Friday Deep Dive | Mid-Season Stock Report

I'm Brian Seltzer. What has been and what's to come? That's the focus of this week's Friday Deep Dive. We are diving deep on a Friday for the final time, incredibly before the end of this first half of the twenty twenty twenty one NBA season. So that means we're going to take this opportunity to gamify our impressions of the first half while starting to look ahead to half number two. Lauren Rosen, Devon Givens, great to be with you, guys.

We're gonna get into this game in a moment. I think we have to talk about the All Star reserve selections first, though, we cannot let that pass by. We do have to bring it up. There's some good. Ben Simmons gone back third straight year, so I'm not so good Tobias Harris not going. I thought Ben was a worthy selection. Felt for Tobias I did. I did as well Selts. I think it's hard to get three guys

in off of the same team. But we did see it from a team that isn't ranked as high in the Eastern Conference as the seventy six ers are, which is a bummer. And I do feel that Doc Rivers expressed that we've heard people around the league express that Tobias Harris is someone that would be putting up even bigger numbers if he was the guy on his team.

And we did see when the selections came out. A lot of the guys on teams that are doing winning less may get into this game because their stats are better. And you have to feel for Tobias because you have to assume that if Tobias played for one of those teams, maybe his numbers would be like one of those guys and maybe he'd get to be an All Star. So is he getting penalized for being on a winning team? Maybe?

And you kind of hate to see that. I did think he did enough with his resume this season so far to make it into the game. You also know that at the end of the day, there are different ways that people look at players around the league when it comes to the voting, certainly with the fans and in the selection via the media and the coaches and

the players as well. And Tobias Harris was the worthy candidate, guys, and I think with him, what would help him now for the next season as he looks for his first All Star birth is to help his team now get to a deep run into the postseason, possibly remain at the top of the Eastern Conference where they are the number one seed going into the playoffs, and then just

being effective when he is there. It's not as if they don't know his name, but we know the name has shock value when you have a certain type of name, and you know, with all due respected Tobias Harris, it's

just not there yet, fair or not. You know, he has performed well enough where it should not matter that his name doesn't have shock value because of the things that you mentioned, being at the top of the East on a winning team and being very productive second leading scorer on the team, So it is disappointing, but I hope it certainly motivates him for the overall goal of the team for the remainder of the season. A couple of things that stood out to me in the aftermath

of the reserves being announced on Tuesday. One thought it was a really neat revelation that Doc Rivers said when he called around on behalf of both Ben and Tobias. He said that other coaches who talked to are like, what you're calling, You're lobbing for Ben? Why are libbing for Ben? He's good, which kind of speaks to the

point D that you just made. And then that Doc has also talked about as well after the game on Tuesday when the Sixers beat the Raptors, that sometimes you're not an All Star until the season after your first quote unquote All Star season. I think that's how Doc put it, and I think there's something totally to be

said for that. If Tobias is able to sustain the historic numbers that he's been putting up so far the season, seventy six Ers, fingers crossed for them go on a great run, Tobias comes out strong next season, doing similar things to me. I don't see anyway that he's not an All Star doesn't make it right, like you said, doesn't make it any easier for Tobias, I'm sure, but I think that he's almost there. I think he's probably as close as he's ever been. I could get behind that.

I just think he also might feel like maybe this was that year after the way that he played last year. And obviously the season last year didn't end the way that that Doc is saying the season should end the season before you become an All Star. But I think he might feel that he's played at an All Star level for a few years now, and it is hard to consistently raise the bar but not be rewarded. I just can't imagine that being difficult, And so props to

Tobias for taking it like a champ. And hopefully Doc rivers prophecy will come true after the team makes a long run and he gets into that game next year, and next year All Star will be more fun, right, It'll be a different kind of more traditional All Star. There's your silver lining. Maybe next season is a better time to get your first All Star birth my silver lining, go drop twenty five points a game the remainder of the season, deep run championship. Let's party, party time, I

love it. That's right, Hey, he can make it. Tobias can make it an All Star weekend next year instead of an All Star Day. And to your point, d I think Tobias well on his way embodying that type of mindset. Had a terrific game against Toronto twelve points out of his twenty three in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, seven boards, five dimes, two block shots. Came out and played a heck of a game after not receiving that

call to the All Star Game. All right, it is now time for everyone's favorite game, which I'm going to name on the spot of answer or sames E's we love it answer or Samesy's We're gonna throw out a question. We can go round the horn here. We can each give our responses, but we don't each have to fabricate or manufacture our reply or answer to these questions. Reflecting on the first half of the season, if you happen to believe the same thing as someone who spoke before you,

you just say same'si's and or pass. We don't need to keep ourselves or anyone else here for that matter, longer than they need to be. We just appreciate the quality minutes spent lists. We want quality minutes spent listenings r Good minutes, always good minutes, effective minutes. Yes, indeed, Okay, easy one to start with, most pleasant surprise of what has been so far a promising twenty twenty twenty one season,

Lawn Rosen tip us off Well. To be honest, I think I have to go with Tobias Harris and the way that he has brought confidence to his game. He has increased his efficiency, he has leveled up on defense. Tobias has really done all the things that he said he wanted to do this season. And I think at the beginning of the year, it's really easy to say that I spent my offseason working hard, and I wanted to improve my defense and I wanted to improve my efficiency.

We hear that from a lot of players year after year, and those are admirable things to want to do in the season ahead. I think it's really special for a guy like Tobias, who had already improved his defense and efficiency last year, to come in and really improve it this year and to sustain what he's been able to do something else. I'd like to add to the additions to Tobias his game is the way he's played in the fourth quarter since he became a seventy six er.

He's expressed wanting to be a closer, wanting to be a go to guy at the end of games, and this year we've seen it a few times. Selts. You just mentioned the last game Rono who could forget his buzzer not buzzer beater, but his game winner against the Lakers. This is a guy who set goals for himself, has had the guts to lay them out publicly, and then has had the drive to actually go and achieve them. Am I surprised? Not necessarily so maybe I didn't answer

the question that well, but am I impressed. Yes, well, I'll go the other way. No, Samesy's to start off the new game, I'm going with. I'm going with a usual suspect for a lot of different reasons, and that is four time All Star now Joel embeat. Because of how he's now elevated his game too, it seems to me to take that next step, the thing that we've been wanting him to do. We've seen twenty eight and twelve and a half and two and a half blocks in the season, and we've seen it means something at

that time, but it just feels different now. So when I go and I leaned towards Joel Embiad and anyone who's listening or viewing us and say, oh, that's easy, well, no, it's not, because I think he has changed his approach now to the game and what he is doing for

this team. Guys. They are number one in the Eastern Conference and that is really a lot based off of what he has done as the guy for this basketball team, so from offensively recognizing the double teams when they get there, defensively still being someone who controls the paint the way that he does, selective three point shots that are meaningful within the flow of the game and not disrupting, and

it's passing overall. I think that we're seeing the maturity that I think a lot of people have been asking for from a veteran player Joel Embid although rather young, but still a veteran in this league. So I'm gonna go with Joel Embiid. I think that's totally valid both of you guys so far and listen, it's interesting because

I did look this up before we started. Even though Joel's turnover numbers are relatively similar as they were last year in the year before per thirty six or one hundred possession basis to me, they don't feel as weighty as they have in the past. And I know that we're not in the playoffs yet, but it just doesn't seem like they're turning up in late game situations as frequently as they did in the past. And obviously we know that after the way last year ended, that was

a big area of focus for him. Most pleasant surprise of the season so far. You know, I could just go real folksy and cheeky and say the entire team, but I'm going to make it more specific than that, because, hey, the Sixers are in a great spot. I'm going to talk about the head coach, Doc Rivers. Not that I expect the Sixers to be a complete disaster when they hire someone has proven and accomplished as Doc Rivers, But

you never know. You thought that the match was perfect, especially when Daryl Morey and Elton Brand made some of the moves they did on the heels of draft night and getting ready for training camp. But I really love the way that Doc has set the tone for this Sea and I think, especially at the outset, he kept things relatively simple in terms of what he asked the players to do, didn't try to overcomplicate things. I think he challenged individual players to try and do better than

they have in the past. Clearly he's made it a point of emphasis to try and get some of his best individual players to do better together. And I just think he's got a real good pulse for this team so far more often than not, I think what he's done with the rotation who he plugs and when has worked. Take for example, for con CORKMS against the Raptors on Tuesday, and the way he broke it down after the game

was real straightforward, Hey, Seth Curry's not playing. We need a great spot up three point shooter for con Cork. Mose hasn't hit the bron side of the barn for two weeks, but we're gonna bring him in, give him an opportunity and it paid off. And I just think that Doc seems to be taking everything in stride, matter of factly, real poised as you'd expect, and I think that he has the Sixers playing what could be on the verge trending towards championship basketball. So I think Doc

has been really sharp so far. Something as simple as the furkon corkmis in inserting him into the into the starting lineup of for Curry and just simplifying it, we needed someone who's the spot up shooter for our team, for our starting five out there, and that's what you've seen. You can just feel the difference in what he has

been able to do and to bring to the team. Obviously, we all wish that the fans could and just take all of that in the games in the building, but even viewing it on television, you can see the difference right now with this team. He has a team believing. It seems like they do at least, and it's a really good sight. And one other point that you made itself, it's about it be quickly before we get to larness. We know it's about the playoffs, but we're not there yet.

So all we can do right now is just simply focus on what they are doing in the moment, because if they weren't doing good, we would also say that as well. So he's doing really well. When we get to the playoffs, reevaluate things there, but right now I agree with you that in the moment he's playing really well. We don't use the D word too often here on the Deep Dive unless we're talking about said deep dive itself and or divine givens. But I'm gonna throw this

out there. We try to be a fair and balanced or what did I say before, balanced and fair podcast? Not fair and balanced trying to be balanced and fair? Has there been a disappointment so far? Because I'm throwing it out there, I'm gonna give you one just to maybe give you a sense of where my mind is thinking on this. It's gonna be really related to health and a guy who I kind of feel for as of late because I believe in him. I think he's

done good stuff in the past. I think you could help the seventy six ers if you were fully healthy and in rhythm. I'd love to see Mike Scott healthy for a stretch, get the opportunity to get his legs under him a little bit, get back into a rhythm again. I believe in Mike. I'm not saying that he is

a disappointment. I'm bummed for him. It's a disappointing situation that after what I thought were two really good preseason games, he just hasn't had a chance because of a couple injuries, to get out there on the floor and get into rhythm. And I think that every bit of depth helps, and I think we've seen a few games this year with the Sixers they could use some stretched depth at the four spot, and he just hasn't been out there. So

that's kind of the mind that I'm thinking of. It's tough to really complain or harp upon things when your team is leading the Eastern Conference as we speak right now and has put up a great record at twenty one and eleven. My disappointment is not the same as your celts, and it might be a little bit more of a cop out answer, but look, my disappointment this year is somewhat personal. I don't think the team has blown out enough team. And here's why I say that,

sets This is a team that's leading the East. They've done an incredible job despite not having a lot of continuity with this lineup. They also are leading the league in clutch wins. They have had fourteen clutch wins, which means they've had great experience in close games finding a way to win, and that is incredibly valuable. Personally, I like to be able to start writing the reac half of how the game goes before the final buzzer. It's

just better for my workflow. So personally, personally, my dream game, I would love lopsided victories every night, just so I can get a head start on my work. So that's that's just me. That's just personal. At least they're leading the league and clutch wins. If they want to keep doing the close ones, they're more exciting for the fans, that's fine. But if we could just throw in a few more lopsided victories in the second half of the season,

I would be a happy girl. Fan perspective, great reporter perspective, not so much when you're on deadlining exactly. I love it. It's it's such a cop out of an answer, but I mean, that's really this, that's really my only disappointment with this team is too many close games. That's it, right, that's a good one. Even going back to Tuesday, you get off to such a hot start. How did it get so close? But hey, they still walked away with the w to pick up their twenty first win of

the season. I'll go with I'll go with again something that's a usual suspect when we talk about the Philadelphia seven sixes. Albeit they are much better on the road, I would like for them to be better than they are on the road when they do get to the postseason. As we evaluate this team right now, they have to find ways to win away from the center and be it no fans, and we can factor in all of those things. It's too many of the games that Lauren

you're talking about. We've seen them in some and we've seen them give away a few. The Toronto game on Sunday for an example, that one got away from them, and then Cleveland earlier in the year, and we can point out and highlight a few. Obviously, the West Coast trip where they went one in three disappointing to me

because once again they were in those games. And when we talk about that different seventy six or team under Doc Rivers, while the number is much better, I need when I look at the Utah Jazz and I see what their road record is, I'm like, well, why are the seventy six is not also posting that road record? So maybe I'm picking, but that's also me having them at this level right now after these thirty plus games, where I think they are good enough to perform better

away from this center. I know COVID and the health everything has kind of taken guys away from the team in certain games because of that. But for the most part, and especially the second half of the season, since we're now winding down these final four at home, I want to see them with a better road record to prepare themselves for the postseason once they get started with the second half. I love it. I like what we did there. And Hey, through two categories so far, we've had no SAME's,

he's yet on what did we call this game? The horrible name that I came up with answer or SAME's he's yes, Okay, we're working with it. We'll see if we get through category number three. Hey, we'll work with it. It works all right. Trend that you want to see continue? Obviously, we want to see the seventy sixers continuing to win games, but anything else for you, guys, a trend that you would like to see continue. D I don't think you've

started us off yet in a topic, so go ahead. Yeah, this is another one for me, that's the divine again. Yes again. Aggressive Ben Simmons is the best Ben Simmons, the way that he has been playing as of late, aggressively looking for his when we talk about the way that he's been playing and wondering if it will fit into what the style of the seventy sixies have been doing for the early part of the season, when we've seen aggressive Simmons sometimes but also more so kind of

giveaway to others and allow them to do it. I'm watching these games now where I would anticipate a pass coming from Simmons to an open teammate, which is the right basketball play, But the other right basketball play, which could be the more effective play, is to keep that dribble one more time, or having your eyes set on the rim in the basket and going out there and looking for his And so far, so good with how he has done it, and I'm pleasantly surprised with what

he has done. That is the one for me of the trend that I would like to continue to see as we move along in this twenty one campaign. Over the last five games, his numbers so good going into Thursday against the Mavericks, averaging twenty five points, shooting sixty five percent from the field, eighty percent on nine attempts per game from the line, yeah, nearly nine rebounds, seven a half assists, a couple steals, and two double doubles. Playing at such a high level, I will go with

one of Ben simmons counterparts. I think if there's something that I want to see continue, it's the Embiid MVP campaign. I think that Joel Embiid should be Whether or not he is is not up to me. I think he should be the front runner for MVP this season based on what he is doing this season, night after night, and I hope that that continues. I hope for him. He's someone I don't have to tell you guys how much adversity Joel Embiid has faced since coming into this league.

He deserves this moment. He has worked for this moment, and I hope for his sake that he can continue on the path that he's on, averaging currently almost thirty points a game, but in the last ten games thirty

two point one points. They're sorry. In his last nine games thirty two point one points, eleven point seven rebounds, three point seven assists, one point four blocks, one point three steals, forty nine point two percent from the field, thirty four point eight percent from three, eighty seven point six percent from the free throw line. Do I need to go on? These are crazy numbers and he's doing it over and over again. I think it was Tobias. It was either Tobias or Matiz who recently said that

that they looked at the stat sheet. It was Tobias and Joel had twenty five and twelve or twenty five and sixteen or whatever it was. And that was an off night for Joel Embiid. What a privilege to be able to watch a player for whom a twenty five point seventeen rebound double double. It's kind of an off night. I hope that he can continue making those his off nights and those fifty point outings his on nights, and if we net out somewhere in the middle all season long,

he's going to be in good shape. One award season comes around, I love that one. So here's what I'm gonna do. I'm not gonna go Samesy's. I'm gonna blend Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons together and give you this. Those two last year in all the minutes they played together, which was nearly eight hundred and forty. Their net rating and their two man lineups together was point six this year in six hundred twenty seven minutes fourteen and a half.

That to me is crazy and also worth noting that it is not the highest net rating that they've had together in their career. Their best net rating together was Ben's first season, which was twenty seventeen eighteen, when it was fifteen and a half for the whole season. What

does that say to me? I think it says obviously that what you guys said, Ben and Joel both playing at a really high level, Doc and his staff finding more ways for them to be effective together, and also Darryl moorey Eb and the rest of the front office bringing back a looking field of this roster that is somewhat similar, certainly more so than last year to what the Sixers looked like in twenty seventeen eighteen when JJ was clicking. You had another shooter off the bench in Bellanella,

you had Arson and all that stuff. So I think that all that number about it being fourteen and a half for the net rating for Ben and Joe this year kind of speaks to a couple of factors that underscore the Sixers success. But to see their net rating together leap up by fourteen points per one hundred possessions. Again, I'm not like saying that fourteen and a half is a great number, but the fact there's been that much of a jump, I think is really what the takeaway

should be. That this year compared to last year, they're just so much more effective together kind of takes away those questions, takes away those questions of can they play well together? And yeah, again here they are. Love. That was beautiful, all right, No Sames, he's yet maybe some sames. I feel like this could be potential SAMs A category. Alright, best individual performance? Yeah, do we agree? Fifty points Chicago Bulls? Did we go there? I think that we can't not

say that. I think that maybe the question should be best individual performance. That's not the fifty point game against Chicago by Joel Ebid. Yeah, he was phenomenal in that game, and you could just see it happening. Clearly he thought, all right, thirty thirty plus tonight, double figure rebounds, He's gonna get his double double place outid defense, and then it just kept going and kept going and then he

got there. Obviously, my honorable mention would have been Ben Simmons's performance, and you saw even in a loss, but it's it was. It was such a dominant performance with the fifty point game against the Chicago Bulls, so I'll still go with that one. And as you guys said, we all agree on that one honorable mention. Perhaps November or rather January twelfth against Miami. That was a good game. Forty five points for Joel, sixteen rebounds, four assists, five steals,

a block. Very good that night as well. That would be my honorable mention. But how do you top fifty and seventeen? I don't. I don't think you can. And the Miami game was when they were shorthanded, correct, correct? Right? I think you know a couple that stood out to me to bias against the Lakers and the one point went at home twenty four points, seven rebounds, three assists, ten to sixteen in that game, two for four from three.

And I'm serious, this is a serious answer here, and I had it written down before we even talked about the fifty point game from dwell embiid. How about the thirty nine piece from Tyrese Maxie. Let me tell you, and I probably shouldn't say this. I was ready to take a nap and wake up and just go through

the motions of the postgame show. Once we heard who was not playing in that afternoon game against Denver Nuggets, I was as ready to tune out in one of seventy two as I've ever been ready to tune out. And here's Tyree, still relatively early on in the season, comes out and sets everything on fire. He was great, man. It was so much fun to watch him play the

bounce that he played with in that game. I was able to get to the rim against some really good players on Denver who were playing in that game, and he gave the seventy sixers a fighting chance. And I think that when you, at least for me, when I take into account the fact that I know expectations for that game and as far as personal enjoyment whatsoever, and then Tyrese comes out and crushes it, that to me was a really fun game to watch. And I know that he's a rookie trying to find a spot in

the rotation. All that to me with that game showed is the kids got potentially you can't just wake up and drop thirty nine in a game, So to me, that was one of the highlights from the first half. You know what, can I add an honorable mention? Another honorable mention? I like what you said about that Tyrese game because that was the day where the team literally had seven players. That was the seven sixers day. That

was a memorable day. We expected it to be difficult and it ended up just being a lot of fun, it felt. I know teams don't like to take moral victories, but if there's ever going to be a moral victory, it's beating a healthy team with none of your stars and only seven players available. And they almost did that.

They really hung with a healthy Denver Nuggets team that's doing a good job or was doing a good job at the time, and nobody expected them to hang in that game, and they really did for a long time. Another game, I don't know people expected them to hang in the game against the Utah Jazz without Joel embiid Ben Simmons career high forty two points, twelve assists, nine rebounds, one rebound away from a forty point triple double. Another game that you think maybe they're not going to win

this one. They started Mike Scott. That was the Small Sixers. We had the seven sixers, we had the Small sixers. Both were really fun to watch, and while they weren't wins, they delivered some really cool performances, some really cool opportunities for guys to capitalize on the absences of their teammates, and we saw some interesting stuff. So I would add that once the list for sure. And Harris also dropped thirty six in that game as well. Both of them

were great in that game. The fact that they both were able to show, hey, we're all stars too, I think that was a big moment regardless of how things ended up churning out in the Eastern Conference. But yeah, I think both of them played like all stars for Shore in the absence of Joel that day, I thought

Lauren Rose was just about to jump ahead. And the now world infamous game of Answer or Samesy's, of which we've had no Samesy's yet so far, the best or favorite team performance collectively win or otherwise, I think for me, Lakers is obviously an easy one to throw out there. Yeah, I have one go first time, I'll go. I'll go with the Indiana Pacers win without Joel and b they're trying to get over that hurdle of if he is not in the lineup, how do you get the W?

And they've struggled in that category and that win against Indiana having to come back and beat that team at home. I thought for me that that was that was the one that would stand out for this category. And let's see it we have any sames E's here, I'm tempted. I think now that you bring that one up, it's between that one and the Lakers game. The Lakers game feels like the more natural, bigger ticket type of win.

But the way that they put in that zone and seeing Ben and Matisse just break it down and destroy, Like seeing t J McConnell afterwards talking about how they panicked that one might have been the most fun at least to watch, the most gratifying, the most surprising. The Laker one was you knew it was going to be close at the end, and that game, we didn't know

that the Sixers were going to come back. So I don't know, I think I might have to jump on board with you on this one and say Sames's, I think I'm gonna go with that Pacers game, because and that doesn't take anything away from the Lakers game, that might have been a more quality win. It might have been a more meaningful win when you look back at this season and the opponents that this team has faced

and beat, that might be the big one. But in terms of the most enjoyable, the most fun to watch, I think I have to go with the Cheney Zone and the win over the Pacers. That was awesome. Yeah, it might be a great sweep for the SAME's e's. I think that that's that's probably one of the highest quality wins in addition to the Lakers. It's just it's tough.

This was the category that I struggled with the most as far as, like, you know, trying to find some deep meaning to a win, because if we're stating the facts, you know, the Sixers have played a lot of these better teams without a full compliment of players. I mean, you go down the list. The two game series against Miami didn't have Jimmy or Bam and host of other players. Boston, they were missing Kemba, I believe, and no, I'm sorry, they were missing Tatum was out that game, right, So

they were missing Tatum Toronto. They just missed Kyle Lowry for that two game series, So yeah, I think for me, it's Lakers on you know, drama and fun factor, and then let's throw an Indie for the quality win. SAME's we might be ending it on a SAME's e's love It, Love It, Harmony, love It, Love It? What else? Any other random grab bad categories that I missed you? You guys are want to throw out a submission form? Do you throw out bold proclamation for the second half? Do

you still want to do that? Yes? Of course, Yeah, sure, let's throw out a bold proclamation? So you must have one? Should I go first? Please? Yes? You sho Okay, here's my bold here's my bold proclamation for the second half. Understanding that I could be totally wrong, but this is an opportunity to just make one. And I'm going to say that the Sixers finished the season. Whether they stay there from now until the end, I don't know, but I think they finished the season with the one seed.

I think this Sixers team has what it takes to be the top team in the East, and I think that they can do it. I'm not sold on Brooklyn yet, and I think it would be really satisfying to see the Sixers prove themselves better despite the all star of it all, the three all stars versus the two all stars of it all. I think this Sixers team is the real deal. I think that they could head into the playoffs with the one seed. And I think that's

going to be my bold proclamation. Because listening, I'm always on the scroll. I listen to a lot of podcasts, I watch a lot of sports programming. It doesn't feel like many people are really buying Sixers stock right now and really feeling like the Sixers are that best team in the East. It's all nets. Everything you hear is all nets, and I'm not buying that. I think this team is the real deal. I'm going Sixers enter the playoffs with the one seed. Wow, who's bold? Like it?

I don't even know if that's that bold. That's how I feel, That's how I feel. Yes, they're there right now? Why not stay there? Yeah? Right, maybe it's not actually that bold, Yeah, maybe it's real. All right, So I'll go with you know what I'll go with if they're going to do just that and stay in that number

one seed. I'm gonna look at this team right now and say my bold prediction is if they continue on this path and Joel Emba is continuing to play at the very high level, he's gonna have to do that and play more games than we expect. So my bold prediction is gearing up for the postseason. I think he's gonna play more games than we expect down the stretch. I don't know the number. I know we saw what we had like eight seven, eight back to backs, nine back to backs, and he's not going to play in

all of them. But I think he's going to surprise us and play in these games. I understand the medical staff also as it's saying this, but in order for them to do what they need to do in getting that number one seed, for him to individually win the MVP,

he's gonna have to play a little bit more. So I think my bold prediction is more of embed in the second half than I think many would expect in terms of missing certain games as we look at the schedule, I'm gonna go with one and a half bold predictions here. I'll build off yours, divine. I think that Joel is going to finish in the top two in both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year voting, and I think that's my half. That's my half bold prediction and my

bold prediction. I don't know if this is really bold. I think that Tobias is gonna average twenty for the season, and I think he's gonna shoot overall fifty forty oh eighty seven. That's fair. Maybe, look, Tobias, you're listening, dad, mom, fiance, everybody. I can kind of tell when he's gonna miss a free throws me. I don't know. I have this thing. I watched him and I'm saying, you know what, this

is a Tobias moment where he splits them. So oftentimes they are at the end of the game and I'm like, come on, Tobias, all right, you're you're in the fifty forty nine. Let's let's lock this down sea getting so you can rub it in the faces next season when it's time for the All Star and say I'm in this prestigious club of fifty forty ninety. I like, yeah, I like where you're going, though, but I do see it. Sometimes I'm like, yeah, Tobias is gonna split these here.

Maybe that's my bold Maybe I should just make the bold prediction for twenty twenty one, twenty two, and that Tobias will be an All Star that season. We might have to wait for a year. Maybe that answer Samesy's who knew? How about that? Light answers Sea, Yeah, okay, all right. The game is throw a topic out there, respond to it, also known as sports talk format one oh one. I'm not sold on the name, but I'm sold on the game. There's there's one more, a little

honorable mention. Since you went with the half, We're gonna go with another half, Defensive player of the Year, Ben Simmons. Oh, I like that? Like that. I think there's a chance Rudy Gobert, I get it. Miles Turner as well. I'm going with Ben Simmons. I think maybe whichever of those two teams Sixers or Jazz have a stronger second half down the stretch, maybe that could tip it. I think Ben's got a real shot. I do, he does? He does.

I have a question for your prediction. Could we have a very very bold prediction, maybe just a regular bold prediction? Three sixers on the all defensive team list? Wow? Matistible? Huh because his numbers, his minutes aren't there. But if you if you look at per thirty six, the numbers are absolutely there and it makes everybody else look kind of bad, right, Like, I don't know it, just you

heard it here first. As he's gonna have to have a big impact because when you look at when you look at reserves making it, you have to have a big impact on the game, obviously, and we know that Marcus Smart has done that as a reserve and it's warranted. Will Matis sty will garner that type of respect around the league. There are only two teams, and what position are they going to put them at? The forward, the guard? I don't know, but that's a good one. I'm curious.

I want to I want to look it up. I think you can vote as well. And I want to see when the last time a team has three players on all defense was. I'd be interested. That's a good question. Yeah, good guys, this is great, first one of the books. We'll do it again, maybe with a different name answer or Samesy's only on the Friday Deep Dive. Thank you guys,

love it. That was fun. Thanks, thanks, all right. A couple quick programming notes from the seventy six ers podcast network in the Days ahead with the all star break almost upon us. There will be a mail Bag Monday this coming Monday, on March the first. There will not be a mail Bag Monday the following week, on March eighth. We'll be back with the mail Bag on March fifteenth. After that one week break and the Friday Deep Dive, we'll also be taking a break next Friday, March the fifth,

and we'll be back on March the twelfth. Thanks for listening, Have a great weekend.