Live Event The 2019 NBA playoffs thread - Round 1 and Conference Semi finals

Your foot was on the line. Mark it zero Khawi.
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Mar 26, 2008
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Embiid is not even close to fit enough to play that many minutes. He needs to mature a little if he wants to become the player he could be.

Was a +10 for the game. He sat for 3 minutes.

He came into the playoffs with a bung knee. He was visibly sick from Game 4. These are his numbers for the series



He's not perfect. It's also his third* season of NBA basketball.

*more like 2.5
 
May 13, 2008
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Was a +10 for the game. He sat for 3 minutes.

He came into the playoffs with a bung knee. He was visibly sick from Game 4. These are his numbers for the series



He's not perfect. It's also his third* season of NBA basketball.

*more like 2.5


He is unbelievable. No question. But is he doing everything to be as good as he could be? They alluded to it on the commentary today and have talked about it before. Apparently his diet is s**t and other details are not as professional as they should be. These details can lead to some of the injury and illness issues that seem to follow him everywhere.
 
Mar 26, 2008
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He is unbelievable. No question. But is he doing everything to be as good as he could be? They alluded to it on the commentary today and have talked about it before. Apparently his diet is **** and other details are not as professional as they should be. These details can lead to some of the injury and illness issues that seem to follow him everywhere.

How quickly people forget that at one point we didn't even think that he would ever play an NBA game. He's the last person people should be potting about his commitment to the craft, especially when we have no real insights into any of it.

I'm sure every NBA player under 25's diet could be better, but saying that it's the reason for his illness is a just another meaningless take. The indictment, if it should be pointed at anyone, is the Sixers front office for not finding even a replacement level worthy defensive big as his backup.
 
Sep 21, 2002
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He is unbelievable. No question. But is he doing everything to be as good as he could be? They alluded to it on the commentary today and have talked about it before. Apparently his diet is **** and other details are not as professional as they should be. These details can lead to some of the injury and illness issues that seem to follow him everywhere.

All that aside, I recall a game he played last season, 46 points, and most of them were in the paint with his back to the basket, and he was unstoppable. Now he spends way too much time trying to make 3s himself, and watching team mates' shots from the 3 point line. He needs to get more involved under the bucket. The diet thing is interesting, in view of the number of times he has claimed illness.
 
May 23, 2012
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All that aside, I recall a game he played last season, 46 points, and most of them were in the paint with his back to the basket, and he was unstoppable. Now he spends way too much time trying to make 3s himself, and watching team mates' shots from the 3 point line. He needs to get more involved under the bucket.

This is by necessity.

When Simmons is your point guard, spacing is going to be a real problem. Butler too is more of a slasher than a shooter. Right now, Embiid needs to be prepared to take those shots.

This isn't a new thing. It was no accident that Olajuwon's career hit its zenith when Houston played four out in the mid-90s. Its also no surprise that Budenholzer got more from Giannis and the Bucks by surrounding him with shooters, or that Magic got less from LeBron by taking the opposite tact. For as long as the Sixers are committed to making an Embiid/Simmons marriage work, they're going to have to get creative offensively.
 
Jun 7, 2012
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The only criticism of Embiid’s season that I have, is what is he doing playing 54 of 58 games before the All-Star break at 34 minutes per game? For a guy with his injury problems he should be getting the Kawhi treatment and making sure he’s ready come playoffs time. He only played 10 of 24 games post All-Star and wasn’t close to 100% during the playoffs. I hope we don’t see that again.
 
May 9, 2013
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I have a feeling the way Kawhi has gone in the playoffs it might be quite a regular thing for superstars to play 60-65 games.

And that's going to suck for the league.

Obviously you have to be an elite team to be able to do it as the team still needs to be winning half of the games without their star.

But there's no reason to think it wouldn't work for a Harden, Steph/KD or GA.
 
I have a feeling the way Kawhi has gone in the playoffs it might be quite a regular thing for superstars to play 60-65 games.

And that's going to suck for the league.

Obviously you have to be an elite team to be able to do it as the team still needs to be winning half of the games without their star.

But there's no reason to think it wouldn't work for a Harden, Steph/KD or GA.

Could be some push back from the stars themselves. Hard to chase down existing records if you are sitting 15-20 games.

These guys still want to be in the book.
 
Sep 21, 2002
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I have a feeling the way Kawhi has gone in the playoffs it might be quite a regular thing for superstars to play 60-65 games.

And that's going to suck for the league.

Obviously you have to be an elite team to be able to do it as the team still needs to be winning half of the games without their star.

But there's no reason to think it wouldn't work for a Harden, Steph/KD or GA.

I think that Kawhi spent most of this season reacclimatising to the rigours of NBA basketball and now he's back to the Kawhi we knew prior to his injury, he'd probably be up for more games next season. Then again, if you look at it, if it's okay for teams to play at 2nd gear for most of the regular season, then why not individual players. I understand the reasons for a 82 game season, but I still think it's way too many games.
 
May 9, 2013
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Could be some push back from the stars themselves. Hard to chase down existing records if you are sitting 15-20 games.

These guys still want to be in the book.

That's fair. But I could also see sitting games help prolong a guys career, which sort of makes up those games missed.

Also, I think a lot of players prefer winning over the records. They'd rather be a Curry than a Westbrook.
 
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