While some star players may play reduced roles in the final days of the regular season to ensure they’re fresh for the postseason, Sixers center Joel Embiid is looking to go in the opposite direction. After logging nearly 36 minutes on Tuesday in his fourth game back following a knee procedure, Embiid suggested he’d welcome a big workload again on Friday and Sunday, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required).
“Playing as many minutes as possible,” Embiid said when asked what he needs to do to get ready for the playoffs. “.. The next one, I hope the game’s not close, but if it is, to go over that 35-minute mark. Try and get to 40 and then the last game of the season, same thing.”
While the 76ers won’t want to push their franchise player too hard so soon after his return, they’re still battling for positioning in the Eastern Conference playoff race and have a chance to claim a top-six spot with victories in their final two games. Embiid is also still working on getting his conditioning back to its pre-injury level and may get a chance this weekend to build chemistry with a relatively healthy Sixers roster.
“We haven’t played with the full crew yet,” Nicolas Batum said on Tuesday, according to Pompey. “I think the next game will be finally the one. We will have Tyrese (Maxey) and KL (Kyle Lowry) back. We got Joel. We just miss RoCo (Robert Covington). … I think we are more focused on (players returning than seeding). We are focused on how we can be the best team past (Sunday).”
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- In a mailbag for The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required), Pompey addresses several Sixers-related topics, indicating that he doesn’t expect Tobias Harris to be moved to the bench and confirming that Paul George is expected to be the team’s top free agent target this offseason.
- Jrue Holiday will turn 34 this June, so he knows that the four-year, $135MM extension he signed with the Celtics this week could be his last NBA contract, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Holiday said it was a “pretty easy” decision to sign that deal and to remain in Boston. “I think mutually we just came to an agreement and felt like this was what was best for not only me, but for the team and, just hope it works,” Holiday said. “I want to be here. I want to win multiple rings. I’ve heard people say that here plenty of times, so I’m ready for that.”
- Holiday’s extension ensures that the Celtics‘ top six players will be under contract for next season and reduces the team’s projected 2025 tax bill, but it raises some questions about the club’s long-term cap situation, according to Brian Robb of MassLive.com, who explores the possibility of an eventual extension for Derrick White and considers how long Boston can keep its core intact.
- Who’s to blame for a miserable Raptors season? Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca explores that question, ultimately suggesting that Toronto’s front office probably deserves more criticism than it has received for the current state of the team.
If the Sixers do land PG13… that’s pretty much the last real move they can make for a premier player – they will need to HIT heavily on the draft.
I think their offseason moves are:
1. Draft Bronny James
2. Target PG13 this offseason and Bron next off-season. Can’t see him passing up 51M.
3. Re-up the role players.
1. Brony Jr. is a G League level player and 2 year developmental player at best. The kid is definitely an UDFA level talent.
2. This last half decade PG13 is a walking injury. link to statmuse.com
A walking bucket is much more like it.. link to m.youtube.com
Wat you watching.
Celtics should just play the roster by ear over the next year or two. The last thing they want is another early-90s disaster when Red Auerbach held on to Bird, Parish and McHale way too long. I recall hearing about the package Dallas offered for McHale and to this day still can’t believe Red turned it down.
There was much more loyalty back then in all walks of life. Dad stayed with the same company for 30 years to get the gold watch. Divorces were fewer. People stayed at the same University four years.
And of course players in all sports stayed with the same team their entire career a lot more often than today.
Today it’s a rarity. So I think that plays into it. You’re not trading McHale back then. It just wasn’t as common as it is today.
It was Loyalty over getting what I can out of you, including trading you away for assets.
the good lord finally hit OJ with a BFT that’s got everybody sayin…..
L A KNIGHT YEAH!
This upcoming draft lottery is obv gonna be extremely important for Toronto. If any of the 8 teams behind them jump them in the lottery then they lose their pick to the Spurs. They clearly need that top6 pick, especially bc they need a pg & there are so many intriguing pg prospects available at the top of the draft.
If they keep it I’d take the best available pg (Collier, Dillingham, Sheppard, Topic in that order). Then with Indy’s pick (from the Siakam trade) I’d hope for a skilled young wing like Cody Williams or Kyshawn George to fall or take a stretch big like Bobi Klintman or Tidjane Salaun. With Det’s 2nd rd picks I wouldn’t mind seeing them take a shot at Edey, esp if he’s gonna be on the Olympic team..
I’d go ahead & give Scottie the max rookie extension as well. Not trying to play T-Mac games again, especially after they cleared out Siakam & OG for him..
I’d pick up Bruce Brown’s option too but would prob hold off on extending him, in large part bc of Ochai Agbaji being a younger version of him.
Bringing back Kyle Lowry as a backup pg/extra asst coach/crowd fav would be a perfect move if they can convince him to come back..
I’d prob go w a starting 5 of IQ/GDick/Brown/Scottie/Poeltl. RJ off pine as my 6th man so he can focus on the best part of his game, scoring. Dillingham or whatever pg they draft would be the pg of the future & should be starting by around Feb/March, dropping IQ to his more natural 3rd guard spot in the rotation. Ochai’s development is gonna be so important for them. I think he can be a perfect glue guy for them if he can stay healthy. Olynyk is a good vet big to have off the bench, especially when this team has scoring droughts. But they def need an infusion of talent in the post, which is why having 3 of the top 31 picks will come in handy.
Overall this team is probably looking at another tough season next yr but if they get lucky in the lottery next month & their young wings (RJ, Ochai & Gradey) all take steps forward next season this team could surprise & be ready to really contend in 25/26
forgot to mention Jalen McDaniels as the backup forward behind Scottie & a defensive stopper they can use against the numerous dangerous wing scorers in the league
Again another good write up and assessment, this time of the Raptors situation and some ideas to improve the team going forward. Love it.
When you going to do the warriors? Probably wait till after they win the championship LOL
I can guarantee you won’t like what I think GSW should do lol. I feel like their championship window is closed & they should trade Steph asap.
That would probably be the smart thing to do. He’s still very good and you could get a truckload for him.
But he probably falls into the Kobe Bryant etc category where you just can’t trade a franchise icon who has meant so much.
He’s probably even more so than Kobe because there’s been several franchise icons for the Lakers but only one Steph Curry for the warriors.
Out of respect for what he’s brought to the franchise, and the increased value, and the Rings, you just can’t trade him even if his play is way down and Charlotte wants to give you two first round picks and two young guys 2 years from today.
Yeah Jrue probably couldn’t keep a straight face when he saw that many years
Funny !! Yes and Holiday is one of those guys that you give a little extra money and an extra year just because of the person he is. Can’t put a price tag on some of the stuff he brings along with his excellent play on the floor.
Celtics looking very beatable ever since they were lost that 2nd game to Atlanta. Coaches didn’t find a way to adjust. And now a couple of really bad, blow-out losses. Maybe it’s caused by the changed way refs are reffing, not calling so many fouls. Critics were saying Celts were soft early on & maybe the refs letting other teams play more physical now has changed things big time. Hope not! Go Celtics!
I think they’ll be fine. They are just so far ahead of the rest of the field that the details slip and games are lost because of it. But when the playoffs start I believe they’ll be finely tuned and ready to go.
Hope Celts will be fine! But if the refs have been told to not call so many fouls, I hope it is across the board. If they won’t call fouls against defenders on Tatum’s drives I expect Embiid, Giannis, Brunson, Butler, LeBron, Harden and other stars don’t go to the line so much either.
Celtics problem is not retaining players or the salary cap situation it is and always has been that Joe Mazzulla is very poor coach and has relied on their talent all year. Brad Stevens is not the problem.
Mazzulla will be the reason they lose, it is now. Completely relying on the 3 and not having Steph Curry on your team is a foolish notion born from stat geeks and fools who think Analytics is enough to guide a team. He has no plan B. Did not have a plan B last year and he will continue to go with the 40% from 3 offense, even when teams scheme for his genius offense.
The book on the Cs is rather simple. Pressure their ball handlers with physical man to man, force them to go Hero Ball with 5 secs left on the clock. It works all the time and Mazzulla has never even tried to counter it, he just keeps driving the same nail “this time the 3s will go in.”
Mazzulla is a deer in head lights when the game needs a coach. He should have never been retained.
The cap thing is obvious. Jaylen Brown will be moved to OKC or someone like that with lots of cheap players and picks. If they win it all this year, it could even happen this summer, but most likely after Tatum and White get their extensions.
This is why Stevens extended Holiday, traded for Tillman and will eventually extend White. They will trade Jaylen, get young cheap players and picks, restock and go for it all again with Tatum/White/Porzingis as the main guys.
You’re saying if Celtics win a title they will trade Jaylen Brown to Oklahoma city?
I think you trade Jaylen Brown now no matter what happens. Is it smart to break up a championship team before giving it a run back? Maybe not but you know he would be gone absolutely 100% the very next year when they flame out.
Might as well do it this summer despite what happens on the floor. So I would say yeah, trade him now even if they do win the ring this year. His value would be the highest this summer as opposed to the next summer or two.
Trade Jaylen Brown? Why? He’s just coming into his prime and has earned his salary which no one said he could or would. Jaylen, Jason & KP should be our three core Celts to build around.
You just gave Jrue Holiday a big contract and what will you do with Derek White? Let him walk? Trade him?
I’m thinking the mindset of the Celtics is to not have a massive payroll and be deep into tax territory. One guy has to go and he goes now so you get a nice return.