The Playoffs are Not a Time to be Just Average

I remember Shaq saying last season that when he was in his first playoff game with Orlando, he scored 22 points. Warren and his father asked him afterwards how he felt he had done. The big fellow said, 'I think I did OK, I hit my season average.' His father said, 'You didn't do OK, you're the leader, you're the big man, you have to score more than your average in a playoff game.' I think Shaq's father was right and we do not have the guy in Embiid that can do that against stiff competition.

The more I think about it, I think Joel has to go too. He's been injured in at least five of the last six playoff series. I don't think there's going to be an injury-free playoffs in his future. He came up small against the Celtics when the Sixers needed him most. There's just a lack of killer instinct and toughness there. Perhaps it's because he didn't grow up in the playground culture.

A trade of Embiid for two really good shooting guards, each of whom could hopefully play defense, would be a great place to start. Keep Harris, Maxey, and Tucker. Build around those players. We're not getting past the second round with Embiid.