My initial thought on this was that going back to Tharpe is mistake.
Prior to Atlantis, I suggested that Self had to make rotation decisions. My humble suggestions were: 1) start Embiid, 2) make Black the first big off the bench, 3) choose between Greene and White for the rotation, 4) sit Frankamp, and 5) start Mason over Tharpe if Self thought Mason made us the better team.
Going to Mason was a gutsy move by Self. When Mason took the job, one possibility we discussed was that Self was trying to motivate Tharpe. I didn't believe that. I still don't believe that now.
Self saw in Mason what we saw. He compared him to Chalmers, he said we played faster and more aggressively with Mason. Lots of praise. He said that Mason was our best performer as well.
That doesn't change with two games. Tharpe did not handle the pressure any better or worse than Mason, and Tharpe's a junior.
Though I was initially puzzled by the move to go back to Tharpe, I'm not as puzzled now. Self cited the need for Tharpe's leadership. Obviously, @JayDocMD was reading Self's mind in his leadership post earlier in the week. He pinpointed Tharpe as the only viable candidate for leadership. I had posted my thought that a leader has to play. He can't be on the bench. Tharpe could lead as the sixth man.
Perhaps Self sees the better opportunity for leadership from Tharpe as a starter, and the "starter" thing as secondary to the need for leadership. So even if Mason may warrant it, filling the leadership vacuum trumps other considerations.
As an aside, when Self hedged on the starting lineup Thursday, I thought that Self would start Tharpe over Selden. That seemed to fit.
If Tharpe does ramp it up, what an interesting comparison it will be to last season when Tharpe got the ultimatum from Self and almost lost his job to Adams. Tharpe turned a corner. Will be interesting to see if Tharpe turns another corner.
Finally, I still think that the most important thing Self can do right now is play Brannen Greene 12-15 minutes per game. Hopefully Tuesday was an indication that the "choice" on the 5th perimeter guy has been made. Keep him in the flow, show confidence in him, let him play through a mistake or two. Let him get the confidence to gun some threes. They may not all go in early, but we're playing for March, right?
