the Sixers.

 

[Gman]

Did they? Horford and Baines played Embiid very well defensively and because they could knock down jump shots they pulled Embiid away from the basket to negate his rim protection. Sixers are 3-1 vs the Celtics this year. Best record the Sixers have had against the Cs since Embiid and Simmons have come onto the scene. Miami is a much tougher matchup for the Sixers.

Fair enough... the C's often matched Horford against Simmons as a defensive strategy though, so I'm not sure that he factors into a discussion about Embiid as much as their shared position might indicate.

If you think highly of Baynes, I think you underestimate Theis a little bit... they are very similar in what they do for the C's in terms of being a quality role player.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Fair enough... the C's often matched Horford against Simmons as a defensive strategy though, so I'm not sure that he factors into a discussion about Embiid as much as their shared position might indicate.

If you think highly of Baynes, I think you underestimate Theis a little bit... they are very similar in what they do for the C's in terms of being a quality role player.

Theiss can’t space the floor the way Baines does. Baines has shown in Phoenix that he is legit when given minutes. I think the Cs underestimated what Baines gave them.

 

[Gman]

Theiss can’t space the floor the way Baines does. Baines has shown in Phoenix that he is legit when given minutes.

Theis and Baynes shoot a very similar % on their 3's... and it hasn't been until this past season that Baynes shot a big(ger) quantity from that distance.

I think the Cs underestimated what Baines gave them.

The C's loved Baynes, I loved the big Aussie too... dropping him had nothing to do with regard.

It was necessary to secure Kemba.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Theis and Baynes shoot a very similar % on their 3's... and it hasn't been until this past season that Baynes shot a big(ger) quantity from that distance.

The C's loved Baynes, I loved the big Aussie too... dropping him had nothing to do with regard.

It was necessary to secure Kemba.

And now for the real talk. I lived Kemba Walker for 10 seasons with Allen Iverson. Iverson was better. You can’t win with a ball dominant 6 ft guard in the NBA. Entertaining as all hell but not going to end in climbing the mountain.

 

[Gman]

And now for the real talk. I lived Kemba Walker for 10 seasons with Allen Iverson. Iverson was better. You can’t win with a ball dominant 6 ft guard in the NBA. Entertaining as all hell but not going to end in climbing the mountain.

I don't necessarily disagree with you on these points... I don't think the C's can win with Kemba as their #1, either...

... our hope has to be that Tatum becomes that #1 that can lead a team to a title...

... for this season, it's not the most likely hope to come to fruition... (although Tatum was showing some serious development before this season came to a crashing Covid halt)...

... but it's at least some hope, something the Iverson-led '6ers team never really had... they were always totally dependent on AI -- end of story.

 

[fightinfunbags]

I don't necessarily disagree with you on these points... I don't think the C's can win with Kemba as their #1, either...

... our hope has to be that Tatum becomes that #1 that can lead a team to a title...

... for this season, it's not the most likely hope to come to fruition... (although Tatum was showing some serious development before this season came to a crashing Covid halt)...

... but it's at least some hope, something the Iverson-led '6ers team never really had... they were always totally dependent on AI -- end of story.

I love Tatum and I love Smart. Two best players for the Celtics in my humble opinion. Many will disagree on Smart. I just think he brings defense and an edge to the game.

 

[tlance]

I don't necessarily disagree with you on these points... I don't think the C's can win with Kemba as their #1, either...

... our hope has to be that Tatum becomes that #1 that can lead a team to a title...

... for this season, it's not the most likely hope to come to fruition... (although Tatum was showing some serious development before this season came to a crashing Covid halt)...

... but it's at least some hope, something the Iverson-led '6ers team never really had... they were always totally dependent on AI -- end of story.

Tatum is their #1. I think that became abundantly clear towards the end of the season.

And while others have a better 1,2 for sure, I don’t think anyone has a better 3,4,5.

 

[Gman]

I love Tatum and I love Smart. Two best players for the Celtics in my humble opinion. Many will disagree on Smart. I just think he brings defense and an edge to the game.

Tatum seems to have a higher ceiling than I originally gave him credit for... he is a gym rat and works super hard on his game, so Tatum is getting the most out of his potential and can perhaps work his way to the top tier of NBA stars. We'll see.

Of course Smart is the man. The C's can maybe have Smart D up Embiid and see how far that sh!t flies... ... knowing Smart, it might work.

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With regards to the potential match-up overall... Philly has the edge theoretically because of Embiid, I don't disagree there... the problem for Philly is that (for whatever reason) y'all don't always commit to maximizing this advantage by using Embiid in the post to bludgeon a team like the Celtics into submission.

It happened in the last match-up between our two clubs... Embiid had a lousy game and Philly got smoked.

It really depends on Embiid, and he is kind of a wildcard... I don't question his competitiveness, but I do question his focus at times.

 

[Gman]

Tatum is their #1. I think that became abundantly clear towards the end of the season.

I agree. Tatum was absolutely blossoming before this season got cut short.

It'll be interesting to see where everyone is at once games matter again.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Tatum seems to have a higher ceiling than I originally gave him credit for... he is a gym rat and works super hard on his game, so Tatum is getting the most out of his potential and can perhaps work his way to the top tier of NBA stars. We'll see.

Of course Smart is the man. The C's can maybe have Smart D up Embiid and see how far that sh!t flies... ... knowing Smart, it might work.

-----------

With regards to the potential match-up overall... Philly has the edge theoretically because of Embiid, I don't disagree there... the problem for Philly is that (for whatever reason) y'all don't always commit to maximizing this advantage by using Embiid in the post to bludgeon a team like the Celtics into submission.

It happened in the last match-up between our two clubs... Embiid had a lousy game and Philly got smoked.

It really depends on Embiid, and he is kind of a wildcard... I don't question his competitiveness, but I do question his focus at times.

I have similar questions about Embiid. Some guys just love the life and other guys are driven to win. I think he’s more the former until he shows me otherwise.