I Do Not like Philly's Roster

[celticsclay]

The bubble Lakers set the precedent that a team with two top-five players and little else can win a championship, with some good fortune.  And Embiid has certainly made his case that he's on that level this season. 

Harden has not.  Maybe it's just a matter of playing his way back into shape.  Or maybe he can't, or doesn't want to, put in that effort anymore.  Dude is 32 and certainly seems to be more about partying than anything else nowadays.  If he has another year or two left where he can dial up that MVP-candidate form he had in Houston, then Philly is a contender.  If that level of ball is behind him, then I believe they are not.

I kind of think a realistic window for Philly is 2 years, considering the likely arc of their stars in their respective careers. They are on the same timeline and that time is now.

Lakers model is a bit more specific, I’d reckon: two *two-way* top-five stars… that is, Lebron and AD were both offensive and defensive menaces. Harden is a net-neutral on defense at best.

The Sixers have a much better supporting cast than the Lakers had though.  I mean Danny Green was starting in the playoffs and may very well have been the Lakers 3rd best player that season.  He was in the same general range as KCP, Kuzma, and Caruso.  Harris is significantly better than anyone else on the Lakers.  Maxey is probably better as well.  Thybulle is an elite defender.   Green isn't as good as he was, but is still respectable.  Niang is a very strong bench player.  Milton can score even though his shooting is off this year.  So yeah, Embiid and Harden are not as good as James and Davis were, but the rest of the team is significantly better.   Harris alone just really sets them apart as a 29 year old that over the last 4 seasons has averaged 19.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, and 3.0 apg shooting 52% from 2 and 39% from 3.  He is now their 3rd option making him one of the best 3rd options in the entire sport.

I agree Harris is better than the Lakers third option, but you don't really need a third option when you have Lebron after three months of resting and a healthy motivated AD. KCP, Kumza, Caruso, a younger Green and Rondo who played really well after the bubble rest also are at least comparable to the 76ers and are probably better. You are really completely glossing over the fact that Milton, Fork and Thybulle are 3 of the worst 3 point shooters in the entire league this season (which is not surprising you are acting like it doesn't matter, but I know you know it does). Those three are basically all shooting 30% or worse over a 50 some game sample. That is insane! By comparison KCP shot 39% for the entire season during the Lakers championship. Caruso was a 34% (and 40% in the playoffs). Heck even no shot Rondo was at 33% making Thybules 28% look pedestrian. Given how important spacing is, particularly in the playoffs glossing over this and acting like the 76ers don't have absolutely pathetic shooting (and fork and milton can barely defend either) is just flat out ridiculous. If they can somehow get some shooters in the buyout market this would be immensely helpful. But they also badly need a backup center (bassey and 38 year old milsap make Lakers Dwight Howard look like Wilt). Lets not get back to the crazy old days of not admitting 76ers players are crappy when they are (long live Henry Sims, Tony Wroten and Isiah Cannan).

[SHAQATTACK]

The main street media loves anything outrageous,  they are fancy tabloids ….no matter how stupid the comments , the dishonesty,  trashy,  or plain stupid ……the unwashed public love the players of the Lakers , Nets curious weirdos and all the rest .  All that is on network Sports is the characters that feed the the imagination of the mindless masses in LA and NYC …..like Simmons and Kyrie .

[celticsclay]

The main street media loves anything outrageous,  they are fancy tabloids ….no matter how stupid the comments , the dishonesty,  trashy,  or plain stupid ……the unwashed public love the players of the Lakers , Nets curious weirdos and all the rest .  All that is on network Sports is the characters that feed the the imagination of the mindless masses in LA and NYC …..like Simmons and Kyrie .

I don’t think the mainstream media particularly loves the 76ers. (Though just about everyone likes Embid). I do agree the nets and lakers are beloved by them. The 76ers have just been overrated by a few well known posters on this board for about 10 years now. Which is weird, and definitely not normal. I though after okafor ended up in China, saric topped out as an average role player, noel topped out as a backup, simmons became a national laughing stock they would be a little more humble. But I was wrong. They never even made an ecf for Pete’s sake lol.

[pokeKingCurtis]

The main street media loves anything outrageous,  they are fancy tabloids ….no matter how stupid the comments , the dishonesty,  trashy,  or plain stupid ……the unwashed public love the players of the Lakers , Nets curious weirdos and all the rest .  All that is on network Sports is the characters that feed the the imagination of the mindless masses in LA and NYC …..like Simmons and Kyrie .

I don’t think the mainstream media particularly loves the 76ers. (Though just about everyone likes Embid). I do agree the nets and lakers are beloved by them. The 76ers have just been overrated by a few well known posters on this board for about 10 years now. Which is weird, and definitely not normal. I though after okafor ended up in China, saric topped out as an average role player, noel topped out as a backup, simmons became a national laughing stock they would be a little more humble. But I was wrong. They never even made an ecf for Pete’s sake lol.

Ok I was never high on the 6ers before this year. But this has gotta be one of the best 6ers team in recent years right?

Embiid is having a monster year.

Harden is better than anyone they've ever had.

[celticsclay]

The main street media loves anything outrageous,  they are fancy tabloids ….no matter how stupid the comments , the dishonesty,  trashy,  or plain stupid ……the unwashed public love the players of the Lakers , Nets curious weirdos and all the rest .  All that is on network Sports is the characters that feed the the imagination of the mindless masses in LA and NYC …..like Simmons and Kyrie .

I don’t think the mainstream media particularly loves the 76ers. (Though just about everyone likes Embid). I do agree the nets and lakers are beloved by them. The 76ers have just been overrated by a few well known posters on this board for about 10 years now. Which is weird, and definitely not normal. I though after okafor ended up in China, saric topped out as an average role player, noel topped out as a backup, simmons became a national laughing stock they would be a little more humble. But I was wrong. They never even made an ecf for Pete’s sake lol.

Ok I was never high on the 6ers before this year. But this has gotta be one of the best 6ers team in recent years right?

Embiid is having a monster year.

Harden is better than anyone they've ever had.

The team with butler, Harris, simmons, Embid, reddick, McConnell was clearly more talented than this team. Ironically that team, despite a big 4 was done in by not having a backup center which is one of the issues on the current team.

[pokeKingCurtis]

The main street media loves anything outrageous,  they are fancy tabloids ….no matter how stupid the comments , the dishonesty,  trashy,  or plain stupid ……the unwashed public love the players of the Lakers , Nets curious weirdos and all the rest .  All that is on network Sports is the characters that feed the the imagination of the mindless masses in LA and NYC …..like Simmons and Kyrie .

I don’t think the mainstream media particularly loves the 76ers. (Though just about everyone likes Embid). I do agree the nets and lakers are beloved by them. The 76ers have just been overrated by a few well known posters on this board for about 10 years now. Which is weird, and definitely not normal. I though after okafor ended up in China, saric topped out as an average role player, noel topped out as a backup, simmons became a national laughing stock they would be a little more humble. But I was wrong. They never even made an ecf for Pete’s sake lol.

Ok I was never high on the 6ers before this year. But this has gotta be one of the best 6ers team in recent years right?

Embiid is having a monster year.

Harden is better than anyone they've ever had.

The team with butler, Harris, simmons, Embid, reddick, McConnell was clearly more talented than this team. Ironically that team, despite a big 4 was done in by not having a backup center which is one of the issues on the current team.

Ok I forgot about that one. Getting Butler was amazing, but they only kept it together for 1/2 season. Unfortunate as a basketball fan, but as a fan of a pseudo-rival thank goodness. Weren't they the ones that went toe to toe with Kawhii, and lost to a Kawhii buzzer beater?

But aside from those Butler 6ers they've always just sort of been... there.

[celticsclay]

The main street media loves anything outrageous,  they are fancy tabloids ….no matter how stupid the comments , the dishonesty,  trashy,  or plain stupid ……the unwashed public love the players of the Lakers , Nets curious weirdos and all the rest .  All that is on network Sports is the characters that feed the the imagination of the mindless masses in LA and NYC …..like Simmons and Kyrie .

I don’t think the mainstream media particularly loves the 76ers. (Though just about everyone likes Embid). I do agree the nets and lakers are beloved by them. The 76ers have just been overrated by a few well known posters on this board for about 10 years now. Which is weird, and definitely not normal. I though after okafor ended up in China, saric topped out as an average role player, noel topped out as a backup, simmons became a national laughing stock they would be a little more humble. But I was wrong. They never even made an ecf for Pete’s sake lol.

Ok I was never high on the 6ers before this year. But this has gotta be one of the best 6ers team in recent years right?

Embiid is having a monster year.

Harden is better than anyone they've ever had.

The team with butler, Harris, simmons, Embid, reddick, McConnell was clearly more talented than this team. Ironically that team, despite a big 4 was done in by not having a backup center which is one of the issues on the current team.

Ok I forgot about that one. Getting Butler was amazing, but they only kept it together for 1/2 season. Unfortunate as a basketball fan, but as a fan of a pseudo-rival thank goodness. Weren't they the ones that went toe to toe with Kawhii, and lost to a Kawhii buzzer beater?

But aside from those Butler 6ers they've always just sort of been... there.

They just really regret their decision to let butler walk to cater to simmons and Brett brown. Butler still doing his thing hitting big shots for Miami tonight.

[KG Living Legend]

 The roster is hot garbage I'm sticking to that.  I remain skeptical Harden makes that much of a difference.  He can go hard for about 20 minutes,  after that Chunky Harden is going to be running on fumes and alcohol from the night before.

[pokeKingCurtis]

The main street media loves anything outrageous,  they are fancy tabloids ….no matter how stupid the comments , the dishonesty,  trashy,  or plain stupid ……the unwashed public love the players of the Lakers , Nets curious weirdos and all the rest .  All that is on network Sports is the characters that feed the the imagination of the mindless masses in LA and NYC …..like Simmons and Kyrie .

I don’t think the mainstream media particularly loves the 76ers. (Though just about everyone likes Embid). I do agree the nets and lakers are beloved by them. The 76ers have just been overrated by a few well known posters on this board for about 10 years now. Which is weird, and definitely not normal. I though after okafor ended up in China, saric topped out as an average role player, noel topped out as a backup, simmons became a national laughing stock they would be a little more humble. But I was wrong. They never even made an ecf for Pete’s sake lol.

Ok I was never high on the 6ers before this year. But this has gotta be one of the best 6ers team in recent years right?

Embiid is having a monster year.

Harden is better than anyone they've ever had.

The team with butler, Harris, simmons, Embid, reddick, McConnell was clearly more talented than this team. Ironically that team, despite a big 4 was done in by not having a backup center which is one of the issues on the current team.

Ok I forgot about that one. Getting Butler was amazing, but they only kept it together for 1/2 season. Unfortunate as a basketball fan, but as a fan of a pseudo-rival thank goodness. Weren't they the ones that went toe to toe with Kawhii, and lost to a Kawhii buzzer beater?

But aside from those Butler 6ers they've always just sort of been... there.

They just really regret their decision to let butler walk to cater to simmons and Brett brown. Butler still doing his thing hitting big shots for Miami tonight.

Oh there's that too. And now Simmons is gone (albeit for Harden). Bananas.

People talk about Olynyk over Giannis.

But man Jajuan Johnson over Butler. I remember Butler was tied to the C's, and I think he even admitted after the fact.

[Goldstar88]

The main street media loves anything outrageous,  they are fancy tabloids ….no matter how stupid the comments , the dishonesty,  trashy,  or plain stupid ……the unwashed public love the players of the Lakers , Nets curious weirdos and all the rest .  All that is on network Sports is the characters that feed the the imagination of the mindless masses in LA and NYC …..like Simmons and Kyrie .

I don’t think the mainstream media particularly loves the 76ers. (Though just about everyone likes Embid). I do agree the nets and lakers are beloved by them. The 76ers have just been overrated by a few well known posters on this board for about 10 years now. Which is weird, and definitely not normal. I though after okafor ended up in China, saric topped out as an average role player, noel topped out as a backup, simmons became a national laughing stock they would be a little more humble. But I was wrong. They never even made an ecf for Pete’s sake lol.

Ok I was never high on the 6ers before this year. But this has gotta be one of the best 6ers team in recent years right?

Embiid is having a monster year.

Harden is better than anyone they've ever had.

The team with butler, Harris, simmons, Embid, reddick, McConnell was clearly more talented than this team. Ironically that team, despite a big 4 was done in by not having a backup center which is one of the issues on the current team.

Ok I forgot about that one. Getting Butler was amazing, but they only kept it together for 1/2 season. Unfortunate as a basketball fan, but as a fan of a pseudo-rival thank goodness. Weren't they the ones that went toe to toe with Kawhii, and lost to a Kawhii buzzer beater?

But aside from those Butler 6ers they've always just sort of been... there.

They just really regret their decision to let butler walk to cater to simmons and Brett brown. Butler still doing his thing hitting big shots for Miami tonight.

Oh there's that too. And now Simmons is gone (albeit for Harden). Bananas.

People talk about Olynyk over Giannis.

But man Jajuan Johnson over Butler. I remember Butler was tied to the C's, and I think he even admitted after the fact.

C’s also brought  Siakam in for a private workout and were high on him going into whatever year that draft was, but they decided to go with the dancing bear instead. Smh.

[KG Living Legend]

The main street media loves anything outrageous,  they are fancy tabloids ….no matter how stupid the comments , the dishonesty,  trashy,  or plain stupid ……the unwashed public love the players of the Lakers , Nets curious weirdos and all the rest .  All that is on network Sports is the characters that feed the the imagination of the mindless masses in LA and NYC …..like Simmons and Kyrie .

I don’t think the mainstream media particularly loves the 76ers. (Though just about everyone likes Embid). I do agree the nets and lakers are beloved by them. The 76ers have just been overrated by a few well known posters on this board for about 10 years now. Which is weird, and definitely not normal. I though after okafor ended up in China, saric topped out as an average role player, noel topped out as a backup, simmons became a national laughing stock they would be a little more humble. But I was wrong. They never even made an ecf for Pete’s sake lol.

Ok I was never high on the 6ers before this year. But this has gotta be one of the best 6ers team in recent years right?

Embiid is having a monster year.

Harden is better than anyone they've ever had.

The team with butler, Harris, simmons, Embid, reddick, McConnell was clearly more talented than this team. Ironically that team, despite a big 4 was done in by not having a backup center which is one of the issues on the current team.

Ok I forgot about that one. Getting Butler was amazing, but they only kept it together for 1/2 season. Unfortunate as a basketball fan, but as a fan of a pseudo-rival thank goodness. Weren't they the ones that went toe to toe with Kawhii, and lost to a Kawhii buzzer beater?

But aside from those Butler 6ers they've always just sort of been... there.

They just really regret their decision to let butler walk to cater to simmons and Brett brown. Butler still doing his thing hitting big shots for Miami tonight.

Oh there's that too. And now Simmons is gone (albeit for Harden). Bananas.

People talk about Olynyk over Giannis.

But man Jajuan Johnson over Butler. I remember Butler was tied to the C's, and I think he even admitted after the fact.

C’s also brought  Siakam in for a private workout and were high on him going into whatever year that draft was, but they decided to go with the dancing bear instead. Smh.

 It was worse that that. In the 2016 draft we took Jaylen #3 Yabu_Smelly #16 and Zizic #23

 Siakim went #27

[pokeKingCurtis]

The main street media loves anything outrageous,  they are fancy tabloids ….no matter how stupid the comments , the dishonesty,  trashy,  or plain stupid ……the unwashed public love the players of the Lakers , Nets curious weirdos and all the rest .  All that is on network Sports is the characters that feed the the imagination of the mindless masses in LA and NYC …..like Simmons and Kyrie .

I don’t think the mainstream media particularly loves the 76ers. (Though just about everyone likes Embid). I do agree the nets and lakers are beloved by them. The 76ers have just been overrated by a few well known posters on this board for about 10 years now. Which is weird, and definitely not normal. I though after okafor ended up in China, saric topped out as an average role player, noel topped out as a backup, simmons became a national laughing stock they would be a little more humble. But I was wrong. They never even made an ecf for Pete’s sake lol.

Ok I was never high on the 6ers before this year. But this has gotta be one of the best 6ers team in recent years right?

Embiid is having a monster year.

Harden is better than anyone they've ever had.

The team with butler, Harris, simmons, Embid, reddick, McConnell was clearly more talented than this team. Ironically that team, despite a big 4 was done in by not having a backup center which is one of the issues on the current team.

Ok I forgot about that one. Getting Butler was amazing, but they only kept it together for 1/2 season. Unfortunate as a basketball fan, but as a fan of a pseudo-rival thank goodness. Weren't they the ones that went toe to toe with Kawhii, and lost to a Kawhii buzzer beater?

But aside from those Butler 6ers they've always just sort of been... there.

They just really regret their decision to let butler walk to cater to simmons and Brett brown. Butler still doing his thing hitting big shots for Miami tonight.

Oh there's that too. And now Simmons is gone (albeit for Harden). Bananas.

People talk about Olynyk over Giannis.

But man Jajuan Johnson over Butler. I remember Butler was tied to the C's, and I think he even admitted after the fact.

C’s also brought  Siakam in for a private workout and were high on him going into whatever year that draft was, but they decided to go with the dancing bear instead. Smh.

 It was worse that that. In the 2016 draft we took Jaylen #3 Yabu_Smelly #16 and Zizic #23

 Siakim went #27

I'd argue the Jimmy Butler one was a bigger miss because he was projected to go first round?

That was one of the last years I was able to follow the Celtics very closely (university/work after that).

[Moranis]

Beat the Bucks yesterday when the Bucks had their top 3 all healthy and still no Harden.  If they can incorporate Harden, they will be fine. 

[Celtics4ever]

The list of misses in the draft is long for us.   Every team does miss, but we have had a litany of blown picks.  It has become our norm and that is unacceptable.

[Who]

I am not sure I see a Championship team in this Philly team's roster.

I do love the Harden & Embiid 1-2 punch inside outside game. I am not completely sure there will not be problems with Harden adapting to playing alongside a guy like Embiid but this was well worth trying. Two terrific talents.

Tobias Harris is an uncertainty in my eyes. I like him as a 3rd option in most situations but I am not sure this situation will work for him. Both Embiid and Harden require so much of the ball that I am not sure T.Harris will be involved enough to be a good 3rd option. And he doesn't effect the game if he doesn't get enough touches. He needs the ball to be effective.

I do not like Thybulle next to Harden and Embiid. No way you can play a zero-spacing player like Thybulle next to those two guys. You could maybe get away with it next to Embiid by himself but not Harden and certainly not Harden & Embiid. Harden needs floor spacers to be his most effective self. Thybulle is going to be a major drag on the 76ers offense. Great opportunity for teams to cheat off of him and screw up Philly's halfcourt offense especially Harden's drives.

I am not sold on the Maxey & Harden partnership in the backcourt. I thought Maxey benefited a lot from not having to share the ball with any of their other guards this year. I am not convinced he can produce at a good level when asked to give up the ball. And I am not sure at all how well he'll play next to someone as ball-dominant as James Harden.

I like Danny Green as a 3+D guy. Even in decline, he is still Philly's best glue guy and will be a valuable piece. I like Forkmaz as a shooter. I know he hasn't shot the ball well this year but he can shoot. I am not writing that guy off. Niang is a solid backup PF.

The backup center slot is an issue but they should be able to get a vet buyout to fill that role. Millsap is a good 3rd string PF/C.

I have no idea what I think about Shake Milton. That guy is one of the most forgettable players in the league. I can never remember anything about him. So backup PG may or may not be a problem.

I expect Thybulle to continue to be a major problem for Philly in the years ahead as Morey becomes obsessed with his +/- numbers in the regular season against bad to average teams and overlooks how much of an issue Thybulle is in the postseason against elite teams who can gameplan against him in a 7 game series. Morey is the liability here more so than Thybulle.

----------------------

Yeah, they got a lot of individual talent but I am not sold the pieces fit. They look a team that is ripe for an upset from an inferior (individual talent wise) squad in the postseason.

What I will be most looking for in the remaining regular season games is (1) how Thybulle works next to Harden & Embiid (2) how Maxey & Harden work together (3) how T.Harris fares as 3rd option after two of the highest usage players in the league in Embiid & Harden.

A lot of what we can expect to see in the postseason from Philly will be answered in those 3 questions in the remaining regular season games. Then we can have a surer idea over these "fit" questions.