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Sixers

Morning Wood: Right Between The Legs

Kyle Scott

By Kyle Scott

Published:

Photo credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

This was a classic Dick Punch game. So canonical, in fact, that you’d be hard pressed to come up with any other words to describe blowing an 8-point lead in 1:39 and losing on a three-pointer at the buzzer. I just imagine that all 20,682 inside The Center actually got punched in the holy land at the exact same moment and that’s the sound you hear here:

Even Joshua Harris, a billionaire who one would think has never had to feel such pain, was smarting after this one*:

https://twitter.com/CrossingBroad/status/923360870519975937

Gettttttttt toooooooo the choppppppppppppppper. 

*There’s this perception that Harris doesn’t care about winning. I don’t think that’s true at all. He’s very emotive on the sidelines, comes to a lot of games, and genuinely seems to care more about the Sixers than the Devils, which, from my view, are just a surrogate to owning the Prudential Center, an arena in the New York metropolitan area. I mean, he was SITTING NEXT TO MEEK MILL during the opener. Imagine that conversation. What do those two men have in common? Besides dream chasing, it may only be their love of the Sixers.

Anyway, we can react in one of two ways to the loss: we can be disappointed that the Sixers turned in several inexcusable possessions down the stretch and ask real questions to the coach about late-game scenarios, or we can, I don’t know, be Ike Reese, not believe in dinosaurs, and tweet inanities like this:

There’s plenty to dislike about those last possessions – some of which is on Simmons – but The Fresh Prince’s inability to shoot is not one of them.

The difference between Simmons’ and Markelle Fultz’s shooting woes are that one guy was drafted without a shot and could become truly great if he develops one, whereas the other, Fultz, was drafted precisely because of his shot and seems to have misplaced it.

If you want to critique Simmons or Joel Embiid, it’s worth noting that both guys make classic “rookie mistakes” and get careless with the ball. More lackadaisical than anything. This Simmons turnover with 1:42 remaining hurt in hindsight:

Those soft passes have no place in the NBA. Simmons, Embiid and Fultz (in his limited action) occasionally do stuff like this, leading to turnovers or near turnovers. This is a problem that gets fixed with experience.

https://twitter.com/RipCityGoon/status/923354717958242305

Embiid, to his own right, had some issues. For a stretch in the third quarter he seemed more interested in besting Tarik Black, a mostly futile effort that resulted in a block, turnover and two free throws.

Both of these sequences feel like rookie mistakes– one out aggression, the other out of nonchalance.

But spare me the Ben Simmons can’t shoot narrative. The Sixers knew that the day they drafted him. The jumper will come.

If you want to cast blame for one singular item down the stretch, then get outraged at Brett Brown for not calling a timeout after Clint Capella hit a layup to cut the lead to five with 1:03 remaining. I was already sliding off my couch to go to the bathroom expecting a timeout which never came. How, with a young team, do you not call a timeout to regroup there?

Let’s Wood!

 

NBC Sports Philly

Last night was Authentic Fan night. I truly have no idea what that means, but it’s certainly part of a NBC Sports SE PA marketing initiative. There’s nothing wrong with it, I just… don’t get it. They handed out swag bags, and nothing says authentic like a sign that says “authentic”… with an NBC peacock on it.

Collars: I am secretly in love with how NBC decided to do away with CSN Sweaters in lieu of UNBUTTONED COLLARED SHIRTS. I am 98% convinced that there was a corporate mandate to wear ONLY collared shirts with the top button unbuttoned:

I’m thinking about starting a #NBCSportsCollars hashtag, but the problem is, EVERYONE LOOKS THE SAME. It’s like Rob Ellis got inside their closets and sprinkled office casual dust all over the clothes. Nothing says hip like Michael Barkann in a checked shirt and a brown blazer.

One other thing: I also enjoy how, in an effort to ESCHEW the dreaded hot take, they have just started calling inane segments HOT TAKES so they can act like they’re in on the joke when, really, it’s just the same content, but now self-aware, I guess?

 

Blue

I am a BIG fan of the Sixers’ branding in almost all regards. I love the blue court and the blue uniforms. But I’ve got to be honest, I’m not sure I like them together. Now, I’m not someone who hates the colors-at-home jerseys. In fact, I like how the NBA has relaxed the rules in this regard and allows for color-on-color matchups. But the blue uniforms on the blue court lack a certain contrast. It’s too blue. The Sixers have worn their blue jerseys every game so far this year and I think it’s time to switch it up. The white or red uniforms would provide much-needed contrast against the blue court.

And you know what? I bet it would be really cool if those yet-to-be-unveiled fourth jerseys were a light-colored throwback that would really pop against the blue court. Maybe something vintage looking that loosely resembles the Declaration of Independence. That would be something.

 

Forces at play

Look at the gravity Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid drew on this JJ Redick three-pointer:

There’s four guys in the paint with them and three open shooters on the perimeter, including one of the best in the league. DOWN IT GOES!

Also, Ben Simmons is fucking fast:

 

The stars

The best part of this video, by far, is Lil Dicky asking Meek for his number at the end.

Meek Mill and M. Night are locked in a fierce battle to be the Sixers’ superfan. I’d have to give Meek the edge right now based on the fact that he’s been to both games, sat next to the owner, and shot hoops with Lil Dicky. But M. Night swings big by bringing out the mega stars like Samuel L. Jackson.

 

Embiid almost killed Harden

After the game, Brett Brown spoke about being worried about Embiid: “The thud is still in my ears.”

And the pain from this one is still in my stomach.

Kyle Scott
Kyle Scott

Kyle Scott is the founder and editor of CrossingBroad.com. He has written for CBS Philly and Philly Voice, and been a panelist or contributor on NBC Sports Philly, FOX 29 and SNY TV, as well as a recurring guest on 97.5 The Fanatic, 94 WIP, 106.7 The Fan and other stations. He has more than 10 years experience running digital media properties and in online advertising and marketing.

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