Tag: 76ERS

76ers waive Haywood Highsmith

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Philadelphia 76ers have waived Haywood Highsmith, the team announced today.
Highsmith began the 2018-19 season with the Delaware Blue Coats, the 76ers’ G League affiliate, before signing a two-way contract on Jan. 8.
In 46 G League games, he averaged 12.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.2 minutes per contest. He appeared in five NBA games for Philadelphia.
Highsmith was acquired by the Blue Coats prior to the 2018-19 season after a four-year collegiate career at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia. A Baltimore native, Highsmith was a participant in 2018 Philadelphia 76ers Summer League Minicamp.

ESPN’s Amin Elhassan: Philly probably thinks to themselves we could have won an NBA title(VIDEO)

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When the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Tobias Harris before last season’s trade deadline, most believed that they had the best starting lineup in the Eastern Conference(Embiid, Harris, Butler, Redick, Simmons). The 76ers rolled through the Nets in 5 in the first round, and had the Raptors down 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals, before losing at the buzzer in 7 after Kawhi Leonard’s improbable shot.

Looking back on things, if Leonard does not make that shot, and Philadelphia wins Game 7 in OT, the 76ers, and not the Raptors, could have been NBA champions. Philadelphia gave Toronto their longest and probably their toughest series, and if Philly pulls it out, they had a decent shot at beating both the Bucks and Warriors.

According to ESPN’s Amin Elhassan, the 76ers might be thinking they let one slip away.

“I think Philly, first of all, probably sits and thinks to themselves that, ‘we could have won an NBA championship. We came the closest to beating the Toronto Raptors out of all the teams that played them,”‘  Elhassan recently told Paul Gant.

With free agency right around the corner, the 76ers have to determine what they want to do with free agents Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. Do they give them both max contracts or will they pick one over the other? That is a question the 76ers have to answer, according to Elhassan.

“You gotta ask yourself do you have the wherewithal, the appetite to pay both of those guys, both of those free agents,’ Elhassan said. “Tobias is younger; Jimmy is probably more versatile given his defensive ability. That’s a big question mark, and if you don’t have the appetite to pay them or at least pay them the full five years which both of them are seeking, then you to have to live with the possibility that someone is going to come in and offer them a deal that they can’t refuse.”

With Golden State in a state of flux, this is the time to go after an NBA title. Butler and Harris make the 76ers a formidable team. Plus, with the uncertainty surrounding Joel Embiid’s health, you don’t know how long your championship window will be open. Should be interesting to see how it plays out come June 30.

Listen to the complete interview with Elhassan below:

 

76ers’ Tobias Harris: ‘We didn’t have enough time to get the full chemistry'(VIDEO)

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There were three different versions of the Philadelphia 76ers last season. They started the year with Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, Robert Covington, Dario Saric, and Joel Embiid as their starting five. Then, in November, Philly traded Covington and Saric to Minnesota to acquire Jimmy Butler, and finally, before the trade deadline, Philly acquired Tobias Harris from the Clippers, and after that trade, the 76ers had arguably one of the best starting lineups in basketball with Embiid, Harris, Butler, JJ Redick, and Simmons(Fultz also dealt before trade deadline).

Unfortunately, for the 76ers, it was not enough as they lost to Kawhi Leonard and the eventual world champions, the Toronto Raptors at the buzzer in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

While the 76ers had a lot of talent, they did not have enough time to develop as much chemistry as they may have liked, according to Tobias Harris.

“Obviously, we were one, couple bounces away from going into overtime versus the champs(Raptors) now,” Harris told Paul Gant on Wednesday at the 12th Annual Steve Nash Foundation Showdown in New York City. “We didn’t have enough time to really get the full chemistry as probably as we wanted to, but at the same time, it’s one of the most talented groups of players I have been a part of; we’ll see what happens. Having teammates here to talk to, Joel(Embiid), stuff like that. He’s the best big man in the NBA, so the talent level of the group was phenomenal, and we put ourselves in a position to win basketball games.”

Now, the 76ers have some decisions to make. Both Butler and Harris are free agents, and both will probably get max money. Whether that is in Philly, who knows, but Harris and Butler can make the most money with the 76ers, which can offer the most money and years. However, who knows how much that will impact their decision. On Wednesday, Harris outlined the things that will impact his decision in free agency.

“A great organization,” Harris said. “Obviously, winning is important for me; style of play is important, and just putting myself in the right opportunity to continue to improve my game and get better year in and year out. I know the work that I put in in the offseason correlates to the season, so I know what’s going to be expected of me as a player and just being in the right situation to excel at that.”

Listen below as Harris talks free agency, his short time in Philadelphia, his thoughts on possibly playing in Brooklyn, and more:

 

HOF English on Embiid: ‘I don’t know if he’s got the heart of a champion yet'(AUDIO)

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The Philadelphia 76ers were very close to beating the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference semifinals. In Game 3, Joel Embiid was unstoppable. He dropped 33 points, collected 10 rebounds, and block five shots, and after three games, Philly was up 2-1 with an opportunity to go up 3-1 in Game 4 at home. However, Embiid would get sick; he was ineffective in Games 4 and 5. The Raptors would win both of those games and would win the series in seven after Kawhi Leonard’s buzzing beating, series-clinching jump shot.

Many point to Embiid’s health as one of the reasons the 76ers lost the series, and some pointed to his body language during Games 4 and 5. Embiid not only played sick, but he looked sick. It was written all over his face, and it looked as if the team was deflated because of it.

TNT’s Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal were critical of Embiid’s body language, and Hall of Famer Alex English noticed Embiid’s body language as well.

“I saw the very same thing, and that’s maybe why I’m saying and being as harsh as I am in saying I thought he looked really bad,” English recently said about Embiid on the Go4it podcast.  “I think that’s what it is; his body language, his hustle back on defense after he shot a shot, the effort that he put in a game. Those are the things that make me feel like I feel when I think of Joel Embiid.

“Before the playoffs, I said, ‘Hey man, this guy is the best thing since sliced bread,’ and after that, I’m like, ‘Well, maybe not.’ Because I don’t know if he’s got the heart of a champion yet, he’s still a young guy. It may take a while, but you’re in the NBA playoffs, you gotta give up more than what he gave.”

While he was critical of Embiid, English, like ESPN’s Mark Jackson, believes the 25-year-old center can be great, but he has some work to do.

“I think he will be one of the all-time great centers. I don’t think he will be the all-time great center,” English said. “It’s gonna be hard for anybody to top Bill Russell in my book, but I think he’s got potential. It’s parts of his game that he has to work on.

“There were times when he looked great out on the floor, and then, there were times he looked like a dog, and I don’t like that… He looked like he looked because of the way his health was at that moment. He was not feeling well; I only say that if you got the heart of a champion, you find a way to overcome. I remember Michael Jordan going into a series and just having one the greatest games of his life. Winning the championship being sick.(“Flu Game” in Game 5 of 1997 NBA Finals. Bulls would beat Jazz in 6) I know how it is when I played and I’ve been sick; I always picked it up and said, ‘Hey, I gotta focus even harder because of this.”

Embiid is special, and I think he learned a lot in these playoffs. The Sixers needed him to be at his best. In the Toronto series, the team was plus-90 with him on the floor, but they were minus-111 when he was off the floor, which shows that Embiid is a difference maker.

However, he has to get in better shape and do a better job of taking care of his body. If he can stay healthy, his name will be up there with great centers in the history of the game, but if he does not do what he can to stay healthy, we might be talking about what could have been.

Listen to the complete interview with English below. He talks Embiid at 08:46:

 

HOF Alex English likes Jokic over Embiid(Audio)

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 Denver Nuggets C Nikola Jokic did it all for the Denver Nuggets this season. The First-Team All-NBA star led the Nuggets in points, rebounds, and assists per game(20.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 7.3 apg). Jokic’s ability to do it all was one of the reasons Denver had the second best record in the Western Conference. Ultimately, the Nuggets would lose to the Blazers in the second round of the playoffs.

Is Jokic the best center in the game?

Well, there is a center in Philadelphia named Joel Embiid who might argue. The Second-Team All-NBA star was fourth in the NBA in scoring(27.5 ppg) and was second in the NBA in rebounding(13.6 rpg), and like Jokic, Embiid and the 76ers would lose in the second round of the playoffs.

If it were up to Hall of Famer and former Denver Nuggets  star Alex English, he would go with Jokic.

“Hands down I would take Jokic,” English recently told the Go4it podcast with host Paul Gant when asked to choose between Jokic and Embiid. “There’s even no question. I look at the effort he puts into the game, how he gets back on defense, his effort on the floor. What he does on the floor, I would take him without a second thought… He’s inside; he’s outside, he passes, he rebounds. He’s just a solid player for me.”

Both of these guys are big-time players. For me, it’s Embiid because of the things he does on the defensive end. Embiid(1.9 blocks per game) was a Second-Team All-Defensive center, and I believe he is a better scorer than Jokic, and statistically, Embiid is the better rebounder. However, Jokic is the better passer and is the best passing center in the game.

You can’t go wrong with either center, but in terms of pure talent, I have to go with Embiid, and if he can stay healthy, Embiid is the choice. However, if you have any doubts about Embiid’s healthy, you go with Jokic.

Listen below as English talks Embiid and Jokic at 7:55 mark:

Great courtside angle of Leonard’s amazing shot(VIDEO)

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Kawhi Leonard’s buzzer-beating, series-clinching shot against the 76ers to send the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals was ridiculous, and it is was one of the greatest shots in NBA history.

Never has a seven-game series ended in this manner, which makes this shot even more special.

We have seen so many different angles of this shot, but I think we may have just found one of the best.

Watch Below:

Twitter reacts to Kawhi Leonard’s series-winning shot

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What a Game 7 in Toronto, and what a fantastic shot by Kawhi Leonard. With the score tied at 90, Leonard shot a jump shot in the corner that bounced around the rim and went in at the buzzer, and the Raptors win 92-90 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals to play the Milwaukee Bucks, which starts on Wednesday.

After the game, Twitter reacted.

Here is a sampling:

Stephen A. Smith: 76ers might get swept

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The Toronto Raptors got out early on the 76ers in Game 1 and did not look back. In front of their home crowd, and led by Kawhi Leonard’s 45 points, the Raptors routed the 76ers 108-95 on Saturday to take a 1-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Game 2 is Monday night in Toronto.

After what many saw on Saturday night, some think the Raptors could run away with this series, including ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

“I have the Toronto Raptors winning this series,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take today. “Here’s the difference between my opinion before the series, and my opinion after Game 1. I don’t give the Sixers much of a chance; I’m scared they might get swept.”

It’s only one game, but Toronto looks like the better team. I had the Raptors winning the series in 7, and I think that will still happen.

Listen below to what Smith had to say:

Statement from 76ers on Bobby Jones’ selection to Hall of Fame

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Here is a statement from the Philadelphia 76ers on Bobby Jones’ being selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:

The Philadelphia 76ers organization today congratulates Bobby Jones on his appointment to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. At a press conference held in Minneapolis today, the site of the NCAA Men’s Final Four, the Hall of Fame announced that Jones, Bill Fitch, Sidney Moncrief, Jack Sikma, Paul Westphal, the Tennessee A&I teams of 1957-59, Teresa Weatherspoon, Al Attles, Charles “Chuck” Cooper, Vlade Divac, Carl Braun and the Wayland Baptist University teams of 1948-82 will make up the Class of 2019.

“Bobby Jones is among the all-time greats in the history of 76ers basketball and we are thrilled that he has been selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Bobby’s impact on the game of basketball, the city of Philadelphia and his hometown of Charlotte cannot be overstated. A true gentleman and legendary basketball player, he is the embodiment of a Hall of Famer,” Managing Partner, Philadelphia 76ers and Founder of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment Josh Harris said.

Jones was named to eight straight NBA All-Defensive First Teams from 1976-84, four NBA All-Star Games and won the first-ever NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1983. He led the NBA in field-goal percentage with a .578 mark in 1977-78 with Denver. During his eight seasons with the 76ers, he averaged 10.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game and was an All-Star in both 1981 and 1982. His 694 blocks and .542 field-goal percentage both rank fifth-best in 76ers franchise history, while his 727 steals are seventh. Jones had his No. 24 retired by the 76ers on Nov. 7, 1986, the season after his retirement from the NBA.

“Congratulations to Bobby Jones on his well-deserved appointment to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Bobby is one of the greatest players ever to compete for the Philadelphia 76ers; a four-time NBA All-Star, eight-time All-Defensive First Team selection, Sixth Man of the Year and, of course, an NBA champion. Bobby’s tenacious defense and passion for the game have long endeared him to the city of Philadelphia, and it’s only right that he be forever remembered as a Hall of Famer,” Co-Managing Partner, Philadelphia 76ers and Co-Founder of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment David Blitzer said.

Across 774 NBA games with Denver and Philadelphia, Jones held career averages of 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. Jones also played two seasons in the ABA for Denver, earning an All-Star nod in 1976. All told, Jones shot .550 from the field across his 10 NBA seasons and is one of eight non-active players in league history to hold such a shooting percentage in 750-plus games. Among the others to do so are Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Artis Gilmore, Kevin McHale and Shaquille O’Neal.

A defensive stalwart, Jones was a key cog in the 76ers’ 1983 title run, posting 8.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per contest. He joined fellow Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Moses Malone as the only Philadelphia players with at least 15 steals and 15 blocks in the postseason. Jones played three collegiate seasons as a member of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels before beginning his professional career.

The Class of 2019 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, Sept. 5-7, 2019.

76ers waive Justin Patton; Philly expected to sign Greg Monroe

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Philadelphia 76ers waived C Justin Patton, the team announced today, and according to reports, the team is expected to sign C Greg Monroe, who just completed a 10-day contract with the Boston Celtics.
Patton was acquired on Nov. 12, 2018 in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves and appeared in three NBA games for the 76ers this season.
Additionally, Patton spent time with the 76ers’ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, where he appeared in 11 games (two starts) and posted 8.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 18.6 minutes per game.
Patton has appeared in four NBA games and 49 G League games over two seasons with Minnesota and Philadelphia. Originally selected by Chicago with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Patton played one collegiate season at Creighton before entering the draft.