The Ricky Staff Predicts the Sixers' Bubble Ball Restart Fate
We’re all here. They’re all there.
This week’s If Not, Pick Will Convey as Two Second Rounders-approved RTRS roundtable is brought to you by Kinetic Skateboarding! Not only the Ricky's approved skate shop, but the best place to get Chucks, Vans, any apparel. Use code "DAVESILVER" for 9.1% off your order.
Well it took four and a half months, a couple global calamities and an entire alternate timeline of postseason heartbreak, but we're finally here: the mini-season restart of Disney Hostage Hoops, a.k.a. Bubble Ball. Over eight seeding games — starting for Philly against Indiana on Saturday night — we'll get our first non-exhibition glimpse into how real the Sixers are as Eastern Conference contenders, while finding out a little more about how our guys truly spent their summer vacation, and learning some very interesting things about the true meaning of a home game.
And then, of course, the playoffs -- but we'll worry about those when the time comes. For now, the Rights to Ricky Sanchez crew has assembled in full -- Mike, Spike, Zo, AU, SixersAdam, MOC and Abbie (who has requested it be duly noted that they in fact do not watch basketball) -- to give our takes on some of the most pressing questions facing Our Sixers, as they try to make the most of getting a second chance at greatness. What's the worst that could happen?
1. We have eight regular season games coming up. How many do you think Joel Embiid actually plays in?
Mike: I'll say 6. One healthy scratch, one terrifying fall on a knee that turns out to be nothing-ish.
Spike: I think he’ll play in five. He’ll miss two with a minor injury and one out of precaution. Game time decision on the rest of 'em.
Zo: I say 7. I don't think he'll play in the last game. Would be very on brand to have him rest for that, assuming they've done enough to move up to 5 or lost enough of the previous 7 to cement the 6 seed.
AU: Fuck it, gimme eight of eight. No time for half-stepping here.
SixersAdam: ll go with five, and guess that we see one injury-related absence and two precautionary off days, likely when the team's seeding position is locked in.
MOC: Seven. I think the big fella is fine. He may miss one game or get rested for it but I think he’s really itching to play some basketball.
Abbie: three.
2. Ben Simmons went 1-2 from three in his first pre-restart game -- then, shockingly, did not hoist another in his last two. Give your guess for how many total he shoots (and how many he makes) across the next eight games.
Mike: Give me 0-0. But to paraphrase Zo: I hope not, please man, fuck.
Spike: He’ll shoot five and make two. Honestly I don’t even give a shit anymore. This is the topic in Sixers land that is impossible to talk about because of how people react. It’s like discussing the death penalty. Do whatever you want Ben, I don’t give a shit anymore.
Zo: He'll shoot 5, make 3. I think he actually does want to take them more but I don't see some huge philosophical shift in his game. We're going to get the Ben we're used to, with some midrange j's and a corner three (sponsored) here and there.
AU: 4-10. Believe the personal growth is real and think he'll be spacing more with Joel back in there.
SixersAdam: It isn't hard to imagine that Ben may have been firing (this is generous language given that he only took two threes) just to get folks off his back. If that is the case, it's worked so far! I'd imagine he will make at least one, for the sake of preserving goodwill if for no other reason. Let's go with two makes and five attempts. *shrug*
MOC: Two makes in four attempts. I do think there has been a so-called paradigm shift in Simmons’ head to where he wants to take the occasional 3. But I don’t think he’ll take more than ~one every two games.
Abbie: two shots - one made, one not.
3. Assuming injuries don't factor significantly, is the starting five we appear to be going into the restart with -- Shake-Josh-Tobias-Ben-Jo -- the one you expect we'll end it with? Who's most likely to get moved?
Mike: I think this is it. Brett's not a light-on-his-feet guy since the 10-day parade era, and he's already made his one big move. I think it sticks like this, though if Shake struggles with playoff physicality, he could get bumped, maybe for Burks or, if they just need offense, Korkmaz.
Spike: Richardson without question is most likely to get moved.
Zo: Yes. Shake being the obvious candidate to be swapped out just because of tenure etc. Might become a platoon type situation with him and Burks? Brett Brown doesn't normally have the longest leash with young guys so I'll be interested to see his patience if Shake starts to falter.
AU: I'm coming around to the Detrickian belief that this starting lineup is currently better served with Matisse in there than J-Rich. One starting lineup shakeup might be all Brett has the stomach for at the moment, but I think we'll see him try it at some point.
SixersAdam: I can't imagine this lineup being changed based on performance. It is clearly going to be their best unit when factoring in collective abilities, and will help the team get a sense of how the new version of Simmons looks at the highest levels of basketball as well as evaluate Shake's long-term prospects. As we all know far too well, an injury is always possible, but assuming good health, the only way I see the lineup changing is if Brett Brown makes a desperation move -- perhaps resembling TJ McConnell's insertion into the starting lineup against Boston in 2018.
MOC: I don’t think they adjust but if they do it has to be by moving Shake, right? Just based on sheer pedigree? If Shake really does flounder, maybe Alec Burks gets a shot here.
Abbie: everyone will move except for joel.
4. The Sixers play the Washington Wizards on Aug. 5, without John Wall, Bradley Beal or Davis Bertans. On a scale from 1-10, how confident are you in the Sixers in that matchup?
Mike: 2.5. Almost *too* on brand for them to lose? They'll at least let it be a game, unnecessarily. Troy Brown Jr. drops 40.
Spike: At most, a 2. It’s a trap!!
Zo: Easy loss. No one there to boo. Brett is going to lose his voice and probably flip on Mike Scott or something.
AU: I'll give it a 2, just because I can't totally discount the possibility of this being a double-reverse-trap game, likely setting us up for a somehow-even-bigger subsequent fall. But really you know it's a 1.
SixersAdam: If anyone in here says anything higher than a 2 or a 3, Spike needs to reprimand them. Come on. Ish Smith? Ian Mahinmi? ANZEJS PASECNIKS?!?! They're losing this game. 1 out of 10.
MOC: 5, without a hint of hyperbole. My concern is very much exacerbated by the fact that there will be no one there to boo them.
Abbie: 5.
5. Wizards aside, which of the Sixers' eight upcoming opponents are you most worried about facing?
Mike: Maybe they decide Washington would be too embarrassing and they drop an easy one to the Spurs. If there's not a soul-searching loss in here, I don't think the season should count.
Spike: Obviously the Magic.
Zo: Toronto. They're incredibly tough to beat and at this point every game against them is mental chess for the Sixers. They need to beat these guys not just for the standings but for their own psyche.
AU: It's the Magic, a team the Sixers haven't beaten in Orlando since Scott Skiles and Gaston were the starting backcourt. Over/under combined threes made by Fultz and MCW: 6.5.
SixersAdam: Shoutout to Friends of the Podcast Robert Covington and Daryl Morey, as the Rockets are a formidable foe, but I will go with the Toronto Raptors here. Not only are they just a damn good team, but they have in Marc Gasol an actually credible Joel Embiid defender. It would be really nice to see Embiid get the upper hand on Gasol in the second-to-last game of the seeding period, though.
MOC: The Raptors. They’re too damn good. Plus, I worry that a shellacking at the hand of the Kawhi-less Raptors immediately before the playoffs would not be good for this team’s confidence.
Abbie: the trail blazers, because their logo is an abstract swirl.
6. Do you think the Sixers make it all the way through Disney quarantine without anyone running afoul of the snitch line / league in general? If not, who are you most worried about getting in trouble?
Mike: Famous last words, but I think we're in the clear. If I had to guess who could be subject to any weirdness, I'd guess Alec Burks could be a wild card? Maybe Norvel or Furkan tweet something "think for yourself"-adjacent.
Spike: I do think they’ll make it. I’m most worried about Furk and KOQ though.
Zo: I think they do. I think all of these guys care enough about each other and the collective goal of this team and the health and welfare of others to follow protocol. That said, Burks/GR3 probably.
AU: Our Sixers know what they're doing. But if anyone, I do feel Ben might have a general distrust of authority that could get the better of him in a moment of frustration.
SixersAdam: I'll be honest, I think this is a pretty reliable group as far as responsible behavior amid a pandemic is concerned. I'm not too worried!
MOC: I think this is a pretty responsible group. I don’t think they’ll get in trouble. If you knew they were going to, though, you’d have to guess that it was Ben trying to bring someone like Kendall Jenner into the bubble, right? Hopefully not though! I believe in you Ben!
Abbie: no one will get in trouble because they’re all Good Boys.
7. Which Sixers player (or coach/staffer) do you think most draws the ire of Sixers Twitter over the course of the next eight games?
Mike: I'm gonna go chalk here and say Al. The dropoff from Jo to Al is bigger than any other substitution -- if one of the bench slop starts to Mike Scott all over the court, Brett will give him a quick hook. But Horford will have to play, and if he's not *very good*, the playoff hit we take with Joel on the bench is just too noticeable.
Spike: It’s always Brett Brown. He’s like the superhero movie of Sixers twitter criticism. He’s the consensus that everyone can just sort of settle in and blame him. Or Horford. Maybe it’s Horford. Even when they go in they don’t look like they’re going to go in.
Zo: I think it can get reallllly ugly for Josh Richardson if things go south. Ben/Jo are going to get their fair share regardless, Tobias is teflon as far as I'm concerned, Matisse works hard and has a vlog. So J-Rich would definitely be my candidate -- and probably Horford too. We'll call it a J-Rich/Horford tie.
AU: The Mike Scott slander on my timeline this pre-restart has been jarring -- though not totally without performance-based reason, sadly. Ideally he wouldn't even be playing enough in the seeding games to get further villainized, but my guess is Brett uses him to shave minutes off a couple other rotation guys, and the annoyance over his seemingly season-long shooting slump coalesces into something of an anti-Hive.
SixersAdam: It hurts me to say this, but I think Josh Richardson's time might be coming. Many more noteworthy and significant issues have dominated the discourse surrounding this team, but Richardson has failed to be much of a helpful offensive player. With Ben hopefully calming some of the discussion about his jumper, Embiid in good shape and Al Horford coming off the bench, it feels like Richardson's disappointing offensive production could start to make its way towards the spotlight.
MOC: Surprise surprise, it’s going to be Horford. I’m imagining the Sixers having come back from a double-digit deficit against the Blazers with a huge run in the middle of the fourth, and after receiving a bullet pass from Simmons in transition, Horford glides in for a lightly contested layup that would put the Sixers up two. It hits the backboard hard as all hell and comes nowhere close to going in. He claps in disappointment. Next time down the floor, Horford gets a wide open 3 from the top of the key and bricks it so bad that Sixers Twitter loses its mind.
Abbie: ben simmons because he will only shoot two threes.
8. Give a guess for the team's ultimate eight-game record, what seed they end up with, and who they face in the first round.
Mike: I'll say a safe 5-3 and the 6-seed against Boston. Indiana is being a little written off, which for a team off haphazard tryhards is a bad bet. I think the Pacers do enough to hold the 4/5 against Miami (and then lose soundly).
Spike: Four wins, sixth seed, Celtics.
Zo: 6-2, 5 seed, Jimmy Butler comeeeee on down.
AU: 6-2 (Wizards and Magic only losses), 5th seed and the Heat is on.
SixersAdam: I feel pretty good about this -- 4-4. They'll lose to (of course) the Wizards, the Blazers will get revenge for the Furkan game-winner, the Raptors will assert their continued superiority, and the Rockets will take the season finale that will likely not matter to the Sixers. However, I do think they will take over the fifth seed from Indiana, setting them up for a first-round series with the Miami Heat. AU's alternate timeline coming to life!
MOC: 5-3, 5th seed, playing against the Heat.
Abbie: i literally have no idea how to answer this. i do not watch basketball.