The Obligatory Season Preview Episode

there's no more iterations of this team. This team is together from day one, and I think being together from the very beginning made help with that. From managing expectations to what signs could carry over from a promising preseason. We cover it all on this episode of the broadcast.

We did it, We made it. We're here the start of the two nineteen twenty regular season, the seventy first season in Philadelphia seventy six ers franchise history, and there couldn't be a better way to tip it all off and hosting your our tribal, the Boston Celtics, continuing the arrivalry series that's been played more frequently than any other in the history of the NBA. On opening Nights. How you doing. I'm Brian Seltzer. I hope you are as pumped up and fired up and excited and as ready

to go as I am. We're gonna sit down with Tom McGinnis and Von Gibbons in just a few moments, but we'll open by issuing reminders to you that if you have not yet become a subscriber or a follower to our podcast, you can get us just about anywhere you get podcasts these days, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Google Podcasts, tune in, Stitcher, SoundCloud. Just type in Sixers Podcast Network that will take you to our feed, and please do

sign up. We'll have episodes coming to you regularly throughout the season, the day after every game with rewind and then one episode of the broadcast or perhaps more depending on the occasion each week. And before we get to t Mac and Divine, we bring you this week's edition of our opening tip. It's been building, and now it is finally here. The Philadelphia seventy six Ers on the

cusp of starting a brand new season. Few seasons, however, at least in a recent memory that I could think of, have come with the anticipation and really more than that. The hype that this one has. Just listen to this sampling of soundbites al Horford went to Philadelphia changes the dynamic for me. I'm gonna say, it's Philadelphia coming out

of the East. I'm taking Philly. We got to presume that everyone's healthy, right, But if that's what happens, but the talent on this team, they should at least be in the Eastern Conference flole, maybe the finals, and there's certainly have a shot to win it. All that, I'm moved that in the Eastern comp I'm going out right now. I'm not that. I love you, of course, know how the story goes. The seventy Sixers getting burned by not one, not two, not three, but four bounces in Game seven

of the Eastern Conference semifinals in May. After that setback, the seventy Sixers went into the off season with a vengeance, revamping and reloading throughout the off season. We're doing everything weekend to bring another NBA championship to the city of Philadelphia. Believe that that was seventy six Ers general manager Elton Brand. This is ESPN's Brian Windhorst in an era of offense in the NBA where defense is second, third, fourth priority.

We saw the Sixers prioritize defense this year, and they did to a big way. You look at what they've done. Their starting lineup has some of the most length that you could ever maybe seeing the history of the NBA, versatile defenders who can guard multiple positions. Al Horfords, one of the most versatile big men defenders the league is seen in the last twenty five years. And then you have a point guard who six foot ten, who's extremely

long and like that. So they're putting out a lineup that is one of the tallest, most athletic, and most intense talented defensive lamps we've ever seen. To construct a roster shaped with that composition, the Sixers did several headline deals, Tobias Harris resigning right away, the dramatic edition of Richardson, an assigning trade with Miami Heat, and the crafty procurement

of Horford from the Celtics. But for as much change as there was to the seventy sixers projected starting lineup going into this year, the bench underwent a considerable overhaul as well, with four new faces joined the mix. The end result is, as wind Horse described, a squad that is massive, athletic, explosive, versatile, smart, defensively inclined and deep.

Expectations are understandably high, not just externally but internally as well. Yes, you know you're gonna be together for a long season. I'm looking for us, so we gotta do that. We got huge goals obviously the angle used to win it all. Uh and um, I gotta be the man cot liss uh to make it happen. Uh. So you know I gotta do my job as a leader. I gotta need those guys. I'm gonna need them. Uh, they're gonna need me. So we all gotta do whatever we supposed to do.

Taking the temperature of the team the last few days, it's clear there's a sense of focus and readiness about the group. The head coach has been sticking to a measured outlook since his first down of the season with reporters. For his annual media luncheon back in September, Brown has been stressing potential and patience. Yes, the Sixers do have a wealth ability, he's acknowledged, but that doesn't mean the team will be a finished product to come game one.

Talent and time. Talent and time Brown's refrain has been steady the past month. It's early days. And I said, and I'll say it probably many many times in front of you all talent does not trumpet time, and like what does that mean? I do? I feel like I know,

I know what it means. You've got to like stay sane, you know, we got to stay sane and like try to grow this thing where we can really feel responsible, where we've delivered something as perfect as perfect as we can make perfect in April fifteenth, and that's the end. That's the excitement and the responsibility. I feel. That's no

arbitrary date that Brown throughout there. April fifteenth is the final day of the regular season, and for all intents and purposes, if we're calling it like it is, that's when judgment day for the seventy Sixers will really begin. The Sixers of the last two seasons absolutely rightfully had their rise on the Larry O'Brian Trophy, but to a certain extent, they were also still trying to figure out what they were capable of doing. In twenty eighteen, we

had a sense of what the Sixers could achieve. Then they showed us with an inspired run last spring The Sixers appeared to be even more formidable heading into the postseason, but they ran into an unstoppable force and his teammates of destiny. This year, the Sixers credit from everyone who's up in Camden to down in Wilmington, Delaware. The rallying cry is the same. It's a parade down Broad Street. The Sixers truly believe it might be in the cards,

and you can't blame them. Expectations are being fully embraced. It's now time to see what row the seventy Sixers trap. This is really kind of the new focus on the Eastern Conference. The Sixers are a new team and a new contender, and they have star power, and they're doing something rather audacious with this roster. It's not that often that you say goodbye to an All Star and bringing an All Star in the same offseason, and an off season where they were maybe one shot away from wing

the NBA titled and that's hard to hear. But at the same time, it's off of the truth, a truth that very much seems to be fueling the seventy Sixers as they start a new That's our opening tip for this week, and this is a general tip on how you might be able to get into the center to catch some seventy Sixers games in South Philadelphia this season.

Partial plans are on sale now. A limited number of partial season ticket plans have been reserved for the general public, and now is your chance to get in on yours. Enjoy discount on ticket pricing and interest free monthly payment plan,

playoff priority and more. For information, go to Sixers dot com slash parcels, or you can email tickets at seventy six ers dot com or pick up the phone call two on five three three nine seven six seven six for more details on seventy six Ers partial season ticket plans.

In our opening tip segment, we heard a couple of soundbites from several prominent NBA of media personalities, people like Rachel Nichols, Stephen A. Smith, Charles Barkley, and Brian Winhorst, and as I bring in two additional reputable NBA media personalities talking about Tom McGinnis from the seventy six Ers Rader Network getting ready for another season behind the mic and Von Gibbs, who you can always hear on the mic after six Ers games on in the post on

our flagship radio station ninety seven five the fanatic. I gotta ask you guys, going back to media day, there was such a strong national media presence at the seventy six or training Complex and Camden. They've been a talking point on nationally syndicated talk shows, on podcasts, TV shows. Is the hype justified? Is this degree of hype appropriate? I totally agree with what they're saying. The hype is out there and I think it's real with what the

team has been put together. The way Elton Brand has again pivoted from moving on from two very important players and JJ Reddick and Jimmy Butler, to what you've comes to have now with Al Horford and Josh Richardson and your starting lineup and keeping Tobias Harris here as well. The way that we've looked at this league the last few years with the Golden State style and you're trying to keep up with them. Not many people can keep up with them. You have to go with your own style.

Even the Houston Rockets went with their own style may not have work to get them to the finals and ultimately the championship. You have to go with your own style, and Elton Brand decided we're going with our own style, which is big, and we have these two franchise players, these all stars in Joel Embiad and Ben Simmons. Now let's go get these other pieces. Even though shooting is so huge in today's game. Let's go big, let's go large, and let's make them stop us. So we're not conforming

to the rest of the league. Let's see what the league now does with all of the adjustments that we have made to our roster, plus the bench, the versatility overall, with what this team is, I think the hype is real, and I think the hype is warranted with what this new team looks like. I would agree good points all Devon and so because it is it's a roster that is, you know, doesn't have a lot of holes. You know that you have really good players at every spot, you

have great bench. It's certainly, I think, the without question, the deepest roster the Sixers have had since even the eighty three, going back to the eighth three championship team, I mean even the two thousand and one team that won the Eastern Conference. You know, this roster, man for man, is better than those that team, and that team was

built around a superstar. But it was built a certain way, whereas this you got a five time All Star now Horford, an up and coming young player, and josh as Davan said, Tobias Harris, and then two All Stars and two players that are going to continue to get better, and Joel and Ben. But without question, you can see why there's a lot of attention about the Sixers and right now deservedly. So I'm sure you guys get questions like this from people to you in your lives who are close to you,

whether it's family members or friends. They may say stuff like, man, this has got to be such a fun gig for you right now because the team is so great and it's winning now and it's successful, and that's true, but I guess more from like a journalistic and broadcasting background, what excites me is when things change. Now obviously it's better when things change for the better or not the worst, but when there's fresh storylines and things are constantly changing.

So last year was really fascinating from that point because the Sixers had essentially three different teams, and now this year it's kind of like a fourth different team, and me personally, I'm really excited and app to get to know guys like Josh Richardson and Al Horror a little bit better. And that's not even mentioning what they're going

to bring to the team on the court. But this does to me feel like a different team, not just in terms of personnel, but I think probably in the way we're going to see the team play right well without doubt. And as far as change, like you say, there probably won't be as much changed as there has been, even not just last year, but leading up to this. And Okay, so you're talking about outside forces and how

they say the excitement, it's a different Now. Last year the Sixers had big expectations and internally everybody realizes this is the time. But it's certainly not anything we're used to. And I say that as a collective whole, like as an organization, because they were on the rise. And now that's the only thing when everybody comes up to you and says this is you know, it's it's a little

bit different. And I'm bullish also, but it's a teeny bit of trepidation where it's expected, it's it's nothing is given, you know, even if again, even if you I go back to the Utah Jazz teams, and even if you make the finals, even if you win the championship, it's a whole new year. This is a whole new team with new players, and even the players that are back, it's a new dynamic because others aren't here. It's a new season. So it's going to be exciting and to

watch it unfold though we really don't know. That's the whole thing. Like you know, people make projections in a given game about a season. It's sports. You don't know what's going to happen. That's why live events are so cool. And that from our position to be able to call the games and watch it unfold, that that is exciting. So there probably are going to be an innumerable number of exciting moments. And you've got great storylines with Matisse

Thybel and you know, Tobias getting a bigger role. But it is a different vibe and that it's it's almost like I said, it's expected. And you know, no longer are the Sixers the hunters. Now in a way, they're at the top. They're the hunted because they are expected to get to the Eastern Conference finals and potentially to the NBA Finals. And you know, last year toward the end. I remember saying to Brett Brown, all right, it was to the postseason. Everybody expected you guys to win fifty games,

and now it's all about the playoffs. And he kind of took a look at me. He's like, well, I'm glad you guys had his pencils in fifty games because as a coach, right, you know, that's not an easy thing. I mean, it's when they did it, you know, two years in a row. It hadn't been done for sixteen years prior. So that's all I'm saying is that it's not it's easier said than done. Now now is the time for the part of doing and executing and getting it done as you build for what you hope would

be a seven eight month season. And that part, if you bar the phrase that new norm from across the street with the football team, the new the new norm, of course, is the fifty wins that's to be expected. Now it is time to your point taking that next step of being the hunted instead of being the hunter. Because we've seen the two playoffs series dropping in the second round in the last two seasons. It's about progressing

from there now. And the one thing that I do like about everything that you just said, and Brian is talking about what this team is. There's no more iterations of this team. This team is together from day one and if they're able to do what they need to do by implementing everything that Brett Brown and coaching staff wants to do and how they want to play, they

don't have to unless something changes. They don't have to get things together in November when a new player comes in and you're moving someone out, and the same thing

at the trade deadline and possibly the buyout period. Right now, this looks like this is what's going to be, at least with the starting five of that rotation, and that's great to have going in with those expectations where these big things come from the national perspective from a lot of people, the family and friends that talk to all

of us about these expectations for this basketball team. I think the continent nuity that they are able to put together from the very beginning from day one, even before they started camp, when they get together for the open runs, and now you hear about Tobias Harris getting the team together, that veteran leadership, just everybody bonding early. They're gonna need

each other and that we know that. You know that, Brian, you know that as well, that this is going to be hopefully a special season and if it is to come the expectations that come with it, can they handle now being the hunted? Can they handle all of it that goes with it? And I think being together from the very beginning may help with that. Tell me if you're with me about this, and I don't think you necessarily need to be talk show host, radio broadcaster, reporter

to get this type of sense of a team. I'm thinking of the Eagles in the early two thousands. I'm thinking of the Phillies in like the mid two thousands after the World Series run, where there's a point in the team's timeline where you're still may the ascent, but then you get to the ascent and you're still expected to maintain your perch at the top. And I always wonder with those teams, you know how much of that

is a crippling or suffocating effect. Like I'm just amazed that the Golden State Warriors know how to pace themselves to get back the finals year after year after year, and Lebron James doing that the exact same thing with the sixers right now, they might be the hunted, but when I'm picking up on just being around the guys, they're this energy and freshness and excitement because they still feel like they've got to continue that climb, right Like they didn't peek out at losing Game seven in the

second round to Toronto last year. I still feel like, especially for the guys like Joel and Ben and even Brett and Elton in particular, there's like work to be done still well. And that's why the bitter taste of losing in the second round last year and in the previous spring, you've got to let that linger a little bit. It's like the baseball seasons winding down, teams are getting

knocked out. When you see a team on the field celebrating and then they show that shot, you know it's the agony of defeat where the guys are still in the dugout and boom, their season just came to a crashing halt, and they're staring out there watching the other team celebrate, and obviously they're processing, Wow, it's over. That's not us. We had all those expectations the same thing in basketball, So to feel that bitter taste and never

let it go away, to let that fuel you. That's what an athlete, you know, you got to you gotta find motivation. These guys, these pro players, they find it in many different forms. To your point about getting to the top. Look at the Patriots, you know, especially the way the NFL is today, like they get back there

all the time. That's incredible. It may never happen again with the way that that thing is set up salary cap wise, and and the other part of that, the other side of the coin is that you have veteran players. You have even Joel and Ben, they've done it before. They've gone through the sea, and they've gone through the playoffs, and so they kind of they're going to be better at knowing how to handle it and getting up for you know, each and every game and meeting the challenge.

And that's where guys like like Horford and even players like Kyle O'Quinn that have been around are going to be beneficial to the group in terms of helping to steer through, you know, the waters, even if it's dull water, you know what I mean, even if it's not rocky white Caps that you have to navigate through. Even if it's getting through December and January and pushing through like the quote unquote the games you're supposed to win. So it's a yeah, it's not easy to stay at the top.

But oh, by the way, and I go back to the phrase, you know the Sixers are looking to achieve sustained success, you better get used to it, and you better get you know, you know, understand that this is how it's going to be. You look at Al Horford, He's been in the playoffs every year, and at some point you want to be able to say that for Joel and Ben, they've been in the playoffs ten straight years. Well, you can't project forward a decade, but you can certainly

take care of the third straight year. And you've got to do that right now. So it's mindset, it's pacing, and yet when it comes time to play at the right moment, playing all out and making sure you play with that energy and drive that keeps you at the top, I'm not sure you guys thought all in all, I felt the preseason was a success for the teams, got through it healthy. Four wins and a loss seemed like things on one side of the floor especially, there's a

lot of promise there and came together. I'm going to kind of put you on the spot, and I'll do the same with myself. Even though I've had a little bit of time to think about it, I'll admit it and ask you about things that might be able to translate and carry over from the preseason to the regular season. Why don't we start tom We'll go with you, d Why don't we go with the defense. The seventy sixers had the I think second best defense in the preseason.

How much do you think of what we saw from the defense is going to carry over into the regular season. Where do you think the defense has room to grow? I'm glad that's where you went, because that's the first thing I was going to say, was the defense. I think that's easily the one thing that we can point out to, or I can point out to and say, I think this carries over into the regular season. It's

what Elton Brand again built this team on. To know that this team defensively will be able to hold up against most teams around the league, and that's going to help if they have some issues on any given night with their offense. Is their defense going to be able to carry Sometimes we may see that ninety eight to ninety two win because down the stretch they had to win with their defense, making free throws, protecting the basketball,

things of that nature. So yeah, I think the defense that we saw during the preseason is exactly what we're

gonna get. And I think we're also going to see it ramped up with having the opportunity to see James and Is out there on the floor a little more the way that Matisse Thiable has performed with that, where now Brett Brown can go a little while sometimes with this lineups where it can be Ben Simmons, Matisse Thiable, Josh Richardson, James Ennis and Al Horford or Joe ellen b however he wants to do it, it's gonna be.

I can't wait. That's the one. I cannot wait to see how creative Brett Brown and Emmy Udoka are putting together the defensive strategy here with so many different things. Yes, these teams are going to try to counter with oh yeah, you're big, let's go small. Okay, Well, we have that versatility that Town was talking about, where you can go with so many different layers of seventy sixers defense here.

I think that carries over to the regular season and hopefully, as we know, later on in the postseason, and that's to build off that for a second time, defense is what everyone in the other building we're taping this podcast in the Charles Barkley conference room of the seventy sixers business office in Campden, and across the street fifteen second walk is the basketball operations building. I mean, that's what

I think. If you ask everyone over there, to a person, what they think could get this team to where they ultimately want to go collectively, it's defense, right, I agree, And because I don't think your three point shooting is going to be as successful as it had been in years past and maybe even season's past. So to Devan's point about the scores potentially being lower, it's very It's funny because Brett Brown always says, if it's ninety two ninety two, I'm like, if it's nineteen ninety two, it's

usually the third quarter, no question. I don't know if it's gonna be ninety eight ninety two either, because it's usually one hundred and fourteen and twelve on the rare night.

But no, I think to your earlier point, Brian about Elton Brandon, the sixers, constructing the team and going with their strength in terms of the height and the du Yeah, I think that's going to have to be a their calling card, and that's how coach Brown wants the team to be defined, has been that way since he got here, in terms of defense ruling the night, and then there are times I think you're going to have to have

that be the case. Now getting back to the whole preseason concept, the one thing I would say, like you mentioned to devand about the defense, offensively, each different different players had good subsets of play, but not everybody. I mean, they played well, they lost that last game. It's Washington to me. I think what's kind of exciting is because now you're going to see, now that the season starting normal rotations, guys are going to kind of know where

their time. They're going to play together longer. Ben missed a couple of games, Joe set out the game in North Carolina, and so you know, like Tobias had his moments in the preseason, Joel ended up pretty strong in the last two games where and now you're going to see a little bit of a coming together for consistent minutes and as a group that that's what's exciting because again going back to the earlier point I made it,

it's going to take time. It's a new group, it's a new season, and they have they want to come out swinging, but it's going to take time. They have a big road trip early in the season. They have those two road games coming up over the weekend in Detroit and Atlanta. But for them to kind of meld, and that's what a great team does. That's one of my most favorite things. Two things the competition and how guys rise to the challenge, both individually and as a team.

That is, these guys are incredible athletes, and it seem to compete and to get after it with the drive is to me so enticing. It's what brings you back. And secondly, during games, they're forty eight minutes and the season is so long. At different points in games and in seasons, different guys have their moments and that's how it'll be early on, but collectively, it's all gonna mesh at some stage, and that's when you become really potent.

And that's when you step back and go, wow, look at the potential here, Look what we just watched and what could this turn into? All right, So item number one for the potential carryover from the preseason of the regular season. The seventy sixers defense. Another area Tom that I thought the Sixers did really well and throughout the preseason on the glass overall, specifically the offensive rebounding. They

crushed opponents in terms of their second chance opportunities. And I know that Brett Brown will say he hasn't placed much in preseason stats. I certainly am not nearly as knowledgeable in basketball comes to a Brown, But I think there's some merit though. Two trends and what you see, and we saw two weeks worth of trends, and there are four points better than the next closest team in the league in terms of second chance scoring for the preseason.

I think that that's something that's telling. And clearly, given the size this team now has, you think they could probably back that up. You would hope, Yeah, no, no doubt about it. And a lot of this, again, like you say, has to do with size and then offensive reboundies of mentality, you know, just still getting after it, and you're right, that can help to make up if the three point shooting is not where it was last year. I don't know what the final number was, but where

the average eight, nine, ten made threes a game. That type of getting more opportunities obviously is beneficial. And then coach probably has three other reasons why he doesn't put stock in preseason numbers, but one of them might be because he's trying combinations. It's not going to be kind of what I just talked about, but like you say, that's certainly something that did occur five times, so it does seem like that's going to be a part and pusher,

you would hope. But that's effort like defense and offensive rebounding those types of things. That's gut check time and so and I think the Sixers are pretty strong in that area. And again I think the size and athleticism

helps out. And where I think that's important in that area, Tom is if you are with where forecasting things and maybe the shooting is not as it was the past few years, there may be some more opportunities, so those second chance points, those rebound opportunities offensively could be there for you. And you have so much size, guys just crashing in glass knowing where the shot is going, the

box out. If we're talking about the want to somebody like our Horford we know is going to box out and that may leave an opportunity for someone else to get there. And if Josh Richardson is sometimes at the top of the perimeter, he's handling some things a little bit to Bias Harris as well, that leaves Ben simm Is roaming around a little bit. With his size as well, those chances could be there for him to also clean

up some mess. This might be a little bit of a wonky staff to look up or trying to force feed a narrative, but one thing that states me about the preseason games was just how frequently Joel Embiid got to the foul line. So I looked up, let's level it out on a per thirty six minute basis and see how many free throw attempts Joel was generating the preseason,

and that number was fourteen point six. So then I was like, okay, perfect world, When was the last time someone average at least fourteen free throws per game on average in a season? And you'd have to go back to the year before this franchise's first title sixty one sixty two Wilt Chamberlain. Wow, the closest anyone's gotten to fourteen and a half was shock and that was in the Lakers title season two thousand, two thousand and one when they beat the Sixers. So he averaged just over

thirteen free throws a game. If Joel Embiid can impose his will, and I know that there's a lot going on in preseason games that are funky and whatever. The Sixers, their competition was what it was, but that's going to do so much for this team too. I mean, you talk about, hey, well, if we remove some of these players, we don't have the perimeter offense work we make up

points in certain areas. Joel continuing to get to the free throw line and oh, by the way, until that ten second crazy delay of game violation from the line, he'd only missed one foul shot. I think it was thirty attempts at that point. I think he was twenty nine for thirty. That's crazy. And the number one thing,

of course, is he can make those. And what's great about it also is as much as we love how he can shoot from the perimeter because it's an option, it's a weapon for him and for the team where we know he can really get his work done is dominating in the post, and there are not a lot of people who can defend him on the low block. With his variety of moves, his touch, everything that goes with it, He's going to get to the free throw line. And then I will also help things when the double

team comes. And if he's able to see those double teams coming and the other teammates are moving and cutting as they know they should, they're going to be other scoring opportunities, maybe some easy looks, some easy buckets for them. But if he can somewhere in that per thirty six, get that fourteen free thrills the game with him shooting let's say eighty plus a night, a clip for him from the free throw line, that's gonna be a big key for how this team moves and how the other

team is getting those guys in foul trouble. I mean, that's that's important. You get them in foul trouble. When you get that starter out of there and the backup is now in there, then you've caused some trouble for the opposition. It's amazing just how he continually he kind of baits the opposition to foul with the rip through move. In other words, he holds the ball firmly around his waist to his chest area with two hands, and you know the guy reaches and then booming starting he goes

on the upward motion. He gets to the line and to the bonds point. Oftentimes, Okay, now the starter's got two files in the first four or five minutes. Out here comes a second guy. He's not as good. He gets a follower too. Oh, now we're in the bonus.

He's going to the line. So the veteran guys, like for instance, against Detroit, you would think, and he's gotten drumming and fouled difficulty, you would think they'd be will to sit down, you know, in their stance and keep their hands out of the cookie jars sort of speak and not foul. Canter with Boston, but some of the younger players continually foul and bead and then you know, he's a handful when he's going to the basket, and you know he does, he draws a lot of foul.

It'd be an amazing thing if he were to get fourteen foul shots per game, and again late in the game. To have a guy be consistent and dependable at the line is a is a major bonus for a team when when your best players that capable a to stripe. I thought one of the uh the more I'm not gonna say funny, but I was entertained by one of the questions that Brett Brown's preseason media luncheon. It might have been like I think it was, and you guys

were both fair correct me if I'm wrong. I thought it was maybe the second or third question, and someone said to Brett essentially, all right, let's get right down to it. What is your crunch time offense? Like there wasn't even people I hadn't finished their pasta dishes or fakasha Brett, and we're talking, you know, first media available in the season, crunched time offense. And Brett, as he understandably, would say, it's like Joel Embiad is the crown jewel.

But I think there's options here. I mean, some nights it may not be able to be Joel simply by virtue of him not being available for regular season game. It might be one of his rest games that he's not out there. And I think this obviously circles back to Tobias Harris and while he's not a quote unquote new player, to this team. We saw him for a couple of months last year. It is going to be in a different role, and that could be just based on the fact that he's playing the three more than

he will probably be playing the four. I'm really excited to see what Tobias Harris does with this new opportunity because after years of being in one place and then another and being dealt and traded, he's in a committed situation here and this could really be what he has been searching for his entire career. I agree. So back to the crunch time. Like in general, Coach Brown likes to put people in positions to score through concepts, but late in claude and late in the game, you gotta

call a play and they do. And then even a play has an iteration or two where if not this, then this. But to your point, and this is what people talk about with this who's the go to guy? And that's what that question was Whomever asked that question, you know at that restaurant, as you say in that preseason sit down with coach, but it is sometimes difficult to get it to Joel and that he's on you want to get it to him as close to the basket as possible, and so obviously that's one thing, and

he's capable. And then you know, like Tobias, when he ISOs, oftentimes it's with a smaller player. You gotta remember he six nine and he doesn't mess around, you know, Like now, we haven't seen it a lot late, okay, because last year Jimmy Butler finished most of the games. They put him in space and gave him the ball. But Harris, he just turns, shoots and scores. So it'll be a boy if he could do that with the game on the line, or just pull up and shoot over somebody

off the dribble, that'll be you know. There you go, there's one thing right there. But when you have Horford and you know who's in picking pop scenarios is going to be involved, you definitely have some options. And as you say, it may not be the exact same thing every night. It may have different take on different forms

as the season moves along. And I think there are different ways of course, as you're talking about Tom, because even with Al Horford being that player for so many years who has done it and done it in different ways, and I'm sure he's won some games for wherever he's been in the past, and even Josh Richardson one name that may not be brought up a lot about it. He had a lot of work to do in Miami before coming here to Philadelphia and a lot of times

that offense ran through him. So in those key situations like that, Ken Brett Brown call on him when maybe he's the least expected of these starting five, if that is in fact the lineup that will be out there in crunch time for him to go get it. He does have the experience of in fact doing that. So it's we know it's going to come down at some point to Brett Brown having to call that type of

play all games. They're not going to be as wide a margin as some may want, and that he has many options I think that he can go to in that regard. But it's gonna be interesting too because a lot of times you don't see the big man as that close out, but he is the crown jewel and Brett Brown will call that number. And I'm sure Joel en Bie will step up to that challenge and it might be in making a play. Absolutely. Look at the

Brooklyn game, got a bit of a busted play. You know, but he's moving the talking about him finding Mike Scott in the corner, he's moving the ball to somebody else because he did command attention. And you know, like Coach Brown, like I guarantee he's been working on this the whole time, you know, like you just don't like, oh my gosh, it's we're high with thirty seconds, you know, like this, he is constantly going over this type of thing exactly

those scenarios even way before they happen. That's the preparation. And he talks about concepts and not being married to a certain specific play. And I think that with the different options the Sixers have that could play to their strength as well. This might segue nicely into another topic I wanted to hit with you guys before we wrap up. Speaking of having different options, and you mentioned Josh Richardson's name.

That brings us into discussion of what's happening when Ben Simmons is either not on the court or if they potentially slide him to another spot on the court like we saw in the postseason. So it seems like Richardson maybe even more that I'm not trying to put read Brett Browns or over interpret his thoughts, but it sounded like in the beginning of the preseason, the tone Brett had talking about Josh Richardson as the backup one was like, Yeah, he's done it, and I kind of want to see

where it is. But then it seemed like he was more and more intrigued by it as the preseason went along, where we saw him get the start talking about Richardson a point when Ben missed the final two preseason games. But then you also have Huel Nato and Trey Burke, two veterans that have been through it. They've been around, and I don't know, I almost kind of feel like this won't BA. Who is the backup at all times? It might be situational based on the opponent or what

the game needs. You need shooting, well, maybe there's one guy who can give you a little bit more than that. Do you need someone to break down a defense, there's another guy who give you a touch more than that. I don't know, what do you guys think of how the backup point guard role might be filled. That's what makes this so fun, because today's NBA, you don't always

necessarily need quote unquote a backup point guard. You can just have someone who can initiate the offense with what they do, and Josh Richardson, as Brett Brown alluded to, has done it in the past. We just talked about him being the guy from Miami for the most part if some of those players were down, and even Trey

Burke and how Nato coming in. What about Tobias Harris from time to time initiating things from the top of the key if he feels like, let me throw the defense off a little bit with Matistibel just handling the basketball to make things go with the motion offense that Brett Brown likes to run, and it doesn't necessarily have to do that. Ben Sims is gonna play a lot of minutes. We know that he's an All Star level player, He's a franchise player. He's going to play a lot

as the lead ball handler. But I think at first it will be Josh Richardson and then he will mix in situationally, Brian, as you pointed out Trey Burke, how Nato to see where it goes depending on who the team is. Who are the people also coming in with how Nato, who's coming in, So if there's a smaller player coming in from Team X and he wants to counter with another smaller player, you know, no disrespect to Trey Burk and how natso versus six six Josh Richardson,

that's where he's gonna go. He's gonna go with that one. Maybe match it up better and get a little creative that way. That's what again, what makes this team so fun. So many different areas that Brett Brown can go with. With how Elton Brand put this roster together, it's gonna

be great. Yeah. I was just gonna say Coach alluded to Friday prior to the game when Netto didn't play that he kind of already had an idea where he was gonna go and will like last year with Jonathan Simmons and James Ennis the third he set up like a little tournament internally to see how those guys performed. Um. So, I think he made a good point, Brian. There are there's there's certainly a multiple options in those three things. Um with Richardson and Netto and Trey Burke and definitely

and Shake Shake saw some time. Shake's gonna play too. And I just think that Burke we all know he

can score. There. There's gonna be a game a series of games, whether it's week or month or whatever, where he comes in and just racks up points because there's gonna be times you need that, and he has that capability as a proven score who's explosive, who all of a sudden he gets you ten points in a pivotal quarter versus so and so, And you look back and remember that Trey Burke game, and so he's got that. And then Netto has been very impressive in all areas.

I mean, he's he's really I thought he looked pretty good so far, pretty steady, right, yeah, good good, not just hold to hold it down, but good. Yes, you won't have to stay assigned to the date range I'm about to give you. You can jump in when and wherever. But we'll start with Tom go to divon and then I'll wrap it up. And this will bring to a

close our season preview edition of the podcast. We'll play a game that I like to call in two months, in about five months, and then in about seven months. What are we gonna be talking about? So tam Mac two months from now, which would put us right around Christmas, Milwaukee Bucks coming into South Philadelphia. First Christmas Day game in South Philly and who knows, hell, you have to

go back to the eighties. What do you think we'll be talking about in terms of the seventy six or two months into the regular season, Well, hopefully everything we've

touched on. Do you know what I'm saying? Where the defense is ruled the day they're they've made up for this or that, you know, with you know all the different areas, and you know, you'd like to be sitting on top of the division, and you'd like to be whatever it is, eight or ten games over five hundred at that stage, and you know they've again they it's it's a road heavy schedule early for that first month or so when you consider, you know that, as I said,

the two games in Detroit and Atlanta, then you go out and you face Portland, Phoenix, Utah, Denver, come home for just a couple days and go back out and you face Oklahoma and I believe Cleveland is in that room, maybe Orlando and a back to back. So you know, I don't know that the Sixers are going to be you know, twenty five and two and so getting better.

I mean that that's what a coach looks at, that we are progressing that you know, Knockwood, everybody has stayed healthy, that the roles are beginning to identify themselves, that all these things, the depth and the versatility have proven in

game situations to be true. And that you know, the six this group, this nineteen twenty sixers team is beginning to create an identity like who we are conceptually is going to be a defensive team, all those everything that we've discussed, and that is that has you know, been said about the Sixers, that it starts to show it in fruition through the first couple months of the season.

That's after two months and six months, mister vin, What are we gonna be saying about the seventy sixers when they get ready to wrap up just about the twenty nineteen twenty regular season in the middle of April seeding. Where are you in the Eastern Conference? And not only in the Eastern Conference, because of course you want whole fill advantage if you get to the Eastern Conference finals, But you also look at the Western Conference and the way things are so stacked out West as they have

been for the last few years. Is there a possibility like last year where Toronto face Golden State and you are maybe second in the conference, but you're still ahead of the Western Conference team that's representing the West Coast Western Conference team in the NBA Finals, where we're talking about the Sixers hosting game number one of the NBA Finals here in Philadelphia at the Center, So I think that seeding is is definitely going to be there. And

number two, the health of Joel Embiid. Brett Brown talks a lot about how, yes, we want to see the regular season Joel Embiid and him being his dominant self, and of course he wants to be defensive Player of the Year and you need games and minutes and statistics

to do those things. But when it all comes down to it, since we did not see the best of him against the Brooklyn Nets and in Toronto Raptors for the eighteen nineteen playoffs, how healthy is Joel embi going to be as we get ready to walk into as the number one seed with the health of Joel Embiid, your best player getting ready for those series. My math

was off in the beginning. The name of this game for anyone out there who really wants to play with your family and friends, huddle around the fireplace and give it a try. Two months, six months, eight months, so team act two months. Divin died six months, I'll do eight months. Sure. I know I might be the ultimate hype man and a real taky guy at all times, but I don't know. I feel like I wouldn't say this unless there was a reason to say it. I feel like there's a very good chance that the seventy

sixers will still be playing basketball. Maybe they'll be done freshly done by June fifteenth. I think a lot of that at is a driven by the roster that the team has put together, but also the way the Eastern Conference is now looking as well. I think that those two factors could align nicely to help the seventy Sixers get back in the finals for the first time since two thousand one. Don't know what's going to happen after that?

Who knows? Who knows all of this? I know with you guys too, is said with a caveat and full display disclaimer of the team being healthy. That's that's a must. But I think rap time this back to the beginning, there's there's every reason for the talk to be as it has been about this team. I've been looking pretty dawn good. A lot of excitement looking forward to it

already fellas always a pleasure. Thank you so much, Cheers, Thank you man, Tom McGuinness your soundtrack to seventy Sixers Basketball on the Radio and Devon Gibbons the best hosting weeknights, posting on weekends, especially hosting all the time on ninety seven five to the Fanatic, where you can listen to each and every seventy six Ers basketball game this season. I hope you enjoyed this annual official obligatory season preview

edition of the podcast. We'll talk to you next week and at that point the season will be well underway and we'll discuss see it