The BroadCast | Who Steps Up?

the night. Herford's for three. Yes, Oh Horford coming off lard With Ben Simmons and Joel embad out, other guys have been forced to step up. We'll talk about who needs to do what in order for the Sixers to make a push in the postseason. I feel like it's an opportunity to galvanize the team and look at the team respond I got great confidences. I'm Lauren Rogan, I'm Divine Givens, I'm Brian Seltzer and this is the broadcast

from the seventy Sixers Podcast Network. We're back. You know, the NBA took it's hiatus, not that it wanted too. For four months. We felt at some point the three of us were entitled to a mini hiatus. We took one last week, but we are back raring to go. Seeding game schedule for the seventy six ers winding down. The playoffs are going to start next week. Lauren Devon, Great to be with you again. Tell meselfing new about yourself.

What's different since the last time we spoke fourteen days ago? Well, so this is my first remote recording of the podcast. Oh tell us more. Took a little trip down to my old stomping grounds in Durham, North Carolina, having some family time, got to walk around, have some fresh air. I love Philly. I love Philly, but it is nice to be somewhere a little bit more spread out. It was my first time leaving Philadelphia since the hiatus began.

Now stomping grounds, your true stomping grounds are not Durham, North Carolina, of course true. I am from Houston, Texas, but I went to college here in Durham, and it's nice to just be back somewhere a little warmer, with a little more space and fresh air. Divine, have you ever heard of a college in Durham, North Carolina? They

have a school down there, I believe. So. Yeah, A couple of short letter words and you know, nice, nice place, and absolutely so it's good to see Lauren taking that trip back down to Durham, North Carolina and settling in getting that fresh air. Absolutely, Durham State University. That's the one, right, that's what I thought. That's what about you, d Well. I mean, listen, I'm dealing with the heat. Lauren has that nice heat down in North Carolina, but here in Philadelphia,

the heat wave is still pushing along. I got a haircut, feeling good, and we have summer basketball. How about that? It's tremendous. I too, got a haircut. People can't see it, but Divine, you're looking fresh. I guess maybe maybe you guys can tell you that. Yeah, if I take my headset off, you can kind of see that. Maybe it's

not quite as whispy or curly in the back. Not to get too follically in depth on this podcast, asked Divan, but did you have I'm going to describe an issue I had right after my haircut, and I want to ask you if you experience something similar. My scalp was hitching for probably forty eight hours after I got my hair cut. It had been that long my last haircut

was in the middle of January. So this for me has been about long since were gone nearly seven months, and for about forty eight hours straight, I just couldn't stop scratching the itch. No, actually no, you know, you get the haircut, wash the hair, treat it how you need to treat it right away, and so I didn't have that problem. Also, my last one was in March, right before we did our final show from the Center

before the hiatus. And yeah, so I guess I had a few months on you, and I actually made sure. I just went and washed the old hair and made sure everything was all good, and I was straight. I was. But I'm glad you're feeling better now, Yeah, needed some time, need some time. Yeah, but I'm good. Good. This is why the people are here, of course, this is why the pets, right, they want to hear this type of conversation. Hey,

we're not the only ones, okay. Yeah, we've seen plenty from the players, from listeners, from social media, people who reach out. Everyone was going through this with the haircut, so of course they're into this absolute We're just trying to relate everyday experiences during a pandemic into the podcast forum as it pertains to seventy Sixers basketball. That's right, not an easy task. Three people have to do it. That's us. I want to get this out of our

system right away. There are two players who are currently unavailable for the seventy Sixers, Ben Simmons with a left knee injury, Dwell Embiid with a left ankle injury. So the Sixers, we don't know how long we're gonna have to go without them. And you just can't snap your fingers and replace two all stars. I think that's a

reality that we all certainly need to acknowledge. You try to go through something like they're about to four seating games remaining, a part of me three seating games remaining, and then you look at the postseason. You want your two best players out there, as good as the team might be field together. You go as far as your two stars go, your two all stars, and Joel Embiad Ben Simmons, so wish them make speedy recovery, hopefully they're

back sooner rather than later, and get this push going. Yeah, Devine, you never want to lose your two all stars, two players that have such a high upside like a Ben Simmons or a Joel Embiid. However, against the Trailblazers, it was good to see a guy like Josh Richardson heat up.

We've seen good performances from Al Horford and Tobias Harris, so while their silver linings will be few and far to come by without those two, it was good to see those guys heat up, and as long as we are without Ben Simmons Joel Embiid, hopefully they can continue to build on what they've started in Orlando. As much of a bummer as those two's injuries were and are. The other thing is the seventy six ers. I feel like they have a been resilient b up until the

game against the Trailblazers. They had been winning. They won three in a row, that was the longest winning streak inside the Bubble save for the Phoenix Suns, and they gave Portland a real run for their money in the game on Sunday night, and that was a game where even though they fell behind by seventeen points in the first half, to me, it felt like it might as

well have been seventeen hundred points. It was just one of those games where it seemed like they were out of early they want to buy six late just couldn't hold off Dame Lillard and the rest of the Blazers, a team that has a lot to play for, but they have shown some determination, which I know that's a kind of moral victory esque storyline to focus on, but listen,

you gotta start somewhere. If you don't have two of your best players, then you're going to need that type of effort from the rest of the roster, and hopefully that will produce performances from other guys who the seventy sixers will need to get great performances from. I know you don't like to focus on moral victories, like you said, but I agree. In that first quarter, it kind of seemed like the Sixers were maybe just going to be

down and out for the rest of the game. They're playing against a team that had everything to gain in fighting for the playoffs. They're super motivated, they had a tough loss just the day before, and feisty Damian Lillard is never going to be easy to contain. So in that first half it did seem maybe like the Sixers were going to just let that game get away from them,

and instead they showed a lot of fight. They showed a lot of heart, They showed a lot of grit, and they almost won a game that I think a lot of people might have said that they had no business winning. I actually looked at that once they got down seventeen and bead hurt. I thought it would be a tough client for them to come back, and for them to fight back the way that they did, it

was good to see. And if Embiad is not available for the next game that they have and that's something that the coaching staff and the players also can playoff of and look back at from Sunday's game and try to now set the game plan up to the event and knowing that again they had a tough matchup, a tough assignment against Damian Lillard and company, and still found

a way to make it a game. At the very end, Joel Embiad has been the seventy six Ers leading score side the bubble, just under twenty four and a half points per game, one of the top rebounders in the NBA at eleven and a half per game. Right behind Joel on the offensive side is Tobias Harris around twenty two and a half points per game, shooting forty three and a half percent overall, just under forty one percent

from three point territory. What I want to do, guys moving forward for the rest of our deep dive segment is kind of like going through a checklist of sorts for different members of the roster and what the seventy sixers might need from them in the absence of Ben Simmons, we know for a period of time Joel Embiide, we don't know for how long. But regardless of that, everyone's got to be on heighten alert with the playoffs coming.

So what do we need from Tobias Harris Divan Now that the seventy sixers are in the current situation, they are elevated scoring production, and we know he's been thirty twenty five HI HI twenties overall, he's played very well offensively. I thought that they could have used him a little bit more in the Portland loss. There there were some times where it looked like there was a moment where Tobias Harris could step up and really take over, but the lid was on the basket forum for the most part.

He had a tough night. So going forward, he is going to be the featured offensive scorer for this basketball team. So what you need is some elevated scoring play, some efficiency as well, get to his spots, find his spot, to get to those spots, and make sure that these are good looks because every possession is crucial for the Philadelphia seventy sixers going forward with no Indeed and no Simmons, he's always been the second or third option with those

two out there on the floor. He's not gonna be focs first, so he's going to be the focal point of the defense. Can you get some consistent scoring punch from him, some efficiency as well, and if the double team does find him, is he able to get out of that double team and find his teammates to get a better look overall? So I look for those things from Tobias Harris, at least going from the next game

that they have against the Phoenix Suns and moving on. Well, look, we know Tobias could have given and more to that to the Blazers game. He could have been more productive offensively, more accurate from the field. But he's also been very vocal about the fact that he wants to be the guy that can step up in those situations. He's shown his intention to do it. He said he wants to be able to be that guy that takes over. So I would imagine that in these next few games coming up,

he's going to give it another shot. He's going to commit to what he's already said that he really wants to do and make good things happen for the team offensively. So I think we're in for some good performances from Tobias Harris. Sixers big possession. They lead by one shake built with a buff a screen by to Bias Milton. I'll top to it, beat inside feed at the Bias he taps it up and he didn't even captured. He's had it with the right hand, with his back to

the basket and scores the ball for me. Two things I'm looking at is he's got to continue to rebound the basketball really well. Obviously, if the Sixers didn't have Ben Simmons, they would need to Bias to pick up a little bit more, but certainly with that Joel Embiid. And another thing is Tobias could find himself in a spot now where he might be asked to do a little bit more defensively on opposing wings. Some of the

most dangerous scores in the NBA. So I think defense overall and obviously rebounded the basketball in addition to that primary need of scoring. Like Devon and Lauren, you guys said, certainly on the to do list. Four Tobias Harris about ball with the four and o' clock goes out, the Richards up for three and it's good. Are you kidding me? Josh richards who will beyond the arc over the outstretched arm of c J. McCollum and Richards and now with

six threes at thirty four points? All right? Next up Josh Richardson, coming off of a really great performance against the Trailblazers that almost was enough to get the seventy six ers of victory. Thirty four points was a sixer high for him since he joined the Sixers, going back to last summer, and he tied a season high with six to three pointers. He had a really balanced game

against the Blazers. He was in a good groove. He was in a really good groove against the Portland Trailblazers and they needed every bit of those thirty four And when we talk about him and possibly being the fourth and fifth option in this offense, Josh Richardson, and we know about his two way ability. This is what you

can get from time to time. Now if you are able to get something a little more consistently from him instead of the fourteen close to fourteen points on the season average, maybe fifteen to seventeen where he gives them that extra offensive punch that they need, that would be good. But to see him do what he did against the Portland Trailblazers, knowing that again in bid was out, Tobias

Harris is struggling. You get something from Alec Burks. He grabbed the reins early and kept on going throughout the entirety of the game. They are always those questions of when are we going to get that Josh Richardson game. Outside of the thirty two against the Miami Heat earlier in the season, the nineteen point quarter that he had in a victory as well, those were all at home. So it was great to see those and know that it's in there. But how often can we get that

from him? And for me, it's got to be the threes. You guys both mentioned the threes, but for Josh to hit six threes against the Blazers the same amount he hit against Miami in that first big breakout game he had at home. If he can get the threes to fall, that's going to be absolutely huge for this team. I know we talk about it all the time, but when the threes are falling, this six Ers team is really hard to beat because we know they're strong in other

areas of their offense. So if Josh can keep throwing them up from deep, then they can keep going in. That's going to be absolutely huge down the stretch. We know that he can do stuff when he's got the ball in his hands. And one thing that I really liked about the game against the Blazers as far as his performance was concerned, in that third quarter, when he started to pick up more attention, he started dishing the ball out a little bit and making things happen for

his teammates. I thought that was good to see show the versatility of his game. And again, defensive end, when he takes someone like Ben Simmons out and you factor in the type of players that Ben Simmons might be asked to guard. Josh Richardson. We saw against the Blazers he was on Damian Lillard a lot. He's gonna really need to key in on that end of the floor. As well. Absolutely, he's the number one perimeter defender at this point. Matista wil comes off the bench in that

starting role. Josh Richardson is the one again as a two way player with a reputation already for being a strong defender in this league. He's absolutely gonna have to take on those tough responsibilities going forward. And Devin Booker is up next. Horford with it again, goes right around Gary Clark and jams it at the radio man not the only guy seeing the mismatch there. Sixers go right to him a pirouette down low right and Horford with a jam. He's got six timeout Orlando. Steve Clifford's got

to figure out who's gonna guard big Al. Mister. Al Horford is the next player on our list, a guy who I think is getting more and more recognition for the high quality of play he has been giving the Sixers in Orlando. And it's funny I think back to one of the first zoom media sessions that Al Horford did. I think it was even when the Sixers were still in Amen before they left, someone asked about how he's approaching all of this, and my takeaway from his comment

was you know. I'm a veteran, I've been around a while. I'm going to get down to Orlando. I'm going to use the scrimmages and even the seating games to build myself up and make sure I'm ready to go once the playoffs roll around. I think it's been the exact opposite for me. From the jump. He has looked like he's been locked in, focused, playing really at a high intensity level and physically, which are certainly from the physicality standpoint,

something the seventy six ers need. We've been talking about physicality with Al Horford a lot this weekend. It's something that his head coach, Brett Brown spoke about prior to Friday's game. The way that Al's defense has been strong, his offense has been strong, but the intangibles, his physicality, his spirit has been the biggest thing that he's added

to this group, particularly when you're losing other stars. That's what you need from a veteran like Al Horford is to bring that intensity, to bring that physicality, to bring that no quit attitude that we've seen from him since he got to Orlando. Yeah, he's been very good. Especially when Ben Simmons went down, he had to step in into that starting role and he gave you a very very good game. I believe it was twenty one and nine in that game, and it was good to see

him back out there. Seemingly that he when he had his issues during the season and he was relegated to the bench, and you know, no disrespect and when I say relegated, he was a team guy. He did what

was asking him and he played his role. And the thing was, this guy didn't forget how to play basketball, and now that you see him back out there, you start to remember and just go back to or ask him being a veteran, the guy that we're talking about in the past that has had playoffs successes, All Star success and so on, and right now we're seeing at al Horford again where he's just going out there making

the right plays, whether it's defensively, scoring or passing. Al Horford has been playing some really good basketball so far inside the bubble. When you don't have Joel Embiid, you don't have one of the best rim protectors in the game. But like you just said, Divine, there are other things that al Horford can do that makes suffer that whether it's positioning his physicality, how he attacks the glass. I don't like to go too far into making a ton out of numbers like this, because I'm not sure I

don't necessarily think that they paint the entire picture. But the on off court numbers for al Horford, they're the best out of any sixer who's played substantial minutes since the team got into Orlando. And I do think that that's a stat that's indicative the way that he's been playing in the impact that al Horford's had on the team. Yeah, absolutely, undred percent. I agree with you and the impact that you can see it now and that leadership with he

and Tobias Harris out there. That's why we still believe that at the very least, you know they're gonna be competitive, they won't give up. They're gonna go out there and they're gonna fight and try to get everything out of themselves and their teammates. Knowing that, indeed, and Simmons, at least for the short term, we're not out there. Alec Burke's with a ball, crosses over on his Zonnya makes it another boom and he gets it n a foul and as Zonia got him with the body, so it

changed job directions. A double crossover there at Burks will go to the line for what could be an old fashioned three point play. Alec Burks, guys, he's been another one who's been a revelation in Orlando. He is on a great run right now, back to back twenty point games. He hasn't done that since he was with the Utah Jazz back in twenty seventeen. He's really looked lively. He's

looked more comfortable. We've talked about that a little bit, but I think the last two games, especially without Ben Simmons, from start to finish, he's shown that he can be an asset at the point of attack for sure. Saltzan we talked yesterday with coach Brett Brown about the fact that he can play on or off the ball pretty well, and we've seen that from him in these last few games.

I think with a guy like Alec Burks who joins the team at the trade deadline, it's always going to be a little bit of a rush to get ready for the playoffs. Now you add in a four month hiatus away from the team after he only was able to play a few games with them following that trade. To see him heat up. The way that he is now, I think is really promising for what he can do for the Sixers the stretch, and that's what they're going

to look for from him. Someone who's gonna come off the bench and be productive immediately, whether he's backing up Shake Milton at point guard or whether he's waiting for other guys to find him for big shots. He's shown that he can do both and I think that's going to be really big for this group. And he knows his role, he knows what's asked of him. He's gonna

come in, he's gonna be a score. Yes, we'll we have the ball from time to time, and being that backup point guard if you will, sure, But at the end of the day, Alec Brooks, Seltz and Lauren, he is a scorer. And if he's going to come off the bench and they need a boost off the bench, that's the one that's probably gonna give it to you. And so far, so good with his showing, getting over twenty plus minutes, the twenty points that he's putting out there on the box score, he's been tremendous and he

has so many different things to his game. It's a much needed boost, if we say that again, to the team overall, because outside of Simmons and some creatibility as well from Richardson and Harris even Shake, I like what Alec Burks does with the ball in his hands. I feel like part of being a score is not to sound totally clichede having that score his mindset, but beyond that,

the score is assertiveness and confidence. And I just feel like when you watch Alec Burks now there's that dynamic that we didn't quite see from him when he first came over from the Golden State Warriors in the trade back in February, that he does now have that confidence,

in that sense of self belief about him. And it's been really nice to see because, yes, the seventy six ers without Ben Simmons, and if they're without Joel Embiid for a period of time, they're gonna need some more peeps to put the basketball in that bucket, and Alec Burks is a guy who can do it. Here's a long shot by Ross blocked by Batise. Now they thrown ahead to Thible in the late thible Ducks in with

two hands, he made the play on terrace. Ross got it back in Champions but Peace Thible time out Orlando batists Thible flipping things over to the defensive end of the floor. You talk about who's gonna pick up the slack without Ben Simmons. Now on the defensive end, Matisse Stybel has got to be someone, despite being a rookie, that you look first to. Right. Yeah, he brings energy.

He brings that energy and when you see him out there consistently, he's always making plays some way, somehow, he's whether it's in the passing lane, is back his turn, he still does the fundamentals of sticking his hands out and the next thing you know, there's a deflection and the team is going the other way. So he definitely does do that filling the lane. When he does create some turnovers, he doesn't just stand there. He turns the other way and goes. It's now that shift from defense

the offense. And while you may not see much from him in a half court set and when they're running the plays and devising things for him and transition, he's very good with his finishing. And it all starts with defense. And that's exactly what he brings when he comes off that branch, that defense, that energy and that that quickness that he has with his hands. His hands are always moving down stop. I love watching him with his angles of stopping the defenders and getting around those screens and

things of that nature. Still a very good player to watch. He is a rookie, so I still wonder how much he will play and what coach Brett Brown will use him in certain situations. But when he is out there, he never fails that he does something well defensively, and I think we have to give Matis a lot of credit for the way he played against Portland. He had thirty three minutes, which is by far the most minutes he's played since they arrived in Orlando. He showed that

his fitness level is up there. He was able to get up and down the court with intensity throughout every minute of those thirty three and he had a season high nine rebounds two in that game, which I think is pretty big. And obviously more minutes means more opportunities for boards, but his previous high was five, so jumping from five to nine is pretty solid. Knowing that he

can get offensive and defensive rebounds. And then the final thing I'd like to give him props for we knew we were going to see some looks for him against c J McCollum Damian Lillard, especially in the absence of Ben Simmons, but down the stretch in that game, he defending some guys that are larger than he is, and we're not really used to seeing Matisse defending anyone other than those quick guards that he's been assigned to all season.

But seeing him doing his best to body a guy like Carmelo Anthony down lower on the floor was really cool to see for him because it's something that shows a little bit of versatility, maybe something else that he's going to be able to add to his sort of already impressive defensive chest of awards or whatever you want to call it. I think the way that he played against Portland was very promising for this group. He showed a lot of fight. It's clear he's an irritant and

he bothers guys and throws them off. You guys can correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty certain he was on Lillard at the top of the three point arc in the final minute and he forced a miss and the Sixers then got the ball back when they were still down by possession. Though he helped force a miss on a guy who was hot like Low. That gave the seventy sixers and opportunities to possibly steal that game. Didn't happen. But I agree with everything you guys said.

He is able to do a lot of different things, and he is someone who without question brings important intangibles to the court. Whenever he's out there on the defensive end, they're looking to throw it in. Milton goes to Horford. Horford back to Shake Milton for three shot up. Thank god he bade It was six seconds to go and the Sexers have taken the lad He stepped right into a tray. Well beyond the art, shake Milton, what do we need from a shake? Just some steadiness? Run the team.

You need somebody out there to run the team. When you have the ability to have an all star such as Ben Simmons out there as a primary ball handler for the last three seasons, you're expecting certain things now. In this particularly case with Shake Milton, the young player's second year man, you're not gonna get that outburst like

you saw against the Los Angeles Clippers every time. So run the team, makes smart decisions, take good shots, and protect the basketball, and that's what he has done so far. He has protected the basketball. We have not seen those big numbers into twenty plus points or even getting into the thirties. But just be consistent, smart with the ball, run the team, set the guys that perfectly, make sure that they're in their spots. Even as veterans, command that

respect out there on the floor. And I think Shake Milton will you know when you look at him overall with the evaluation you you will feel pleased with what you see at the end of the game if those things happen, and defensively as well. And I think that steadiness is super key. When we talked about Shake, it's something that we've gone back to a few times. But you got to remember that this is his first year really playing heavy minutes in an NBA rotation, and the

way that he's been able to stay level headed. He likes to say that he won't get too high or too low when he's playing out there. We saw that for sure after that first performance against the Pacers where he struggled a little bit. He's come back since then and in every outing he's been durable. He's shown grit and it's great to see him be able to rebound from a difficult performance and show his stuff as a young player. YEP, certainly a lot of members of the roster.

The seventies sixers will be looking to get the max from as they move forward in Orlando, with seating play beginning to wrap itself up and the playoffs starting in less than a week potentially depending on when the seventy Sixers play their first game. That is our deep dive for this week, and coming up in about twenty seconds, we do our weekly segment did you hear, where we uncover some more subtle, yet significant subplots surrounding the seventy

Sixers in this time of social distancing. Novocare Rehabilitation is offering physical therapy from the comfort and safety of your home through their new tel a Rehab program. Novocare will virtually bring their services to you so you heal, build strength, and get back to the things you love. Tell a rehablit too, easily connect with one of Novocare's licensed therapists to web based technology that's hipoc compliant. More information, visit novocare dot com. Did you hear? I don't know. We're

gonna find out Maybe you did. Maybe you didn't, but we're going to bring to the forefront some important fodder that might get into the more granular and nitty gritty pertaining to the seventy sixers. May could be something like Mike Scott playing the five and the production the seventy Sixers got out of that fur con Cork Mas needing to get more out of him with his three point shot, Norvelle Pelle getting somebodys against the Trailblazers, Glenn Robinson the

third returning. They're all candidates. But I will leave the floor and form right now to Lauren Rosen, I think and our informal rotation, it is your turn to go first in the Weekly Did you hear segment? Well, I'm never too hungry to go first, but I can this time set for me the quote that most stuck out.

After the Trailblazers game, I asked Josh Richardson what he thought about Matis Bible's defense, considering the fact that the two of them were largely sharing the defensive duties on Damian Lloyd An C. J. McCollum, and Josh Richardson said, let's kind of getting thrown in the fire as a rookie, you know, having to get your first big minutes in a while. It's you know, a score attendem like that, and I think that I think he did a good job. You know, I'll take him in that matchup ten times

to attend. So he's a guy that I definitely wanted my foxhole. I think that's high praise for a guy like Matisse Bible, who we continue to forget is just a rookie. The fact that he's already gained trust of guys like Josh Richardson, veterans that are even further along in their career like Tobias Harris or Al Horford. The fact that those guys trust matis a rookie is a really big deal. So he will be in the foxhol with them, and it'll be good to have a defender

like Matise. Divan, as you project out, do you have a future comp for Matisse stable defensively? That's a great question. Um wow. You often hear someone like Bruce Bowen for someone like Matist, I will more athletic. But to be able to just hey, go get that guy and stop him, shut him down, make things difficult, make his life difficult.

That's the reputation that Bruce Bowen had. And I know oftentimes we use the example of the San Antonio Spurs and when you have Brett Brown and his team here in Philadelphia, But I just look at that when right now that would probably be if I had to go off the top of my head, someone like that, where you still want to see the three point shot develop ultimately get there. He's just a young player. He's a rookie,

so you expect that to development. As Lauren a is talking about your trust and the faith that his teammates had, the work ethic is there. He's going to work to improve on any weakness as he has with the outside shooting. So right now, I would say Bruce Bowen defensively for Matisse Styble. I like the comp and I like the quote from Josh Richardson about Matisse after that narrow loss to the Portland Trailblazers. All right, divine, what quote of

notes stood out to you? Well, for me, the quote of note that stood out was Alec Brooks speaking on the team and himself taking things day by day. It's like a day by day, game by game, day by day, practice by practice. Things change cooking this league so I'm swing, stay levelhead and see how I go, taking things day

by day. You know, it's great to hear what he has to say, simply because this league is ever changing, and who knew that Ben Simmons of course would have an injury that required surgery that would have him out for a period of time. Then Joel and b takes a step away because of an ankle injury. We hope that that is something once again, sooner rather than later.

So taking things day by day. When we spoke about Alec Brooks a little bit earlier, it's the nature of the sport and the league in general where you never know when your number is going to be called. So taking things day by day, remaining ready and able to go when you are called upon, and then going out there and performing and delivering and taking it day by day in the moment at that time against that opponent and do your job. And he has done just that

right now. He is in, as you pointed out earlier, a good rhythm, a good pace where he has confidence, so day by day, carrying that one thing to the next to the next, and remembering what happened in the last game the last time out. That's something that you want to hear, especially from a score who never loses his confidence. For me, I'm going to turn to Al Horford and him discussing a particular type of demeanor that

he wants to bring to the court. We're at this point of the season where we're getting ready to get the start, get the playoffs started, and you know we need to set the tone. You know, coach has been talking about it all year, and you know we need to make sure that you know we're coming out and

that we're setting the tone from the beginning. Those are types of things you need more of, and certainly Al Horford has proven over time, not just with the seventy Sixers, but earlier in his career in Atlanta and Boston that he can do just that. As we referenced earlier, some of the numbers have been really good for Horford inside the bubble. He's been part of nearly fifty different lineup

combinations since the seventy Sixers got to Orlando. Now granted only about a fifth of them as he played more than five minutes with but the fact store remains when he is on the court, out of any of the seventy sixers regulars whether in the starting lineup or coming off the bench, the Sixers have outscored the opposition by nearly ten and a half points per one hundred possessions with Al Horford out there, the best stat in that category in terms of net rating on the team. I

like it. I think there's validity to it. I think it's a real number. So Al Horford, did you hear? He wants to bring some more intangibles in addition to skill to the court. Went out there for the seventy sixers and that wraps up this week's did you hear? And that seguates US two are around the league segment. The Phoenix Suns are a story. They happen to be next up on the schedule for the seventy Sixers, and

we have to start devon. Not to make much of your connection there, I feel like you handle it in a really professional and appropriate way. But there is a connection that you have, and the Phoenix Suns do happen to be playing spectacularly well in the bubble. Yeah, so the people who don't know the first time listeners. Michael Bridges is my younger cousin and of course support his career all the way from a young guy to where he is now in the NBA, and they are five

and oh currently well, pardon me. As of Sunday Monday, they were five and oh with the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder and then in Philadelphia seventy six ers on Tuesday. They are at the hottest team in the league right now, a slim chance of making the postseason, and they've just reeled off some really good basketball so far in the bubble. They're led by Devin Booker and his scoring, as we know, one of the best young

scores in today's game. They also feature a big man in DeAndre Ayton's second year player who is just coming into his own, not only offensively, but also defensively as well. And then they feature a bunch of other players that provide different things, from former Sixadario Sharich to Ricky Rubio is steady point guard as we know for many years in the league, Javan and Carter off the bench as

a bulldog defender who can get hot as well. Cam Johnson the first round pick, a surprising first round pick where he was taken for the Phoenix Suns in the twenty nineteen draft, and of course Michael Bridges a due at all player for the Phoenix Suns who gives it to you defensively, and I'm expecting to see a lot of them on Tobias Harris with absent Ben Simmons out there on the floor. So I'm assuming a lot of Tobias Harris, Michael Bridges matchups and just a variety of

different things. And they are ultimately led by former Sixers assistant Monty Williams, who have helped turn that culture around in Phoenix where they're believing right now. So they're still

in the playoff hunt. There are a few games back of the Memphis Grizzlies for that final spot in the eighth seed in the Western Conference, and we know about that eight nine playing as well, So there are a lot of things up on the table for them right now in terms of scenarios, and it's going to be a very good game when the six take on the Phoenix Suns. They're a very very good team both offensively

and defensively right now since they've returned Devon Meyer. Around the league is adjacent to your as you mentioned that play in game, and unfortunately for the Memphis Grizzlies, they had a bit of a tough start inside the bubble, losing some of their key contributors, including Jaren Jackson, who they've announced is out for the season, and because they've struggled a bit and Portland has been so good, we now know that there will be at least a play

in game involving the Grizzlies, well, in all likelihood involving the Grizzlies and the Blazers. So that's something that's new and different. And we've had play in games by default recently in recent years, but this is the first one inside the bubble. There's going to be high stakes. Obviously, those are two teams, one more of a veteran presence type team. We just saw the Blazers play against the Sixers, and obviously the Grizzlies, despite their losses, are young and hungry.

So if that is the play in game that we get to see, it's going to be an exciting one. But no matter what the fact that we do have a play in game inside the bubble, it's gonna be something exciting and something unique. Guys, it was great to see Zion Williamson and the young Pelicans the little taste of this competition inside the bubble. But a not so young member of the roster, sees a great run come to an end. Our near and dear friend, JJ Reddick will be out of the playoffs for the first time

in his now fourteen year NBA career. I think JJ is certainly a valuable piece you could have anywhere for what he does on the court and his professional demeanor

inside the locker room. But I think we appreciate for a moment at least, I'm going to take this opportunity to appreciate for a moment a streak of thirteen straight playoff appearances for one JJ Reddick, a run that will now come to an end this year with the Pelicans being officially eliminated from postseason play down at Disney and JJ Reddick, of course a member of the broad podcasting family and now to his new podcast, The Old Man in the Three and as of today, the newest episode

is going to feature the seventy six ers very own LMBID and obviously the two of them have a special relationship. I'm playing together, so perhaps something that we could all listen to after we finished listening to this episode broadcast. I'm looking forward to them pumping up the broadcast on that episode of the Old Man in the three. I'm sure they're going to do that too, right, I've heard it's the thing they're going to talk about the most

actually great, excellent as they should. All Right, guys, well, it was great to get back in the saddle. Do this. Next time we're gonna be talking. It's going to be looking ahead to the playoffs. Next week, either on Monday or Tuesday, our episode will be an official playoff primer postseason round table. I still kind of can't wrap my head around that fact, but it's coming, ready or not. I can't believe that we're actually getting playoff basketball in

the year twenty twenty. Obviously, with so much tragedy going on around the world, we can't forget about that. But it is nice to see some basketball. It's great to have the NBA back, the NBA pushing some really important messages too. So it's a unique year. It's one we're going to remember forever, for better or for worse. Well said,

the NBA has done a fantastic job in Orlando. They continue to do a great work that The games have been entertaining, they've been competitive despite not being able to have the fans in there all be a virtual which is also cool to see. They've done a fantastic job, so I appreciate what they've done, and you guys are right. Next week and when we get back together, we'll be talking about a playoff preview of the sixers and set opponent starting next week. Thank you, Lauren and Von, Thank

you out there for listening. We will talk to you next Monday or Tuesday with our playoff primer here on the broadcast Sea