The 76ers came out on top against the shorthanded Nets on Wednesday night in a potential Eastern Conference Finals matchup. They did what they had to do and got the dub at home, no matter who was sitting out. The one seed now travels through Wells Fargo Center if the Sixers handle their business and we get to scream our heads off at a Game 7.
The Joel Embiid MVP Campaign is all the way back on. Ben Simmons has DPOY buzz. Furkan is playing with skyrocketing confidence. George Hill might play a game soon. The vibes are strong.
There is ONE quibble with tonight’s win though.
You may be thinking it was the borderline collapse the Sixers had in the 4th quarter against the Nets JV team. Well, actually that was nerve-racking. Doc Rivers, look buddy I know you’re new here but never ease up because if there is any city that’s going to have a backbreaking collapse on national television, it’s a Philadelphia sports team. Maybe it’s my Philly Sports PTSD… but I’ve never looked at a 15 point lead with 6 minutes to go and think “welp, this is over! Time to rest the starters”. This isn’t a Tuesday in November against the Cavs. Put the big guns back in and let’s not things spiral out of amuck.
It also didn’t help that Tobias Harris, the closer, exited the game late in the 4th. Is he even alright? ESPN made absolutely no mention of it. They were bewildered that the Sixers offense went ice cold and could not put two and two together that Harris was out.
But they won and there’s reason to hyper focus on the minor negative details.
So, here is what it is actually frustrating about the end of that game. Why are we chanting ‘KD Sucks’
https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1382508681556725761?s=20
We’re clinging to dear life against Nicolas Claxton and Landry Shamet, up 4 with a minute to go. Can we hang on to beat the Nets JV team before we do any chant? Or do no chant at all, since y’know, it’s our guy at the free throw line. That’s the basketball equivalent of making noise in football when your offense comes to the line of scrimmage. Rookie fan move. Let’s stick to the simple “M-V-P” chants when Joel Embiid is at the line because he is literally the freakin MVP and the chant finally makes sense. This isn’t the Garden giving MVP chants to Julius Randle.
Don’t be setting us up for Old Takes Exposed when Durant gets back and drops a 40 ball on our heads in the playoffs.
Gotta clean this shit up if we get to be the One Seed in the East. Who are we, Atlanta Braves fans?