Shannon Sharpe wants the 76ers to SHUT DOWN Joel Embiid, but Stephen A. disagrees 👀 | First Take

Shannon Sharpe wants the 76ers to SHUT DOWN Joel Embiid, but Stephen A. disagrees 👀 | First Take

Got some issues here so the Sixers have a tough test tonight in Boston and they’ll be without their best player Joel embiid our Ramona Shelor reported last week that there is an optimism in Philadelphia that embiid can return at some point during the regular season at least close enough to the playoffs to

Get his rhythm heading into the playoffs all right Shannon you’re up first what do you think should the Sixers shut down and be for the season I shut him down I mean he’s had knee problems basically his whole career he’s had d been dealing with lower extremities especially for a

Man that that height and that size uh to come back say two or three games he’s going to be really need to like get conditioning so he’s going to need to come back probably about six weeks before the end of the season to give himself an opportunity to play STA and

Get himself in basketball shape I would not risk it Joel embiid is your future I don’t believe you’re going to win a championship with a hobble Joel embiid I’m shutting Joel embiid down say big fella getting ready for next year I just can’t I just cannot run the risk of

Having him reinjure that knee and be out and even miss more time maybe even miss offseason training and conditioning have to have another surgery it’s not worth it to me I’m shutting him down shanon you know this from personal experience and Stephen also to some degree we are

Not wired to shut down especially if we have the opportunity as Ramona said to get some Rhythm moving forward and then enter the playoffs I think he should play and granted he has to be absolutely healthy like feeling better than what was doing when he was playing this

Season I know he was playing banged up but when he was playing he was the favorite for MVP I mean leading the NBA in points per game how many prime Seasons from Joel embid are you going to have the window it feels like every year is getting smaller and smaller there’s

More pressure on so much so that they’re looking to acquire some player so they maximize on this window in this off season if he’s healthy if he’s available if he’s able to get rhythms mind you I know that’s a lot of ifs yeah a lot of I

Know that’s a lot of if like but Joel embiid is not wired to sit I think he wants to play especially looking at the landscape of the East the Boston Celtics they’re in a class of their own the Milwaukee butts what we’ve seen recently they’re trying to knock on the door but

The truth of the matter is that when Joel embiid is on the floor from last year MVP season to this year he’s like trying to repeat that giving you those points per game plus Maxi has stepped up he’s an All-Star now you add Buddy Hills the team is coming together you have an

Opportunity to make some noise in the East and maybe potentially you know try to get to the Eastern Conference you know finals now I know they could slip down to the plan and it makes the path that much harder but if you look at the landscape everyone can shoot their shot

This season if he’s able to come back and be let’s say 90% based off of the slow Rhythm you have a shot to make it to the Eastern Conference Final Steph before you go do you know what it takes for a man that size to get in tiptop

Shape when he’s Miss time during the season it takes guys in the off season two or three months so you’re going to have a you’re going to have a procedure on your knee and going to take time for you to rehab and to get back into shape

Do you you know what it takes yeah I’ve had multiple you know situations with lower extremities and it is not easy and I’m like a sling you know a Slim gy Right compared to Dell and be 300 pound but I yeah that’s like L that’s a lot

That’s a lot but I do think that he wants to play I think he sees a team like a lot of people coming into the season saw the Philadelphia 76ers and they saw more questions than answers they got a lot of answers so far this season they want to maximize on this

Window if he’s able to play and they say hey we have a shot to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals and hopefully do something we haven’t done before and then go into an off season where we now have more knowledge to know who we need to get to really win championships with

This next two three years where you’re trying to secure Jo beid you take a look at it again he has to feel good he has to be healthy he has to feel like he’s better than when he was playing and when he was playing he was the best player in the NBA

Yeah Shannon Shaw what you goingon to do witty if Joel and B said debt he was taking his wife and he was going on a trip to Barbados I’d be scared he was going to step on a rock and be going for the season that that that that I mean that

That that this is what we’re talking about we talking about jol and beid who has been in the league since 2014 and there has not been a single season that he has not been hurt mm 2014 to 2016 there’s very few people on the planet who get drafted the top three

Overall all and don’t play a game the first two years of their careers that’s Joel and B because he came in with a foot injury he’s had foot injuries he’s had knee injuries he’s had back injuries he’s had ankle injuries he’s had everything stomach issue had a facial

Issue as well so you know let me tell you something right now I’m taking him I’m putting him any chance I get I don’t give a damn I ain’t sitting him down I ain’t shutting him down nothing if he could give me 10 minutes I’m think the

Man averaging 35 and 11 he’s been averaging over 30 the last three years 28 the year before that the brothers a scoring machine the footwork is is phenomenal he’s maybe one of the greatest skilled bigman this game has ever seen if that brother could give me

15 to 20 minutes at 75% I’m taking it I don’t care I’m not sitting him down because there is no such thing as let’s get him ready for the next season because you can get him ready for the next season and then he can show up in

Training camp and damn it he flying from from from from wherever he’s flying from to Philadelphia and damn it the seats weren’t comfortable enough seats weren comfortable enough his KNE backs hurting or whatever they couldn’t recline the bed wasn’t long enough so he had to sit

Up a little bit and that hurt him his necks hurt it could be anything with him there’s no way I am sitting down Joel embiid at all any time he can play I’m taking it but Stephen A you do realize now okay he had this procedure let’s

Just say for the sake of argument he had the procedure a month ago okay how much cardio you think he’s doing I could kill us so what what is his way okay let’s just say for the for the sake of argument when he had the surgery his

Weight was 300 lb after having the surgery and not doing any cardio what do you think I saw a video of him and his beautiful son Arthur on the sidelines and he looked fine oh let me say this to you let me put it to you this way let me

Put it to you this way right so Joel and B we know that his skill level is on an elite level absolutely well Shannon let me tell you something right now you ain’t played football in a long time yeah you know been going for a long time

Yeah let’s say before before you know before before you had the hip is right for right shanon sh you retire you can’t play no more I’m looking at the crew over there they know they they laughing because they know where I’m going right Shannon sharp they ask you to play

Football again ain’t a bunch of men out there like like the there’s a whole bunch of Stephen A’s out there you got to go get Shan g go like this I can play I can play that’s Joel andb that’s that’s the comp they nobody matches up

With this brother but yic I’m I’m trying to tell you he don’t have to be elite he don’t have to be in tip top shape he don’t have to be he don’t even have to be ready when he wasn’t the I’m glad you brought that up cuz got the stats right

In front of me Shannon when he was in a condition when he was in a condition uh Shannon he average 27 and2 23 and 28 and2 yeah that’s un that’s not in condition that’s an allar if then he went to 34 then he went

To now 30 33 and 35 not now he’s in chamberling now he’s talking about now we looking at him like sh I feel you but what I’m saying to you is I’m going to take something a little less than Chamberlain before I take nothing you

Just say give you 15 minutes give him 15 minutes 20 get 20 minutes 20 minutes look D you a play 5 minutes in the first and second quarter you say I give you off the third I give a damn I give a damn he’s

Jo and be I’m going to take it I’m not sitting that man anything think he could get her anyway also he has modified his game he’s no longer just lunging himself at the basket like he used to drawing these fouls I don’t know if you guys have noticed when you watch the Sixers

Games he has one of the most unguardable plays in basketball and it’s the most simple literally it’s him at the top of the key he can’t be doubl there and he gets into his bag his package shoots over any seven footer now the thing that I’m worried about is him blowing through

The middle of the lane to finish he ain’t gonna be on the court long enough to do that that’s my whole point let me tell and listen listen listen listen I’m more listen I’m worried about this brother going to Philly and he going to get a cheese

Steak he might trip over the curb anything can happen I’m not taking No chances yo man you got to play you got to play you got I’m not sitting him oh I’m taking whatever I could get he’s too great guys remember me I feel a little

Left out I want to be honest with you uh can I ask a question cuz I I mean I’d like to be a part of the program if that’s okay you would have been if you could have made it to LA but you never do but that’s a difference another day

But go ahead Ste A Smith first of all I didn’t even know you were going to be in La you didn’t even let me know or give me a heads up I did I most certainly did everybody else knew no don’t even start let’s let’s not do this publicly like

Your travel and how you change it like it’s unreal okay and not all of us have PJs and you know so let’s just not go there it’ll be awkward uh CH as of right now who do you think is the biggest threat to Boston in the East cuz right

Now it feels like it’s me amongst boys with that team yeah the biggest threat to the Boston Celtics are the Boston Celtics it’s themselves I mean they have all of the tools to make it to not the Eastern Conference Finals but to the NBA finals now I have the Nuggets overall as

Winning the championship because I watched them play after Kobe Bryant his statue I went in person saw that match up versus the Lakers those guys are different long you’ve got y now the favorite for MVP Jamal just knows how to step up in the right moments even though

He’s potentially on your list Stephen A Smith your potentially good impact players list he’s already certified it’s the Boston Celtics to me because if you look at them I know Stephen A you’re very nervous about the amount of Threes that they take right they take the most

Threes but they do also make the most threes I think they’re hearing these criticisms right and especially what I’m watching from them is the fourth quarters because if you look at the East what are the Cavs at number two you’ve got the Knicks sliding down the buck are

Getting better they put themselves in a class of their own literally they should be able to handle business Their Stars we’re talking about you know what is it minutes restriction for Joel embid their stars are not playing in the fourth quarter because they win the NBA’s

Margin of Victory they get to sit they get to rest the big knock on them in the NBA Finals two years ago was that they ran out of gas Jason Tatum didn’t show up they didn’t have the legs they have the legs now they have a better team in

The sense that Chris STS porzingis has always been my ex Factor being able to you know spread the floor so that those guys can attack which that’s why I say they’re frustrating because when you have a guy like pringus who can give you 20 points a game who can help you with

Rim protection why are you settling at all times for the you know for threes going by these numbers and these analytics I don’t like it but at the same time he’s another person that’s been injury PR in the past I know that when he was with the New York I know

That when he was New York let him wait until the play to drop to the hole EXC what was he expected to do for the New York Knicks he was expected to be the Unicorn the savior of the Garden right On The Cel he’s expected to space floor

Third best player yeah and if he’s if he’s your third or on some night’s fourth best player based off of Drew holiday and Derrik if you’re going to uh combine those two you are built to make it to the NBA finals I’m looking at the rest of the landscape none of them are

Battl tested in the ways that they have been none of them improved and these guys are just rolling they’re rested the expectations are on themselves to win if I get Allstar Dame with Giannis that’s giving me 31 11 and five I like the book where’s the perimeter defense though

Because as much as they’re doing better in transition they need that perimeter defense to go up against the Celtics well they don’t have hey you got what you got so you got to score some people that’s all you got if Julius ran go ahead over juli and the New York Knicks

Are going to the Conference Finals if of course OG and noi I’m assuming he’s gonna be back Mitch Roberts the defense elevates they picked up bogdanovic Burke’s coming off the bench is spelling for Jaylen Brunson why does this stuff matter and why am I not that you know just depressed about the injuries

Because if they were healthy Tom Fido will run them into the ground because he prioritizes the regular season so much the fact that they are not there it gives their legs opportunity to get healthy fresh ready to go come playoff time and I’m telling you something right now they’re defensive prowers remember I

Said that and now they got some Shooters as well I’m telling you right now look at remember I said it orange and blue skies baby orange and blue skies then New York Knicks with Julius Julius brandle come back I don’t know if he’s going through that’s separated show then

You know in and out Chris Weber days all this I remember that but if come back healthy New York Nick’s going to the conference final SP leag gonna be sad all over again New York Knick’s going to Conference Finals I’m just telling you man I’m just telling y’all right now I’m

Not playing I’m not playing New York Le is gonna go to conference fine I think it’s I think so y’all can beat the bugs and or y’all can be we we can beat the B look I don’t even think about it the head tohe I don’t think it’s the head

Tohe what I’m concerned about you know I love New York I work every day on NBA today with Kendrick Perkins who the mayor of New York I say I’m like vice president I love what they’ve done but the truth of the matter is for some reason and this is where I’m going with

Onk on this one here with the bucks for some reason despite all of their ups and downs right their oscillations the Bucks remain third in the Eastern standings New York if they’re not able to write their wrongs I think they’ve lost like five out of their last seven or so they

Should have went lost last night too not you’re talking about the script writers the script writers were in their bag I’m not going to lie I’m not look I’m not going to lie the analyst of me I was like man they were robbed the Pistons but the basketball fan I was like that

Was a great Finish By Heart like that was a moment in the it feels like you know the story is for the Knicks but the reality though if they make it to the plan and then they have to work their way all the way up against going I mean right

Now Phil fall Philly Philly and Miami will fall into the playing before the New York Knicks do I’m not concerned about it by the way when D Randle was there him and and OG and aobi they were 12 and two in the month of January the

Best team in basketball in the month of January

Shannon Sharpe wants the 76ers to SHUT DOWN Joel Embiid, but Stephen A. disagrees 👀 | First Take

On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe and Chiney Ogwumike join Molly Qerim to debate whether the Philadelphia 76ers should shut down Joel Embiid for the remainder of the season.

0:00 Shannon would shut down Embiid
3:54 Stephen A. is not sitting Embiid
9:00 Threats to the Celtics

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