A Primetime Showdown

I think we gotta we preview a big primetime pairing with the Purple and Gold with our digital reporter Lauren Rosen on this episode of the broadcast, how are you doing out there? Seventy Sixers pod people, Brian Selter bidding you hello once again, thanks as always for checking out another episode of the podcast, or if you are a

first time listener, welcome aboard. Yes, the seventy Sixers. They have a major matchup coming on Saturday at the Center against the Los Angeles Lakers, annually one of the most anticipated dates on the home schedule, but certainly so this year. With the seventy Sixers and the Lakers, both playing at the level that they are to the top contending teams

for this year's NBA title. You would think the Lakers staking their claim on the Western Conference past the halfway point of the season with a record of thirty six and nine four and a half games in the league for first place out West. We'll dive into the details of the game with our digital report to Lauren Rosen. Lauren will also give us a recap on some of the storylines that emerge from these sixers most recent road

trip against the Knicks, Nets and Toronto Raptors. But before we get going, a reminder that to subscribe to the podcast, you can go to legit anywhere you get your pods, type in seventy Sixers podcast or Sixers Podcast Network and that will take you to our feeds Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Pods, Stitcher, SoundCloud, tune in whatever it is, Sixers Podcast Network, seventy six Ers Podcast. Use those as your key phrases for searches, and then our humble feed should

surface in your search engine. Lauren good to not just have you back on in the podcast, but back on seventy six ers ground proper it's been a while, it has it's been a minute. I apologize to anyone listening to this for the scratchiness happening in my voice. I can promise it was much worse a few weeks ago, which is part of why you haven't heard from me. I wouldn't say scratchiness to me. It just sounds perhaps not quite as full or strong as it normally would.

Tell the people, what have you been battling and enduring? We're getting there. I had the flu, despite getting the flu shot and making all of our co workers also get the flu shot, and then afterwards I got laryngitis, couldn't quite come back from it due to a lot of travel, lost my voice entirely for like two weeks, and have been on the mend ever since. In the grand scheme of things, it could be much worse, but

it was certainly irritating. You want to be on the team plane for the grub, for the chocolate chip cookies. As far as the air quality, it's a different scenario. It's a different thing. I would imagine it's better air quality than a commercial flight, though, Or do you think it's all bad? I think if people are dealing with some sort of midwinter virus. It's a plane's a plane. A plane's a plane. Well, for what it's worth, not being on the plane has not spared people from being

sick or ill. It's just that time of year. So the Sixers were on the road. They have it on the road a bit. They're going to be on the road a bit more before we look ahead to the big Saturday night primetime game against those Los Angeles Lakers. Why don't you give us, say, a recap, as it were, of your trip through the Atlantic Division, stopping at New York City against the Nicks, and then across the bridge of the Brooklyn Nets and then up north to Toronto.

I mean, obviously you have to start with the fact that it was great to get a couple wins on the road under our belts short staffed. I think the fact then, beyond just getting those wins, it's great to see different players shine on different nights because, as we know, when playoff time comes around, that's going to be really important. So especially to see Ben in Brooklyn just have this this career outing Simmons with a one hand tap for two.

Ben Simmons is dominating this late section here on the third quarter. Brett said after the game he just wasn't going to let the team lose, that he had something about him. His first thirty point triple double in his career. He and Mattise shared nine steals, nine of the teams twelve steals. It was just that was a cool game because the team was down, they fought back. We had a huge game from Ben, great contributions from others. That was probably the highlight of the trip. And then going

to Toronto a challenge, even with Josh Richardson. Then losing Josh was to see some of the younger guys step up. We got some minutes out of Shake Milton, which we haven't seen in a while, so that was good to see. But in the end, the healthier home team was able to pull it out. But overall, a good trip, I think, a good trip for basketball and a good trip for Morrele. I think the tone that Brett Brown struck after the game in Toronto was totally appropriate given the circumstances. I

thought that we competed. There was a physical difference I felt from them to us as the game started to you know, get going in the fourth period like they I give them credit. You know, when you play in June, there were lessons that you learn that spill over into the regular season, and there's there was a physicality to

the game that you felt. And you know, we got Matisse and Firk and Shake and Norvelle and the young guys that have feeling what it's like to play against an NBA champion and we will, we will come out of this thing, I think, more realistic of what it really takes to play as deep into the calendar as we hope to. You know, you had guys who are thrust into action that as you alluded to, especially someone

like a Shake. Milton probably wasn't expecting to play over twenty two minutes in a game, the second most he's ever played in a game as a seventy sixer. Hadn't been with the team in terms of an on court role consistently for a while. But you know, they I thought that they fought against the Raptors. It was a pretty competitive game. It certainly got off to a great start, and Toronto was a little bit healthier playing at home.

Toronto wins that game. Okay, you know they'll meet up again at some point at the Center within the next couple of weeks and the home team has held serve every single time. But I agree, I thought it was great to see wins on the road, and especially the way the seventy sixers got them. We know that the team wants to be based around defense and built around defense. They really locked down in the fourth quarters of those

games against the Knicks and the Nets. Absolutely, and I think that that's Brett's been saying it all year long. The defense has to start it. I think the players are really buying into that. That's something that coach Brown expressed at practice one of the days they all ran together, but he said that he feels like the team has sort of earned the right to start winning more and to just play better as a unit through all the

good days. He's been talking a lot about good days adding up, and then you heard some of the players using that same messaging in their own media availabilities, which makes it seem like they really are all buying into these count up as many good days as possible. Let defense inform your offense. And I think they all are just proud of themselves for the work that they've put in, because overall they are starting to see some rewards coming

from that hard work. I feel like I'm probably guilty as charge, but I feel like you're a great case in point. The more time you spend around Brett Brown, the more you begin speaking like him. I think that's probably true. As the board, Yes, well, we cannot let a look back of the road trip pass us by without highlighting the continued excellent play of our man from Turkey, Furky with a Turkish touch, furk On Korkmas riding a career high streak of five straight games in double figures

and continuing to shoot the ball rather well. This has been a great two weeks for furk On, A really good a really really good thing to see from firk On, And I think not only is it great to see him succeed, but it's awesome to see his teammates rally around him, to see Brett express this pride. I asked Brett during one of his media availabilities in Brooklyn. He had mentioned that firk On has this fearlessness about him, unafraid. Did you always know that he had this sort of

fearlessness in him? You could sense that, yes, you could, Like if you even just study for a second him playing with his national team, he was never afraid to make a play, and you know, we all sort of look at him make shots and I dig a deep and dive. Watch what he can do in a pick and roll, you know, Watch some of the clever passes he can make out of a pick and roll. Any's six foot six, you know, so it's not like he's

he's small trying to look look over people. A lot of times he looks over them, and I feel like, you know, that side of his game doesn't get talked about a lot. We all see him make shots and defensively, you know what I think of his improvement, but he's always kind of had that in a confidence where he's

not afraid of the moment. And now we're starting to see what Brett is talking about with this confidence that he has, whether it was that last shot in Portland or now these this string of great games that he's had at another game winner to his belt. When we were in New York, and it's awesome. I mean, it

couldn't be happening to a better dude. Also, while you were in New York, you had the opportunity to accompany a couple of the players on a very exciting excursion of edification and broadening of horizons, and just sounded like a place where two great humans who having to play basketball professionally, could blend in with the crowd. So why don't you give us some insights as to what your trip to the Strand Bookstore was like. It was phenomenal.

So we took Matisse Thybel and Tobias Harris to the Strand Bookstore, which is a bookstore in New York City that was open in nineteen twenty seven, so now almost one hundred years old. This is a book Yeah, like I said in that car, there's a big difference. I know. And I said this was a now you said it was a lot. It is the largest independent bookstore in New York and one of the oldest still running bookstores

in the country. It was really phenomenal because those are two players, Matisse and Tobias, who appreciate literature on a

very high level and aren't shy about it. So to take them to this bookstore that has this rich history and such a variety of options, and then to see them light up and get really excited about being there was special because I think not that many people get to see what they're interested in off the court and just how normal they are, how they can walk into a situation that makes anyone that likes books excited and be really excited about it. So that was really special.

They say they want to go back, so maybe the Strand has earned some new regulars. Maybe the coolest thing though, was the New Yorkers just they are unfhased by celebrity, which I thought was cool and I think that the guys enjoyed as well. I think we were there for almost two hours. They were approached once and it was packed, so it was pretty It was just cool to see them embrace a different side that we don't get to see as often. The setting, no question about it, seemed

neat and different. But the bigger picture story is is it appears as if there is a genuine big little brother relationship at work. Correct Absolutely, Matisse doesn't have a big brother in real life, and so there's a lot of joking involved between the two of them, a lot of back and forth banter, as is the case with real life brothers. You know, Bobby, that's my guy, He's just a rookie. But beneath that joking sort of facade

is a really strong bond. I think that they've started to grow, and I think Matis really trusts to Bias and can look to him as a role model as someone who's been through things that Matiss is going through now and has been really successful. And then I think Tobias really enjoys being that sort of mentor or positive influence on Matise because he sees a lot of himself in Matise. He said he hopes that when Matis has been in the NBA for nine years, that he's treating

the rookies the way to Bias is doing now. And I just think that it was really cool to get to see that, and they were very gracious and we were really lucky to get to be a part of it, and so shout out to them. Awesome. No, we had some great content from that visit to the Strand Bookstore with Tobias and Matisse already pushed out on our channels, but some more good stuff on that still to come,

So be on the lookout on all your sixer social feeds. Lauren, thank tight, We will get back to this very fine chat in just a minute. I know that you're aware of this, but in case some of the people out there in podcast land are not a date worth circling on your calendar is March ninth, two twenty and that is the date of the fifth Annual Sixers Youth Foundation

Evening on the Court Gala presented by Vip Wireless. Seventy six Ers players, coaches and alums will be at the twenty three hundred Arena in South Philly right to fund as the entire organization works to create a brighter future for the leaders of tomorrow. You two can help our youth develop in the next generation of innovators by donating now.

Visit Sixers Youth Foundation dot org slash gala to support today once again, the fifth Annual Sixers Youth Foundation Evening on the Court Galla is going to be March ninth, twenty twenty percent by Vip Wireless at the twenty three hundred Arena in South Philadelphia. All Right, So the seventy six Ers day were idle on Thursday, a well deserved day of rest after being on the road for five days.

Set the scene for me Friday, when the team regrouped at the training complex in Camden in lieu and ahead of Saturday's big game against the LA Lakers on ABC. Part of the ESPN NBA primetime package. I saw a lot of cameras, a lot of people. It was a crush of media when the Lakers come to town. You notice, I think. I mean, obviously, the morale was high for the majority of this trip, and it was nice to

see it seemed like that carried over to practice. Obviously they're relieved to be at home, but I think the team is very together right now, which is something you'll hear coach say, you'll hear the players say, and that's always nice to see. And then obviously the other big difference was Joel being a full participant in practice and

expected to continue progressing and be back relatively soon. So I think there was the excitement of being home, There was the excitement of having him back in the gym, and then obviously the excitement of having one of the league's best coming into town. So it was pretty buzzy. I would say, it's buzzy a word buzzy, sure in this case. Absolutely, any words we want to use here on the podcast we can use. Well, why don't we stay on the guy who will not be playing in

Saturday's game for a moment, Joel Embiid. He was named an NBA All Star Game starter for the third time in as many years on Thursday. He is just the eighth player in franchise history to start in a minimum of three consecutive All Star Games. What was his mood like, We haven't heard from him for a while. Well, I think again, he's a competitor. We know this about him. He's relieved to at least be back in the gym, getting in reps, being with his teammates. It's great, you know,

just trying to get it. They can progress. Uh necessary. Um, but this quart I can only imagine how difficult it is to be such an important part of this team. But it also an important part of this league and have to watch from the sidelines. That can't be easy. Um. And he was in high spirits. He was pleased with with the All Star nod. I thought it was really nice, though, he said he was excited about the All Star nod, but he was even more excited to see Pascal Siakam

also become a starter on this All Star team. A lot of us longer than opportunity, So I was happy. I was excited. I was more excited about you know Pascal, you know, two guys from Cameroon. You know, we barely started playing basketball about nine eight nine years, nine years ago. So to see us, you know, especially I started us means a lot. Think he means a lot. Uh. I'm proud of me, you know, from Camero and from Africa.

I'm representing. Thought that was a really cool thing to hear him say, was that, Yes he was excited for himself, but he's even more excited for his buddy. And you just you'll love to see it. Seventy six Ers will be going forward without Joel Embiid and without Josh Richardson in Saturday's game against the Lakers. Lakers are thirty six and nine. This will be the final stop on a five game road trip, most of which has been played

in the Northeast. They are three and one are the Lakers on this road trip, and perhaps to the surprise of no. One, with the likes of Lebron James and Anthony Davis and Danny Green, they have been outstanding. James averaging just over twenty five points, seven and a half rebounds, and nearly eleven assists per game, shooting just under fifty percent from the field. Here's where Prep Round had to

say following Friday's practice about the King. I have been in the league to see Lebron, you know, come in the league and we beat Cleveland a long time ago, when an NBA championship, and I've seen the evolution of him. I stand back and I am amazed at how good he is for as long as he has been good for the duration of his time in the NBA. How he handles himself, you know, with kids in the media. He doesn't ever seem to like Featcha had stuff going on at two in the morning and on the next

you know, the next day's front page. I think he's class, and he's a champion, and he's incredibly important to all the league. And obviously anytime Lebron James comes to town, it's going to be difficult. It's going to be a challenge. But something that felt like a three line from Brett to al to Joel the people who spoke today, is

that they really embrace these sort of challenges. And we've seen them play really well at home against really good opponents, and so I think that the spirit is high, they're ready for the challenge, they're going to welcome it. I thought it was interesting that Brett Brown said specifically that Matisse would be bearing a lot of a defensive load tomorrow, which we of course expect, but it's got to be a huge moment for a rookie to go up against not only the King, but also a team that has

Anthony Davis that's been so successful. It should be an exciting matchup. Then there's also the factor for the Lakers

that they have some size on the front line. I mean, there's Lebron James and he is at the top of the scatter report, no question, or is he actually when you think about it more, because then there's Anthony Davis, who's putting up around twenty six points, nine rebounds, two and a half blocks per game, shooting over fifty percent of the field, clearly taking the Lakers to another level. And not only do the Lakers roll out Anthony Davis,

but they could also roll out Dwight Howard. So if you have the two of those guys starting in the seventy sixers or shorthanded something like dwell Ebid, then how will the Sixers go about the front court matchup that

the Lakers present. Well, this has to be one of the things that Elton Brand was thinking about over the summer when we went after Al Horford, who's been playing really well recently in is heading into tomorrow's game the ultimate professional as he always is, sort of welcoming the challenge but also acknowledging the fact that it will be a knowledge it is they're playing really well. It really it's gonna take, you know, every single guy to come in there and do their thing and to give us

a chance to win. I think this will be a really exciting opportunity for Horford and also a moment to really step back and be grateful that we have Horford. Another big man that the Lakers can roll out there is JaVale McGee. Now he didn't play in the game that the Lakers had on Thursday in Brooklyn because he was dealing with the flu, so he could be back out there. They typically do bring Dwight Howard off the bench,

but there is that possibility. It's gonna be Anthony Davis out there and another player with considerable size and strength of the front court. So we'll be standing by to hear what Brett Brown does with the starting lineup. There's a veteran like Mike Scott who could assume the spot at the four, maybe Dubias plays a little bit farther download defensively, give Al Horford the minutes at the five.

Possibilities it will be it will be interesting. But we also saw them have a lot of success on this road playing small, so maybe when they zig will zag. I really I'm not a basketball coach, and this is why. But you have to imagine Kyle O'Quinn could see some time this weekend, maybe even Jonah Bolton in the absence likely of Norville Peal. So I think it'll be an interesting opportunity, especially for those youngsters to sort of get more minutes, get their feet wet, and take on a

challenge it. As you said, who knows, perhaps someone like a Ben Simmons could resurface playing at the five for a bit so the Sixers. This begins to stretch looking ahead where there are some challenging games on the horizon. Initially at the start of the year, when every team was healthy, just about you were looking at a Lakers Golden State Warriors stop at home and thinking, WHOA, this

could be a real challenge. Now we knew Clay Thompson at the time wasn't going to be playing, but now there's no Steph Curry, and the Warriors look entirely different. But then it's down on the road for four more for the seventy Sixers, stop at Miami, at Boston, and also the Bucks, not even necessarily in that order. It's going to go Atlanta, Boston, back down to Miami two days off, then the Bucks. I mean you're talking about

between Miami, Boston and the Bucks. Those are three out of the four teams ahead of the seventy Sixers in the Eastern Conference standings. It is going to be a

very formative time for the team. I like the way that Josh Richardson put it actually prior to the game in Toronto, he said that when you're facing maybe everybody knows sees it this way, but it was the first time I had heard it, when you're facing one of those teams that you're sort of battling with, jockeying in the standings, he says that those all count as two, and I think that we're going to have a lot of games coming up, especially on that road trip, that

are going to count as two. So you could see the Sixers end up in a very different position in the standings. You could see them end up in the same position in the standings, but either way, it's going to be some great basketball and there are going to be some challenges that they're going to have to rise to. Seventy six you're looking to stave off a season series lost in the Miami Heat, looking to sweep the season series against the Celtics, and aiming to take a two

nothing advantage in the season series against the Bucks. So all enticing storylines on the horizon, it's gonna be some great stuff. You'd expect, nothing less, always a great report. Thank you, Lauren. I don't know if I can say great, but you are most welcome, all right that I'll do it for this episode of the podcast. Reminder that every day following a seventy Sixers game win loser otherwise, you can check out a rewind episode of the podcast in

your feed, so be on the lookout for that. Thanks a lot to Lauren Rosen for taking the time and to sit down and chats. Thanks to you for listening, and we will speak to you next time here on the broadcast. Se