Friday Deep Dive | Is It Too Soon...?

the chap who knew George Hill? Touch the ball? Thirty five and a right hand flush. I'm Lauren Rosen, I'm Devon Givens, and I'm Brian Seltzer. Plus we recafe a star crossed week on social media for one of our panelists coming up on the Friday Deep Dive. Seventy Sixers are rolling two dominant victories to aren't the week biggest two game points spread from margin of victory in franchise history? Lauren and Devon. There's also a playoff berth that has

been secured. These are good times for the Sixers. Lo and behold less than a week after what many would say, at least in the context of this season was the darkest of times. Turned it around quickly, indeed, so it's good to see the team get back together. I mean, we can't go on without talking about the fact that nearly everyone, if not everyone, has been available in the last two games, and that certainly makes a large difference.

When some of the folks unavailable were guys like Ben Simmons or Joel embat It tracks that the team would have a good experience against inferior opponents, fully loaded at home, and it was good to see them capitalize on all

of those characteristics of the last couple of games. I agree, it always feels good when you lock in a playoff berth and especially with the expectations that come along with this season of how good they have been, how things seem to be more wide open, where there's a real opportunity to have a chance to stand up at the

very end in July. So to see the team fully loaded as best as weekend, what is it, twenty five games for the starters, guys twenty one and four, the record that's encouraging, and now starting to implement some of the newer pieces and everyone's role starting to be established and maybe even not seeing a few other players that may be trying to push their way into a rotation.

It just makes for great competition and at the end of the day, with the playoffs on the horizon, with ten games remaining, it's a good place to be right now, especially after a tough week. Those happened in the course of a long season, and they were able to bounce back so far earlier in the week and I'm sure they look to close things out even better as they

keep things rolling Oklahoma City. The Atlanta Hawks has constituted on Wednesday night, they probably are not going to be competing for a championship this year, so the seventy six just took care business, which I thought was hardening to see given that it felt last week like the energy just wasn't there. Maybe the Sixers with guys in and out of the lineup, hit a wall. So I really love seeing the purpose and focus that the Sixers came

back with to start this week. I also think when you step back and look at the big picture, there is so much and the Sixers are not alone. Every team in the league has had to navigate uncharted territory this season, but still putting that within the conversation of

what the Sixers have accomplished this year. Doc Rivers was hired two months before training camp, Daryl Morey came in a few weeks before the draft, and the Sixers were able to build collectively a team that's been one of the best consistently night and nine out in the NBA this season. And I thought it was appropriate and the right way for the Sixers to talk about the playoff Berth.

I was expected to clinch playoffs. You know, we would have loved to be the first in clinch the playoffs, you know, but it's kind of where we're at now. So we're not. Um, we're not we're not dwelling on that. But um, no, Philadelphia basketball greatness is you know, really, um, something that is expected from our fans, is expected from us as a group, and it's one of our goals day in and day out. So you know, we understand that. You know, we're not a team in the locker room

celebrated for Clinton playoffs right now. We want to celebrate when we're able to win and win big in this postseason. That's our goal. Tobias Harris said, we're not celebrating anything. Joel Ebid talked about the long road ahead. That's exactly what they should be saying. They want to win a title. They're not trying to just get him the playoffs. But I think it is noteworthy it's still with two weeks two and a half weeks to go, six Ers have

their spot all secured and wrapped up. Well, they're looking ahead too. I think the importance of the one seed. They wanted the one seed at the beginning of the season, but I don't know if at the beginning of the season everybody knew what a three horse race this would be in the Eastern comp prints and what that one seed would mean in terms of your path to the finals. I think they're all starting to understand that now. I think maybe playing Milwaukee a couple times made them realize, Okay,

this is actually a pretty formidable opponent. And of course the Sixers didn't have their full punch available when they played, but maybe being there sort of was like an okay moment, we don't really want to have to play Brooklyn and Milwaukee, Like, let's go ahead and really pursue this one seed. And that's something that Doc and the players all discussed last night. It's nice to make the playoffs. But they don't want

to just make the playoffs. They want to make the playoffs in a convenient, luxurious fashion, and that would be with the one seed. And maybe even looking at last week is something that did open their eyes a little bit and understanding that this is not going to be an easy path. Not that they had that mindset before, but certainly looking at how things are where you do lose the games that you did, you go in a four game skid, and you want that number one seed,

It's not going to be easy. And knowing what the playoffs are in front of you, something like this could possibly boil well for them as they start to look ahead. So the approach I like it. I like the fact that they're saying what they're saying about they're not done

the ultimate goals the championship. When you brought Danny Green and Dwight Howard in, who just won titles last season with Los Angeles, you brought them in here because again, your eyes, your eyes were set on the big prize and these two come in, They're not coming in, you know, not making you know, big money if you will. For Dwight Howard in his case, and while Danny Green is still on his same contract. He has one of the

last two titles, and he'll tell you about them. And so that's the right mindset I believe for them to have fans. I think they also feel the same way. Fifty wins it's a it's a it's something that is a milestone of course each season, but it's no longer about that because we've seen that for the past few seasons with this basketball team where they've had fifty plus wins, and this year we'll see where they ultimately get, sitting at forty one and twenty one right now before the

next game against Atlanta. But yes, it's it's about the playoffs. It's about all of that. Fifty wins is fantastic, but at the end of the day, you want those sixteen in the postseason to wrap the entire thing up. The team four. This week's Friday Deep Dive is going to be is it too soon? We're going to dive into that in a second. First of all, two housekeeping items. Number one, I always think you guys sound great and terrific. I am loving the way you are sounding on this

particular episode of the Deep Dive. Big shout out to our friends at road Microphones, no doubt, road thank you. Thank you a quality sponsorship component that I'm not aware of here, there is not. We just have to shout them out because their product is so terrific and seamless and easy to use. Another great thing. I know my set was easy, Lauren. I'm sure yours was as well, So thank you, Rode one of several great things associated with the seventy six ers based in Australia or from Australia.

But yes, Lauren's sounding great on your new road pod mic divin sounding terrific on your road mini USB microphone, and we use the Roadcaster. Again, they're not paying for this, but I have to recognize innovation and ease of access when it's out there, so that's why I'm doing it. So that's housekeeping item number one. Housekeeping item number two. We have a development and for this developments, we need

to check in in our nation's capital. We have to go to the social media desk in Washington, DC, and for that, I'm going to turn it over to Divine Givens. Divine, what's the latest news bolting out of the nation's capital. Oh, the latest out of the nation's capital is that Lauren

is super famous, you don't say, really really famous. We had to take some time, We had to change our schedules a bit because we had to speak to her people and the speak to you know, the other people, and just checking with all the people because when you were as famous as Lauren as you have people. So Lauren has people now because she is super famous now that Jake Tapper, wow, yes you heard me, correct Jake Tapper now quote tweeting Lauren Rosen about basketball. And we

saw that itself. All right, this is a new level of fame for Lauren now. And I don't know that we can keep up. I didn't first of all, I never thought we were famous. I always thought Lauren had this fame because she'll tweet out this is for Sixers fans and sixty fans only after every win every morning, and look at the standings. They're still in first place, and all of these people just like and retweet everything. Lauren dess. I'm like, you know, so she's really famous.

I don't know how long is this is gonna last? And then boom Jake Tapper CNN. I don't know, so Celts, I think we have it for the remainder of the season, and then we're gonna have to talk to her people again. This is quite the accomplishment, Lauren. Jake Tapper engaging with one of your tweets. Well, what's crazy is that Jake Tapper has three point three million followers, and I'm one of them. But I didn't realize his audience was quite

that wide. I've had so many people from different like walks of my life that definitely followed Jake Tapper and definitely don't follow the Sixers or listen to what Joe ell Embiid has to say, get really excited about this. I'll be honest. I've had some I've had some cool folks engage with me, especially this season. I'm very lucky. The engagement has only come because I'm covering a team that's been so successful and that does such lovable things, and I'm I'm lucky. The content is easy. All I'm

doing is putting it out there. Cool people have engaged. Jake Tapper is up there. I gotta be honest. I felt pretty I mean, that was my guy during the election, Like Jake Tapper was like in my ear for like a week, just really cool to you know, be able to pay him back, you know, for all that that he did for me. Who else is on this list of dignitaries who've engaged with your content? Oh, now you're gonna put me on the spot. I wouldn't say dignitaries.

Jake Tapper is the first, probably like non Sixer, non Philadelphia area influencer vibe, like the folks that engage with are folks that engage with the Sixers. This was this was different, okay, but we are aware that Jake Tapper, he does have a connection to the area, a big local product, grew up in and around the area. M And now he's on Lauren's list or part of you. Lauren's on his list? Now? Yes? So she one day is Darryl Moorey, right, president of basketball operations for the team.

I don't know Daryl Morey. I'm one of his team's podcast but I don't know. And Laurens is you know, Lauren's all plugged in with these people. So so I think we're rubbing elbows with the right person. So we'll see where it all ends up. All right, this has got to stop. My face is so rad right now. We need to move on. Well, he'd be on the float with us when they win a championship. Jake Tapper does he on our float? All right? I would invite him. Let's send him a DM over with the glasses. Let's

do it there. Space for everybody, tremendous. Thank you, Vin for checking in from our Washington d C Social media desk. No problem, thank you. I'm dead that you had the music celts like that was evil. The fact that you surprised me with the with the patriotic music roadcaster. What can I say? If we didn't have the roadcaster, we couldn't get some John Phillips SUSA pumping in here. All right, we gotta move on. I'm gonna get I'm just gonna

forget how to speak. So let's Is it too soon to move on to actual basketball talk here on the Friday Deep Dive? Is it too soon? That's going to be the theme for the show. We are heading into the home stretch, the true home stretch. I feel like we've been talking about the home stretch for weeks upon weeks now, but we are down to about two and a half weeks left. Seventy sixers. As we mentioned, they are the second team in the East to clinch playoff spot,

fourth straight season for the Sixers in the postseason. Something to be said about that. So my first is it too soon? Question? Is is it too soon? And I usually don't like to play games like this, but because there are somehow two weeks we have to get through, I'm going to is it too soon to look ahead at a potential playoff opponent? Devon Givens, What do you say and what do you think about a potential first round matchup for the seventy sixers. Wow, well, first, of course,

we have to get through the play in tournament. That will be fun. The new wrinkle that the league has implemented with the play in tournament in both the East and the West, It's gonna be fun, man, because a lot of times you see teams just kind of take it easy the final weeks of the season. But there's so many teams that are now in play for a playoff berth for the seventh or eighth seed that right

now I'm looking at is it too soon? No, it's not to look at Miami Charlotte around there seeing where and how the seventy sixers will match up with those teams. Because playing against the Miami Heat with their reinforcements that they have back. Now everyone's return has returned, adding Trevor Ariza and Victor Oladipo to the squad, and the returning players of course, led by Jimmy Butler, Bam out of Bayo and so on. It's a really good basketball team.

And that's not a team that I expected to face in the first round if you're at the top of the conference, So that will be interesting. And Charlotte just the way that James Barrego has that team playing, and even with LaMelo Ball going down, many felt like they would take a step back, but they still play some

really good basketball. Gordon Hayward also went down. They're playing really good basketball Defensively, they're playing you know, inspired basketball on that end as well, and they have so many pieces that are very in The Sixers won the season series, and it looked really good against the Charlotte Hornets. But is it too soon, No, especially when you're trying to look at a pathway in order for you to get to the Eastern Conference finals and ultimately the NBA Finals.

So I don't think it's too soon to look at those teams specifically. Anything can happen. Washington is playing much better. They just had their eight game winning streaks snapped. New York is playing really good basketball. They've moved up in the standings. It's going to be it's gonna be fun these the last two and a half weeks that you speak of, where we get a chance to really start to pay attention to who the opponent could be. Who do you want to face less, right, who do you

want to face more? What's the easier way to get to the NBA Finals. So I don't think it's too soon. It's really all about the path. And that's why I think for the seventy six ers the focus on the one seed is so important right now, or for anyone who can get the one seed, especially in the East.

But it seems like after incredibly the Knicks right now, certainly after the Bucks, but probably after the Knicks anywhere after four that could be in play between Atlanta, Boston, Miami and Charlotte, maybe Indie, possibly the Wizards could shuffle in and around there. Because Boston and Miami right now

are essentially neck and neck. Boston Lauren could be in a play in situation, which, of course, as Sixers fans, there's a little I don't want to butcher the pronunciation, but a little bit of schaden freud in that situation, right, Okay. I mean, look, first of all, I have two takes. My first take is that I am so excited about the play in tournament. I think this has completely changed the way that the league functions, and I hope that

they continue to do it. I mean, the amount of teams that are still in play at this point versus last year, it's so much fun on both sides of the bracket. I'm really looking forward to those few days and just like sitting back and watching it's going to be like watching college basketball, but it's the NBA, and it's teams you've played all season, and it's guys like Steph Curry like they are superstars that are going to

play in these play in games. Jimmy Butler could be in a play in game, Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beale. That leads me to my second take. You got to give a quick shout out to the Washington Wizards. I don't think anybody thought that the Wizards would win nine in a row at the end of the season. I mean, good for them. They are playing their way into the conversation potentially into that tournament. Tenth sorry, the tenth game

that they ended up losing was in overtime. So they won nine in a row, and then they went to overtime against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. I mean, oh, pretty solid, right, I'll be honest. Washington is for me.

If I were involved with the team that was in a play in situation, that would be a team that scares the you know what, Adaman, I'd say that regardless of whether or not they had won nine in a row, because you have two guys on that roster in Bale and Westbrook, who in a one game situation could go absolutely crazy. They might not be able to sustain it for a seven game series, but could go nuts in a game and win you a game. If you just need to get one, I'm sorry to cut you off. Sets.

They won eight in a row, then they lost to the Spurs. Then they beat the Lakers, so they won nine out of their last ten. I'm sorry that I counted them wrong, but they beat the Lakers. They beat a couple good teams in this run. I mean they played the Thunder twice in that run, but I mean they beat the Warriors, they beat the Pelicans, they beat

the Jazz. Pretty impressive stuff from the Washington Wizards. And that's why I'm so excited about this play in tournament though, because you put a guy like Russell Westbrook in a winner, go home situation, you don't know what he's going to do, even if the team he's playing against is a team that's better, and then all of a sudden, the Wizards get to have a playoff run. I mean, I'm just

really excited. I think it's hopefully going to be something that stays in the league for years to come, and there will be cool Cinderella type stories about the teams that get in via the play in Tournament. And I'm glad the Sixers don't have to participate, or likely don't have to participate, but I'm looking forward to seeing who does. I don't think to your point, Lauren, I don't even know if Russell Westbrook knows what he would do in a one game win or go home play in situation. Scary.

I don't want to be the other team. No, even if I'm Lebron James, and of course Lebron James and Russell Westbrook, they're not going to play each other. But I don't want to be I don't want to be on the opposite end of that. No, thank you, No, not at all. Thirty twenty and twenty he's putting he's gonna hang that on someone in a one game series,

I mean one game elimination game. Absolutely, yep. I am not particularly concerned about whomever the seventy six ers match up with in the first round, any of those teams that we mentioned, whether it's the Hawks, the Celtics, Heat, Hornet's Pacers, Wizards, those are the guys in the conversation right now. Maybe outside shot for the Bulls. I just think for me, what I look at in those situations

is right. You don't want to get too worn out your first as you obviously want the easiest path, the easiest road, and Miami I think could be a battle. We know why Boston Celtics. Part of me thinks for them they might be able to find another gear once they just get there. This has been a really bad

season for them obviously, just in terms of consistency. I don't know, But to go back to the original question, definitely not too soon for me at all to start playing the game of who you could go up against and had with the matchup work and all that. I'll be honest, I am so grateful and happy that NBA basketball is back, with the exception of the Miami game in the final week of the season, keep checking the games off, let's keep going, stay healthy when let's keep

it moving. Absolutely yep, and including that game, because in the event that you do have to face them, you want to let them know, not that they don't know. They know how good the seventy sixers are. One player particular knows for sure how tough they are. You want to make a statement against them as well. So even if you are doing your part and keeping them out, then you do your part in keeping them out. So with the amount of games remaining and looking at where

they are, I don't think it's too soon. It's human nation. We're not the players. We're not. We can look and say, yeah, I want to stay away from them and see how they perform against Charlotte. Maybe we like that. Well, maybe you don't want to go there. So I don't think it's too soon, not at all. Our next item is it too soon? Pevski goes by, still looking, but he steals it. He's got Betty Simmons at the end of

the half. Yeah too, half camp for a second to go steal, run out, slap and the Sixers go up fifty. Is it too soon to say, guys, that these seventy Sixers could be, if fully healthy, one of the best, if not the best, defensive team in the playoffs this year? Yes, confident quick response, I like it. If yeah, I mean you said, if fully healthy? Yeah. Absolutely. Doc Rivers said that he believes that this team has three of the top ten, perhaps five defenders in the league, certainly in

the playoffs. And then the addition of George Hill has been really really cool to watch. I think that's something that we heard was going to be big. We saw was very big last night, or rather Wednesday night, Monday night. He's been really good with that second unit, bringing a very steady presence on the offensive end and the defensive end, and cool to have pretty much at all times at

least two elite defenders on the floor. That's that's without mentioning Danny Green in the work that he's done all season, Tobias Harris, who's become certainly a plus defender in this league. So yeah, absolutely. The question is could they be the best if healthy. The answer is yes, certainly, could absolutely when you have two first teamers for sure defensively that you can think of with hib and Simmons, and we'll see, of course how those are a play out at the

end of the season. But you addam Atistible who is also fantastic, looking at what George Hill can also bring as a versatile defender on the wing, Dwight Howard coming in off the bench, Danny Green with experience as a defender in the postseason. Also, you have the necessary components to be that defensive team that we're talking about. And by the way, we've seen it in the regular season as well, so we know things are going to slow

down in the playoffs. And yeah, well there will be those offensive nights where the numbers are really really crooked. It's just the way that basketball is, and it's fantastic. But I do think they have the chance to be a really good defensive team because at the end of the day, that's where it's gonna lie for them. In order to win. Sure, the points are gonna matter, whoever has one more point than the other is gonna win. But defensively, that's how this particular team really gets rolling

defense leading to offense. They seem inspired by that when they have their defense clicking like that, getting in the open floor, getting easy transition buckets. So I agree. I think Lauren is absolutely right on this one. They do have that opportunity to do so with their defense. Here's what the numbers say as of Thursday going into Friday, the seventy six Ers less than a half point per one hundred possessions behind the Lakers for the top also

known as lower defensive rating in the league. Impressive that the Lakers have been able to sustain that without Lebron James. Sixers, though, have had their guys go in and out of the lineup as well, so there's that in the number two defense in the league. They are tied with the Indiana Pacers for most blocks per one hundred possessions, and they are a tenth behind off the lead for steals per

one hundred possession, trailing only the Memphis Grizzlies. So essentially you're looking at a top two team in overall defense steals and blocks. They have been tenacious. I definitely think that this group has the potential when it becomes more and more a half court game, particularly in the playoffs, to be the best defensive unit in the season. And if that's the case, if they play that way, I really like their chances a lot. I think we all agree that was easy easy, all right, check that box

are related? Is it too soon or perhaps we could better say might it be too late to conclude without perhaps too much debate, that Ben Simmons really helps this team in the late Ben Simmons Simmons at the rim, and he scores it chapters with his back to the basket in mid air and lays it in Simmons three for three. Can that be unanimous decision? In general? I

don't think we don't even to dive into layers. But building off that notion that Doc Rivers talked about, I'm sure a lot of fans out there heard this quote from Doc where he said that he was speaking with a coach recently and the coach said, I can't believe you get asked about Ben Simmons to show film the last four games. Ben's been back two games and the

results have been pretty pretty emphatic. I mean, it was interesting to hear Doc Rivers basically say that the Sixers did a better job of finding ways to win without Joel than they were able to do without Ben. And that doesn't necessarily indicate anything about how they match up as players or how important they are to this team, but I think it does go to show just how much Ben does for the offense, for the defense, and

how much the team struggles without him there. It was an interesting point to make because Joell Emade of course, is an MVP candidate, and you wish the Sixers wouldn't have had to play as many games as they did without him, but they found a way to make it work, and without Ben they struggle a little bit, and it's I think that's sort of the ultimate testament to how important he is. Even if, again we've been saying it all season, the stats don't necessarily tell the whole story

with Ben Simmons. In fact, I would argue that they never do, and he's been pretty excellent in the limited minutes that he's played this week because he hasn't had to play more minutes this week. Yeah, again, not to dock too deep into it, because we certainly could. They are just an overall better basketball team. He's out there

both defensively and offensively. You see the open shots that the shooters are able to get the attention that he draws in transition, even in half court once the ball is in his hands because of the passing ability and finding the shooters and putting the ball in their hands in the right places to get those easy shots, but they don't have to work too much to get their

shot off. And then defensively, again we've talked he's the first team All Defensive player last season and that is could again be true this season as well based on what we've seen so far through the sixty two games that they've played, so clearly not too soon once again to talk about how important he is. If they have any chance to win, he has to be out there on the floor, and I think we've seen in the two games that he's stepped back out there with the team.

No doubt love the way he's approached, especially the start of those games, really aggressive, setting the tone, jumps starting the seventy sixers in big ways, and wins over OKSE and the Atlanta Hawks. Is it too soon? I ask you guys to be excited about George Hill when he's back and hopefully in full form. It is not too soon. And even in the short amount of time that we've

seen him, I feel a comfort level. I've seen him as we all have from Indiana, Well, San Antonio, Indiana, Cleveland, Milwaukee. There's just a comfort level with him out there on the floor. And I don't mean any disrespect to any of the others, but it's like that it's the adult in the room to handle certain things, but the adult on the floor to handle certain situations. There was this

one play, if you guys don't mind that. I don't even remember if it resulted in the basket, but he was the Atlanta Hawks were in his zone, he was in the corner. He was in the right corner. Dwight Howard's posting and oftentimes Dwight doesn't get the ball on the little block to do his work. He's offensive rebounds, a quick hands off for a layoup or a dunk or a lib that will in the dunk, or some free throws, and Dwight Dwight Howard was posting, trying to find a spot down there on the low block as

his zone is in play. George Hill catch the ball in the corner, assesses the situation. Dwight is waiting for someone at the top of the key to get the ball to make that entry from the high post into

the low easier angle. So what George Hill does instead of doing that and getting the ball to the middle of the floor, he slides up more towards the wing himself and has confidence enough and his big man to throw it over the man who's fronting Dwight Howard, giving him an opportunity to jump up, cash the ball and then turn and make a play and basket or not. Just the IQ of the point guard right and trusting

his big man. When you do something like that for you a big man, even though it's a tough spot like that, your big man is not going to trust you and do more for you, even on the other end defensively to help clean up something that you may not, or he's going to go harder at the past. Once again, that may not be the easiest pass to catch, He's gonna do that because he sees that you have faith

in him. And when George Hill made a simple pass like that, it wasn't easy to get it lobbed over the man who's fronting Dwight Howard and allow him to catch that ball. It wasn't an easy pass, but again, it was just something like that that I haven't seen from anyone on the roster so far, and for him to do something like that, and I think Danny Green

could do that. And we know Ben Simmons has great passing ability, but sometimes be passing it's a little too off the mark a little bit every now and them just because of how how perfect his are where you know he has to get it in their perfect way. But even something as subtle as that, for me, said

a lot about George Hill. And then to watch him three for seven from the floor, I didn't care what the percentage was because I saw how the game was played and the impact that he had both offensively and defensively. Another simple play, catching the ball in the left wing, left corner partment, the ball swung around snap right to him.

He was in shooting motion and shooting pocket catches it, goes up, shoots it and I'm like, yeah, that's exactly what you're supposed to do, right, And he didn't hesitate, he didn't think about it. It was shoot go. We know quick releases are there for Seth Curry and Danny Green and even Shake Milton Furkin Quork Miles as well. With the unorthodox shots that he can make also, But just to see something like that with a player who has only been with you for a short amount of time.

But it's the IQ. It's the amount of years that he's had in the NBA, the understanding and already just being a part of this team and knowing what his role is so far. And I don't want to take it too over the top, but they needed someone like this on their roster, and I don't think we can overlook the importance of him in the postseason and these final games of the regular season because it's not too soon for me. I'm sorry, I just had to go on that whole thing there, but hey, I loved it.

I would just quickly shout out his dunks, like we got to see George Hill get up. Yeah, he has fresh lights. A lot of people in the league right now have fresh legs, so that's a little underrated component for George Hill. The only thing I wanted to add to what you had to say Devon, which I agree with all of the veteran leadership. It's something that I talk a lot about on this program. It's something that the players talk a lot about and have all season long.

Doc Rivers says that this is a very young team, and Doc Rivers is correct, especially when your two leaders are Ben and Joel, who are still so young in their careers and often don't get enough credit for how young they are and what they're doing. But especially when you look at that second unit that's sometimes headlined by shake for conmatise, that's a young that's a young group of guys. And to add George Hill to the equation, he brings this calm like you feel you trust him.

When he's on the floor, you feel very I feel very safe watching George Hill. You know he's going to do the right thing. He's very communicative, which I think is really cool and something we saw before he even started playing, being very communicative on the bench while he was rehabbing from that thumb surgery. So cool to think about the fact that in both the first unit and the second unit there are some really solid veteran leaders. You add Dwight Howard of course in that second unit,

Dwight and George. All of a sudden, the second unit has a lot of experience there when you look at the other three who have very little experience, you still feel pretty comfortable with that group of five, and then you look at the first unit and you can't skip over Danny Green to Bias Harris, maybe add Seth into that mix. There are some really solid leaders who have been through some stuff and seen some stuff in this league in both units, and I think that that's really important.

And George really to me, sort of pushes it over the edge with that veteran leadership and that just solid, safe vibe he brings to that second group. He's mister Mellow, it seems like to me. In further consideration of the topic that we discussed last week, is George Hill adoppelganger for Devon Givens. I'm fully in the camp that physically, no, I don't see it anymore. If I saw it, it's gone. I do think he's like Devon gives is that he's mellow.

He seems to project very mellow composed vibes, which I think is great. And yeah, I think that you can see evidence, like you pointed out, that he thinks the game in a great way and he's going to make the right play. And to your point, Larn, to me, I thought one of the great things from the game

on Wednesday against Atlanta was physically. To me, he obviously looked like he was just at a different point or felt more confident doing things than he had in his first couple games back in that first week with the Sixers. Last week, so I thought for him, really encouraging game against the Hawks. Played twenty two minutes, seven points, six rebounds, three assists, just one turnover. Fully in agreement with you, guys, not too excited, not too soon to be too excited

about George Hill. I think the Sixers are really excited about him as well. Our final is it too soon or not too soon item on the docket at least for me, I can open up the fourth the end if you guys would like. Is it too soon to presume that Doc Rivers is going to have a tight playoff rotation? Maxe on the by one man and he Champson whoa by on John Collins and sores of the room with a two hand jam. I think right now I could see at least in the early rounds, maybe

nine or ten guys possibly. I mean, I'm with you, I think it is too soon to say that he'll have a tight playoff rotation. And Doc is someone who has historically liked to play two full separate units, which isn't necessarily something you see a ton in the playoffs. But when you look at the options that the Sixers have, I just listed off the group that he sort of intends based on based on what he said after the

Wednesday game against Atlanta that he tends to run. That he intends to run as a second unit is Dwight and the four Wings, Matisse, Shake fur Con and George Hill. So when you think about it that way, who among those five are not going to play? And that's without mentioning Tyrese Maxie and Mike Scott, who both serve very specific purposes and could be really useful in a playoff series depending on your match, depending on how things are going.

So that's twelve guys that reasonably could see minutes. It speaks to how good the bench has become, how depthy the bench has become for the Sixers team. I would not be surprised at all, at least in a certainly in a first round series, maybe even in a second round, to see a ten man rotation for this team. I don't think it's too soon. As far as the first round goes, you'll see how things are playing out if you are who we think you are against whatever, whoever

the opponent is. There will be those times that Doc Rivers decides that maybe I can extend my rotation. The normal eight will be George Hill, Dwight Howard and in search a third whether shake Milton or tease Thible and then the others, and the others serve or purpose to what you're trying to do. You can't discount foul trouble. You can't discount just poor play in that moment, and you can't discount And we've been talking about this for a minute now since Tyrese Maxi has been back in

the rotation. There maybe just at that time of the game with Doc Rivers or one of his assistants see something and says, I need this right now, even just for two minutes, I need this, and that two minutes can be impactful, could turn into five minutes, and maybe it's only five minutes for the entire game. But at the end of the day when we're all doing our postgame shows and we're talking about it, do you remember when Tyrese Maxie did this for four minutes and forty

eight seconds. So I don't think it's too soon for a first round matchup. We'll get to the second round and analyze it at that point, but right now I think it is I think his rotation will be extended until he absolutely has to set it at his shorter rotation I do now. I do think the starter's minutes will increase, but the rotation overall, I think he'll figure all that out once they finished things up with the

first round. You guys might disagree with me. I feel like perhaps the two bench guys who could be most on the bubble right now, look numbers could be perhaps and he's playing so great Firk, depending on what the situation calls for. And then, like you guys mentioned Tyrese, but I also see situations where it's like you get situational run like you were just talking about Divan. I mean,

there's there's no doubt. I think that Furkan has shown that if the situation warrants someone with some firepower from outside the arc and you need that, you bring him in. He's been through it enough, he knows what postseason basketball is like. And right with Tyrese, if things are clogging the half court and you're not getting space and you need someone to break things down. Yeah, he's the guy who's probably got one of the best abilities, if not the best, on the team to create off the dribble

out of the backcourt. So I think the good news is there's options, And I think that for those guys in particular, I mean, listen, I think that the track record for the regulars, the starters, it speaks for themselves. We pretty much know what we're going to get out of those guys. But for these final few games, just the more that some of those bench guys who can fill roles can get more reps and build confidence, I think the mortal do for them. Because right now, I

think that Furkan is playing great. He's had an awesome season. I've really loved what he brought to the table. And then you're talking specialists. Furkon is known for his offense. Can you contribute defensively to keep him on the floor, Tyrese Maxie the same thing Matista will defensively. Can he contribute offensively, at least in a half court, I mean in the transition and the open floor. Can he get

you a few buckets as well? Maybe if things are breaking down offensively in the ball swings to you, can you knock down on an open shot. So I think those are also some things that we have to pay attention to when we talk about the rotation and how

things are set. I was intrigued by Doc Rivers also saying that he does intend to play Matisse at the four a little bit more, because it's not something we've seen a ton this season, but given the opportunity to go toe to toe with a guy like Gallinari, with a guy like Blake Griffin who could be seen down the road, Matisse has done an excellent job against guys that are much larger than he is with his length,

with his quickness, with his IQ. It's interesting to hear that Doc intends to use him there a little bit more, especially when you think about the matchups that could come down the road, and putting him there, maybe you don't have to put as much pressure on his three point shooting if he's going to spend a little bit more time inside. I don't I don't hate that idea. I'm intrigued. I like it. Yeah, And as you said, Gallinario. On Wednesday, Chris Dunn, he had four different players that he was

trying to defend. Lou Williams out there on the floor. He was all over the place on Wednesday night, So that four is intriguing. I like that and the ever expanding list of NBA staples who are irritated by Matisse Thyble's existence. It's it's fun to watch that list grow. Maybe that's the last. Is it too soon? Is it too soon to say? Move along? Mister Dunn? That was wild? Yeah, well, I think that blowout had a lot to do with that, too. Relax,

you calm down. Frustrated, frustrated, I talk way too much, you guys. If anything before we wrap this up, any any other is it too soon inquiries? M hmm. I think we're I think we're good. Is it too soon to call it a show? It ain't the beauty of this medium. When it's done, it's done, do you and end done? See now we really have to go see this is what we were talking about a little bit earlier, when you were on that level. It's true certain things like that we were there. We'll give Lauren her own

outro music. How does that sound? I'm literally gonna leave. It's gonna be the one walks off of the Friday Deep Dive set. I think it is. She can do our podcast hit with Jake Tapper about the Address to the Joint Sessions of Congress the other night. Everybody needs to stop. We're done, So Jake, we said hello, Hi will thank you all right, guys, Darrel Mori too, Hi, Darrel. Keep racking up those engagements. We'll revisit who engaged with Lawrence Content next week