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Will The Sixers Continue to Advance This Postseason? (PST Episode 511) · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

0:24
All right, everybody, you're listening to the Philadelphia Sports Table podcast show,
0:27
the longest running weekly Philly sports podcast show in the world. Thanks so much
0:31
for joining us here in April. As you know, as we have been
0:34
saying, celebrating our ten year anniversary, it is a great time to be
0:39
listening to the Philadelphia Sports Table. I'm Jeff Warren and I'm here at my
0:43
good buddy, Eric Leonard Man. Eric, how you doing. I know
0:46
we were talking a little bit before we hit the record button about some challenging
0:50
times with coaching youth in your community, and anyway, I hope, I
0:55
just hope you're doing well. And I can't wait to see you this weekend.
0:57
Buddy. I need a break, dude. I'm ready for this weekend.
1:02
Tonight was a rough practice my basketball team. I told you some of
1:06
the details. Um they're only ten, but I kind of it was one
1:11
of those I'm going to break you and you're gonna do things my way next
1:15
week. That was that kind of practice. They almost puking on the lapse.
1:21
I was making them do at the end of practice. Hey, you
1:23
play for me. That's that's how it goes. Team that was three zero.
1:27
We have a. We played the other undefeated team tomorrow night, and
1:30
if we win, man, this weekend is going to be very celebratory.
1:36
Yes, oh, I remember what you said in the text message, and
1:38
I'm looking for in to it. Buddy. I'm gonna make some purchases.
1:47
But yeah, I can't wait. Those kids better win, they better destroy.
1:56
Well. I'm gonna take him a side before the game, so you'll
1:57
listen. Guys, my friends are looking forward to something special. I can't
2:01
tell you what it is until you're like twenty one, but this is what
2:06
we're got to do this. I know that you've been busy, and you
2:10
know, I believe Len's been busy. I've been busy as well. Did
2:15
you have a chance to listen to last week's show that I put up at
2:16
all? It was it was the very first episode that Len and I ever
2:20
did. Did you have a chance to listen to that yet or not?
2:22
Not the whole thing, but but at the beginning. I want to hear
2:24
the beginning, because you just you did describe what it was what it probably
2:28
was, Yeah, and your description was dead on. Yeah, it was
2:31
you just a little fumbling kind of thing. L Yeah, yeah, and
2:38
n Hi, everybody like, I know, yeah, hello, because that's
2:44
weird. But no, but I get it though. My first I told
2:47
you my first show in April of twenty fourteen, I was like, hey,
2:52
guys, how are you doing? Yeah? I found it, Yeah,
2:54
super smooth, Like what the hell was I doing? I had no
2:57
idea, just as a mic in front of me, like it's like it
3:00
was just us three in your basement. Yeah, but I got a ball
3:04
of nerves and went into my cool cocoon to try and I have no idea
3:08
why. And then you'll played opposite of how I am right now, right
3:14
weird show. I found it. I found that in the hard drive that
3:16
I was able to recover. So yeah, we may have to play that
3:20
down the road as well. You should because we all need to be embarrassed
3:23
on the show, because I think some of the feedback we got in the
3:28
tenth year stuff was like, you guys are yourselves, and that's kind of
3:32
what we like the show. You're all friends. We feel like you were
3:37
part of the show and you kind of raging each other and you're yourself.
3:40
So that was kind of the cool takeaway in some of the Twitter comments I
3:46
saw, yeah yeah about the show. So I just wanted to mention an
3:49
email too, Eric, before we get into what we're going to be discussing
3:53
this week. We had our long time listener who was overseas right now.
3:58
Patrick. He said, Hey, guys, happy ten years, far longer
4:01
than many marriages. I found you guys in between overseas tours in twenty seventeen,
4:06
and y'all have been a great way to stay connected to Philly sports.
4:10
Been great to listen to y'all when the games are too late or when I
4:14
was up late with a baby. You guys have the rare ability to be
4:16
three friends on the air, but have the rest of us actually feel like
4:20
we're included nobs, hot takes or agendas, and y'all support all kinds of
4:26
local analysts. Keep it up, Patrick, Patrick Man, thanks so much
4:29
for the email there. Really appreciate you're you listening and just you know,
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I know so many folks out there have been sharing, you know, what
4:36
we've been doing for so many years, and we just really really appreciated everybody's
4:41
Thank you so very much. It's been very cool to celebrate ten years of
4:45
doing this podcast. And again Patrick, thanks so much. But like you
4:48
were saying, Eric, Patrick said in there. You know, it's like
4:53
we're trying to include everybody in this discussion of Philly sports and whatever else we're
4:58
discussing, you know, whether whether it's you coaching or you know, me
5:01
being sick with a virus on my vocal box earlier this year that was challenging.
5:05
Anyway, we'd like to bring everybody along for the ride. And and
5:10
I like I like Patrick a lot because he's one of those fans that like
5:14
he just straight up disagrees with us. Like he'll send his feedback like yeah,
5:17
Eric, don't like you're taking college basketball, and I'll be like note
5:21
taken, like I you know, but it's cool though, It's like,
5:25
yeah, I you know, I know what I'm gonna say, probably isn't.
5:29
It's not I'm not coming with a hot take. It's just my personal
5:31
opinion, and he doesn't like it. And cool. I don't agree with
5:34
him either. I I kind of like the way our our fans do kind
5:39
of its fans, so even say that I'm a listeners. Yeah, but
5:43
the way they way they feedback with us is really good. Like April and
5:46
uh and Simon, Um, you know, we do have good conversations over
5:51
Twitter or Instagram wherever. But uh yeah, I really like our like our
5:57
listeners ship, our fan base, every want to call it. It is
6:00
a nice it's a it's like normal people kind of interaction. It is.
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It is absolutely really quick, and I was I didn't even have this like
6:11
on our agenda or anything, but it reminded me of an email that came
6:14
in recently from another long time listener whose name is Aldo. I know we've
6:18
read his stuff in the past. He actually he actually like called this out
6:21
on something and I've responded to him and like kind of like thanking him,
6:25
being like, I didn't even know that. Do you remember when we were
6:27
talking about Eric, you and I were, I think we were talking about
6:30
the pitch clock being changed, and we were just getting into some of the
6:35
changes in Major League Baseball and what we hoped would be changed in the future,
6:41
and then we got into April's our friend April's listener feedback where she was
6:46
talking about the pitcher throwing over to first base and the fans booing and things
6:53
like that. Apparently there's a new rule that actually engages that particular aspect of
7:00
baseball, and Aldo actually send an email saying like he was surprised that neither
7:04
of us knew that Major League Baseball already addressed this issue with the new rule
7:09
changes that went into effect this season. He said, by the current rule,
7:12
pitchers can make only two moves per batter throws stepping off the rubber or
7:16
fake throws that count, otherwise they're going to be charged with a bulk.
7:21
I actually didn't know that, and we went over the rule changes, and
7:25
I went over the rule changes too with lenn in another podcast, and I
7:29
had no idea that the pitchers moved to first base. I had no idea
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that that had actually been address this year. So kind of going what you're
7:35
saying. I love when our listeners actually call us out on things and even
7:40
inform us about what's going on. Well, I hope that proves to our
7:43
listeners that we don't we don't know shit basically, like we kind of went
7:48
in the show, we do a research, but you know nothing, and
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you've proven that for ten years. Yes, but like but it's true though,
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like we you know, we have jobs and lives and like we kind
8:00
of just we talk sports and if we don't know something, I'm totally cool
8:05
with someone pointing it out because I didn't know it either. And yeah,
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so I feel like we're three normal dudes doing a show with our opinions and
8:16
like three friends, like talking about sports exactly, and like, like Patrick
8:20
said, there's no BS hot takes or anything like that. Yeah, seriously,
8:22
we are not the biggest podcast out there because of that. Seriously,
8:26
but we don't do the hot takes because hot takes it's the easy way out,
8:31
and it's the easy way to grow and get noticed and blah blah blah
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blah blah. And I could not care less about that. I just want
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to be honest with what we're discussing here on the show. You know,
8:43
just have frank conversations, and when you get into the BS hot takes,
8:46
you just think you don't have that, And that's not what we want this
8:50
show to be. And I'm glad it's not so well, Jeff, guess
8:52
what? Yeah, sorry, Patrick. Next week we're changing it up,
8:54
all right, We're going straight hot takes every show. Dude, this scout
9:01
Jalen Hurts as a bust man. Man, screw him in his contract.
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Man, it's gonna be taking all this stuff away from other players. Listen.
9:09
I did say at one point we should probably just do a hot take
9:11
show. Yes, just see how stupid it would be. Yes, I
9:13
just kind of mock the hot take thing, but yeah, yeah, we
9:16
should do that in the future. Yeah, honestly, I think in last
9:20
fifteen minutes because I have no idea what I'm doing with hot takes too.
9:24
I'm just being honest because I'm bad at it. I guess they are easy.
9:28
But anyway, we got a great show here. I didn't even mention
9:33
what we're gonna be getting into. Of course, the NFL Draft is likely
9:35
going to be happening or have happened when you listen to this, but we
9:39
are going to get into a bit of discussion about that, and of course
9:41
Jalen Hurts his contract extension this past week, what he really means to the
9:46
Philadelphia Eagles, what this contract means to the Eagles as well. We're of
9:50
course going to get into some Phillies talk as well. They've been digging themselves
9:54
out of the hole that they made for themselves early in April. Just gonna
9:56
give our thoughts on whether or not they can keep this consistency going. Then,
10:01
of course we have to talk about the Philadelphia seventy six ers. They
10:05
swept the nets last week, and of course Jojo gets injured, but thankfully
10:11
he is going to be having some time here to recover. So that being
10:16
said, let's get into this particular show, and first and foremost to talk
10:20
about the NFL Draft coming up Philadelphia Eagles. We're not going to get too
10:24
too deep into this because again, once you are all listening to this,
10:28
the draft is either going to be happening the day of or the draft will
10:33
have already happened, at least the first round, possibly the second round have
10:35
already happened when you're listening to this. But we put a Twitter poll up
10:39
asking will the Eagles trade out of the number ten pick in the NFL Draft?
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Sixty one percent said yes, Thirty nine percent said no. Eric,
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would you and I kind of discussed this the last time we were on the
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show, but I wanted to reiterate that I do believe Howie Roseman is going
10:56
to trade out of that number ten pick, whether each trads to move up,
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maybe to get Jaalen Carter as a lot of reports are coming out that
11:03
that may actually happen. So I'm with this sixty one percent that said yes
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in our poll. I don't know. What are your thoughts here? Do
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you think we're going to see some movement here in the first round by the
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Eagles? And Howie Roseman? So of the sixty one percent, like who
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thinks they're going to go up versus down? That's interesting? Yeah, yeah,
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because if Jaalen Carter is there, I could see him from what I'm
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like in my research. When I say that, I mean like I listened
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like three podcasts and write an article. Right, that's research. Like there's
11:35
like seven blue chip players and then there's like seventy players that are kind of
11:41
like, we have no idea. So I could see how he being like,
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you know what, let's just get a blue chipper and kind of see
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where the draft leads is after that. Is that blue chipper Jaialen Carter?
11:54
Is it? B John Robinson? Is that his name? Yeah? The
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running back which I would not be opposed to them taking him. He sounds
12:01
like he's a I hate taking a running back that high, but he seems
12:05
like a real playmaker and within the within this offense, he could probably really
12:11
thrive kind of early. Um, I'm hoping they move up. I'm hoping
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they go for the blue chip thing. And just because I'm not sure what
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else is in this draft, and you our next topic is Jail and Hurts
12:26
in the contract. It definitely plays into what how he's going to do because
12:31
now you're your cushion of signing free agents and and where you draft kids,
12:37
like it definitely got altered with the gigantic signing of Jail and Hurts, which
12:43
is which is kind of like it's kind of the cloud over the Eagles draft
12:48
this weekend, Like what do they do going forward? Because that that's signing
12:52
now the three free agents you can kind of sign with that money, they're
12:58
gone. Now now I gotta like really hit the draft, right, Yeah,
13:01
And what is how he do? I don't know. So we're gonna
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we'll get to the Yeah, we'll get We'll get to the contract in a
13:07
little bit here. But like in terms of the draft here, I'm actually
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at a point with this Eagles team and with this Eagles front office Eric,
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and it scares the hell out of me that whatever move how he does make,
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I just feel like I'm gonna be fine with it. I just feel
13:22
like I'm gonna be fine because my trust in him is so high at this
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point. If you think about where this team was just three years ago with
13:31
a quote franchise quarterback. At the time, we all thought the Eagles front
13:35
office all thought was going to be here for at least, you know,
13:37
six years to a decade, and that just completely fizzled away. And for
13:43
this front office and this this general manager to be able to get out from
13:48
under that with another franchise quarterback, like I'm trusting him in this draft.
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I'm trusting him because he's been able to not only bring in free agents,
14:00
but they've also been hitting on draft picks as well. Over these past few
14:03
years. How he has learned a lot, and inevitably I'm gonna be trusting
14:07
whatever he does in the first round, second round. There's rumors that he's
14:11
looking to trade trade back perhaps in the second round, gain some more assets
14:16
throughout Day two and Day three. We'll have to wait and see here,
14:20
but I am going to trust at the end of the day what how he
14:22
does. I don't think I'm gonna be upset with these first round picks,
14:26
or if it's just one pick or whatever the heck happens. I don't think
14:28
I'm gonna be upset with that. And that is saying a lot from where
14:33
we were when we started this podcast ten years ago. Hell even five or
14:37
six years ago. I gotta say this, this general manager has come a
14:41
long way. Eric, Yes, but the the percentage of like success has
14:48
to now increase for the draft because of it, because of the jail and
14:54
Herds contract. Like, you have to nail the draft now because you kind
14:56
of are lacking in the free agency poll now because of the lack of money.
15:01
Well, let's get into it, like, let's get into the jail
15:03
and Hurts thing. Okay, I keep tying the two together because they really
15:07
are. They're one and the same at this point. Because of the jail
15:11
and hurts money, you have to nail the draft. And I don't know,
15:16
Jeff, Like, I do you say at ten and you like,
15:20
you get a non blue chipper and then a non blue chipper thirty or you
15:24
just go all in and get like a sure thing at seven, because that's
15:31
kind of the spot they've been talking about. I don't know. I'm just
15:35
happy about the GM because it's a lot easier when your second round quarterback is
15:41
making like one point two mill as opposed to one hundred and seventy gazillion dollars.
15:46
Gets really interesting, and like this is when GM's kind of save their
15:50
jobs, and not that these jobs in trouble, but like this is where
15:54
they really shine exactly. Let's go over this contract here, Okay, five
15:58
years for for that, Jalen Hurts was extended five years, two hundred and
16:03
fifty five million dollars. Okay, okay. Here the cap figures folks six
16:08
six point one five million in two thousand and twenty three, this year thirteen
16:14
point five six in two twenty four, all right, not bad. Then
16:18
two twenty five that goes up to twenty one point seven seven million, and
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in two thousand and twenty six it goes up to thirty one point seven seven
16:26
million. Now Jalen Hurts agreeing to this restructure, the structure in his extension
16:33
here, of course, it is a blockbuster type of contract. It when
16:40
you become the highest paid player in NFL history. The word like discount doesn't
16:45
really apply, of course, as we know, but he agreed to the
16:48
structure. He and his agent agreed to a structure here Eric in this contract
16:52
that provides the Eagles some flexibility, some to build around him over the next
16:57
several years. And what I think is interesting is that when you look at
17:03
his cap numbers in two thousand, this year, twenty twenty three, twenty
17:07
twenty four, it's never more than ten percent of the Eagle's unadjusted cap figure.
17:12
And actually that's through two thousand and twenty six and in twenty twenty seven,
17:18
two twenty eight. As I just mentioned, it's going to be enormous,
17:22
you know, probably over seventy five million each year if the Eagles don't
17:26
eventually restructure the deal. How and then we know though that Howie Roseman has
17:30
has had such success kicking the can down the road, there's no reason to
17:34
think that he wouldn't do that then. So, yes, that's the first
17:40
thing I thought of when I heard about this, this deal, this extension,
17:44
Eric, was what you were talking about, the fact that it's going
17:47
to be tough to bring in free agents and be able to pay them.
17:48
It's going to be extremely difficult to even resign talent that we want to stay
17:55
long term, whether it is Davante Smith, whether it is you know,
17:59
A. J. Brown, it's point down the road. So and I
18:02
say that in giving these figures here, it might not be as gloomy as
18:07
we think. There's certainly going to be some challenges for sure with this contract,
18:11
but the fact of the matter is they're calling it a team friendly type
18:15
of deal. Jalen Hurts ended up saying money's nice, Championships are better and
18:22
again takes this deal to maintain the Eagles roster in the future. Going back
18:27
to Carson Wentz, many of us thought Wentz was the Eagles quarterback of the
18:32
future, but Hurts here he is truly the guy who is going to be
18:36
here for years and years to come. And I actually think this contract,
18:40
while it's enormous, it is friendly enough for the Eagles to be able to
18:45
work with it. And I think work with him, and I think his
18:48
attitude and where he is at right now in his career talk Folks talk about
18:52
how respected he is because of his maturity. I think it's going to end
18:56
up actually working out for the Eagles where they will be able to bring some
19:00
free agents in here or there. And I don't know what are your thoughts
19:03
here after after kind of hearing all this as well, there's definitely an element
19:07
of being grateful in this. In this contract the way structured, it's not
19:14
it's not front loaded. Um. So he put a lot of trust in
19:18
the team, the way structured guaranteed money regardless. But um, I think
19:22
he's I think he's he's very grateful that they took a chance on him when
19:27
other teams did not, and you can see it in the structure. But
19:33
I will say this, like how he's not dumb, right, But at
19:37
what point does he take another quarterback first or second round? Probably a second
19:42
round in the next two or three years, just in case to go along
19:48
with the QB factory. You know, a storyline. You know you can
19:55
laugh, but like it's going to happen. Oh well, no, I
19:57
laugh because I completely forgot about That's why I laughed, Like I'm like,
20:00
oh yeah, that's right. The quarterback factor. I completely forgot about it
20:03
because we actually now have a franchise quarterback. But you're right, it's gonna
20:06
happen. He's gonna take a quarterback just in case something happens with Hurts,
20:10
because we had a franchise quarterback and it didn't happen and they took Jalen Hurts.
20:15
It's just I'm hoping the Jalen Hurts is a super nice guy and I'm
20:21
hoping it didn't go well. The last time when Hurts was taking the second
20:26
round. I think feelings were hurt in the hindsight with Wentz and everything.
20:30
Yeah, so I'm I'm hoping Hurts is not. It doesn't turn sour when
20:36
how he does the inevitable. But this contract kind of screams that he will
20:40
eventually, but not this year, right, maybe next year, maybe the
20:44
year after. But the contracts actually team friendly, I would say, based
20:49
on other contracts across the league for quarterbacks. It's a nice contract. The
20:56
team's in a great spot. I'm hoping that personally, I'm hoping he goes
21:02
blue chip in the first round. That's what I would do with your ten
21:04
and your thirty. You're a thirtieth pick, thirtieth, right, Jeff,
21:10
Yeah, yeah, thirty first yeah or no, thirtieth. I'm sorry you
21:14
are. I'm hoping that's what they do. That's what that's the ride it
21:18
would go because you were so close last year, go a blue chipper.
21:21
I know Jalen Carter has his issues personally, I Jeff, I, if
21:26
they picked b Jean Robinson, awesome, I would go for it. Your
21:30
offense was awesome last year. Why not just again, Like like I said
21:33
in the show, a few weeks ago, like draftword, you already have
21:38
plenty of stock, Like why not? Why not just go after offense?
21:44
Just just keep scoring points because that's what Lee's going anyway, right, you
21:48
have a decent defense. I'm not sure if Jalen Carter is gonna like like
21:56
like like tilt the compass or whatever it's called, but like if they go
22:00
b John Robinson, I'd be happy. So I'm gonna be happy with anything.
22:04
I really am. I'd like I said, I'm gonna be happy with
22:07
anything. Draft dude, you do. We're gonna keep the draft on all
22:11
weekend. Guys, Oh my god, for the listeners. We've been hanging
22:18
out for the draft like for years now, and the Eagles will be picking
22:22
the fifth round and Jeff will be like, every hold on, everybody,
22:25
hold on, Eagles are up. It's a two hundred and whatever. Okay,
22:30
sorry, everyone be quiet. This is important to Jeff. I love
22:34
it. There There was one point when I get on my like, I
22:37
get on my iPad and be like, oh, I gotta look this guy
22:40
up because I wasn't sure at that point the draft, you know, fifth
22:41
sixth round, You're like, I'm not sure who this guy is you know,
22:45
see if there's a scouting report on him? Got to read up on
22:47
him or our buddys David Dave, and I'd be like, is his last
22:52
name Smith? Cool? Awesome? Rate? Sounds good. We can't wait
22:57
for this draft and we would love to know what you think of what the
23:02
Eagles it's when you listen to this, it's gonna be either right before the
23:07
draft or it's gonna be after the first round, and we want to hear
23:10
from you. Let us know what you're thinking about where the Eagles are going
23:12
here with regard to this NFL Draft and what these draft picks inevitably are gonna
23:17
mean to this team. Philadelphia Sports Table at gmail dot com. We'd love
23:21
to read your email here in the show and respond to it, and we'd
23:23
also love if you would subscribe on whatever podcast platform you are on, and
23:27
if anything happens to your podcast feed, you can head on over to Philadelphia
23:30
Sports Table dot com. We've got all of our shows over there, and
23:33
also make sure you follow us on Instagram Philadelphia Sports Table over there. We
23:38
are on the Twitter dot com for now at Philadelphia PST. You can follow
23:42
Eric at Brick Paula and me at Jeffrey underscore Warren, we are going to
23:47
take you a quick break. We'll be back in just a bit. All
23:49
right, Eric, we are back here. Let's get into this Philadelphia Phillies
23:52
team. Boy, they certainly dug themselves a hole early in the season,
23:57
throughout the early part of April. But I'll tell you, I think that
24:03
they are coming out of this and the bullpen has actually been been doing some
24:07
good stuff here. Basically, this team is at five hundred. Okay,
24:11
Yes, going back to the talk of what you know, two, three,
24:15
four or five six, seven years ago when we all just talked about
24:18
how mediocre this team was. Yes, they have a mediocre record at this
24:22
point at the end of April this season. But you know, even winning
24:26
three or four games against the Rockies, you know, you can't sweep under
24:32
the rug. The issue that has plagued this team for the last four seasons
24:36
that they can't get good pitching out of the bullpen on a consistent and winning
24:41
basis. But lately we have been seeing this bullpen coming together. And look
24:48
against the Colorado Rockies, they did not allow a run in the final three
24:52
games of the series. That's nine point two innings in total, which is
24:56
very, very impressive. The bullpen has been doing some good things. They've
25:00
really been keeping this Phillies team in the middle of the pack here in the
25:07
nlis because, of course, we know the Braves were doing what the Braves
25:10
do, Mets are are are winning games, and our second in the division,
25:14
Miami Marlins. We did our Opposition Territory pod this week on the Marlins.
25:18
They're not having a terrible season. Their bullpen is fantastic, They're starting
25:22
pitching is pretty damn good. Marlin's you know, are are gonna them in
25:27
the Phillies, I think are gonna be battling for that number three spot throughout
25:30
the season unless Eric that the Braves and our Mets, you know, get
25:36
the really get the injury bug going. But look, Phillies bullpen again really
25:41
been turning a corner here for this Phillies team, and it's really good to
25:45
see. Yeah, the key in the beginning of the season just hang just
25:52
just be there, right yeah. Um, it's super early. Harper still
25:57
on the end their offenses. I mean, just it was great tonight.
26:03
The bullpen was great tonight. The key obviously we talked about few weeks ago,
26:07
starting pitching. Just man, what a mess? Just Aaron Nola trying
26:15
to find something this year. He's just trying to find something. They all
26:18
are, I mean, and and to have Matt Stram and Bailey Falter and
26:23
Key Componentcy. You're starting rotations. Bailey Falters playing well, I have what
26:27
he's owned four like that he is a pitching well but like, my goodness,
26:32
like it's I don't know, like, hey, Craig Kimberrell tonight had
26:37
to win. There we go, He's worth I don't know again, it's
26:45
we're end of April. Um, just hang just hang tight, Phillies fans
26:49
I'm sure are friends over at the Good Fight. Yeah, the same you
26:56
know, same same reaction. But I think keepen hitting the ball like they
27:02
are Kyle Schwarbard's bad two or five but bashing home runs. We're seeing the
27:06
same crap as last year. Well, here's the bizarre thing. Here's the
27:11
bizarre thing about what we've been seeing with this lineup. At the beginning of
27:14
this season, before you know, the regular season started, all of us
27:18
were like, Okay, Bryson Stott needs to take that next step. Alc
27:21
Bomb needs to take that next step. Boy, if Brandon marsh can actually
27:23
produce some offense. This team is going to be real good. Guess what
27:26
we're seeing it with all three of them. All three of them stellar baseball
27:30
here at this point early in this season. But the guys who we actually
27:34
thought and even Nick Castianos has been playing pretty good baseball too with the plate.
27:40
But some of these other guys just haven't been shown up. So the
27:41
other guys like JT. Real Muto has been not the greatest in the batter's
27:47
box, Kyle Schwarber every now and again just not looking all that great.
27:49
Inconsistency, for sure. It's weird how the guys that needed to take that
27:55
next step forward have been But we're seeing inconsistencies with other what we've always known
28:00
to be consistent parts of this team. They're having trouble, and it's it's
28:03
so bizarre, man, But it's not bizarre. It's like a it's like
28:07
a hangover after the World World Series loss. Ye, every team that loses
28:11
the World Series. But this team is not like nine and twenty. They're
28:17
five hundred right now, yeah, which is kind of where you want them
28:19
to be before Bryce comes back, before the starting pitching gets going. I'm
28:23
not worried about them at all, Like this is a team, like I'll
28:26
put them on the television whatever, have a help moment to myself for God's
28:30
sakes from coaching baseball and basketball, and I'm just not concerned like this they
28:37
have, they have a strong base, they have awesome Uh what a chemistry
28:41
they have right yes in the dugout. And I love the team. And
28:48
that's the nice thing about this team is like they had so many years of
28:52
like, God, I don't like this team, just a lot of jerk
28:56
offs on team, and they all love each other and I like all the
29:00
players, and you know, just just coast until like end of May and
29:04
kind of see where you're at. And I do like that. And the
29:08
fact that the rest of division is are they blowing you away so far?
29:14
I mean, I mean not really. I mean, can they actually win
29:18
this division? It's yes, it is still, of course, statistically possible
29:22
that they can win. I think it is going to be tough, really
29:25
tough though, to catch up with the Braves. We've seen what the Mets
29:29
have done in previous years, and if consistency remains, we will see them
29:33
implode at some point. Yes, I think that it's possible that the Phillies
29:37
can get to that number two spot in the end of the least here,
29:41
but you know, I mean, it is possible that they could catch up
29:44
to these guys. But come on, man, Pittsburgh's in first place was
29:48
in Chicago. Like, this crap is not going to stand right, Like
29:53
baseball is so structured now where like what seven teams make it. It's stirred
30:00
how many teams are like still alive by the end of the year. It's
30:03
trying to do with sport almost like the MBA a little bit, where just
30:06
stay alive, just get into the mix by the end and you'll be fine.
30:11
That's honestly how I feel about the Phillies. All right, sounds good.
30:14
What are you feeling about this Phillies team? Philadelphia Sports Table at gmail
30:17
dot com. We will read your email here and respond to it. We'd
30:21
love to hear from you. Tell us what you're thinking about this Philadelphia Phillies
30:23
team and where you think they're gonna be going this season. I now want
30:27
to talk about where this Philadelphia seventy six ers team maybe going here in the
30:33
postseason. Dude, man, what a routing of the freaking Brooklyn Nets.
30:38
Holy freaking crap. I mean, Joel Embiid getting injured and then the team
30:45
just rallying in Game four last week, Eric, where they're like they're like,
30:49
screw this, We're gonna We're gonna win this for Joejoe and give him
30:53
some much needed time. Thankfully, the Hawks and Celtics series has gone on
30:59
a lot longer than many of us thought. After after we get done talking
31:03
about this, Eric, I'm gonna be bringing on Jonathan Guybe from the six
31:07
or cents dot Com. He's gonna be joining us for some more in depth,
31:11
in detailed talk about where the Sixers team is going, and uh,
31:15
you know what may happen against the Celtics, possibly against the Hawks as well.
31:19
Inevitably, I do think it's gonna be the Celtics that that win that
31:22
series. But uh, look, I there is one guy that we have
31:27
kind of craped I have, I have thought. I mean, you've crapped
31:30
on him. I've crapped on him at times, Tobias Harris. But man,
31:36
dude, you want to talk about demoralizing a Nets fan base, and
31:41
you know when when a killer to buy a Tobias Harris is performing at a
31:47
certain level and completely takes your team out of the postseason. That was a
31:52
beautiful thing to see. Tobias Harris came to play that last game, and
31:56
I absolutely loved seeing him do that. You know, he stepped up in
32:00
a moment where he needed to step up, especially with Joel Embiid being out.
32:06
Man Like, I just man, that NETS series was great. I
32:08
wish Ben Simmons was on the court though, it would have been so much
32:12
better. I think the Nets are more Nets fans are more bummed out about
32:16
Ben Simmons than Tobias Harris's performance. Honestly, he's he's some nice outfits on
32:23
the bench, Yes, yeah, really really fly rasach uh yeah, orange
32:30
pants kind of deal. Yeah. Pathetic, just a pathetic showing. Um.
32:36
But yeah, I I'm not sure to make it that series. I
32:40
mean, Jojo was horrendous in Game three. Yeah, I'm just gonna I'm
32:46
gonna be a downer six Ers fan right now. His performance it was the
32:50
classic like I'm gonna fall over a lot and try and get fouls. Um.
32:54
I didn't like the ball shot, you know, kicking kicking Nickola in
33:00
the nuts. Yeah, thing, I thought that was pretty low, low
33:02
grade um, I thought he was terrible, Like, he's probably gonna win
33:07
the MVP, and you know, if they lose in second round, I'm
33:10
sure the nutshot's going to be all over ESPN on the hot take shows.
33:15
But my, my, my take. Right now, man, I don't
33:20
know if they play the Celtics, They're probably gonna play Let's go Hawks.
33:24
Man, I hate the Hawks, but dude, they they I can't believe
33:29
stretches to like six games. They might win tomorrow night, and my god,
33:32
who knows. But um, this team just always has problems with the
33:37
Celtics. They really do. And I know Tyrese Maxie usually has problems against
33:42
the Celtics too, And I don't want history to continue to repeat itself.
33:45
But I don't go ahead ahead. It's a horrible matchup for the Sixers.
33:50
The Celtics just are They have awesome wing defenders, and we we you know,
33:53
I love how Harden's playing, but man, he just he's not the
33:58
same guy anymore. And it just blows because the Heat are probably gonna beat
34:04
the Bucks, and the Nicks already beat the Calves. It's like so open
34:08
for the Sixers right now. You might have no Bucks involved at all and
34:15
uh, the one team that we just don't match up well against we're gonna
34:20
play in the second round. And it, by the way, what the
34:24
hell is going on with I haven't heard a word about him beat like,
34:29
is he okay? Is he resting? Like? I don't like the silence
34:34
on this, It's very silent. It really bothers me. Um. It's
34:38
such a weird NBA season, Like the Sixers swept the swept the Nets and
34:44
the Bucks and Heat didn't even play their third game by the time. I
34:47
was like, who the hell's doing the scheduling? I know, like they're
34:52
trying to They went the finals into like July at this point, it might
34:57
as gonna be in October at this point. It's but yeah, I again,
35:04
it's another Sixers second round where I don't know, and I'm really getting
35:09
tired of it. It's bumming me out. I hate to bring the show
35:13
down, but it just I don't like that. And Beats unhealthy hardens looking
35:17
lethargic, He's not his knee looks bulky kind of deal. I love that
35:22
Toby Harris is like killing it, but we all know Toby Harris looks like
35:25
in the second round three times now. As the Sixers expert in the show,
35:31
I am a little scared. That's but but here's the difference though.
35:37
Maxie is a ball of fire and energy that they have not had since probably
35:44
Jimmy Butler in twenty nineteen. That's probably the difference right now for this team.
35:49
Like man he went off on the Nets and they have good wing defenders.
35:52
That that was the key for me and watching the series is that the
35:58
Nets traded all their stuff away and brought back all these big wing defenders like
36:04
Michael Bridges and Cam and and I thought, like I thought they would shut
36:07
down Maxie and make like hardened bulky kN harden. I thought so too,
36:12
and Maxie just went the hell off. Maybe Maxie really shines in like like
36:17
skyrockets in the second round. Could happen, but I don't know. I
36:22
am I'm I'm also a fan, dude, I'm on edge. I'm not
36:28
I'm not gonna cut this team and go we're gonna do this and then haven't
36:31
pushed me the nuts? Right right? Well, here's another reason why I
36:35
think it might happen. I'm gonna talk to Jonathan Guide from the six or
36:37
cents dot Com and just a little bit, and I'm gonna ask him about
36:39
this too, to want to get your opinion on the fact that I do
36:45
think Maxie can ball out against the Celtics. And I say that because I
36:50
wonder where the Celtics psyche is at this point. I mean, they did
36:57
not think that the Hawks were gonna take it to him like they have been.
37:00
And of course part of that is Trey Young coming on fire and coming
37:04
on strong as he at times does during the postseason. Hella Sixers fans remember
37:09
that, And I wonder what it does to the Celtics psyche this series with
37:16
the Hawks, because it has to do something, doesn't it. And that's
37:22
why I'm a That's why I'm a positive peat about this here, thinking that
37:25
Okay, if if, if, if they're not that they're going to be
37:30
completely demoralized. Of course, you know, you know, those fans up
37:32
in Boston are not going to be completely demoralized, and neither is the team.
37:37
But I think it could potentially do something to their psyche where could be
37:39
an advantage for the Sixers. Here's the big difference. The Celtics coach this
37:44
year, He's thirty two years old, rookie coach he's not a good coach.
37:49
I think the Celtics fans were in on him the first twenty games,
37:52
and then like after that they're like, oh shit, he's actually not a
37:55
good Like he was an interesting coach for the first twenty yeah, and now
38:00
we're just now we're just over like we're overplaying his inadequacies as a coach and
38:07
his rotation. I watched the game last night. The Hawks sells this game.
38:13
I was like, oh my god, his rotations are horrible, Like
38:15
what is he doing? This is a very obvious get Marcus Smart off the
38:20
court. He can't. It's just it's not As an NBA fan, I
38:23
was like, Wow, this is not a good coached game. It was
38:27
really bad and he actually let the Hawks win that game. Can he make
38:32
the adjustment? He's the one coach that Doc Rivers can actually outcoach in the
38:37
playoffs. That that is my one, which I can't believe I'm effing saying
38:42
that that Doc Rivers can actually out coach somebody, But like, I think
38:45
he can actually outcoach this guy in a seven game series with the staff he
38:50
with the roster he has, and that they're ace in the hole. Is
38:54
that this guy's not a very good coach. Just from watching last night,
38:59
Tomorrow night should be, like I implore all of you listeners, if you
39:04
care, watch tomorrow night's game Thursday night, right, yea, yeah,
39:08
yeah, it's I know the drafts on. I'm not watching the draft,
39:12
Jeff, I'm gonna watch Hawks oets. I'm not gonna watch some I'm not
39:19
gonna watch the commissioner Gonos pick. Sorry, I'm gonna watch the basketball game.
39:22
Sorry, my heart, No, I'm sorry. Stop. I'm gonna
39:30
stop right now because I know I know your heart's week heart. I got
39:32
a new heart a couple of years ago. All right, all good,
39:36
Yeah, just we put we put a baboon heart in Jeff's chest. Everybody
39:39
so one of them. But really, I think there's something to the psyche
39:45
of the Celtics that is happening in this first round for them, and I
39:50
think it could be advantageous for the Sixers. I don't know. Maybe that's
39:53
maybe that's just me hoping again using that word hope. No, you're you're
39:58
absolutely right. Like, he's not a good coach, he's kind of in
40:01
the head. And this is the one situation where Doc's experience might actually help.
40:07
Yeah, the Keys as it is every freaking year, isn't beat Okay,
40:15
yea, I have no clue. I haven't heard a word. So
40:17
all right, Well, the NFL Draft is going to be interesting. What
40:21
the Phillies continue to do is going to be interesting. Yes, the Flyers
40:24
have an offseason coming up and we're gonna be seeing some stuff from them.
40:29
What what? Who cares? Oh? Wait, wait to Lenn and I
40:34
start talking about the Union. Oh my god, we're hitting that dead season.
40:38
Huh yeah, the show that's the more where Eric starts. Let's do
40:45
a movie. Yes, oh, we definitely do have to do some more
40:49
music podcasts as well. I mean our buddy Mark Lacass, who we have
40:52
on for those. We gotta do it. When I see an agenda of
40:57
the Union and Flyers on it, Okay, Mark, what do you want
40:59
to do? Man, Let's do a music show. This sucks, Mark,
41:02
let's record something. We'll put it in the podcast feed. We won't
41:05
even tell Jeff. Yeah you know what, Jeff, give me the give
41:09
me the magic box you have, yes, Jeff? Or yeah, like
41:14
marking, I will do it, all right, Eric, buddy, I'll
41:16
let you go again. Folks at Brick Pollitt for Eric on Twitter. You
41:20
can follow me at Jeffrey Underscore Warren in the show at Philadelphia PST on the
41:23
Twitter dot com. And that's gonna do it for us. Here for the
41:30
first part of the show, we're gonna take a quick break. We're gonna
41:32
be back in just a bit more Sixers talk on the way with our guests
41:36
this week. Stick with us. We'll be right back. All right,
41:38
folks, we are back, and now we've got to get into more seventy
41:43
Sixers talk. It's where we are thrown down on the table and now on
41:46
the table. And it is great to have back on the podcast from the
41:52
six Ers since dot com. Yes, I know, Eric and I were
41:55
just talking about Philadelphia seventy six Ers talking about this postseason, but we gotta
42:00
it into this team. Here in more detail again from the sixth or Sense
42:05
dot Com, we have Jonathan Guybe. How are you doing, buddy,
42:07
Hey, I'm doing well. Thanks for having me back. It's a great
42:10
time to be a Sixers fan. Oh my gosh, it really is.
42:14
And I've got hope and I've got optimism that they're going to get past the
42:16
second round. And of course we're gonna get into it. But look,
42:21
I view this season as up and down as the beginning of the regular season
42:25
was. Jonathan, I think this team really started meshing and just kind of
42:30
developing together. As weird as that sounds, I mean, this is the
42:35
how many times now have they been going to the semifinals here in the Eastern
42:38
Conference, And we've seen different teams in the past, but I think this
42:42
team really has shown us a lot this year, more than they have in
42:45
previous years. Frankly, yeah, I agree. I mean they've been to
42:49
the Eastern Conference semis. This is five out of the last six years.
42:52
They've lost the previous four. So yeah, I mean something's got to happen,
42:57
right, Yes, exactly, something's got to happen. So let's get
42:59
into it. So I guess, I guess right off the bat, we
43:01
actually do have to talk about the Boston Celtics, and boy, they really
43:06
helped the I'm sorry, the Atlanta Hawks helping the Philadelphia seventy six ers here
43:12
in terms of that series with the Celtics, Celtics just could not put away
43:15
those pesky Hawks, and now that series is going much longer. I think
43:20
that a lot of us thought it was going to go do I think the
43:22
Celtics are still gonna come out on top of it, probably, But I'm
43:25
wondering, Jonathan, you know what, what do you think this Celtics Hawks
43:30
series has done perhaps to the mental psyche of the Boston Celtics, if anything,
43:36
And what should that mean for the potential coming series, if the series
43:40
or if the Sixers do have to face the Celtics. Where are your thoughts?
43:44
Yeah, I mean, like you said, I'm shocked it's gone this
43:46
far going in Like I thought six or Celtics box were all sweeps. Maybe
43:51
gentlemen sweeps get five games Max, but the Hawks are surprising people. You're
43:54
going home for a game six, you realistically have a chance to push this
43:58
to seven. So I think it has drastically affected the Celtics psyche. I
44:01
mean they were even saying on the T and T Show the other night,
44:05
it just looks the way they're playing that they're just underestimating the Hawks and they
44:07
didn't come to play. And then I also think it's not just the players.
44:12
You have to think about Joe Mazzula, like first time head coach,
44:15
a lot of pressure. People were saying, like, great job in the
44:16
regular season, but can you do it in the postseason. So, I
44:20
mean, I think there's pressure on Joe as well as the players, and
44:23
that's just not a locker room i'd like to be in right now. Yeah.
44:25
I was saying on this podcast a couple of weeks ago, and have
44:29
been saying it on various shows too, just how worried I was if the
44:32
Sixers are going to have to face the Celtics because of one Robert Williams in
44:37
the style that he plays, and just from a defensive perspective, I mean,
44:42
he's fantastic. He's just a fantastic basketball player when he is healthy on
44:46
the court. And it's really weird how the Hawks have been really they've been
44:52
able to take this first series against the Celtics in another direction, even you
44:57
know, given that Robert Williams is is still out there on the court.
45:00
I just find it to be very very interesting. A little bizarre too,
45:04
Yeah, so do I especially with de Jante Murray out last night. Yeah,
45:07
just really impressive. And I mean, I, like you said,
45:12
I don't think the Hawks are gonna win, but they're making it a series,
45:16
which is just exactly what you want if you're a Sixers absolutely all right,
45:20
Well, moving along here, this Celtics Hawks series, as we know
45:23
it has allowed Joel Embiid that much more rest than he or that he really
45:29
desperately needs. I mean, he needs as much rest as possible. And
45:31
frankly, a lot of the guys on this Sixers team who aren't quote necessarily
45:36
injured, but it needs some rest too after a long season, which is
45:39
good. And when I read the news last week Jonathan of Joel Embiad's niece
45:45
Sprain, I just kind of like throw up my hands and I'm like,
45:46
yeah, of course, of course this happens. You know, this is
45:49
happening every year, you know, and this is just again, it's what
45:54
happens to the Sixers every freaking year in the postseason with Embiid. But given
45:59
that he's had some time here to recover at this point, what kind of
46:02
joe El Embiid do you think we're gonna see when he gets back onto the
46:06
court. What should we really expect from him from a logical standpoint? Yeah,
46:12
well, I mean, first off, you're right, this happens every
46:14
single year, and it's getting really taxing as a Sixers fan. But I
46:17
mean, I think Doc said if the Celtics had swept when they asked him
46:22
after like when it was like two oh, that Embiid was like would have
46:25
been fifty fifty to play game one. So I think it's like very obvious
46:30
that he'll probably be ready to play game one now that this is getting pushed
46:34
until at least Monday for second round series. And it's just tough though,
46:38
because like knee injuries are tough. The Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in this
46:43
postseason have nice brains and they were just like day to day, game to
46:46
game, it's like recovery varies person to person, and I just think with
46:51
Embiid size, like I get nervous with all that said, Like I do
46:54
think he's gonna play. I expect him to maybe be around like eighty eighty
46:58
five percent, and I still think he can die dominate because the Celtics are
47:00
one of the teams who have absolutely no one I mean no one can guard
47:04
him, but the Celtics really have no one that can play and bead well.
47:07
So I expect to see him maybe around eighty percent. But I'm just
47:10
nervous that like of reaggravation, just just with the history that everything happens,
47:15
Sexers, you get nervous, but absolutely, yes, we'll see Yeah,
47:19
absolutely, And look if there is more caution with Mbad's play on the court,
47:24
I'm really kind of wondering who needs to step up in this next series
47:29
if he is like eighty eighty five percent, as you're saying, Jonathan,
47:31
I wonder what teammates are going to kind of be able to, you know,
47:36
supplement, which I think can happen with this team that is filled with
47:39
talent, kind of supplement that other you know, fifteen twenty percent that they
47:43
may need out there. And what I thought was interesting on a recent podcast
47:47
of yours, you had talked about adjustments the Sixers may need to implement as
47:52
a result from the series against the Nets and how those adjustments need to play
47:55
out here in the second round. So what we're kind of a two part
48:00
question here for you. We'll get to the first part here. What were
48:02
some of the bad game plans that the Sixers and what they need to stay
48:07
away from that we saw against the Nets when we look to this upcoming series
48:10
potentially with the Celtics. Yeah, so first, I'm standing firm that I
48:16
think Tyrese Maxie is the player that needs to step up, because yeah,
48:21
he's played well, he played well in the first series. But I heard
48:22
a crazy stat the other day something like he's played i think seven games against
48:27
the Celtics in his career and he's only had double digits in two of those
48:30
games, and one of the games Marcus Smart, who usually guards him,
48:34
was sitting out. So Maxie does not play well offensively against the Celtics,
48:37
which is just like he needs to figure it out. So I think that
48:40
that's who I'm focusing on, especially if it be it's like eighty eight.
48:44
So thinking back in terms against the Nets, I think the guard play with
48:47
Maxie and Harden, like Maxie did win us one of those games, but
48:51
they were just inconsistent, a little careless with the ball, and I think
48:54
that they just need to be a little more consistent. I also think Doc
48:58
needs to shorten the bench. We don't need to be playing ten guys.
49:01
But that's kind of where in the game plan I think that the Sixers can
49:05
improve from series the first series. Yeah, and on the flip side of
49:08
that, and to follow up, what are some of the positive and good
49:13
game plans that you saw from the Sixers? In that Nets series that they
49:16
really need to continue honing in on as they look towards a possible series with
49:21
the Celtics here. Yeah, so, and I don't even necessarily know if
49:24
it was a game plan that Doc implemented, but the way the Nets play
49:29
and Bead is double every time he touches the ball. So like seeing him
49:31
bead as a facilitator and having the other guys step up was great, Like
49:36
knowing that guys can knock down open shots PJ George Tobias, like that's how
49:42
we're gonna win. So I think being able to see Ebiad's versatility of like,
49:45
yeah, he can go and score fifty two against the Celtics like he
49:47
did the last time we play him, but he can also pass it off.
49:52
And the other guys stepped up, and I think that they need to
49:53
carry that into the next series because they're gonna have the opportunity to make shots
49:57
because Boston's probably gonna play him straight up and just say and be can get
50:00
his? Can anyone else do anything? So I want to see the other
50:04
like the other cast show up absolutely absolutely again, folks. Talking to Jonathan
50:08
Guide from the six or cents dot Com I don't believe you're on Twitter?
50:13
Are you not? No? Good for you? Good for you? I'm
50:19
thinking about I'm thinking about jumping off myself. It's I've been thinking about it
50:22
for a while now. It's one of those things where you know, you
50:24
get a certain amount of followers stuff like that, and it's just kind of
50:27
like, do I want to, you know, after being on this platform
50:31
all these years, even though it's changed and it's just a hunk of crap.
50:35
Anyway, folks, you gotta give Jonathan all the credit in the world
50:37
for not being on Twitter. Just it's fantastic. Moving along with our discussion
50:43
of the Sixers here, Jonathan, They of course did not play perfect basketball
50:47
by any stretch of the imagination against the Nets in the first round. So
50:51
I'm wondering, like, what what will the next team to face the Sixers,
50:54
you know, whether it is the Celtics or whether it is the Hawks.
50:58
What are they going to try to explore within this Sixers team early in
51:01
this next series? And how do you think that Doc and the team may
51:06
possibly try to mitigate that? Yeah, well, I think the Celtics are
51:09
probably gonna try to expose the other players, saying like yeah, can you
51:13
beat us? We know and beat can beat us, but like can you?
51:15
So I think Doc just needs to have his team like prepared to play
51:19
a completely different type of offense that they did from the first round. And
51:22
they're capable of that, but just just to be prepared for that. And
51:25
then I think other teams are gonna look at how the Nets were physical,
51:29
especially with Joel in Game three. I mean they beat them up, not
51:31
just like coaxing them into thousand stuff, but they were also just getting like
51:36
physical like things that away from the refs that they weren't seeing behind the hidden
51:39
in the back, knocking them down like that's kind of can get under his
51:44
skin. And also he's not fragile in terms of like weak, like he's
51:47
a big body, but like constant hitting him like that, I think that
51:51
can take its toll. So I hope that the refs watched a little closer,
51:54
but I think that a lot of other teams are gonna try and get
51:57
under skin and just kind of push them around if they can. But yeah,
52:01
really I just hope that Doc sees that the Nets game plan was specifically
52:07
double and bad. He's not beating us and Boston is the complete opposite.
52:10
So he they just need to be prepared that it's going to be a much
52:14
different offensive shift and they need to be ready to step up and play fast.
52:17
You know, over the years we have seen with regard to one James
52:22
Harden, Well, there are there are things in life that we know that
52:27
are going to happen, death taxes and James Harden's disappearing act during the playoffs,
52:32
and I know and I pray that that doesn't happen because I think even
52:37
with him Bead's injury, I think James Harden really does become that much more
52:42
imperative to how this offense is going to inevitably run itself, especially against the
52:49
Celtics. I think James Harden is extremely important. I know you mentioned Tyrese
52:52
Maxie earlier and I would absolutely agree with you, But I think coming in
52:55
at a close second is James Harden. Yeah, no, definitely. I
52:59
mean that's the big criticism on him, right, Like, yeah, he
53:02
Houston. He was potentially the greatest offensive player in the history of basketball at
53:07
times like regular season, and it's just been postseason where he struggles, like
53:12
this is your time to show up? Yep, absolutely is all right,
53:15
moving along here too, another gentleman I want to get into because I think
53:20
he's absolutely critical for the success of this team in this in this semifinals round.
53:24
I think PJ. Tucker is going to be just critical here this next
53:29
series. He is, I think, going to need to shine in certain
53:32
ways on the court. His defensive effort against the Nets really kind of set
53:37
the tone I think for the series. And I think he's one of those
53:39
quote under the radar keys for this team if they're going to have further postseason
53:45
success. So I'm wondering, like, what's your under quote under the radar
53:50
aspect of this Sixers team that we really need to focus on heading into the
53:53
next round. And why? I mean, is it PJ Tucker? You
53:57
know, is it going to be some of the you know, bench spy
54:00
what for you? What's that under under the radar aspect of the Sixers team
54:04
where they could see success down the road here? Yeah? Well I liked
54:07
that you said, PJ. Because he's been that kind of player with the
54:09
Bucks when they won two years ago and the Heat when they made it to
54:13
the finals like last year. So he can be that guy. For me,
54:16
it's I've been carrying this Tobias Harris Torch for the majority of the season.
54:21
I mean, it's just always contract. But if you take that away
54:24
and look at him purely as a basketball player and his role on this team,
54:28
like last postseason, offense and defense, he was the most consistent player,
54:31
like by far. Yeah, Harden was shot there just learning to mess
54:36
with the team, and Beide was in and out of the lineup. And
54:37
now he's playing like the same where he left off. He's impassioned on defense.
54:43
He shut down the Nets wings, specifically Michail Bridges. He played well.
54:45
I mean, Bridges was still scoring, but Tobias played great defense on
54:49
him, and he shoots incredibly efficiently. Like now he's the fourth option,
54:52
so he's not getting twenty shots a game. He I think he had fifteen
54:55
on average against the Nets, and he had twenty points per game. He
54:59
shot fifty six percent from the field and fifty seantastic yeah three range. Yeah,
55:04
he's shooting fantastic when he gets his shots. And I just think that,
55:07
like through the first four games, you could even argue that he was
55:10
one of the most important players on this roster, even though like it doesn't
55:14
always show up in the stats. Those are great stats, his percentage,
55:16
but his defense is really helping out this team. And I think Tobias Harris
55:20
is an X factor in this Boston series. I think I remember the last
55:22
time that you were on the pod, I remember us talking about Tobias Harris
55:27
and how critical he was. Some certain aspects of the team were absolutely agreed
55:31
on that. And I think it's interesting it's not just with you, Jonathan,
55:35
but with other guests I've had on this podcast talking about this Sixers team.
55:38
Inevitably that under the radar guy is Tobias Harris because he is a special
55:44
talent here in the NBA. There is absolutely no way the Sixers are where
55:47
they are at right now without his contributions for sort especially the sweep against the
55:53
Nets. And I think it's really important for folks to realize that, like
55:57
you said, contract aside to Bias, Harris is absolutely key to the success
56:01
of this team in the postseason. Absolutely, he's getting paid way more than
56:06
like a fourth option, but as a fourth option, he can be a
56:09
top tier fourth option on a championship team. Yeah, he is showing that
56:13
right now. Absolutely. All Right, Well, to close us out here,
56:15
Jonathan, uh, We're gonna just get into some percentages here in terms
56:21
of you know who we want to see and what percentages these teams? You
56:28
know what in terms of beating the Sixers. Okay, So if you had
56:30
to put a percentage chance on the six or I should say, the Sixers
56:34
beating the following teams in the Eastern Conference, what would that percentage be.
56:37
Let's start with the Hawks here. Okay, what Yeah, if you had
56:40
to put a percentage chance on the Sixers beating the Hawks, what would that
56:44
percentage be? So I'm saying eighty five percent, and I really want to
56:47
go higher, like I want to be in the nineties, but I was
56:51
gonna say ninety. Yeah, I was gonna ask you, I don't think
56:54
this Hawks team is for real. I know they're pushing the Celtics, but
56:58
the Celtics aren't taking them seriously. I just have that like tiny bit of
57:01
memory of that subpart Hawks team knocking us out to a big It's a big
57:07
memory because because Trey Young, everything went in the bucket. Every freaking shot
57:12
went in a bucket. I sweart of god, he must have been shooting
57:14
like nine yep. And the sixties straight choked away fourth quarter leagues and yeah,
57:20
so that's why I'm saying eighty five. I do think the Sixers would
57:22
handle him. But um yeah, that's that's where. Okay, what about
57:25
what about the Celtics Because quite frankly, and I know that people are gonna
57:30
give me crap for this, but I'm at like fifty fifty. I'm like
57:32
at fifty percent right now, Like, I don't know what are your thoughts
57:37
in terms of their percentage. It's funny that you said that. I literally
57:39
have written down fifty fifty and I know that people aren't gonna like that.
57:45
It's exactly like it's exactly what you're saying, Like, yeah, I have
57:47
no idea, Like I really don't. I think the Celtics have this like
57:52
mental edge over the Sixers that really bothers me. I mean, they beat
57:55
knocked us out of the playoffs two of the last five years. One of
57:58
those was a sweep in the Bubble. It was so demoralizingly, it's like
58:01
they're this like big brother mentality. So like, I'm terrified to play the
58:05
Celtics. But then you see the Atlanta Hawks rattle the Celtics. As I
58:08
said before, Joe Mazzula, rookie head coach some press run him in the
58:12
playoffs. They have no answer for Embiid. So I think the Celtics have
58:15
concerns of their own. And yeah, that's where it comes back, torn
58:19
right down the middle, like this will be high quality basketball that'll be super
58:22
fun to watch. And if I wasn't a fan, I'm sure this would
58:24
be incredible just to be like entertaining basketball. Yeah, yeah, I think
58:29
it's straight fifty fifty just like you, and I think the I think that
58:32
the Sixers are gonna just want to put what the past is behind them,
58:37
and I think there is going to be incredible motivation for them to do that.
58:40
They are gonna want to say those two of the past five year let's
58:44
get rid of that. You know. Joel Embiid is gonna say, let's
58:45
not even think about that. You know, let's give these fans and let's
58:51
give ourselves a little something here. And I think that that motivation, that
58:54
motivating factor is going to be one of the reasons why if they do win,
59:00
that's why it happens. I think you're right, and I mean I
59:04
really hope. So it's been what twenty two years since we made the conference
59:07
finals. Fans in the last five years like this is this is getting old.
59:13
So I'm with you, this is uh. I hope Ebide takes that
59:15
mindset absolutely. Jonathan guy with the six or cents dot Com, Jonathan,
59:21
Man, it was great talking to you. I'd love to talk more Sixers,
59:24
more basketball with you down the road, my friend. Absolutely, thank
59:28
you for having me on. It was fun, great discussion with Jonathan Folks.
59:31
I do think there's a little something to what Eric and I were talking
59:36
about and with Jonathan and I were talking about too, with regard to the
59:39
psyche of the Boston Celtics. If they do actually make it to the semifinals.
59:45
I think conventional wisdom says, yes, they are the better team,
59:47
they are better than the Atlanta Hawks. They should be heading to the second
59:51
round. But I think there's something to be said about the psyche of where
59:53
they're going to be at. You know, Eric was talking about their coach
59:57
not really the greatest coach in the world. We know that Rivers could probably
1:00:00
out coach him, as Eric was mentioning before as well, And I think
1:00:07
there is an opportunity, yes, and it's the Celtics. The Sixers have
1:00:09
problems with the Celtics. Tyrese Maxie has had problems with the Celtics, as
1:00:14
Jonathan was outlining with us during our discussion, but things can change, and
1:00:19
I think you know, we have to hold that hope and yes again that
1:00:22
word hope. We need to hold that close to us very much. So
1:00:25
if it's gonna be the Sixers against the Celtics in the second round, so
1:00:30
that's gonna do it for us. Let us know what you're thinking out there.
1:00:32
We'd love to hear from you, whether it's the world of Philly sports,
1:00:36
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1:00:39
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1:00:43
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1:01:02
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1:01:07
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1:01:10
Take care, enjoy the NFL Draft, Enjoy what the Eagles are gonna do.
1:01:15
I did, like I said earlier. I think it's gonna be tough
1:01:16
for us to be bad at Howie Roseman, we're gonna trust the process with
1:01:21
him. And next week, man, we're gonna see the seventy six ers
1:01:24
back out on the court. So man, fun fun times in the world
1:01:30
of billy sports. Take care, folks, We will catch you next time.