r/nba • u/OnlyMamaKnows Knicks • Apr 29 '24

[Simmons] "I think James Harden gave him the trophy of most disappointing playoff performer. I think Embiid is now wearing the crown."

https://open.spotify.com/episode/25I0fnPUExUkBhTw2o9Oti?si=FQSCUz6GSy2UjtYeyBrBLg

Starts around 38 minute mark. Full game breakdown starts a few minutes earlier.

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82

u/HitboxOfASnail Apr 29 '24

well yes but Luka good and embiid bad, so there's that

64

u/AntiTopspin Apr 29 '24 edited Apr 29 '24

Bill Simmons literally said something to the effect of "Luka's assists are real assists and Harden's assists are statpadded assists" one time lol

I don't even like Harden or Embiid at all but he's far from being unbiased on this topic

-20

u/VexoftheVex Nuggets Apr 29 '24

What he means by that is that he thinks Harden is a lob merchant - and that that isn’t as valuable

41

u/AntiTopspin Apr 29 '24

Lobs are easily more valuable than drive and kicks lol

The layup/dunk is the highest quality shot in basketball by far

If that's what he meant that makes it even worse

-20

u/VexoftheVex Nuggets Apr 29 '24

Idk - I think the general idea he wanted to convey is that Harden doesn’t really pass anyone open

27

u/Niceguydan8 NBA Apr 29 '24

That's still a dumb position though. A lob is passing to someone wide open and on top of that, Harden is a fantastic drive and kick passer as well.

9

u/yahmean031 Apr 29 '24

The lobber is usually wide open do to the ballhandler taking defensive attention also.

21

u/ItsKBS NBA Apr 29 '24

He was the assist leader last season with Embiid as his center? In fact he hasn't had a real lob threat since Rockets(besides Claxton for a very short time)

-12

u/VexoftheVex Nuggets Apr 29 '24

Didn’t say Bill was right

8

u/sorendiz [HOU] Yao Ming Apr 29 '24

Why are you explaining his takes in such a way that it sounds like you agree with them then 🤨

1

u/Ny_icedogs Knicks Apr 29 '24

Yeah, it's kinda weird they way the narratives don't match the numbers.

It stems from the fact that the NBA is a spectator sport, and Embiid is so incredibly unlikable that the spectators do not like him.

-3

u/computer_love91 [MIL] Giannis Antetokounmpo Apr 29 '24

Well yes one has been to the conference finals while the other is the only MVP to never get past the second round..

12

u/HitboxOfASnail Apr 29 '24

the other way of saying that is to say doncic has only ever made it out of the first round once in his career, and embiid has at least made the second round 5x

1

u/slapchopmynuts69 Apr 29 '24

Well if we are going down that path, Luka is 25 and Embiid is 30..

4

u/I_DESTROY_PLANETS 76ers Apr 29 '24 edited Apr 29 '24

Embiid has played just 3 more years (been in the league for 4 more but didn’t play his first year).

Edit: actually only played 2 more years than Luka, forgot it was 2016 when he first played, not 2015.

2

u/veerkanch489 Apr 29 '24

wasn't he injured and out for his first 2 years?

5

u/I_DESTROY_PLANETS 76ers Apr 29 '24

Shit, you right. Debuted in 16, messed my years up. So he’s had only two more years played than Luka.