Saturday Slam: Where things sit at the 2021 NBA All-Star Break

 

2021 NBA All-Star Weekend is here, which means we are at the unofficial halfway mark of the 2020-21 NBA season. I have never done this particular blog post before, but here's to new beginnings! In case you have been out of the loop up until this point, below is a quick breakdown of where things sit in the NBA at the All-Star break. 

Out East, the Philadelphia 76ers are the top ranked team with an impressive 24-12 record. Joel Embiid is getting MVP consideration for the way he's guiding the Sixers and deservedly so. The Brooklyn Nets led by Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving are in the #2 spot at 24-13, just a half game back. The #3 Milwaukee Bucks led by Giannis Antetokounmpo are at 22-14, just 1.5 games back of the Nets and 2.0 games back of the Sixers. Those three teams are leading the charge out East and honestly, it is anyone's guess of as to which of those three teams will get the top seed in the conference. 

Seeds #4-10 are really close: Boston Celtics (19-17), New York Knicks (19-18), Miami Heat (18-18), Charlotte Hornets (17-18), Toronto Raptors (17-19), Chicago Bulls (16-18), and Indiana Pacers (16-19). This grouping is key because the top six seeds overall in each conference will clinch an automatic berth to the playoffs while seeds 7-10 will play in a wildcard tournament of sorts to determine the final two seeds. 

The rest of the East #11-15 goes as follows: Atlanta Hawks (16-20), Washington Wizards (14-20), Cleveland Cavaliers (14-22), Orlando Magic (13-23), and Detroit Pistons (10-26). Honestly, all of those teams still have a pulse to perhaps get the #10 spot. So, it's going to be interesting to see who out East gets that #10 spot and gives themselves a shot at making the playoffs. 

Out West, it's also looking pretty interesting. The Utah Jazz occupy the top seed and best record in the NBA at 27-9. Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Mike Conley are the three All-Stars from that team. Conley being an injury replacement for Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker. There was a bit of a controversy this week with Mitchell and Gobert being the last two picks of the All-Star draft despite being on the best team in the league. Personally, I think this will just give those guys more of a reason to be motivated in the second half of the season. 

The #2 seed belongs to the Phoenix Suns at 24-11. I wrote about the Suns earlier this year on here and felt they could be serious contenders, so I'm not at all surprised about them being this high. In addition to Devin Booker, Chris Paul has been a major part of their success. 

The #3 team is the Los Angeles Lakers at 24-13. Many have them as the favorites to come out of the West because of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. If those two guys stay healthy, it's tough to pick against them. 

Seeds #4-6 aren't far behind: Los Angeles Clippers (24-14), Portland Trail Blazers (21-14), and Denver Nuggets (21-15). Honestly, I feel a little bad putting them in a different group. They're right there and certainly could come out of the West. Once again, as a I said above, seeds 7-10 are battling for those two wild card spots if you will. So being #6 is key as it guarantees a playoff spot. 

Seeds #7-10 seem to be in a pretty comfortable spot in terms of at least securing a spot in that wild card tournament: San Antonio Spurs (18-14), Dallas Mavericks (18-16), Golden State Warriors (19-18), and Memphis Grizzlies (16-16). It's even possible one of them or two of them jumps up to the #5/6 spot and avoids the play-in tournament. 

Seeds #11-15 are a bit removed from the rest: New Orleans Pelicans (15-21), Oklahoma City Thunder (15-21), Sacramento Kings (14-22), Houston Rockets (11-23), and Minnesota Timberwolves (7-29). 

In terms of what to watch for and how to make sense of all of this, I think with the East, it's going to be really interesting to see who gets that top seed in the conference. The 76ers, Nets, and Bucks could all get it and whichever team secures that spot will have the inside track to reaching the NBA Finals. 

Many people are picking the Nets to go the distance, but I have some reservations based on the fact that it's tough to elevate yourself into contender status in one season. Let alone win the whole thing. A team that has been gelling more over the last couple of seasons like the Bucks or 76ers is probably a more safe bet at this point, but hey, maybe the Nets will surprise me and get it done. 

Out West, it's all about the Jazz right now and whether or not they can hang onto that top seed and go the distance. A lot of people see them as a great regular season team but are skeptical of their chances to win it all. For the Jazz, it's paramount that they finish with the best record in the league if they want to win the championship. Just because of how tough of a place Salt Lake City is to play in. 

If the Jazz can lock up that home court advantage, they're going to be a really tough out. On top of that, they wouldn't have to see the Lakers until the conference finals in all likelihood. So that's another benefit. Perhaps the Suns knock out the Lakers and they don't see them at all? A lot of what happens out West hinges on whether or not the Jazz can hang onto that top spot. If they do, look out. If not, they're still dangerous, but I wouldn't call them the favorites. 

The wildcard in all this is the Clippers. We know the Lakers are going to be right there and I think the Suns are showing what they can do and are playing up to their max potential. But the Clippers are kinda flying under the radar and not playing as well as they could. If they get their act together, maybe they're a team that can go the distance. 

One other thing to keep an eye on is where Blake Griffin ends up now that the Pistons have released him and bought out his contract. If he indeed ends up with the Nets, that could shake things up even further. You know I'll do a blog post about that if that indeed comes to fruition. 

On that note, enjoy NBA All-Star Weekend and enjoy the second half of the season. It's shaping up to be a wild ride! Lots to look for and get excited about! 

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Saturday Slam: Assessing the NBA All-Star starters

Earlier this week, the NBA All-Star starters were named. In the East, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (captain), 76ers center Joel Embiid, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, Celtics guard Kemba Walker, and Hawks guard Trae Young are the starters. In the West, Lakers forward LeBron James (captain), Lakers forward Anthony Davis, Mavericks forward Luka Doncic, Rockets guard James Harden, and Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard are the starters.

Ultimately, I don't have much beef with this list. I feel like with the East, arguments could be made for Zach LaVine on the Bulls (I actually voted for him), Jaylen Brown on the Celtics, Ben Simmons on the 76ers, and Kyle Lowry on the Raptors. I'm sure there's a couple others I'm leaving out in the East, but those guys spring to mind as guys who one could argue a case for. I feel like Antetokounmpo and Embiid are the only two that should be on the starting five for sure. The other three spots I feel are up for debate.

In the West, I feel like it's much more tight. James is a no-brainer as is Davis and Doncic. Harden I don't really have a quibble with and after what he did in the NBA Finals last year,  I'm not going to leave Leonard out, either.

Every year, there's going to be debates about who should have made the All-Star team and who shouldn't have. Who should have been starters and who shouldn't have. It goes with the territory. This time though, I think the voting process delivered.

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Saturday Slam: Can the Philadelphia 76ers survive without Joel Embiid?

                                         (Credit: Matt Slocum/AP Photo) 

One of the major stories this week in the NBA is Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid tearing a ligament in his left hand, requiring surgery. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, he'll be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks and is out indefinitely. Even though the 76ers are used to Embiid getting hurt, that doesn't mean it's easy for them to soldier on without him. He's averaging 23.4 points and 12.3 rebounds per game, which are big numbers to fill when he goes down.

Assuming he's out for only a few weeks, his absence is still significant given where the 76ers sit in the Eastern Conference standings. They're in 5th place with a 25-15 record, just a half game up on the 6th seeded Indiana Pacers and a full game back of the 4th seeded Toronto Raptors. When things are as tight as they are, going without your top player for any stretch of time hurts.

With Embiid out, Tobias Harris (19.4 points & 6.5 rebounds), Ben Simmons (15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, & 8.4 assists), and Al Horford (12.4 points & 6.5 rebounds) will need to step up. The 76ers do have enough depth to keep the ship afloat, but all of these guys, especially Horford, will need to step it up. They're certainly capable of doing so, but they're still going to have to go out and get it done.

Of those three guys that I mentioned, Simmons probably needs to step it up the most. Alongside Embiid, he's billed as the main attraction on this team and now is his time to really shine. He needs to start playing like a guy who is capable of carrying a team. Now is his chance to show that he can do that.

While the 76ers do have the pieces to weather this storm, it's still going to be interesting to see how they do over these next few weeks. With how close this race in the Eastern Conference is, these next couple of weeks could make or break their season. It's the harsh truth.

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Wednesday Windmill: The Philadelphia 76ers gave the Milwaukee Bucks coal for Christmas

                                         (Credit: Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports) 

On Christmas Day, the Philadelphia 76ers put the wood to the Milwaukee Bucks, defeating them 121-109. The 76ers hit a franchise record 21 3-pointers as Joel Embiid (31 points & 11 rebounds) and Tobias Harris (22 points) led the way. The 76ers improve to 23-10 while the Bucks fall to 27-5.

If you follow the NBA, you know the 76ers are good, so seeing them win against the Bucks at home shouldn't come as a shock. What is surprising though is the way in which they won. The 76ers aren't known to be much of a 3-point shooting team, so to see them go wild like they did from beyond the arc took everyone by surprise. Especially the Bucks.

As an extension of that, seeing them win so convincingly was surprising. Had they won by five points or fewer, one might even say that's what we should expect from a quality team playing at home on Christmas. But for them to dominate the Bucks and blow them out is another matter.

Even though this is just one game, the 76ers definitely sent a message to the Bucks and the rest of the Eastern Conference that they are a force to be reckoned with. That if they play like this with more regularity, they might represent the East in the NBA Finals.

Touching quickly on the Bucks, this game is disappointing, but nothing to get overly upset about. If you're them, you have to chalk this up as a bad game that you'll learn from. The Bucks have the best record in the NBA and should feel confident in their body of work. They also have the best player in the NBA in Giannis Antetokounmpo and are still the odds on favorites to win the East. No reason for them to freak out. Just move on to the next game and do a better job defending the perimeter.

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Saturday Slam: What to look for in the 2019 NBA playoffs

The NBA playoffs begin on Saturday and rather than previewing each series, I wanted to provide a quick primer for the playoff as a whole, listing key things to look for. Before I begin my primer though, let me quickly list each series for those that aren't aware:

In the Eastern Conference, the top seeded Milwaukee Bucks face the eight seeded Detroit Pistons; the two seeded Toronto Raptors face the seven seeded Orlando Magic; the three seeded Philadelphia 76ers face the six seeded Brooklyn Nets; and the four seeded Boston Celtics face the five seeded Indiana Pacers. Out West, the top seeded Golden State Warriors face the eight seeded Los Angeles Clippers; the two seeded Denver Nuggets face the seven seeded San Antonio Spurs; the three seeded Portland Trail Blazers face the six seeded Oklahoma City Thunder; and the four seeded Houston Rockets face the five seeded Utah Jazz. One thing that is kinda comical is the Magic won the Southeast Division with a 42-40 record.

Can the Milwaukee Bucks navigate through their injuries? Last week, I went into more detail on this topic, so click here to check it out if you want those details. If you want the condensed version, here is the lowdown: Malcolm Brogdon (foot) remains out without a firm timetable while Nikola Mirotic (thumb) could possibly make his return in Sunday's Game 1 against the Pistons. Others are also out as well, but those are the two main guys to watch for. If they can get healthy, there's no reason to pick against this Bucks team to come out of the East. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player in the conference and appears ready to make a deep playoff run. 

Unlike the Bucks, the Golden State Warriors are entering the playoffs pretty healthy. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and DeMarcus Cousins are all in good shape while Draymond Green is day-to-day with a knee injury. This Warriors team is once again the most talented team in the NBA with a plethora of weapons. 

As has been the case for the past few years, it'll be interesting to see who gives the Warriors the most trouble. Teams that come to mind in that department are the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, and Milwaukee Bucks. The Rockets because of how close they were last year, the Utah Jazz because of their style, and the Bucks because of Antetokounmpo. Outside of those three teams, I don't see anyone giving the Warriors a serious scare. Fortunately for the Warriors, the Rockets and Jazz face off in the first round, so they'll only have to face one of those two teams assuming they get out of the first round. 

The Toronto Raptors got Kawhi Leonard specifically for this time of year. They wanted someone to get them over the hump and lead them to championship glory. They didn't feel they had the weapons before, so it's really put up or shut up time for them. If the Raptors can't get it done this year or at least reach the conference finals, they should just blow the whole thing up and go full blown tank mode. 

The Denver Nuggets have had a fabulous regular season and are well positioned to make a deep playoff run by securing the number two seed in the West. Paul Millsap is balling out and Nikola Jokic is one of the most versatile bigs in the NBA. The issue is they haven't really been through the fire yet. It'll be interesting to see how much damage this Nuggets team can do and whether or not they can become one of the teams to give the Warriors a serious run.

The Boston Celtics were picked by many to come out of the East after giving the Cavaliers such a scare last year. Instead, they've slipped and regressed. For them, they have to view the playoffs as a chance to hit the reset button. Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Gordon Hayward form a really talented core that has the potential to make a deep run and come out of the East. It's just a matter of them putting it all together. One thing to look for is how they manage without Marcus Smart, who is dealing with an oblique injury. He is expected to miss at least a month of action.

Last season, the Houston Rockets were one healthy Chris Paul hamstring away from winning the Western Conference crown. Similar to the Celtics, they've regressed a bit from last year but still find themselves in the playoffs. If they can get past a tough Utah team, they'll get another crack at the Warriors only with a healthier CP3 (hopefully). If James Harden is able to go wild and Paul is healthy, it'll be interesting to see what they can do.

The Philadelphia 76ers have a different look from last year with the addition of Jimmy Butler, but whether or not it's better will be determined by how they do in the playoffs. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are the face of this team, but Butler is the big acquisition that is supposed to help them get over the hump. How much Butler affects them for good or for bad will be something to watch in these playoffs.

Finally, I want to quickly address my favorite team, the Utah Jazz. As a quick side note not related to the playoffs, do read Kyle Korver's piece in The Players' Tribune about white privilege if you have not already done so. I wanted to write a more in-depth piece about it, but I didn't find the time to do so. Let me just say it's excellent and worth the read. Click here to check that out.

As far as the playoffs are concerned, the Jazz are another team that have appeared to regress a bit after having an exciting 2018 season. That all said, they too find themselves in the playoffs with a chance to make some noise. What will be important to look for is if Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert can step up and establish themselves as a legit one-two punch. Mitchell is an explosive scorer that can create for others while Gobert is a fabulous shot blocker, rebounder, and rim-runner. These two guys are the future of the franchise and need to play like it.

One final note is that Ricky Rubio (quad) and Kyle Korver (knee) are both out indefinitely. When they're able to return is something to keep a close eye on if you're a Jazz fan.

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Wednesday Windmill: How much better does Jimmy Butler make the Philadelphia 76ers?

The Philadelphia 76ers ended the Jimmy Butler drama by agreeing to acquire the polarizing shooting guard from the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the deal, the 76ers acquired Butler along with Justin Patton while giving up Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Jerryd Bayless, and a 2022 second-round pick.  The 76ers made the move with the hopes of improving their chances to reach the NBA Finals while the Timberwolves made the deal with the hopes of returning to a sense of normalcy.

The debut.

📺: @NBCSPhilly
📻: @975TheFanatic
📱: #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/RYNJpiiCZx

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 14, 2018

While the 76ers should be excited to add another elite player to the fold, they run the risk of messing with their team chemistry. Butler's time in Minnesota was controversial and there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of his ability to help out a team as a result. Butler will need to prove that he is not a head case and that his beef with Tom Thibodeau and the Timberwolves organization was legit.

Assuming he's able to prove that he can be a good guy in the locker room, Butler should be a nice fit in Philly. He's a 20+ points per game scorer and an excellent defender, averaging 2.4 steals per game this season. Joel Embiid has become one of the most gifted big men of all time while Ben Simmons is blossoming into a B+ version of LeBron James. When you give those guys an elite wing like Jimmy Butler to work with, you're giving them a real shot to reach the NBA Finals and contend for a championship.

Aside from Butler being a problem in the locker room, the biggest concern for the 76ers is their lack of depth. Covington, Saric, and Bayless were solid pieces that gave them a nice bench. With them gone, they're going to have to rely even more on their star players to carry them to victory. It's a calculated risk that they feel is worth taking, but it's still a risk nonetheless. Guys like Wilson Chandler, J.J. Redick, and Markelle Fultz will need to step up and prove that they are capable of handling more of the load as well.

While there's always a risk in making big trades in the middle of a season, I feel like the 76ers are making the right move here. Jimmy Butler is one of the best shooting guards in the NBA and a legitimate All-Star player. If you have the chance to add a guy like him to your team without giving up another All-Star in return, you should do it every time. As far as how the Timberwolves should feel, I think they should feel good about the move. They added some solid role players to their team and can finally focus on building around Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, one of the most promising duos in the league.

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Saturday Slam: The Philadelphia 76ers are starting to look terrifying

For the last few years, the Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the worst teams in all of professional sports and the laughing stock of the NBA. Their methodical tanking approach has taken on a life of its own with the whole "Trust the Process" motto, etc. It's become almost a joke.

This season however, the 76ers are not a joke. They are 8-7 and have one of the best young duos in the NBA in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Simmons is averaging 18.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game while Embiid is averaging 22.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.9 blocks.

Earlier this week against the Los Angeles Lakers, Embiid had one of the most ridiculous stat lines you'll ever see: 46 points, 15 rebounds, 7 blocks, and 7 assists. It felt like the coming out party for Embiid and the entire 76ers team. It was like they were putting the rest of the league on notice that they aren't going anywhere.

The major question mark with this 76ers team is whether or not they can stay healthy. Simmons missed his first season in the league due to a foot injury while Embiid missed his first two seasons and only played in 31 games last season. This is the first season where Embiid is actually on pace to play for the duration of the season, which if you think about it is pretty crazy. As for their rookie point guard Markelle Fultz, he's out indefinitely with a shoulder injury and is on track to miss a good chunk of his rookie campaign as well.

The bottom line with this 76ers team is that if they stay healthy and are able to keep their core pieces together, they're terrifying. There's no better way to describe it. Joel Embiid looks like the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon while Ben Simmons has the makings of another LeBron James. If Markelle Fultz is able to live up to his potential and avoid the injury bug, we could be looking at a legitimate "big three" in Philadelphia for the next decade. For all the talk and jokes about trusting the process, "the process" is not only working, it's putting together a scary good basketball team.

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Saturday Slam: How big of a risk are the Philadelphia 76ers taking on Joel Embiid?

                                          (AP Photo) 

The Philadelphia 76ers inked Joel Embiid to a five-year, $148M extension this week, which is the designated rookie scale maximum. Given that Embiid didn't play during his first two years in the league and only played in 31 games last season, many people saw this news and scratched their heads. However, upon closer examination of Embiid's contract, this actually appears to be a pretty low-risk high-reward type of move for the Sixers.

ESPN has the details of his contract below:

"Here's how a perfect storm of calamity would have to unfold for Embiid to earn any less than the full $146.5 million: Across each of the final four seasons of the extension, ending with the 2022-23 season, the 76ers could waive Embiid for a financial benefit if he's lost because of a contractually agreed-upon injury that causes him to miss 25 or more regular-season games and if he plays fewer than 1,650 minutes, league sources said.

Specific injuries are laid out in the contract and include only past problem areas with Embiid's feet and back, sources said. Embiid has to miss 25 or more regular-season games because of injuries to those areas, and play fewer than 1,650 minutes, for Philadelphia to have the option of releasing him for cost savings."

What's important to note about his contract is that the Sixers can only waive him because of injuries to specifically his back and feet. If he were to tear his ACL, they wouldn't be able to waive him. That may sound a little weird, but it makes sense if you consider the fact that no player, no matter how healthy they've been, can guarantee to avoid serious injury.

If Joel Embiid can stay healthy, he'll be worth every penny. He averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game last season in the 31 games that he played in, already making him one of the best big men in the league. Injuries aside, he's for real.

Given that the Sixers need someone to build around and put their faith in for the future, this deal makes sense for them. If Joel Embiid lives up to the hype, they could be contending for championships. If his feet and back continue to let him down, they'll be able to waive him and move on. This is a deal that truly makes sense for both sides.

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NBALord.com Podcast: Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins get contract extensions

On this week's episode of the NBALord.com Podcast, I address the contract extensions given to Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins. I also talk about the Golden State Warriors. Click here to listen to the podcast.





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Triple-Threat Thursday: What will Markelle Fultz bring to the Philadelphia 76ers?

                                         (Credit: Hoopshype.com) 

For the past few years, Philadelphia 76ers fans have been told to patiently "Trust the Process", turning the phrase into their team motto. It's become almost a joke of sorts, implying that there is no process and that the team is just tanking with the blind hope of something good coming out of it. It's kind of like the Big Bang theory. It doesn't make any sense, but we just trust that it works.

Markelle Fultz, a 6'4", 195 pound freshman point guard out of Washington, is the second consecutive #1 overall pick the Philadelphia 76ers have drafted, following Ben Simmons, a 6'10" 240 pound small forward out of LSU. The 76ers are hoping that with Fultz and Simmons paired together, the foundation for a championship level team is finally in place.

The only action that Simmons saw last season for the 76ers was in Summer League, suffering a foot injury that kept him out for the whole season. In a way, the 76ers are actually adding two number one picks to their squad at the same time. Both Fultz and Simmons have played in zero NBA games, which means they will be going through the same learning curve together.

Between the two, Simmons is considered to be the better prospect, drawing comparisons to a young LeBron James due to his combination of size, athleticism, and all-around skill. In regards to Fultz, he has the potential to be a dynamic point guard that can score, facilitate, and defend both point guards and shooting guards. In today's NBA, you need to have an elite point guard to contend for a championship, which is why point guards often go #1 in the draft. If both Simmons and Fultz live up to their potential, the 76ers will really be cooking with gas, possessing the next great point guard in the NBA in addition to the next LeBron James.

What's scary about the 76ers is that neither Simmons nor Fultz are considered their top talent. That distinction goes to Joel Embiid, a 7'0", 250 pound big man who went #3 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. After missing a couple of seasons due to injury, Embiid had a breakout first season in the NBA, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game on 78.3% shooting from the foul line. Embiid only played in 31 games last season, but his presence was definitely felt every time he stepped on the floor, drawing comparisons to a young Hakeem Olajuwon.

The big question mark for this 76ers team is whether or not Fultz, Simmons, and Embiid can all stay on the floor together and avoid injury. If they can beat the injury bug, the sky is truly the limit for them. If on the other hand they are constantly dealing with one or two of these guys on the sidelines in a suit and tie, we'll never see them live up to their potential.

Note: Triple-Threat Thursday is a weekly piece that focuses on Rookies/NBA Draft. 

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Skyhook Sunday: Joel Embiid is looking like the real deal

                                          (Credit: YouTube. Click here for video) 

Philadelphia 76ers fans have been told to "trust the process", which means to trust that even though their team traded away all their good players and tanked, they should still believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. After initially appearing like another wasted draft pick, it appears as though the 76ers have hit pay dirt with Joel Embiid, who is averaging 19.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game while also shooting 79.2% from the foul line in his first season healthy.

The 76ers drafted Joel Embiid #3 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft but due to back issues and foot issues, Embiid had to sit out for his first two seasons. Naturally, comparisons to Greg Oden and Sam Bowie started to come forth as a result since they were also highly drafted big men that had NBA careers derailed by injury. Fortunately for Joel Embiid, he doesn't appear to be destined for the same fate as them. The 76ers are being cautious with him and monitoring his minutes, but so far all appears to be going well.

During the 2014 NBA Draft, a lot of people were saying that Joel Embiid could wind up being the best player in the whole draft. He was garnering comparisons to Hakeem Olajuwon when he was coming out of Kansas, which might be the highest praise that any big man can receive. While he hasn't yet established himself as at the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon, he is off to a great start considering how his first two seasons went in the NBA. He's gone from bust to boom during these past couple of months and is starting to look like the best player out of the 2014 NBA Draft class.

As far as the 76ers are concerned, they still have a ways to go, but the good news for them is that they appear to finally have their franchise player in Joel Embiid. He's delivering the goods and is on track to being the next elite center in the NBA. While the NBA is increasingly going more and more towards "small ball", quality big men are still valued at a premium. If Joel Embiid continues on the path he is currently on, there's no reason to not see the 76ers as serious contenders within a few seasons.

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Wednesday Windmill: Breaking down the 76ers' dilemma in the front court

Whether 76ers GM Bryan Colangelo wants to admit it or not, his team has a bit of a dilemma in the front court. Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, and Nerlens Noel are all competing for the bulk of the front court minutes and it appears as though Nerlens Noel is the odd man out. Despite being deemed healthy enough to play after dealing with some ankle issues, it appears as though the 76ers are electing to not give Nerlens Noel very many minutes, choosing to give the bulk of the minutes in the front court to Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor.

Bryan Colangelo has come out saying that Nerlens Noel is not getting benched and that he won't make a bad trade for his team.

Colangelo on all bigs being on the roster to end the season. "If they all are, so be it. I will not make a bad deal for this organization."

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) December 19, 2016 

 While I agree that it's not good to make a trade for the sake of a trade, the 76ers' front court log jam has been seen as an issue ever since they drafted Jahlil Okafor in 2015. With Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, and Nerlens Noel all able to play, the 76ers really do have to make a decision about which of these big men they keep and which of them they let go. This log jam is similar to the log jam the Utah Jazz had when they had Enes Kanter, Rudy Gobert, and Derrick Favors on their roster. What did the Jazz end up doing? They traded Kanter to give more minutes to Gobert and Favors.

Similarly, I would expect the 76ers to trade one of their bigs to give the other two more minutes. As of right now, it appears as thought Nerlens Noel is likely to be the odd man out with both Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor as the building blocks of the franchise. At this point, what the 76ers have to do is find a way to not hurt Nerlens Noel's trade value until they find a deal for him. If they don't give him any minutes, not allowing him to showcase his skills, then his trade value will plummet and he'll become even more disgruntled. The 76ers have to at least give him some minutes so that they can make him more appealing to potential suitors. Otherwise, they won't get anything for him.

This log jam was designed to give the 76ers options on the trade market and now that they are ready to use one of their assets on the market, they have to make sure that asset looks good. If the 76ers don't want to hang on to Nerlens Noel for the future because they want to build around Jahlil Okafor and Joel Embiid, that's fine. But, what is just flat out stupid is to lower the value of one of your best trade chips right as you are on the verge of no longer needing him on your roster. The 76ers are definitely mishandling the Nerlens Noel situation and they have to rectify it by giving him more minutes so as to up his trade value. Otherwise, he'll just end up being a wasted draft pick.

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Saturday Slam: Joel Embiid is becoming an embarrassment to the 76ers

         In the 2014 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers rolled the dice on Kansas center Joel Embiid with the 3rd overall pick. Over a year later, the decision to select Joel Embiid looks more than just a bad decision. It looks like an embarrassing decision.

     Two troubling reports about Joel Embiid have surfaced this week. The first report is that Joel Embiid was hostile towards the team's strength coach last season. The second report is that Embiid was sloppy in his rehab from foot surgery, which has subsequently resulted in his foot needing a second operation.

     It's one thing for a guy to be physically frail. It's another thing for a guy to be getting paid millions of dollars to attack a strength coach and only wear his walking boot when he wants to wear it. That appears to be what Joel Embiid has been doing and as a result, he has embarrassed the entire Philadelphia 76ers organization.

     What makes Embiid's behavior embarrassing for the organization is the fact that going into the 2014 NBA Draft, he was already viewed as a risky pick based on his health alone. For him to have attitude problems in addition to his physical problems really does make it appear as though the 76ers really did not do their homework.

     I understand that in principle, the 76ers made the best choice based on Embiid's potential as well as the fact that both Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker were off the board. But knowing what we know about him from both a physical and mental standpoint, choosing to select him really does appear to be an idiotic and foolish move.

     In an even more embarrassing twist, the 76ers appear to have already given up on Embiid by selecting Duke center Jahlil Okafor with the 3rd overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. The 76ers are banking on Okafor being their franchise centerpiece while Joel Embiid continues to giggle on the bench, collecting money that he doesn't rightfully deserve. By selecting Okafor, the 76ers essentially admitted that selecting Embiid was the wrong decision.

     In conclusion, unless Joel Embiid never has another serious setback with his body and changes his attitude, which at this point seems highly unlikely, he will go down as one of the most disappointing picks in recent memory. He was getting comparisons to Hakeem Olajuwon and sadly, he appears to be an even bigger failure than both Sam Bowie and Greg Oden.

     76ers GM Sam Hinke's get rich quick scheme by piling up high draft picks will only pay off if he makes the right picks and correctly evaluates talent. So far, he doesn't appear to be doing a good job of that and might be out of a job before he ever sees his maniacal plan pay off.

     ---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord to keep up with my NBA updates 

Daily Dunks: 3/9-3/15

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source). 

Here is the Daily Dunks page for Monday, March 9 through Sunday, March 15, 2015. Throughout the week this page will be updated with all the latest news and scores from around the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

     Monday's Daily Dunks: 

     #1. The Knicks are interested in re-signing forward Andrea Bargnani (Click here for details).

     #2. 76ers center Joel Embiid (foot) is experiencing setbacks, so he is in a walking boot (Click here for details).

     #3. The Hawks made a franchise record 20 three-point shots against the Kings.

     #4. Hornets point guard Mo Williams and Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook won player of the week honors (Click here for details).

     #5. Thunder center Steven Adams (hand) returned (Click here for details).

     #6. Clippers guard Dahntay Jones bumped Warriors forward Draymond Green on Sunday while Green was doing his post-game interview. Jones got fined $10K (Click here for details).

     #7. Cavaliers small forward Shawn Marion (hip) returned to practice and could be back by the end of the road trip (Click here for details).

     #8. Kobe Bryant wants Rajon Rondo to join the Lakers (Click here for details).

     #9. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry had 36 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

     #10. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis had 43 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks.

     Monday's NBA Final Scores: 

     Grizzlies 101 Bulls 91. Warriors 98 Suns 80. Clippers 89 Timberwolves 76. Wizards 95 Hornets 69. Hawks 130 Kings 105. Celtics 100 Heat 90. Pelicans 114 Bucks 103. Nuggets 106 Knicks 78.

Tuesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Heat center Hassan Whiteside has been suspended 1 game for elbowing Celtics center Kelly Olynyk (Click here for details).

#2. The Lakers signed guard Jabari Brown to a 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#3. Suns point guard Brandon Knight is dealing with an ankle injury. He'll miss at least one game (Click here for details).

#4. The Suns signed guard Seth Curry to a 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#5. Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum will play for France's national team this summer (Click here for details).

#6. Rumor: Russell Westbrook's play is upping the odds of the Thunder trading Kevin Durant next season (Click here for details).

#7.  Lou Williams wants to stay with the Raptors (Click here for details).

#8. Clippers power forward Glen Davis has been warned for flopping (Click here for details).

#9. Hornets point guard Kemba Walker will return on Wednesday (Click here for details).

#10. Clippers power forward Blake Griffin could return on Sunday from the staph infection in his elbow (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Jazz 87 Knicks 82. Pacers 118 Magic 86. Pelicans 111 Nets 91. Cavaliers 127 Mavericks 94. Spurs 117 Raptors 107. Lakers 93 Pistons 85.

Wednesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Kevin Durant (foot) has been re-evaluated and is expected to be back in 1-2 weeks (Click here for details).

#2. Pacers small forward Paul George is still "a ways away" from playing (Click here for details).

#3. Mikhail Prokhorov may no longer be selling the Nets (Click here for details).

#4. Rockets center Dwight Howard is expects to be back stronger than he has ever been this season (Click here for details).

#5. The Wizards signed guard Toure' Murry to a 10-day contract due to guard Garrett Temple going down with a hamstring injury (Click here for details).

#6. The Mavericks have assigned Dwight Powell to the D-League to join the Texas Legends, but he should be back with the team on Friday (Click here for details).

#7. Nets small forward Sergey Karasev is done for the season with a torn MCL (Click here for details).

#8. LeBron James is now the Cavaliers' all-time assist leader.

#9. Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas (back) didn't play on Wednesday. He could be out Friday and Saturday as well (Click here for details). As for  Celtics guard Avery Bradley, he returned after a three-game absence from an elbow injury.

#10. Hawks power forward Pero Antic (ankle) has returned from a two game absence (Click here for details).

Wednesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Celtics 95 Grizzlies 92. Suns 106 Timberwolves 97. Warriors 105 Pistons 98. Bulls 104 76ers 95 (OT).
Kings 113 Hornets 106. Heat 104 Nets 98. Bucks 97 Magic 91. Clippers 120 Thunder 108.
Nuggets 115 Hawks 102. Trail Blazers 105 Rockets 100.

Thursday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Forward Quincy Miller signed a 2 year deal to stay with the Pistons (Click here for details).

#2. Shaquille O'Neal will be inducted into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame (Click here for details).

#3. The Heat signed forward Henry Walker for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#4.  The Suns signed center Earl Barron for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#5. Rockets center Dwight Howard expects to be back in two weeks (Click here for details).

#6. A Clippers spokesman says a return is "possible" for Blake Griffin on Sunday (Click here for details).

#7. The Raptors sent center Lucas Nogueira to the D-League (Click here for details).

#8. The Warriors recalled forward James Michael McAdoo from the D-League (Click here for details).

#9. Phil Jackson calls the Knicks season a "project gone awry" (Click here for details).

#10. Pero Antic hopes to stay with the Hawks (Click here for details).

Thursday's NBA Final Scores: 

Wizards 107 Grizzlies 87. Jazz 109 Rockets 91. Pacers 109 Bucks 103 (OT). Cavaliers 128 Spurs 125 (OT). Knicks 101 Lakers 94.

Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving had 57 points. Jazz center Rudy Gobert had 19 points, 22 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

Friday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Hawks signed forward Austin Daye to a 10-day contract and released Jarell Eddie. Also, Hawks forward Mike Scott is out indefinitely with a broken toe (Click here for details).

#2. Hornets center Al Jefferson remains out indefinitely, but good news is MRI showed no structural damage to his knee (Click here for details).

#3. Paul George is "on the fence" about returning this season (Click here for details).

#4. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan hit a three against the Mavericks (Click here to watch).

#5. Henry Walker's contract with the Heat is guaranteed for the rest of the season and includes an option for next season (Click here for details).

#6. Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook has been warned for flopping (Click here for details).

#7. Blake Griffin should be back for the Clippers on Sunday or Tuesday (Click here for details).

#8. Warriors center Mareese Speights didn't play Friday because he was suspended one game for reckless driving (Click here for details).

#9. Nets forward Sergey Karasev has undergone successful surgery on his knee. His season is over (Click here for details).

#10. Rodney Stuckey hopes to remain with the Pacers (Click here for details).

Friday's NBA Final Scores: 

Thunder 113 Timberwolves 99. Nuggets 114 Warriors 103. 76ers 114 Kings 107. Hornets 101 Bulls 91. Celtics 95 Magic 88. Raptors 102 Heat 92. Mavericks 129 Clippers 99. Hawks 96 Suns 87. Trail Blazers 118 Pistons 99.

Friday's Top Performers: Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. Thunder center Enes Kanter had 23 points and 15 rebounds. Kings center DeMarcus Cousins had 39 points and 24 rebounds.

Saturday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Bucks signed small forward Chris Johnson to a second 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#2. Joel Freeland of the Trail Blazers and Shawne Williams of the Pistons got suspended one game for head butting each other (Click here for details).

#3. The Pelicans signed guard Elliot Williams to a second 10-day deal (Click here for details).

#4. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley (ankle) didn't play Thursday or Saturday (Click here for details).

#5. Phil Jackson says he's planning to build the Knicks via free agency (Click here for details).

#6. Jazz center Rudy Gobert had 10 points and 19 rebounds.

#7. Wizards point guard John Wall had 31 points and 12 assists.

#8. Grizzlies shooting guard Courtney Lee had 17 points.

#9. Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson had 27 points.

#10. Nets forward Thaddeus Young had 21 points and 9 rebounds.

Saturday's NBA Final Scores: 

Grizzlies 96 Bucks 83. Jazz 88 Pistons 85. Warriors 125 Knicks 94. Celtics 93 Pacers 89. Wizards 113 Kings 97. Nets 94 76ers 87.

Sunday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The NCAA Tournament bracket got revealed. Click here in case you haven't yet seen it.

#2. Pistons center Andre Drummond has a concussion (Click here for details).

#3. The Knicks are unsure if guard Jose Calderon (Achilles) will play again this season (Click here for details).

#4. Clippers power forward Blake Griffin returned from his elbow injury. He played 41 minutes, scored 11 points, and grabbed 11 rebounds (Click here for details).

#5. Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love (rest) did not play (Click here for details).

#6. Hawks small forward Kyle Korver broke his nose (Click here for details).

#7. Spurs shooting guard Manu Ginobili sprained his ankle and is out 7-10 days (Click here for details).

#8. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis had 36 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists in a double overtime loss to the Nuggets.

#9. Lakers head coach Byron Scott plans to start Jeremy Lin at point guard down the stretch (Click here for details).

#10. Bulls center Joakim Noah is still facing a 32 minute playing time restriction (Click here for details).

Sunday's NBA Final Scores: 

Spurs 123 Timberwolves 97. Thunder 109 Bulls 100. Rockets 100 Clippers 98. Nuggets 118 Pelicans 111 (2OT). Cavaliers 123 Magic 108. Trail Blazers 113 Raptors 97. Suns 102 Knicks 89. Hawks 91 Lakers 86.
---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news. 

Wednesday Windmill: The Philadelphia 76ers are doing a masterful tanking job

One of the most controversial topics in the NBA is tanking i.e. intentionally putting a weak product on the floor which will lose games and in the process yield a high draft pick. Some call it smart and others call it dishonest. Those who call it smart say that sometimes it's a necessary strategy in order to build a team which can win a championship, while those who call it dishonest say it's wrong out of principle since athletics is all about putting your best foot forward.

I am one who agrees that it can be smart since pro sports is a business and teams are individual businesses all trying to achieve the ultimate goal of winning a championship. In the NBA, there is one champion every year and 29 teams which fall short. If you own one of the 29 teams which falls short, you must ask why your team fell short and also ask what needs to be done in order for your team to be the one team that is left standing. 

For some teams like the Los Angeles Clippers or Oklahoma City Thunder, the solution to winning a title lies in free agency and having the stars of the team improve. For other teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers, the answer doesn't solely lie in adding free agents or having the best players on the team play better. The answer lies in first acquiring the best talent available by whatever means necessary even if it means tanking. 

The 76ers have taken this approach to heart and have decided to tank like we've never seen a team tank before. I rarely use the word "masterful" when it comes to sports, but the 76ers are truly doing a masterful tanking job and the potential payout is enormous. I will list various techniques that this team has used in order to orchestrate this state of the art tanking job. 

The first technique the 76ers have used is what I call "Go big or go home." This technique was used back in 2012 when the team made a four-way trade with the Nuggets, Lakers, and Magic which sent their franchise player Andre Iguodala to the Nuggets in exchange for Andrew Bynum from the Lakers. This was a trade that was either going to make the 76ers a championship contender or a lottery team. It was really hard to tell since Andrew Bynum at the time was dealing with knee problems while also not being far removed from being one of the league's best big men. 

Had Andrew Bynum panned out, the team would have had the best center in the NBA, which certainly would have changed the course of the franchise for the better. The risk of course was that if Bynum didn't pan out, they would lose a bunch of games and essentially start all over again from scratch. 

The 76ers' decision to trade Andre Iguodala to get Andrew Bynum backfired which actually wasn't upsetting for them. The 76ers knew that if things backfired they would plummet to the bottom of the standings and they were ok with that. Their attitude was lets win now or really stink to acquire the best players in the draft. When Bynum didn't work out, they wholeheartedly embraced the tanking path as the way in which they would go about building a contending team. 

As they started their path to tanking excellence, the first thing the 76ers had to do was get rid of any other talented young player who didn't appear to be a cornerstone player of a championship team.  The reason for letting guys like this go is that such players will only help the team win games and stay away from the bottom of the standings while also not being a part of the long-term plans of the organization. Just prior to the Andrew Bynum trade, the 76ers let their promising young point guard Lou Williams go, which was a player who fit this exact description.

After the Bynum experiment, the 76ers made sure to get rid of their budding all-star point guard Jrue Holiday in exchange for rookie center Nerlens Noel in a draft day trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. The 76ers couldn't trade literally everybody they wanted to at once, so for the time being, Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young remained on the roster. 

In addition to parting with guys like Lou Williams, there are three key drafting techniques that the 76ers have used which have really been at the core of this tanking job. The first technique is "draft a talented player who can help you win in the future and entertain the fans in the meantime". This technique was used when the team drafted point guard Michael Carter-Willliams in 2013 with the number 11 overall pick. Michael Carter-Williams had a breakout season and won rookie of the year honors this past season, averaging 16.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game. 

                                            (credit: rantsports.com)

It was obvious that the front office was shaking in their boots when the team started 3-0, but thankfully the team did poorly enough to land the third overall pick in this year's draft with a 19-63 record. The 76ers needed to draft somebody who could start helping them right away and give the fans a reason to come watch them play. Michael Carter-Williams did just that for the organization and in the process he has proven worthy of being the first player who they can truly label as a "cornerstone" for a championship team of the future. 

The second drafting technique that the team has used is called"draft a talented guy who is hurt for the year." This technique takes guts, but the 76ers aren't ashamed. When they traded Jrue Holiday to acquire Nerlens Noel in the 2013 NBA draft, they knew Noel was going to be out for the season with a torn ACL, but they also knew that he was likely the most talented player in the draft. 

Standing at 6'11 and weighing around 206 lbs, Noel saw his draft stock fall purely because of injury. His potential to be a rim protector and a force in the paint was enough of a reason for teams to gamble on him, but nobody wanted to take the risk until the Pelicans called his name. 

The 76ers really liked his upside even with the injury and saw an opportunity to get themselves a second potential cornerstone of a championship team who would help them win games in the future but in the process help them lose games in the upcoming season due to his inability to play as he recovered from his torn ACL. It was perfect. They got the most talented player in the draft while also ensuring that they would have another lousy season even more lousy than before! It was all starting to come together at this point.

                                            (credit: csnphilly.com) 

       

The 76ers used this same technique again in this past draft when they drafted Kansas center Joel Embiid with the #3 overall pick. Embiid came into the draft as the most promising talent in the league due to his Hakeem Olajuwon-like qualities but he too saw his draft stock fall due to injury concerns about his back. When Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker got drafted with the top two picks, the 76ers swooped in and drafted Embiid knowing that they once again landed the most talented player in the draft who wouldn't be able to help them win in the upcoming season. The 76ers now have two potential beasts in the paint with one of them out for the upcoming season and the other (Noel) already looking like a front runner for rookie of the year. 

The third technique the 76ers used was once again in this past draft and that is the "draft and stash" technique. This technique is simply drafting a really talented foreign player who can't play in the NBA for a few seasons due to obligations to a foreign team. The player they used this technique on was Dario Saric, a 6'10 power forward out of Croatia whom they landed in a draft day trade with the Orlando Magic. Saric is incredibly talented and has point-forward potential which means he has the potential to play some point guard as a forward. He's got a good shot and great skills for a big man who easily has the skill-set to play with Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid. What makes this move great for their quest for tanking is that he once again will help them win in the future, but not next season which ups their odds of landing another high draft pick. 

                                                 (credit: philly.com) 

In addition to these draft techniques, the 76ers have already found a home for promising guard Evan Turner by trading him to the Indiana Pacers for Danny Granger whom they went on to cut. In addition, they are also rumored to be looking to move their very talented young forward Thaddeus Young (17.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last season) to the Timberwolves to help facilitate a Kevin Love trade. 

                                                (credit: philly.com)

The wheels are still in motion in this tanking process for the 76ers, and so far things are going good. They have two young bigs in Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid who can form another "Twin Towers" duo like the Rockets had back in the 80s, a budding all-star point guard in Michael Carter-Williams, and a very promising international talent in Dario Saric. In addition, they are sure to get another high draft pick in the 2015 NBA draft. 

The bottom line is that what the 76ers are doing is necessary for them to contend in the future. They've acquired quality building blocks already and are on track to acquire more. Tanking may not be the most honest thing to do or be one filled with integrity, but it is a technique that can work provided that you know what you are doing. The 76ers clearly know what they are doing and they are doing it quite well. Several teams lose games with the hopes of landing the #1 pick, but only the Philadelphia 76ers have actually orchestrated a multi-part tanking job that is bringing in the most promising young players to their city. 

It may not happen overnight, but before long we may eventually see a dominating team in Philadelphia that features Michael Carter-Williams, Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, Dario Saric, and some other promising young lottery pick. If we do see a dominating team with those guys as the key players, it will all be because the 76ers succeeded at pulling off the most masterful tanking job the league has ever seen. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord