What You're Watching Saturday Night

By Matt G






Golden State Warriors vs. Philadelphia 76ers
8:00 PM
ABC

It’s NBA Saturday Night, and that means only one thing… another primetime game for the Warriors. I know the Warriors create decent ratings, but honestly, ABC, can’t you select any other teams to showcase? There are other teams in the league that play exciting, up-tempo basketball. You know what other game I’d rather watch? The 9 pm game on Saturday between the Milwaukee Bucks and Utah Jazz. Give me the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference versus the 6 seed in the Western Conference. Give me the favorite for MVP against one of the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year. Give me something new to watch. Every night, while going to bed, I put on NBA TV and love seeing the “lesser” teams play. 

Have you watched the Sacramento Kings play? Man, I eat them up. 

Have you watched the Nets play? They look like a team that could not only MAKE the playoffs, but potentially win a series in the playoffs. 

Maybe my blasé feelings are created based off of the oversaturation of the Warriors and my hatred for the 76ers. But hey, I’ll still watch this game, anyway, right? However, instead of giving you a preview of this game, I decided to pen a diatribe as to why the 76ers will not, under any circumstance, represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.

1. Embiid is brittle.

There’s a greater chance that Joel Embiid is hurt going into the playoffs than the Robert Kraft knob rub video doesn’t get released…. And you know that is going to happen. Embiid has missed the past few games from what the team calls “knee tendonitis.” Whatever you want to call it, be it knee issues, foot issues, load management, or vocal cord fatigue, you can rely on Embiid being healthy as much as you can count on a $32 “personal massage” being reputable.

2. Ben Simmons is not a point guard that can lead a team to a championship.

I don’t care how skilled he is as a ball handler (another Robert Kraft joke?), how quick he is in the lane, or how he distributes to his teammates. A point guard that has NO shot or won’t even attempt a shot beyond 18 feet out, will not hold up in the playoffs. When teams decide to play actual defense and game plan, Simmons becomes a poor man’s Rondo. And yes, Rondo did win a ring, but honestly, I’d rather have Rondo as my point guard in the playoffs than Simmons. (How’s that on the hot-take meter?)

3. Trust the Process No More

The Sixers went all in and cashed all their chips. Remember how they kept on accumulating draft assets and started the whole tanking craze? It did land them Embiid and Simmons, who are by no means, the perfect superstars. The “Process” also got them Fultz, Jahlil Okafor, and Nerlens Noel. Personally, I believe the Sixers gave up on Fultz too early. Yes, he was a mental mess, but you liked the guy enough to take him over Tatum, De’Aaron Fox, and Lauri Markkanen. You can’t give up on him after a year and a half. And to get back what? A first round pick that’s top 20 protected? The Sixers had a mantra for years and decided to cash in… But I think they cashed in too early. They jeopardized their long-term goal for a shot at glory this year.

     4. No depth

Yes, the Sixers have arguably the best starting 5 in the East if they all stay healthy. But beyond their starting 5, they really lack depth. If Butler goes down, Embiid stays down, or Tobias Harris gets hurt, that “Fab 5” starts to look fractured. Yes, I know, no team can really prosper if members of their starting lineup go down, but look at the Nets for example. During this year, they lost their best player, Caris LeVert, for months, but D’Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie stepped up. Dinwiddie went down, and Joe Harris and Rodions Kurucs stepped up. Who could step up for the 76ers? Boban? Amir Johnson? Mike Scott? Please.

5. The Boston Celtics

The Celtics absolutely own the 76ers. If things stay as they are currently constructed, the 76ers and Celtics will meet in the first round of the playoffs. This is a sure-lock exit for the 6ers. I don’t know if it’s a mental edge, a matchup issue, or what, but the 6ers are 2-17 against the Celtics since the 2014-2015 season. Some teams just own you and there is nothing you can do about it. Can you imagine Brad Stevens against Brett Brown? Check mate. “But if you’re going to say that Embiid is always injured, you have to say the same thing for Kyrie.” How about that… I think the Celtics are better without Kyrie. Look at what they did last year without him. No Kyrie, and Rozier, Smart, and Brown all morph into very strong starters. The best thing that the 76ers can hope for is that hopefully the Pacers fall off (which they haven’t even with Oladipo out for the year) and they can take over the 3rd spot.

So, yeah, watch this game! And, if you’re willing to bet, I’ll bet you something valuable that the 76ers don’t make it to the NBA Finals.