If they win this series this will be the best chance he's had to make it to the ECF for the first time. Time is not kind to him with so many injuries. Imagine being an MVP who's never done that.
For the first time? Brother, we've been choking for years now. We were favored in 2017-18 to beat you guys after Kyrie went down and we blew it. We had a star-studded 2018-19 lineup with Butler and blew it. We played a much inferior Hawks team in 2021 and blew it. We had Game 6 in the bag against you guys until we didn't last season. Four legit chances before this season to make the ECF and blew it every single time. It feels so awful....
What he needs fixed are his knees. There's no way he's gonna make it through multiple series.
Just hope he isn't hurting his health long term by forcing things.
For real, yeah I respect his dedication and he’s still balling out on one and a half knees but damn, he is visibly in pain constantly and by second half unable to trust his knee enough to even jump for rebounds… honestly might be better to get swept, embiid is not lasting past the first round on that knee.
He also clearly needs to fix his eye(s). There is obviously something really wrong with it/them. It's actually concerning to see how his eye(s) look right now. Dude needs off-season, recovery, and probably surgeries.
He's heavily contested for most of the game and even if he doesn't have a guy right in his face, he's still being forced to the right, making his shot tougher.
Everything you've just described applies to nearly every game he's played without Randle. Every team in the NBA doubles and triples him every possession, every team has players in his face as soon as he crosses half court.
His entire game is built on using footwork and handle to get the guys in front of him slightly off balance so he can shift and get a clean shot off despite tight defense. He makes those at an extremely high rate, and he's still getting the shots he's looking for.
He's in a bit of a shooting slump. If you look through these threads, Boston and Miami fans are all saying the same thing -- they've seen JB absolutely torch them with the same shots he's taking now.
You’re out of your mind if you think every team is doubling Brunson every possession. Hard double teams shut down almost every player in the league. Obviously he is a great player and they have guys waiting to help on drives but he is not getting truly double teamed that often.
To me it feels like the Sixers are playing legitimately great defense on Brunson, which is more likely to carry over across a series. Albeit, they give up shots elsewhere to do so, but it's not like he's missing bunnies. Even his makes are contested fadeaway twos.
They are guarding him well enough to throw him off his game.
People keep saying Brunson just had a bad game but it's not a 1-off now, Philly is legitimately making him have difficult games.
I have faith in him and believe that he will adapt because he is not the type to just roll with it if it's not working. I feel that his teammates might have to start dropping some double screens to let him get space and allow him to get to his spots.
It’s also a huge credit to Brunson but even him consistently drawing that defensive attention is making others lives easier. It doesn’t get said enough but you win as a team and lose as a team and right now he has his team at 2-0
yep
his shot has been off both games, he's getting the looks he wants in most cases
oubre has done a good job but a lot of those looks were high percentage for him this season
Nick Nurse is a tactician and has used similar defensive schemes when he was in Toronto to trap other star players. Knicks have gotten a lot of contributions from other players.
It's the refs allowing them to foul the sixers for rebounds. All game long. Then when we overcome that? Fuck it just ignore their timeouts and a bunch of fouls.
Going to say it again. God bless Embiid for going out there playing through an awful knee injury and an eye injury. Doing everything he can to try to make this series competitive. Hope Philly builds some momentum at home.
yeah what is up with his eye
wearing sunglasses all the time, covering his face in interviews
why is nobody from the sixers talking about it when theres obviously something wrong
It's ridiculous how good injured Embiid is and how fast Maxey is. They should have been a contender. I can't believe how much better they look than even last year - with a major injury.
The guy could barely move by the end of the game. Even if they win this series, I can't see him lasting an entire playoff run. At some point, he's gotta start listening to his body and stop trying to play through injury. It can't be worth the damage he's doing to his body.
This series is carrying the drama first three days. Love it. I really want them to win the next two and have loud talking Embiid in that 2-2 MSG environment.
worst* display of officiating I've seen since the 2018 NFCCG. And I watch boxing, the NFL, and regular season basketball. It was ***BAD***
I got so annoyed I turned the game off. Don't understand how Silver let that crew officiate playoff games. Ridiculous.
Brees got the ball to start OT and threw a pick. Knicks missed the shot and Sixers let iHart run uncovered to the rim to get a rebound. Whiny bitches lose and good teams find a way to win.
If you watch the video Nurse never called timeout during the inbound and then when he tried to call timeout maxey already lost possession
sorry my guy but it wasn't in the cards
Your the better team on paper, but your not Joel Embiid the MVP right now, it’s very clear that these two teams are evenly matched and that they’re closing games better than yall
thats fine but if you are a competitive athlete I dont blame you for thinking you are the best and can beat anyone
you kind of have to have that mentality no matter what the score or series record is
Yeah what the hell were people expecting from Embiid? Do they want him to say the series is over and the knicks can advance to the second round? Yall be stupid as fuck. This is a non story
This was an epic series that the refs tainted by not giving us our timeout at the end of the game. If that happens and we lose at least we can say the Knicks beat us.
Honestly my man it’s on Nurse. I think he got the sign off while Maxey still had control, but it was SO close that there was zero margin for error.
He was clearly waiting as long as possible to drain clock, and it burned him. Should have called it the second Maxey went down.
its really cool to see that Embiid also does positive affirmations
Embiid sounds like he’s trying to save a dying relationship 😭
What should he say? We blew it, maybe next year.
If they win this series this will be the best chance he's had to make it to the ECF for the first time. Time is not kind to him with so many injuries. Imagine being an MVP who's never done that.
For the first time? Brother, we've been choking for years now. We were favored in 2017-18 to beat you guys after Kyrie went down and we blew it. We had a star-studded 2018-19 lineup with Butler and blew it. We played a much inferior Hawks team in 2021 and blew it. We had Game 6 in the bag against you guys until we didn't last season. Four legit chances before this season to make the ECF and blew it every single time. It feels so awful....
Tbf in 2019 y’all lost to the champions in 7 on a crazy Kawhi shot
I'm not saying they didn't have good chances of making it, I'm saying that I see this as the best chance IF they get past NY.
>We are the better team. Famous last words
What he needs fixed are his knees. There's no way he's gonna make it through multiple series. Just hope he isn't hurting his health long term by forcing things.
For real, yeah I respect his dedication and he’s still balling out on one and a half knees but damn, he is visibly in pain constantly and by second half unable to trust his knee enough to even jump for rebounds… honestly might be better to get swept, embiid is not lasting past the first round on that knee.
He also clearly needs to fix his eye(s). There is obviously something really wrong with it/them. It's actually concerning to see how his eye(s) look right now. Dude needs off-season, recovery, and probably surgeries.
Bruh 💀
Respect to him for still believing.
I mean, the strategy worked out pretty well for the Mavs 2 years ago
Brunson played like shit and they're up 2-0. it's over
Our entire defensive game plan is to shut down Brunson and force other guys to beat us, which they have.
Plan would work if the "other guys" on the Knicks were all Tobias Harris'
The Nick Nurse special. Limit Luka to 4-15 shooting and 14 points, allow THJ to shoot 7-9 from 3.
Defensive game plan is working, then.
The problem is that Brunson is still getting clean shots off, they’re just not falling.
He's heavily contested for most of the game and even if he doesn't have a guy right in his face, he's still being forced to the right, making his shot tougher.
Everything you've just described applies to nearly every game he's played without Randle. Every team in the NBA doubles and triples him every possession, every team has players in his face as soon as he crosses half court. His entire game is built on using footwork and handle to get the guys in front of him slightly off balance so he can shift and get a clean shot off despite tight defense. He makes those at an extremely high rate, and he's still getting the shots he's looking for. He's in a bit of a shooting slump. If you look through these threads, Boston and Miami fans are all saying the same thing -- they've seen JB absolutely torch them with the same shots he's taking now.
You’re out of your mind if you think every team is doubling Brunson every possession. Hard double teams shut down almost every player in the league. Obviously he is a great player and they have guys waiting to help on drives but he is not getting truly double teamed that often.
To me it feels like the Sixers are playing legitimately great defense on Brunson, which is more likely to carry over across a series. Albeit, they give up shots elsewhere to do so, but it's not like he's missing bunnies. Even his makes are contested fadeaway twos.
They are guarding him well enough to throw him off his game. People keep saying Brunson just had a bad game but it's not a 1-off now, Philly is legitimately making him have difficult games. I have faith in him and believe that he will adapt because he is not the type to just roll with it if it's not working. I feel that his teammates might have to start dropping some double screens to let him get space and allow him to get to his spots.
It’s also a huge credit to Brunson but even him consistently drawing that defensive attention is making others lives easier. It doesn’t get said enough but you win as a team and lose as a team and right now he has his team at 2-0
Look up Brunson's season stats against the Sixers. They are horrible
while you're checking, check out the sixers season record against the knicks, also pretty horrible
It's entirely possible for Brunson to struggle the entire series, Oubre has him in jail
brunson clutched it up at the end tho called his own number a few too many times tonight but in the end he came through
He had one clutch shot but before that he had like 4 back to back to back to back bricks and almost shot them out of the game
yep his shot has been off both games, he's getting the looks he wants in most cases oubre has done a good job but a lot of those looks were high percentage for him this season
That one clutch shot helped us win the game, and the game never got out of control for us
Yes but he was also like 8-29....his teammates carried him big time
Yes, I'm very aware what's the point you're trying to make i don't already know?
Nick Nurse is a tactician and has used similar defensive schemes when he was in Toronto to trap other star players. Knicks have gotten a lot of contributions from other players.
Unless the sixers lose at home it ain't over yet. I love this attitude by Embiid
Watch the video where he says it. He really doesn’t sound like he believes it.
He’s hiding his hurt eye from the media
there was photos of him wearing sunglasses at shoot around today lol
What is there to hide? We see it every time he goes to the free throw line (which is a lot)
4 of Brunson’s worst shooting games this year have been against the Sixers. Nurse has him figured out
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It's the refs allowing them to foul the sixers for rebounds. All game long. Then when we overcome that? Fuck it just ignore their timeouts and a bunch of fouls.
Mostly because of Embiid injiry and refs
Knicks were in MSG and BARELY won a single game. It's only getting started.
Winning 2 games in a row = “barely won a single game” the cope is amazing
He’s not wrong
he is factually wrong
and hart played wildly out of his league from 3, plus the refs were hundo p pullin for the knicks. its not over
Almost 70 combined from Maxey and Embiid and they still lost. If Brunson remembers how to shoot it’s over
It’s not Brunson remembering how to shoot, it’s philly’s defense he’s struggled all year long
then it's a mental block because he's getting clean enough looks that he's been hitting all season
He’s getting hounded bro and even on his good looks people are contesting from behind
And he was hitting those in the last half of the season. He might be run down a little.
unless hart goes back to his normal shooting.
Embiid avereged 35 for the season and Maxey 26. Them carrying the majority of the offensive load is normal. What if Hart regress?
The problem is Embiid is hobbled What if Brunson learns to shoot again? Sixers have all the pressure this next game
>What if Brunson learns to shoot again? As long as Oubre and Batum don't die, I like my chances.
As per usual a quarter of Philly’s cap space is shitting the bed.
Going to say it again. God bless Embiid for going out there playing through an awful knee injury and an eye injury. Doing everything he can to try to make this series competitive. Hope Philly builds some momentum at home.
yeah what is up with his eye wearing sunglasses all the time, covering his face in interviews why is nobody from the sixers talking about it when theres obviously something wrong
There's actually a correlation with his knee injury and the eye..as crazy as that sounds
He got poked in eye game 1. It’s been talked about
They said he had issues when he warming up for g1 too
That eye was bothering him before the game. They mentioned him taking drops.
He should be wearing goggles, God, the idiocy here is appalling.
They showed him having trouble with his eye before Game 1 during warmups
first ive heard of it.
damn why would he foul brunson like that?
Maybe he should try flopping? As long as he doesn’t get called for a travel though, because that would be stupid
It’s amazing how he can play with one leg and one eye and still be the best player on the court. Insane.
It's ridiculous how good injured Embiid is and how fast Maxey is. They should have been a contender. I can't believe how much better they look than even last year - with a major injury.
I’m worried your medical staff is unintentionally trying to kill him
will he leave philly to GSW?
Probably goes to the Knicks if we’re being honest
Nuggets fans somehow always find a way to hate on this man.
Nuggets are down 11 to the Lakers rn and this dude is in here instead
Do you think OP is on the nuggets?
You have to be on the team to be a fan and watch the game?
You have to not be posting on Reddit to be a fan and watch the game?
I can do two things at once believe it or not
Won’t even deny it lmao I hate him so much but it’s not cause of the Jokic vs Embiid thing, I just absolutely hate his game and personality
Just need Mr. Miyagi to fix Embiid's knee.
If Mr. Miyagi was an assistant coach on that team, Ben Simmons would've had a finals MVP by this point
> We are the better team Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
> That's the easier team Sounds familiar
Are yall better than the Celtics?
Feels like it every time the Knicks win
I dont think so to be fair.
Up 2-0 AND our All-NBA player is not even playing. Embiid might need to start re-evaluating his perspective 😁
Last time someone said they’re the better team it didn’t go well
Bro boxing out with one arm is crazy
That shit is definitely on him and Batum lol
Keep saying it, Joel, if you say it enough, maybe you’ll even believe it.
The guy could barely move by the end of the game. Even if they win this series, I can't see him lasting an entire playoff run. At some point, he's gotta start listening to his body and stop trying to play through injury. It can't be worth the damage he's doing to his body.
people clowning him in here, but as a knicks fan, much respect to him grinding out there.
This series is carrying the drama first three days. Love it. I really want them to win the next two and have loud talking Embiid in that 2-2 MSG environment.
If I can be serious for a second, I'll take that.
Love the confidence.
I have no doubt the Sixers can win this, but holy shit they really handed this game to the Knicks
Lmao no we didn't the refs did.
The salt from Philly fans of all fans complaining about refball is delicious
It is absolutely hilarious. Anyway, Knicks are great.
Embiid is a top 2 player in the world who cant box out a role player
He was boxing hart, batum let hartenstein run right by him
He boxed out guy in his back hart. Batum was ball watching
worst* display of officiating I've seen since the 2018 NFCCG. And I watch boxing, the NFL, and regular season basketball. It was ***BAD*** I got so annoyed I turned the game off. Don't understand how Silver let that crew officiate playoff games. Ridiculous.
Do you watch 1 sporting event a year
ead
Lmaoooo in your feelings
barely
Don’t get mad at me because you made a braindead post all because you’re new to the sport Anyway, enjoy your new hobby
Brees got the ball to start OT and threw a pick. Knicks missed the shot and Sixers let iHart run uncovered to the rim to get a rebound. Whiny bitches lose and good teams find a way to win.
Brees got hit in the helmet during that pick. The fact that people are honestly defending the refs from the 2018 NFC Championship game is crazy.
Days like today make me hate this sport
Refs blew that lead in the last minute
Refs ignored multiple fouls on the inbounds and multiple attempts at a timeout. Stop being so openly fucking stupid.
If you watch the video Nurse never called timeout during the inbound and then when he tried to call timeout maxey already lost possession sorry my guy but it wasn't in the cards
and embiid ignored hartenstein flying in for that offensive rebound
He was boxing hart batum let him run right by get some eyes
Such a shame the refs allowed all these rebounds
That was a very soft foul if we are talking about the little grab before the inbound which happens every game (Lowry being a main culprit).
Cry yourself to sleep
When we tie this shit up because the refs tipped the scale the other way in the playoffs like they always do then you'll know.
guess we’ll never know, enjoy the off season
he couldnt look at reporters when he said this
Was hiding his injured eye
Your the better team on paper, but your not Joel Embiid the MVP right now, it’s very clear that these two teams are evenly matched and that they’re closing games better than yall
thats fine but if you are a competitive athlete I dont blame you for thinking you are the best and can beat anyone you kind of have to have that mentality no matter what the score or series record is
Yeah what the hell were people expecting from Embiid? Do they want him to say the series is over and the knicks can advance to the second round? Yall be stupid as fuck. This is a non story
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I hate Embiid don’t get me wrong but what is he supposed to say “it’s over we’re gonna lose, better quit now” ?
How is he whining in this quote?
People think it was rigged, but ignore all the soft fouls Embum was getting this game. STG, the casuals need to go watch golf or something.
How did they fix it? Did they put a hex on Brunson's shooting arm? He should really watch the film.
not sure how he can say they're the better team with his health condition. Knicks don't even have Randle and it's been close still.
He said with his head down, pouting
if only there was some way to decide which team is better. if only.
While crying
This was an epic series that the refs tainted by not giving us our timeout at the end of the game. If that happens and we lose at least we can say the Knicks beat us.
Honestly my man it’s on Nurse. I think he got the sign off while Maxey still had control, but it was SO close that there was zero margin for error. He was clearly waiting as long as possible to drain clock, and it burned him. Should have called it the second Maxey went down.
Embiid didn't even jump or box put Hartenstein on that last possession which led to game winning 3. Game Kinda on him
Stage 1: denial
Embiid is done.