The BroadCast | Friday Deep Dive - Doris Burke Dishes on Sixers

about her thoughts on the rest of the team. You love all the pieces they've put together, truly, and I'm intrigued to see where it goes. I'm bullish on the Sixers. Where that goes? Who knows. ESPN's Doris Burke joins us for this week's Friday Deep Dive. It is the weekly Friday Deep Dive here on the broadcast. I'm Brian Seltzer. Great to be with you, Lauren Rosen and you Divine Gibbons. But with all due respect the two of you and

you're great people. It is really really, really, really really great to welcome in the one and only Doris Burke from ESPN. She and Mike Green had to call Wednesday night at the Center. They're gonna be back at it again on Friday at seven thirty when the two game series wraps up. Doris got a lot to get into big picture stuff surrounding the seventy sixers, But first we

got to react to what we saw on Wednesday. Now dominant performance with forty two points, ten redounds day outscore the Celtics thirty one seventeen in the fourth quarter, and now they improved to ten and five. Joel and b Doris off the chart stuff in the Sixers win. What level do you think he's playing at right now? Yeah, listen, I said to Mike Breen, I said, listen to peace when he is engaged and focused and locked in and

in shape and healthy and all those things. Is there any reason this guy can't be the best player in the league. And you know we both at the same response, there is, there's no reason he couldn't be an MDP best player in the league. I mean, look a look at the way he dominated last night. On every touch you felt like he was going to score or his past was going to lead to a score. So it's fun to watch him when he's when he's on the

floor and healthy and engaged. I just he's one of the most entertaining players, physically punishing yet unbelievably light feet, feathery touch. What a pleasure, What a pleasure to watch him like that and endorsed. I know a lot of people when you say all of those things about him, be that's the sentiment for a lot of sixer fans.

Of course, So when you look at him and he's putting all those things together right now in the games that he has played, what does it take for a player who's on the cusp of that MVP consideration to really take it to that next level? Yeah? You know what we admire I think about professional athletes who is they're capable of excellence, But maybe the most elusive of all things in life is sustained excellence, sustained greatness. You know, there's a price to be paid, and you guys know this.

There are so many tremendous athletes in the NBA and tremendously good players. But what separates the good from the great? Is it more mental or physical? A combination of both? Is it the interior drive and motivation? You know? And I'm intrigued by Joel and the fact that he said he wants to be Defensive Player of the Year, and the fact that you know he was I don't I don't want to put words in his mouth. I don't remember exactly what he said, annoyed, angry, whatever the case

may be. Not being named all NBA caught his attention and you know, at least his motivation. But you know, when I think about Lebron James in particular, knowing that it feels like it's a twenty four to seven cycle for Lebron. You know, he plans out his year, he maps his year, He spend significant amount of money, as Joel is now committed to to get that nutritionist, and you know all the things that go into it. Greatness comes at a price, and you got to pay that price.

Dori's been looking around the roster. Tobias Harris came out really strong last night, and I know Joel told you guys that he thinks that Tobias should be an All Star this year. What have your impressions been of Tobias? Does he look different to you this year? Yeah? You know what, I thought, you saw the best of Tobias last night. Right if there was a mismatch he could take that player down to the post and sort of

punish them on the box. You know, I've read sort of the comments that Doc is the Tobias Whisperer, that is, shooting percentage under Doc Rivers from from range is better. You know, I don't know. I feel like the Sixers fit better. You know, Joel has alluded to this on

a number of occasions. Right when I think about Joel's comfortability, I think about the first couple of years JJ Reddick and how they would so often go to that two man game to start the game because it got both men in the flow and once you had to contend with them. Now you're going to get Ben going downhill on you, or offensive rebound putback dunk. You know, I like Tobias. He's always been the consummate professional, easy for us to deal with, and there's so much you've got

to contend with its size at skill. Yeah, I thought he was tremendous, Absolutely tremendous. Maybe Doc is the Tobias whisper So how did we arrive at this point where Doc Rivers is coaching the Philadelphia seventy sixers, And I think the last time we saw the seventy Sixers go up against the Boston Celtics in a meaningful situation to us. I know you had that series down in the bubble in the first round, and I think everyone at that point in time could tell that there was change coming

for the seventy Sixers. If I'm the Sixers, you didn't arrive at this place this season. I think you have to look at your organization from top down. So now that we're here and we talk about the coaching change, first, can you kind of walk us through your reaction to first Doc parting ways with the Clippers and then how swiftly it came together with him in the seventy six Ers. Yeah.

You know, it's interesting. I've often listened and heard with curiosity this theory that coach and it used to be I think more adhered to where organizations believe that coaches had a certain window of time within which the players were listening to them, and then you know that that window you paid attention to it. I don't. I don't know if that's the case. I really thought we might have acquired a new colleague when Doc left the Clippers.

I really did, and I've worked with Doc. Believe it or not, way back when when he was between Orlando and Boston. He worked with us for that year, and there's a great story I could tell you if you want me to after I answer this question. But you know, I don't know how we arrived at the spot. I did think Doc would come and at least take some time. He's been coaching for a long time. He's been under that pressure in the spotlight, although he wears it so easily.

He wears the mantle of head coach so easily, you know. And I saw Seth Curry's comments. He's honest with us. He tells us the truth whether we want to hear it or not. And there's there's an authenticity and a humility about Doc that I find a feeling. So I'm always intrigued by how these people navigate to their spots. But I think that the Sexer's got a tremendous coach in Doc Rivers. We got to hear what that story is. Yeah, So, so the year Doc works with us, I am very

new to the project. I'm strictly sideline. I'm still doing women's college, men's college. I'm a reporter on Dick Vitals. I mean, this is going back a while, but Doc comes on board, and I'm new. This is like within I don't know how many of my first whatever games on the NBA project for ESPN. And you know how travel goes, guys. So Mike Breen is with Doc and I and I'm the sideline and we've got to get

from our hotel to wherever the Lakers are staying. And Phil Jackson is our scheduled interview that morning, and I can't I won't remember it verbatim, but Doc has on occasion brought this up to me over the years. So Doc, we're in the car on the way, you know, from one hotel to the other, and Mike Breen is not landed. He's called the Knicks game the night before, can't get in. Doc turns to me and says, all right to ours, you're going to interview Phil Jackson. And I panic. I'm like, what,

So now you're rattling through your head. I'm new to the project. I'm going to interview Phil Jackson. Phil comes in the room. John Black is the PR director and where you know, it's always hurry up and wait for the players or the coaches into this ballroom in a hotel, comes you know, comes coach, and he sits down, and you know how massive a guy Phil Jackson is. His shoulders are so wide he's, however tall he is. I'm terrified.

My heart is pounding. And he basically kind of unfolds himself in the chair and finally looks up and we meet eye to eye. After John Black and said, hey, this is Doris. She's going to ask you a few questions. But before I could get to that line, Phil Jackson says something along the lines of, now, Doris, tell me, why are you sitting in that chair asking me questions or something along those lines, and I'm stunned, but I said, well, coach, or maybe he might as it something like what qualifies

you or how did you get there? I said, well, well, Coach Jackson, I've played and I've coached the game, I said, but I don't think either one of those is a prerequisite for the job I'm about to do. I said, we're ready to go, and he was like yep. And Doc on a Asian because we walked out of there, my brain still wasn't there. And Doc said, boy, I'm glad you handled that, because I didn't know which way

to go that I will never forget that. Yeah, So, knowing Doc as well as you do, and almost a little maybe being coached by him or coached into doing things by him, what do you think Doc brings to this team that can make him work so well with this group at this time. Well, I think, first and foremost, you know who he is as a man. You know, um there, as I said, there's a level of humility, and listen, he's coaching young African American men, not all obviously,

but a good percentage of the league. And I you know, I think his experiences as a young man. You know, he talks off and I believe his father was a police officer growing up in Chicago. Mike Breen and I were touching based on not a little bit last night before the game. He was a player and a long time player in the league. So I think there are so many things about Doc Rivers that are relatable to

the current player. You know, I think there's automatic equity when you've played and played in the league and then coached a team to an NBA championship, had the success Doc has had. I think he's fourth all time and wins for the Boston Celtics, one of the most historic organizations in the entire NBA. And so I think it's mostly due to character. You know, Doc is a truth teller. He'll he'll and I don't you know when he says things that maybe critique players. I've never had the sense

that he it's personal. You know, he knows what success requires. In the NBA. It's never personal with Doc. It's always like, this is what's going to make you successful. This is a weakness, this is a strength. Let's just get to the facts. Let's just look one another eye to eye and deal with truth. And so I think it's many things,

but I would say characters most of all. More coming up with Doris in a moment, I want to take a quick second two remind you of our programming slate here on the seventy six ers podcast network main Feed. Every Monday, it's mail Bag Monday with myself and Lauren Rosen. We take your questions on social or on the pod line, which is two on five four h three pods two on five seven six three seven. It's simple, we read your prompts or submissions. You're in the running for some

free swag. Every other Tuesday it's co check with Matt Murphy the official podcast of the Delaware Bluecoats, the seventy six Ers ge League affiliate. Every other Thursday it is Tom's Talks with the one and only radio voice of the seventy six Ers, the incomparable Tom McGuinness. And then on Fridays it's our weekly Deep Dive with the Man Devon Givens. We also have a brand new show on a brand new feed. It's called The Scoop. It's essentially a daily five minute seven sixers update that comes to

you first thing every morning. All you gotta do is search seventy six or Scoop wherever you get your pods to subscribe or follow on good little breaking news here for you. This Philadelphia seventy Sixers, according to our Adrian Morejanowski, are an advanced talks on a deal to hire former Rockets GM Darryl Moorey to oversee the franchises basketball operations. A deal dors you have to now focus on the

organization shifting another way and the other shoe drops via Houston. Yeah, and so it's first doc and then you have via Houston Darryl Moorey. How much of a difference is it having someone like Darryl Moorey coming into your front office and how does that help and what does that do to make your franchise is what it is? Yeah, do you know that My first real I don't want to say exposure, but something that first caught my attention was Jeffan Gundy coaching the Houston Rockets and sort of having

Darrell's influence affect his coaching. You know, Doc Darrel was presenting certain facts about the evolution of the game and you know, all the things that we know, you know, Darrel has emphasized over the year years. UM. And so obviously I have so much respect for Jeff and you know who he is and has been both as a coach and as a broadcaster and as a friend to me personally. UM, And so I remember that catching my ear, like, wow,

Jeff really respects this guy. You know, He's allowing Darrell's thoughts to sort of influence and they were working together. So that was the first thing that caught my attention. The second thing that catches your attention is I, you know, UM, one of you know, some of the first championships I was involved in, UM was Oklahoma City's run to the

NBA Finals and James was a sixth man there. So watching James move to to Houston, watch in his game evolve, watching Daryl try to maximize what he had there really intrigued me. And so knowing Darryl's history and the organizations he had been a part of and the things he had built, it's important, right. I think one thing that's that's maybe surprising to me and one thing that I've appreciated as I've tried to work NBA drafts is how difficult the job of the general manager or the president

of basketball operations. How difficult that job is trying to get all the right pieces understanding how team mechanics work. Philosophically, are you fitting you know, your coaching staff with the players that you have. There's so much that goes into winning in the NBA, including luck, right, think about the hamstring injury of Chris Paul when Daryl Moray was the head of the Houston I mean they've got golden stayed

on the ropes. I mean on the ropes, and that's what I'm talking about, a little bit of luck and all the things that went to winning. But but certainly Darrel one of the most respected leaders in the league, in terms of just building an organization that can win. So you love all the pieces they put together, truly, and I'm intrigued to see where it goes. I said it on Sports Center last night. I'm bullish on the Sixers.

Where that goes? Who knows. You can't have a conversation Doris about the seventy Sixers without obviously bringing up Ben Simmons sides. There's Ben Simmons defense leaving the offense just tremendous length, excellent. You know, we talk about vision and instincts offensially, his vision and instance, his strength with this size, everything it contributed simon being so business VESI it seems like so often people tend to focus on what Ben

Simmons isn't rather than what he is. Yeah, in your mind, what does Ben Simmons need to be for the Sixers this season if the wants to achieve its goals? Now, it's a great question, because I don't know that I've

ever seen a player of his caliber absorb such skepticism. Now, I'm going to be honest with you and say, last night he was the topic of conversation for a decent stretch of time for Mike and I because we don't believe he's yet at his best level this year, which made be a good thing and probably is a good thing, right. And but one thing you cannot overstate is Ben's influence on the game in incredibly impactful ways. And I would

start on the defensive end of the floor. To me, the Sixers, because of what they're up against with Brooklyn and Milwaukee, they better be defined by what they do on the defensive end of the floor. You've got two individual pieces that are truly, in my opinion, you know, again going back to focus and locked in and all those things to the best of their position. Right, what are opponents shooting in the pain? I believe the number of going into the other night's game was forty five

at the rim, maybe fifty percent. That's Joe LMB and so he can negate a lot of things. And I know last year in researching games for the Bubble, the number of All Stars that Ben guarded over the course of the season was truly a remarkable thing. So I just you cannot overstate Ben's strength and really, in a pinch, he could guard the five spot. He's got the kind of strength and size necessary you can put him interchangeably

one through four. In this day and age, with the level of ability with the shot making, you've got to have pieces like that. So you know what he has to be. I think he has to be the best version of himself, which is dominate with his size, his strength, his lateral quickness. He can swallow guys up. He's got to continue to do that. He's got to be versatile on the defense end and then absorb big time assignments night by night, but most importantly in the playoffs, and

then play to his strengths. Get downhill. Continue. I know he's taken five threes. Continue. Mike Green and I watched this last night. I was so thankful for Mike and forgive me for going on and on. I was so thankful to Mike Green for drawing my attention to this work. Coming back out of the second half, and Ben is in the far corner just shooting three after three and he made nine of ten and nine to ten. So whenever he's comfortable to get to that aspect of his game,

do it. But for now, just keep maximizing what he is, and that's a guy who's downhill, super problematic and transition. And the thing is guys, Doc is still learning, right, you guys have been The Sixers have been impacted like every other team by this pandemic. The name of the game is going to be patients and flexibility for these teams. And I mean that in roster construction, in in postponements, in the mental fatigue that it is inevitably going to come.

We're all exhausted to this pandemic. We've all had it affect our jobs. You know, this is going to be an endurance chest for every team. And I just think we're at the very formative stages of what the Sixers will be. Is Ben where he should? You know? He is? Ben? Where he will be in April, May and June? No, And I can't you know, I'm intrigued to see what

changes over the course of the year. We'll wrap things up with Doris Burke in a moment, but we got to remind you that when the seventy Sixers win, you have to go to pat Parks Casino dot com and enter the promo code that we post on our Sixers social media feeds after games that the team wins in order to earn free play on the Parks Online Casino app of course terms and conditions apply. You got to see the website for more details, and you have to

be twenty one or older. Gambling problem called one hundred gambler. I'm told I have the privilege of the last question. And We've talked about a lot of the pieces off court of this team, and I've been lucky enough to be at all the home games this year, and I've noticed that this team's chemistry feels like it's really coming together rather quickly, especially considering it's such a new group together Tobias and Joel singing together pregame, just little things

like that. I'm wondering how much you notice that stuff and how important you think those intangible chemistry type things can be for a new team. Well, that's interesting that you say that, because I was just having this discussion

on another Zoom call earlier today. This is the thing I'm missing the most, to be perfectly honest with you, being that far off the floor, being unable to in the hour before the game have a quick conversation with a player here and there, to be face to face, to have an opportunity to bump into an assistant coach. That's a huge part of my job. To be perfectly honest with you. I one of the things I always say is there is a difference in preparation for my games.

I watch a lot of NBA basketball. It is a different thing entirely to watch it on television and be there with my notepad and taking notes and figuring stuff out than it is for me to be on the floor level and watching teammates, a teammate interaction or teammate to coach interaction, being in that locker room and those moments I call them stealing moments, those two or three minutes with those people is invaluable. So I have to

be honest with you. I have less of a handle on that aspect than I ever have, And it's the thing I really missed the most, and I would tell you my colleagues I know feel the same. We missed that interaction. Well, Doris, we can't thank you enough for spending some time with us and allowing us to pick your point guard mine and especially when it comes to Ben Simmons, and we can't wait to hear everything from you tonight for the sixer Celtics game. Thank you so much. Oh,

thanks for having me. What a pleasure, what a privilege having Doris Burke on for a few minutes to drop a little knowledge, drop a little wisdom, anything in particular that you guys took away from that that you want

to react to. Well, for me, I really liked how she explained the Ben Simmons angle of it all where he affects the game so much, and we often talk about as you ask the question, so the things that we focus on that he doesn't do versus the things that he does, and as we look at things right now, Doc Rivers has pointed out plenty of all the things that he does defensively to have an impact on the game.

So for DRIs to break that part of it down be himself offensively when he's playing downhill and being able to use his size and pick his spots where he needs to be him in order to help the team out. I think we pretty much know we see it from time to time when he's ready to do it, when

he's not really to do it. And that was probably my favorite part of what Doris's explained as a point guard herself, looking at things from a point guard perspective of how Ben Simmons be at all six ten of them versus her size, no disrespect guard, you know that was I thought that explanation was perfect, and I think real quick we saw that kind of dynamic begin to take place the first few weeks the season before the Sixers.

That's not really anything to laugh about. Lost half the roster, Ben Simmons, especially on the offensive end, with the scoring taking a step back a bit, just trying to find the right areas and ways in which he could be the most effective version of himself. So I agreed to Vin. I thought they were really good points. Lauren, what about you?

I mean, I'm not breaking any news to say that Doris is phenomenal at her job, but it's really cool to hear her talk about the Sixers with such specificity that the three of us can learn something from her. And she's covering the other twenty nine teams as well, and I just really appreciate the care that she puts

into her craft. It's awesome to hear her engage with us about things that are important to us on a day to day basis because we're here in Philly and we're with the team, but to hear her really get into the nitty gritty with us about just one of thirty for her I just think is so special and I got to give all the props to the woman who I think is the greatest of all time. Amen

to that. Well, we know we can always count on having a deep dive on Fridays with one person whose first letter of their first name because of the day, that of course is divine but great adding another d first name person in Doris Burke, who's just the best this week, so we thank her for the time, guys, great as always, got another big one against the Celtics on Friday night, and then when next we talk next Friday, it'll be an opportunity to react to the Lakers game

at the Center on Wednesday and look ahead to a road trip that begins against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Until then, God b