Friday Deep Dive | What (if anything) Did We Learn From the Brooklyn Game?

means for the long term. I'm Lauren Rosen, I'm Devon Gibbons, and I'm Brian Seltzer. Plus we look ahead to some other important games in the next week here on the Friday Deep Dive. The seventy Sixers and Brooklyn Nets did indeed play game at the Center on Wednesday three one seventeen victory for the seventy Sixers over the Nets, A big one at that not quite the same way we

envisioned this matchup playing out. Guys, what was your reaction when you found out the circumstances they were going to be surrounding the Brooklyn Nets heading into the game on Wednesday? How did you receive that news? My reaction was simple. It was let's go win this game. I mean, the win got easier to achieve. Of course for a spectacle, and as a fan, I would have loved to see everybody, but I have a feeling there will be more opportunities

to see everybody. To me, my knee jerk reaction, and I'm sure that's not the takiest, most fun answer for a podcast, but was let's go win this game. It's a hard game that got a lot easier. Let's do it, and they were able to do it despite some struggles there at the end. I agree. The sentiment for me was, Okay, go get this w The number one seed is on

the line. Every win counts. With as of Wednesday nights game, eighteen games remaining and you two teams tied right now for the top spot in the East, every win counts. And not only was it just that every win counts, this is also the season series breaker. So make sure you go out there and handle your business. If they want to do that, that's their prerogative, that you go handle your business and we'll figure it out later on and just let's just go out there and place in basketball.

So that's why I was of course, I think, like a lot of people, was disappointed. I would have loved to have seen at least two of Brooklyn's Big three out there, just to get a sense of how the seventy sixers might scheme it up. But then after that initial disappointment wore off, I started thinking a little bit more.

I was like, a great Brooklyn's conceding this, seventy sixers, we know you have a great home court advantage, might even be more fans in the building by the time the postseason rolls around, in particular an Eastern Conference finals matchup. We're in all likelihood these two teams would meet up again. Fine, go out and get it. And then I was also like, Brooklyn still has kind of a decent life. They still had a decent team that they were able to roll out there. It wasn't like it was going to be

a walk in a park type situation. So I thought it was still a good test for the Sixers. I thought it was still a good tests, not the we all hope for. And I was like, fine, if you want to concede seventy six ers, make him feel the pain, make him regret it. Well. Kyrie Irving was still going to play. So if he was going to play, you're still talking about an All NBA All Star level player

where you have to account for him. And not only that was the challenge defensively to stopping him and not letting him go off the way that we know he's capable of doing it. And DeAndre Jordan seeing the matchup with Joel Embiid once we realize that he was going to be available. I'm a Joe Harris, you know, fan from Afar where I enjoy his shooting, the way that

he plays the game. So with that, as you said, so there were many there were more than enough weapons on that side for you to be worried about in respect the way that they play, where you have to go out there and make sure you lace up your sneakers and go play that game in order to get to w So I agree with you. I do think what you said d was one of the initial takeaways. Obviously a right Kyrie Irving's still playing at extremely, very high of the level, and then he minded everyone of

that in the first quarter. He came out and he was pulling out all the tricks are being shaken. Bake against Bible. Any fans at all is so sweet. That's ridiculous, Like Bible is elite on the defensive end, and he just left him with his wig and right away you reminded just how talented he is. So I thought that whether it was a test for Ben Simmons or someone like Matisse Thible, good to have the opportunity to see Kyrie, who I think when he's been out there's been playing

at a really high level this season. Yeah, and the Sixers hadn't seen Kyrie yet this season, so if nothing else, a good opportunity to see him once try to learn his tendencies, especially if you're someone like Matise who does not have that experience figuring out one of the best

offensive players in the game. Really good to just get those first few reps under your belt because the butterflies will be there in the playoffs for anybody, and nice to at least have some hands on experience with someone that you could see down the road before we go any further. Before the game, Steve Nash was asked how he I think the way the question was phrased, And I know, Lauren, you were on the zoom availability, so

you can remind me. Steve Nash was asked, how do you weigh short term April fifteenth verse longer term May fifteenth, the reporter implying that, hey, there's a game to potentially win right now for currently first place and a tiebreaker in the Eastern Conference, or do you just try and make sure that your roster's healthy and ready to go by the time the postseason rolls around. And Steve Nash's response was, We're not trying to be cute. I'm honestly,

we didn't think about it that deeply at all. Like you know, I think when you start to really try to be cute, you know and backfires most of the time. So for us, it was just, you know, it wasn't a strategic it was this is what this is the availability we have. That's simply what happened is that, like, let's not get cute and try to figure this out. Let's win the game in front of us, because as the season has shown, who knows what's going to happen tomorrow. Essentially,

he was saying, don't read into this. There's nothing going on here, there's no gamesmanship, nothing to read into here. Not buying it. I'm not buying it, and I'm not buying the gamesmanship and all they went with it, because look, you know, with everything that happened in Minneapolis earlier in the week, you know, it was sad the year that, you know, all over again. And unfortunately with that, they had a day off and they were moved to the

next day, which was Tuesday, to play the game. They had a decision to make where you decided to, say, Kevin Durant against the Minnesota Timberwolves, or you can have them come and play that game against the seventy sixers, which was a prime time game, a more important game in terms of the seeing that we mentioned at the top,

and that's where they could have gone. But I think to your point again, Celts, a little it was they were digging a little deeper with that that gamesmanship there where well, hey, we've we as individuals, not yet as a team, have gotten to you know, the mountaintop and gotten to the Eastern Conference party, the Eastern the Western Conference finals, whether we're talking about Harden, Irving and Durant, and we've gotten there, with all due respect, you have

not just yet. So while this is a really good story and we respect you, we respect you just enough that we will if we have to concede a little bit, and that gamesmanship that they would decide that at the end of the day, they're not worried later on once we meet in the postseason. So I'm not buying what Steve Nash was selling on that book. I think Steve Nash is a good guy. I'm willing to believe what he had to say as soon as he said it. For me, it was one of those moments of like,

does he have another option? Like what was he going to say? Yeah, we are being cute, look at us, go, we're so smart and strategic, Like he only had one option of what to say, and he said, this is how the chips fell, and we're going to play with them. And I respect the way that he handled it, but yeah, I was with you guys immediately when I heard it. I was sort of like, I don't know, but but you know that that was the only way for him to answer the question, and who knows, maybe maybe it

could come back to buy them down the road. It definitely was the only thing that he could say in that situation. But right I think there's something too what you pointed out, Divine, that there's an NBA champion on the roster and Kyrie Irving there's a champion on the roster, and Kevin Durant James Harden has been close. I think it plays into their psyche. The psyche they want to have is like, you know, what's six ers. If you want to talk all season long about wanting to win

the Eastern Conference, fine, go ahead do that. That's nice. Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, you've gotten as far as the

second round. Okay, If you want to strive for the top of the conference, great, But we talking about those three players, particularly two of them in Irving and Durant, know what it's like to really be at the summit, the ultimate and I think that even how the game played out, and we're going to get into some more specifics, but how the game played out with their reserves, talking about Brooklyn making a run at the end, and seeing some of the gesticulating and mannerisms and demeanorisms on the

sideline of the bench with Durants and Blake Griffin. That was kind of playing up to like where the older heads here. You know, this is just fun. Look at our younger guys making a game out of exactly exactly and that's exactly how I took it again. You you said, hey, we're not being cute here, Steve and Nash is saying it, but again coming from them, it was more, you guys are cute, and we respect you. We respect you as

all stars. We see we enjoy that time together. But when we see you later on, you know, okay, okay, And but that look that goes with that. As you said so to Laura, it's the games, and it's the game within the game, and that's all right, because at the end of the day, how do you respond to that?

So when you're a young team like Philadelphia is as far as playoff experience, get into the second round, but wanting to eventually get to that Eastern Conference Finals and then even further, these are the types of hurdles that you're going to have to overcome. And while Brooklyn is just coming together, and this might be the team, Milwaukee, Miami, whoever it may be. You you have your checkpoints that you have to cross off before you get to where

you want to go. And maybe that is going to be the Brooklyn Nets and not the Boston Celtics or any other team. But I like it. I like the theater that now comes with this if if this is how it's looked at within the Sixers locker room, because it sets up a great part of the narrative. And if you're looking at this from a fan perspective, do maybe some of the antics of Brooklyn and how this all played out doesn't grind your gears a little bit?

Of course, But that's what this is all about. It helps make a rivalry that hasn't really existed only in kind of theory. For everyone saying, well, this is where the six are gonna end up, and this is where the Nets are gonna end up, it adds something to it without some of those guys even playing in a game.

So I think it just helps add another layer to a narrative that I think everyone's hopeful we get to see a couple more chapters of before the end of this summer, Lauren, I can I can tell you that real fast, based on the phone calls already that I've taken the Sixer fans Number one do not like the Brooklyn Nets. And number two, just to give the other example, the Milwaukee Bucks when Jannis hit the shot and sat down at mid court. All right, there you go. So

that's exactly what we're talking about here. That's exactly what I was going to say. There's already a good deal, there's already a good deal of spice built up, and the playoffs are still a month away, and I love it. I also love that in this situation, the Sixers, despite leaving the East and now winning the season series with the Nets, are being considered the underdog among the two teams. Is that fair? Maybe I would rather be the underdog though,

than be the team that could end up disappointing. And I think that the guys on this Sixers team will thrive in an underdog situation because they've noticed what people are saying about them, They've noticed how people come to play against them. This is a group that's looking forward to seeing this team again. They're probably looking forward to see Yannis again. The odds that you see both of them again unclear, but would be cool to see either

of those matchups once again. Of course, visiting the Bucks later on this month, so they'll get their opportunity there. But after that game, Dwight Howard was super spicy this game. You could tell there was some spice on both sides. I really am looking forward to seeing how these playoffs shape up. I've heard a lot of people around the league complain about this season being of course too condensed, but maybe a little boring, a little predictable, or just

like not a great NBA season. I don't know what they're talking about. As a Sixers person, having covered this team all year, I think this has been a great season and I'm only looking forward to what's to come. I am at a surprise some people out there. I'm not a politician, some may argue otherwise, I'm not an epidemiologist. I'm a human person. I'm all for fans in the building as long as it's done right. I think that's great.

I'm totally on board with anyone and everyone making their own decision whether or not they feel comfortable being in there. I did love hearing some of the chants from the crowd, whether it was the MVP cheers for Joel Embiid, because that's not being piped in, you can tell that was real and it was fantastic. The chance directed at KD down the stretch of the game, adding flavor that has been lacking for like a year at Live Sporting events, Doris, this is the most fans in a building that I've

filled a game you show. This is so much sucking of one of the best in all of post sports. But it's just so nice to feel miss buzz as Embead knocks down that shot. It was endearing. I liked hearing it, and I hope we get a chance to do it all over again in July, all over again and louder I think, bit by bit, I like hearing it as long as it's all being done right and everyone's doing it the right way. Yeah, just shout through your masks. You don't need to take your mask down.

Just shout through your masks. I gotta be honest. I did like Kevin dury Its reaction though, because that did the chant like make any sense? No, it didn't, and his reaction of just like what is going on here? Like it was funny to me. So I appreciated Kevin for sort of just taking it in stride and and not getting too fired up about it or making it too much of a big deal. I thought it was an overall very bizarre but somewhat charming interaction between Kevin

Duran and the sixerspiance. He's like, what did I do? He was just like y'all know I'm not playing. Yeah, yeah, And also they're a little bored at that point. Maybe maybe I don't know. It took me a while because it was in the in the cadence of ref you suck, which you do here frequently, and so I thought that it was just like sort of like maybe muffled voices saying ref you suck. And then by the time I figured it out, I also was confused. So anyway, whatever,

I was happy to have the energy in there. Clearly Joel and company were happy to have the energy in there, and if it gets a little weird, I'm all for it, right. I think this is the great thing about this potential matchup should have happen again between the Sixers and the Nets. We've gone about ten fifteen minutes so far, and we

really haven't discussed much of the game. There's so much compelling material and so many compelling aspects about this that I just hope that they do get to see each other at full strength at some point down the road.

As we dive back into the game, we talked a little bit about Kyrie Irving making his stamp in the first quarter went off early for the Sixers, they're two all stars got off to a really good start, Ben Simmons Joel Embiad combining for nineteen points out of the Sixers thirty two in the first quarter, and I thought that was great to see. I thought there was some

good star power on display. And I feel like it's something that Doris Burke when she has Sixers games, She's always, I think, very consistent in talking about this, and I feel it's got to be right in line with the divine Givens school of thought about the seventy sixers. Doesn't matter if Ben's scoring. As long as Ben is aggressiving, we're in a good place. She always talk about it. They were talking about it again last night and they're right. Yeah.

Once they mentioned it and they talked about it, you know, immediately I go to mine. You know what, I always say, aggressive Ben Simmons is the best Ben Simmons, but it doesn't always have to result in his bucket. It can result in him doing what he also does very well, putting that pressure in the defense and assisting on the may baskets that they do get. And we saw that early on. Now later on again we wish we would have saw it. I speak for myself, which I would

have saw it a little bit more. And once they were going out of the game, and look, I understand that the game was a little bit lot decided at that point, but it kind of tailed off a bit. But when he is aggressively attacking the basket the way that he does, then I think that as great as Joel Embiad is as an MVP candidate, when he is attacking, he makes them complete on the offensive end with how

he goes. We know about the shooting, we know he's very selective of when he wants to take his outside shots, his fadeaway shots and what have you. But the mindset and we saw it, and if he can continue to do that again now with seventeen games remaining, the next game tonight and I'm sure we'll get to the Clippers game, but he just continue to do that and they are at their absolute best with him doing that. Because if

your shooters are struggling, what do you do best? Of course, your best players get opportunities for others, and your shooters are some of those others that are very good at what they do. You put the ball in their shooting pocket right where they need it, and they knock those shots down and everyone confidence rises. And that's the thing, Lauren.

With the way the seventy Sixers were hitting threes in that first half, they were seven for twelve from deep Sixers, get it the Milt these wide open for three and it's good. The Sixers now with seven threes as shake Bilt, wide open and drill. I don't know how you stop

them guys. When they're clicking like that offensively and they play the defense that they played, I think that they are, at least in the Eastern Conference, about as unbeatable as any team when they're making their shots and Ben and Joe are doing what they're supposed to be doing. Yeah, they finished forty six point four percent from three on the night, which is great, especially when you hold your opponent to nineteen percent. Brooklyn was just four of twenty one.

So even though it seemed like at times the Sixers were getting a little bit carved up, a lot of folks that spoke last night said that their defense wasn't where they really wanted it to be. Last night, the perimeter defense was on lock. The Sixers did a good job of hitting shots despite the fact that their two highest volume three point shooters in Danny Green and Seth Curry actually didn't have big offensive nights, so cool to see other guys get involved, see shots go down. I

completely agree with you. When the Sixers are hitting threes, they're almost impossible to beat, right, and we also know that they're impossible to be just about when Joel Embide gets into the type of groove that he ultimately ended up getting in. And to start the game, DeAndre Jordan was able to bother him a little bit. Joel shot wasn't falling right off the bat, But I feel like this is I mean, he's Joel's shown this time and time again this season. You can really only keep him

down for so long. He is now at the point with what he has in his tool set this year where he's going to get you at some point. Yeah, last week on our show here we talked about is he back yet? And Lauren and I both felt like based on what he was saying again against Boston and

he was back, and we agreed. And when you pointed out you were the only one that went the other way, and you were also right with that because we really didn't see the Joel n B. Now we go back to Monday against Dallas where he goes off with thirty six and twenty six, and against the Nets he does it again with thirty nine in what less than thirty minutes again against the Brooklyn Nets before he had to come back into the game too well, shoots along too,

just inside the top of the key, and that's good. So he's finding the rhythm and getting the touch back. Yeah, when he when he is on a roll like we have seen him all season long, which is why we continue to talk about his MVP candidacy, That's how they go. That's where it all starts with them. We speak about the opponents in the talent that they have that the Sixers need to defend. On the other end, they need

to figure out how to defend him as well. While Jordan had some success early after that, it was lights out for the Brooklyn That's front court with how they tried to defend them, and they even had to get really creative late when they did come back in. He would catch the ball away from the paint along more along the sideline and with that they immediately swarmed him to try to, you know, not allow him to make

a play. So he's been fantastic and I hope it continues and we get to see that carrying right through the playoffs. We saw after he dunked it in the first half, seemed a little bit wildly there for a few moments, missed a few shots. We know, Lauren from watching that he's trying to figure out the rights level of comfort with his knee brace. You're in all the zooms. How has he been managing all this? He doesn't love it, and he's been open about the fact that he doesn't

love it. He's a guy that's worked so much on his body, on his agility, on his strength, on his endurance, and now he has this like kind of clunky thing strapped to his leg that he has to learn to deal with. And I think Joel has never You and I talked about this. I think yesterday sells Joel has never loved having to wear any sort of brace or having to add any type of equipment to his routine. So understandably a little bit frustrated. He says that it's

making it harder for him to play harder. He says, he said a couple of games ago that it was cutting off a circulation. It just can't be pleasant. And I think you have to feel for him a little bit when you think about just how much work he's put in on his body, how much work he clearly was putting in while he was away to come back at the level that he's come back at. It just it's a bummer for him if he says he's uncomfortable.

He's not the type of guy that's gonna lie. If he was comfortable, he wouldn't lie and say he was uncomfort ball, right, So it's a bummer to hear it that he's struggling with it. But it is cool to see that he's capitalizing on what's been a difficult situation. And even though he says he still has a distance to go, he's looked really good since he's been back. Still able to slash in eurostep and flush at the rim, which is insane. Is their favorite move of his that

you guys have seen. The last couple games, I feel like he's had some really excellent I mean, he always has excellent individual plays, but there's been a couple of good ones during this stretch. Wow. Of course, that ball fake against Jordan on the left wing. Given the ball fake leading to that dunk, that was impressive. The few that he's had. I mean, he has so many of the eurostep against Dallas that was tremendous. There's step by it and be beautiful, shoving both bonds, able to recover.

There's still a hand in his face and he makes it. He got a seven foot whatever, two hundred and whatever, just pulled the Euro, moved like a point. Incredible agility and it just the body control is he's seven two and you know, whatever his weight is, he's seven two, and he's not seven two with the smaller frame. He's seven two with that big frame. But yet the agility and how he's able to every time he does these things,

I'm like, he's not supposed to be doing that. No, he's not supposed to do that, right, because he's so big, and that's that's a move that a wing player is supposed to be. That's Tobias Harris or Ben Simmons, that's not Joe ellen b But that's Joe ellen Bat. That's what makes him so special, and that's what makes him who he is, and that's what makes them who they are and are able to go because he can unleash different things, and of course it's instinctual. Sometimes you think

about it. Of course, as a player, you're all right, I want to do this. They might take that away. What's your counter? His counter is all right, now I'm gonna eurostep and I'm gonna go the other way. Meanwhile, where we would have seen it two years ago, where that may have been a charge, is no longer a charge to me. It was the fake on Jordan last night Drive Bam with a two hand chap. With the fake, he got DeAndre Jordan off balance a power dribble and a two hands stump. I thought that it was It

was pretty cool. I think anytime there's nothing between Joel and the basket, I sort of shake my head a little bit and I'm like, how did you guys let that happen? I'm talking to the defense of course, in my head, and just that fake that really threw him off to no man's land. Joel had a clear path. It's like anytime Joel has a clear path to anywhere the other team is in trouble, and I've loved how creative he's gotten finding that path, and it was cool

to see it happened last night. I totally agree with you two. Just so graceful for such a large human like I've never not amazed at the grace and the lightness in his game. I think that's the other thing. Sometimes to me, I'm as impressed by the simple moves. It could just be a straight up, straightaway three and transition that he for someone his size and build, makes

look so easy. It's insane. Yeah, not to mention quickly the the fadeaways that he's doing this, even when he did against Dallas and he did did Dirk one lager and then looked at the floor or the bench, whatever he was doing. He did the one lager and again, this guy he comes. He's come so far with his game and the growth overall from Kansas to everything with the team rebuilding and him and battling these injuries to where he is right now, where he's just a different player.

We've seen these things in him, but now it's he's a complete basketball player. Now here's a hot take. One other thing to add to the pot of things we like Joel doing. The way he shoots free throws, and obviously free throw shooting is not the sexiest part of the game. It's not the most exciting thing to watch him do. But the fact that he is his size, and he's shooting the most free throws in the league. He's shooting them at a historic rate, and he's making

them at a historic rate. I'm not sure we talk about that enough. There are smaller guys. There are shooters in this league that cannot hold a candle to Joel in a free throw contest, and that is so, so, so impressive. Think about the other side around the league, the other centers in history, the excuses that have been made for those centers to not be able to shoot free throws. Joel doesn't see it that way. He sees them as free He's worked on it, and it's working

ten for eleven last night. Consistently. It's almost rare that we don't see him shooting double digit free throws at this point. I'm really impressed with his work at the line. I gotta be honest. Yeah, does he have a new routine? We've always seen him at the free throw line. He blows into his hands right to get this, you know, moisture off his hands, make sure he's all good, and any kind of holds the ball in his right hand to his side. I don't know, I don't know. I

don't know if that's new. He holds it out. I want to say, that's a new wrinkle. I mean, he's had various free throw shooting routines over my time with the Sixers, but I'm willing to let him do whatever whatever works, it works. I was just like, oh, that's new. All right. I'm just gonna say, I'm glad the pick has been retired. We didn't need the pick. Oh yeah, exactly. I forgot about that. Yeah, forgot about that one. One of the many different, great different things about Joel Embiid

in twenty twenty, twenty twenty one versus twenty nineteen. He bored the compression shorts is what I want him to do. All right, So we know how the game end of the seventy sixers went up by twenty two. The reserves. We love the reserves, but on that particular night on Wednesday, they made it interesting. Seventy six Ers end up eating out a victory by the final of one twenty three

to one seventeen. As you wrap this up, I guess what I want to know from you guys is, even if Kevin Durant and James Harden and Blake Griffin had played, would this game really have meant anything. I'll start. I'll give him. I don't. I usually let you guys give takes first, but I'll give mine to give a sense of where I'm going with this. I say that because to me, there's a lot of time between now and

the end of June. We saw as recently as the bubble that if a team gets in to a postseason situation, it can find itself and get better. I'm thinking the Miami Heat one of the first teams that come to mind, a team that can find itself in the postseason, come together, grow and get better. And I do wonder if what we could ultimately see of Brooklyn, if they remain healthy, is going to be different from what the version of what we would have seen on Wednesday night, anyhow, would

have been. I think you say the same for the seventy six ers. Maybe they find out a little bit more about themselves. Maybe both teams are gonna be completely different. Was it our fans side that was like, yes, there's this hype, there's a star power, have to see this side. How much of that was really relevant to what could ultimately project out to the playoffs, I guess is what

I'm wondering I think I agree with you, Salt. I think there's a little bit of regular season fatigue when you get to this part of this season, and players, coaches, fans, maybe fans more so than players and coaches want to have games to look forward to. So people were looking forward to this one because it was supposed to be a preview of a potential playoff opportunity. But I totally

agree with you. Both teams will likely look different skill wise, chemistry wise, but also intensity wise once the playoffs roll around. So did it mean that much? Was it necessarily that much of a barometer? Maybe not based on how much change both teams could undergo, But was it still important? I think absolutely. I think that tiebreaker is key for

these seventy six ers. These two teams have been tied a few times over the last few weeks, so who's to say that that situation of going up, going down, and being tied isn't going to be the situation that they arrive on in the end. So from a tiebreaker perspective, I think it always mattered regardless of who was available. But from a personnel perspective, I totally hear you. Both teams will definitely look different in the playoffs, it will

absolutely look different. When you talk about George Hill and what he could mean, and certainly the other two with Durant and hard and not available. Absolutely, But from a fan perspective and even from you know, just overall basketball, you want to weigh yourself. As you said a preview, Laaren, you want to weigh yourself against the best, and if this is a preview, you want to see how you match up against said team. And in this particular case

here it was at Brooklynts. Will feel the same with the two games in Milwaukee, and we wanted to see that year when they played the Bucks just a few weeks ago. Joel and beat unavailable, but you still felt good about what you saw and trying to weigh things out.

So I did think because of the tiebreaker nature, the number one seed overall, and the fact that how is it going to play, you know what could ultimately develop in this game between these two teams even though these players are not available, but you still do have some stars there. Are they going to look at it and say, oh, that's nothing compared to what we expect with the intensity of Laren as you mentioned later on. So I still think there was. There was a lot to take from it.

There was a lot there a little disappointing, as we said at the top, because of the absence of a few players, but overall, yeah, it was still important and there was some still some things to be able to take away from it. And I mean just look at

it right there, the games. I mean ship, maybe that wasn't there with a certain amount of games and the ship that you would have gotten if the players were all there together, but now with them not being there, now us thinking or outsiders simply pointing out that maybe Brooklyn just didn't really you know, not a big deal. But so things come out of these types of games, and I love it. So I think it was important

to wrap it all the way around. I think it was still an important game to take away some things from last thing. Great news about the stretch of the seventy six ers. There are a boatload of intriguing matchups to come between now and the next time we dive deep Clippers, Warriors and staff and the run he's on right now, the Suns Milwaukee Bucks two game series on the road of those games between now and next Friday when we do this next which one are you most

looking forward to, Lauren, we can start with you. I love watching Steph Curry play, so I think if Steph Curry is available, even if it's the weakest of the three teams based on the standings, I think I look forward to that one. I just have always been a fan of his as a player, as a human, and seeing him succeed at the level he has after the Warriors have had a rough season over the last couple

of weeks has been nice to watch. Of course, I won't be rooting for him in the game, but I do really enjoy watching him play, So I think it has to be that one. But it's it's quite an embarrassment of riches. These next few games, they're going to be good ones. I will stay away from the obvious, and I will stay away from the obvious, and I will go with the Friday matchup at the Los Angeles Clippers. It's the second game, of course, of the season. Saw them a few weeks back on that West Coast road

trip where they got the better of you. On that road trip, you took care of Golden State, you beat Los Angeles, you fell to the Clippers, and I don't know as of yet as we sit here today talking about this, if George and Leona will play. They did not play Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons in that

one late victory due to Reggie Jackson's shot. So I think it's that one because not only is it a bit of a rematch there where maybe you'll have all hands on deck, it's also once again maybe a potential preview of what could could be in late July. So I think I'm looking forward to what the Los Angeles Clippers are. There's seven to oh with Region Rondo in the lineup now, so they're playing much better basketball where they were stumbling and now unfortunately with the injury to

Jamal Murray in Denver, things are changing. Although you know, I still like what's going on with the number two seed abroad. It will see next Wednesday. This could be a preview as well. So that's that's where I'm going. I'll go on Friday against the Clippers. Van I will take your obvious answer and make it my answer. Can't wait for the Phoenix Suns game. I also want to see Steph right now. He's on a tear, dropped twenty nine threes over the last three games, that's never been

done before. Just insanity. But Phoenix only one and a half games off the pace in the West, one loss in their last ten games, second best scoring differential in the whole darn league. I know everyone knew they were going to take a step. I thought they would take a step after how they went through things in the bubble and then adding Chris Paul some other pieces. But they've been so impressive and I think they're showing that they're for real. They just keep winning, So I am,

for one, looking forward to that matchup. They beat the seventy six ers in Pho. That was a long time ago, but both teams got off to really great starts. If I'm not mistaken, that might have been the sixers first loss when they started all five of the regulars in a game. It was the ninth loss of the season, so if it wasn't the first, it was one of the first, maybe two or three losses they had in a game where all the starters played. So I'm looking

forward to seeing it. I am. I'm excited. This is a great stretch and with the exception of the two games at Milwaukee, it's all at home, so it should be fun. Looking forward to Wednesday, of course, so I'm not allowed to fist pump on this podcast, but do you know whatever you want, man, there are no restrictions in your deal. Hey, people know already. That's right. Should be a good game, Should be a good game. Maybe

I'll come on the podcast. No, I can't do that either, That's right, all right, guys, Thanks always fun, Thanks guys. Coming up in the days ahead here on the seventy six podcast Network main feed Monday, next edition of Mail Back Monday. I think Lauren and I are going to have to do an official roll call and take a pull for what should be the official name of the

fur Con stands. We've been a lot of activity and chatter surrounding that in the mansions, so perhaps I'll have to rally the fur Coon enthusiasts out in full force and make an official ruling. Also, the return next week of co check and I believe Tom's talks as well, Plus as we always do on Friday, our next Friday Deep Dive. And then there's the Scoop, our second feed

for the Sixers podcast Network. Follow us, find us search seventy six Ers Scoop wherever you get your pods and You'll get daily five minute updates on your team, your town, your seventy six ers have a great weekend, enjoy the game. See