We’re doing it again.
As the NBA playoffs get set to arrive, the stage has been set. It’s not hard to look into the future and see a blown Sixers lead in a playoff game and how the reaction will bubble over as soon as the buzzer sounds.
“Doc Rivers blew it!”
“Those rotations were terrible!”
“The bench is the reason the Sixers can’t beat great teams!”
This, of course, will likely overshadow Joel Embiid and James Harden coming up small in the clutch, just like they did a few nights ago against the Bucks and over the weekend against the Suns. It’s the same story, save for a different co-star. Philadelphia is the only NBA city in America that roasts the head coach and back-up bench players for the stars’ shortcomings.
It’s ridiculous, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t think Rivers is a good coach. He could get canned tomorrow and I wouldn’t mind. He’s not the reason the Sixers win. But he’s also not the reason they can’t finish games.
Tuesday night’s loss to Milwaukee was a dagger for any confidence the Sixers could have given this town heading into the postseason. It was a chance to take down the defending champs, just like Sunday was a chance to take down the defending Western Conference champions. Neither signature win occurred. The Harden-Embiid pairing has been spectacular beating up on bad teams, but not close to championship worthy against real teams.
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No one with a brain would question the talent level of Embiid and career accolades of Harden. Both will be in the Hall of Fame one day. Embiid could win the NBA MVP this year. But there hasn’t been a single moment in their respective careers where they’ve shown true championship DNA.
When the game is on the line, I don’t trust either. Against Milwaukee, Harden and Embiid had three looks to tie or win the game.
All three were ugly.
Harden, likely still nursing a hamstring issue, seemed disinterested in driving or shooting with 30 seconds to go. His pass to Embiid seemed to catch the big man off guard, who then awkwardly dribbled and seemed to rush a contested off-balanced jumper from the wing. Clank.
Then there was the game-ending sequence, which showed the difference between true greatness (Giannis Antetokounmpo) and whatever it is we are watching at the Wells Fargo Center right now. Harden passed up the chance to take a seven footer off the dribble, settled for a contested step-back three, and predictably missed. Embiid, who made a great read and play to crash the glass, corralled the rebound with just under four seconds left. Enough time was on the clock to rise up for a strong dunk, likely setting the stage for a foul and three-point play to win the game. At worst, Embiid should have been guaranteed a trip to the free-throw line.
But Antetokounmpo, the best player and athlete on the floor, swatted away a weak layup attempt by Embiid.
That’s how and why the Sixers lost, not because of Rivers’ rotations that occurred 35 minutes (in real time) prior.
You can stay in denial about the Sixers’ woes, but when the same thing happens over and over it shouldn’t be ignored. We did the same thing when Brett Brown was the coach. We blamed Ben Simmons’ lack of a jumper for late-game situations. Now we’ll make it about Paul Reed or Charles Bassey or Paul Millsap or some other guy half the fan base wouldn’t recognize if they walked in the room right now.
The NBA isn’t rocket science, especially in close games late against other superstars. Get a stop, get a bucket.
Every NBA era has great players. Most take time to learn how to win a title. But not every great wakes up one day with championship DNA and the ability to rise to the moment in the clutch. We can keep telling ourselves that Harden and Embiid will be the former, and have their moments like Michael Jordan and LeBron James did. But a part of me truly believes the Sixers' hopes lie in two stars more like Karl Malone and Patrick Ewing: Future Hall of Famers without true championship DNA.
Give it about six weeks and re-read this column. I doubt much will change, including the outrage for another lost season being pointed in the wrong direction.
Stop blaming the coach. Start looking at the stars, including the one that’s been the common denominator for years.