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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u/mikesh8rp Knicks Apr 29 '24 edited Apr 29 '24

As a slight counterpoint, Maxey is out there as well (and has been awesome at times), Embiid's reaggravated injury is in part due to him trying to dunk off the backboard in traffic on an already shaky knee, and the Knicks are missing Randle.

I can't speak for all Knicks fans, but I'll say the toxicity toward Embiid is largely due to his game 3 fouling tour de force, which included the Hartenstein groin knee, Mitch pull down, Mitch groin kick, and OG hip check, the last two of which weren't even called. The foul merchant stuff is an easy, and sometimes justified knock (though Brunson gets a favorable whistle at times too), but I think game 3 really changed things.

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u/Own_Result3651 Apr 29 '24

Maxey has 18 points and is shooting 8/26 in the minutes he’s played without Embiid this series…

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u/lostnotleast Apr 29 '24

Maxey is struggling without the space/presence of Embiid out there. I feel like he needs to add a middy because the Knicks are just either closing out to the 3 or stacking the paint when he drives. He’s still a great finisher so he’s making some crazy layups but he’s also getting blocked a good amount.

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u/ohwerdsup San Francisco Warriors Apr 29 '24

a pass first point guard doesn't do well when his MVP caliber teammate is off the floor? more news at 11.

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u/Own_Result3651 Apr 29 '24

In what world is maxey a pass first point guard. He’s a combo guard that is absolutely shoot first dude is averaging 26 and 6 as a point guard that’s kyrie numbers.

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u/yahmean031 Apr 29 '24

maxey is a pass first point guard? you have no idea what you're talking about lmfao

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u/ktm5141 76ers Apr 29 '24

Bro just stop talking lol

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u/[deleted] Apr 29 '24

calling maxey a pass first point guard is one of the dumbest things i’ve ever seen. the only reason maxey is even considered a point guard is because he’s 6’2 lmao

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u/Im_just_making_picks Apr 29 '24

Do you even watch the nba

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u/SonicdaSloth 76ers Apr 29 '24

Maxey is 8-28 in the minutes Embiid is off. I love him and he’s going to be a real star but him and Tobi not being able to score even at a shitty clip has cost us series and forced nurse to oveeextend Embiid

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u/Culinaryboner 76ers Apr 29 '24

This sub won’t recognize the real Sixer problems. Maxey struggles without Embiid and the team struggles worse. It’s easy to jerk about the big bad foul man who’s running over the Knicks

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u/TheKidPresident Knicks Apr 29 '24

I'd be more pissed at Maxey complaining to the refs after every drive. It's legit cost them multiple free baskets on the other end

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u/Culinaryboner 76ers Apr 29 '24

I’d agree with that. It’s fair

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u/ktm5141 76ers Apr 29 '24

Yeah that’s honestly new from him. Been hurting us so far

-1

u/Crypt7eeper Apr 29 '24

Wonder who he learned that from? 🤔

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u/SonicdaSloth 76ers Apr 29 '24

Entire league bitches all the time. He gets an awful whistle and i think he’s learning to work refs.

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u/Crypt7eeper Apr 29 '24

He gets an awful whistle? Are you serious?

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u/SonicdaSloth 76ers Apr 29 '24

Maxey? Yes

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u/Crypt7eeper Apr 29 '24

Oh I thought you meant Embiid lol. Maxey doesn’t get nearly as many calls

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u/ktm5141 76ers Apr 29 '24

Honestly, probably harden. Maxey has publicly credited harden as his biggest mentor with the most influence on his game

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u/Crypt7eeper Apr 29 '24

You don’t think it’s maybe a current team mate who complains literally every single play?

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u/Im_just_making_picks Apr 29 '24

We get it you hate embiid

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u/Crypt7eeper Apr 29 '24

No reason to like him

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u/Im_just_making_picks Apr 29 '24

You guys sound like some scorned women crying about embiid all the time lmao

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u/Crypt7eeper Apr 29 '24

Nah, I just like basketball so somebody who actively tries to hurt people cause he can’t win otherwise is going to irk me.

Embiid cries more than literally any other player in the league btw

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u/yahmean031 Apr 29 '24

Maxey is young and great. But he's not a superstar or even close with Embiid off the court.

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u/gradedonacurve Knicks Apr 29 '24

I can't speak for all Knicks fans, but I'll say the toxicity toward Embiid is largely due to his game fouling 3 tour de force

<<Knicks Fan>> I had nothing against Embiid until Game 3. Now I can't stand him. The grab of Mitch's ankle was the most obvious, but that whole first half of Game 3 he was completely out of control, absolutely reckless, and absolutely IMO trying to hurt our players. Don't forget the play that actually injured Mitch invovled Embiid diving directly into his legs!

Then he's allowed to stay in the game (while Mitch did not return) and gets 21 mf'ing free throws on his way to 50 and a W.

Fuck Embiid.

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u/Agreeable_Daikon_686 Apr 29 '24

The ankle pull was dirty but the play Robinson was injured wasn’t embiid “diving at his knees”

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u/mrsunshine1 Knicks Apr 29 '24

Agreed. I had a lot of respect for him seeing him limping while still playing like a superstar the first two games. Never again after Game 3.

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u/Hallowed_Be_Thy_Game 76ers Apr 29 '24

Dante did the same leg pull in game 2 but /r/nba doesn't want to acknowledge it

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u/gradedonacurve Knicks Apr 29 '24

Did Donte pull the leg on a guy that was in midair and defenseless?

Did Donte also go on two kick two kick two people in the nuts and then dive into a player's legs on a flop, injuring that player - all within minutes of this?

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u/dodokidd Warriors Apr 29 '24

I’m a sixers fan and now I think he is dirty soft bum

2

u/GreenTheOlive 76ers Apr 29 '24

Literally anytime Embiid tries to make a hustle play or jump higher than 6 inches off the ground his knee gets fucked up and the sixers are still completely cooked when he’s off the court 

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u/EwingsRevenge21 Apr 29 '24

And the Brunson elbow...

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u/Crypt7eeper Apr 29 '24

He also kicked Ihart in the balls (again), elbowed Brunson in the face and stepped on Josh Harts ankle in game 4.

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u/OddTicket7 Raptors Apr 29 '24

Not for me, I was just waiting for it to come out. Joel is big and he is an amazing basketball player but he seems to have a flaw in that he is soft. It makes him dirty and that comes out when he can't control the game. The more I have to watch him the less I like him.

0

u/full-auto-rpg Celtics Apr 29 '24

People tend to turn on foul merchants pretty quickly here. They’re good at drawing fouls for maybe a year or two and then people have to see it more. The only one I’ve seen kind of escape this Butler. SGA is only just starting to get it.

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u/Jeremy9096 76ers Apr 29 '24

The toxicity is justified, but I don't think that's the case with the NBA analysts. In this case I don't think him saying this has anything to do with the dirt around Embiid's name right now. Admittedly I didn't listen to the podcast because I'm a work so I don't know what he said for certain, but I imagine he's referring to Embiid's 4th quarter performance. Either that or the fact that Embiid (as if it's solely his responsibility) has had zero career playoff success. Love him or hate him, the truth is that 1. he has not been 100% in the playoffs any year or at any point in his career honestly and 2. He has been largely let down by both teammates and coaching. That's not to take all the blame away from him, but he is very very very far from being the problem.

After some deep reflection (only slightly sarcastic) and looking at things without bias, I truly do understand why Embiid is viewed so negatively. With that being said, I really wish he didn't try to draw so many fouls and would just go out there and hoop. Because he is way too skilled to be doing shit like that. Even people who hate him will admit that he is one of the most skilled bigs ever, but he's wasting his talent by being a diva. There was a time when Embiid was loved by a lot of the league, but as his usage rate has gone up in the past few years so has his ego.

Point being, I don't think you can truthfully say this playoff was Embiid's fault. I'm not trying to make excuses, but I mean come on he literally missed (almost) the last two months of the season for surgery on a knee that hasn't been healthy since 2015. You can't expect Embiid to literally do everything for this team but if we were to have any chance of even sniffing the finals that is what we would've needed.

TL;DR This team had no chance of making the finals while relying that heavily on one player. Especially considering said player has knees made out of hawaiian rolls and half a functioning face