By WFAN.com
The second round of the NBA playoffs ended in miraculous fashion on Sunday with a pair of brilliant Game 7s with one ending in historic fashion.
Kawhi Leonard got a friendly bounce in what was the first NBA playoffs Game 7 game-winning buzzer beater, sending the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals to take on the NBA's best Bucks. The Trail Blazers closed out Game 7 on the road, taking down the Nuggets in Denver to advance to the Western Conference Finals to take on the defending champion Warriors.
WFAN's Mike Francesa opened Monday's show breaking down what went down and what the NBA Conference Finals look like.
"Embiid has to grow up on the court, he's got to grow up off the court," Francesa said to open his show Monday. "His conditioning has to get better. He has to understand what needs to be done and what the right play is at the right time. He's got a world of talent, but you still have to know when to make certain plays and when to be in certain spots in certain times. Plus he's got to mature off the court, that's all there is to it."
Ben Simmons has done everything he can to avoid shooting, which was a big problem for the Sixers.
"Simmons is the issue. If you want to be a great player, you can't go into Game 7 as a franchise player and take five shots," said Francesa. "You have got to expand your game and understand your liability. I understand that he has no confidence and say I'm not going to take anything that I can't make, which is why he was four for five last night. Your team needs more. I'd rather have Butler trying and missing than having Simmons running away from the shot. Simmons has got to expand his game. He's got to learn to have more confidence in his game and he's got to expand his ability to shoot. His inability to shoot is costing dramatically. He can not go into a game and play 42 minutes and take five shots."
The Raptors will have to go to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks, who have quietly been the best team in the league. It's going to be difficult for the Raptors.
"I thought Serge Ibaka, who will have to be great in the next series for them to win, because I think Milwaukee has more talent," Francesa said. "I think Milwaukee wins. I think it's going to be Milwaukee and Golden State in the Finals."
You can hear the entire opening monologue in the audio player above.
