2019-2020 Sixers Season/Offseason

phillychuck 2019-12-14 16:26:46 UTC #183

Some people think he might even be justifying his contract...he really is a pretty high efficiency offensive player, and his defense has been mostly solid this year, too.

bigegypt0417 2019-12-15 05:55:32 UTC #184

Really nice article about Matisse Thybulle.

Dirk41 2019-12-15 06:23:59 UTC #185

Saw someone speculating that Derrick Rose may be a Sixers target at the deadline. Great idea

phillychuck 2019-12-15 14:51:17 UTC #186

Rose's skill set would fit here, but he has always been somewhat of a drama-creator in the locker room. Misses games, gets into feuds with teammates. ignores coaches, etc. Don't know if that goes well with the Sixers team ethos.

VoteForKalas 2019-12-17 14:07:06 UTC #187

76ers get drilled by the Nets in another lackluster and sloppy effort

Embiid out with an upper respiratory infection (shocking)

Horford struggling with knee and calf issues (shocking)

Simmons with a good foul shooting night (75%), but again refuses to shoot from the outside otherwise, was focused on passing and otherwise played a passive game

Turnovers again an issue that Brown, his coaches and players have not been able to solve for 3+ years now

phillychuck 2019-12-17 15:23:32 UTC #188

And they are 20-8, still undefeated at home (the only team in the NBA with this distinction), in second place in the East to a scorching-hot Bucks team, ahead of the Heat, Celtic, and Raptors, all of whom are playing well.

They turn the ball over a lot because they average more passes per possession than any team in the league, which leads to a very interesting brand of basketball where there is a lot of movement of both the ball and players. It also leads to extra turnovers. Simmons and Embiid do turn the ball over more than they should, but it is their issue to resolve, not Brown's, at least for the most part. Brown addressed this in a press conference last week, pointing out which turnovers he felt were fixable by the coaches and which by the players.

bigegypt0417 2019-12-17 16:00:25 UTC #189

You'd really think this team was barely in the playoff picture by the comments i've seen on here and on social media...for as "bad" as things have been I can't imagine what it will look like when they get it together.

bkeich 2019-12-17 16:57:08 UTC #190

I have never seen anyone turn the ball over as often in games as Magic Johnson. He wasnt bad though.

It is a single statistic, it has to be taken in a context, and as PC points out one of the really good things about Brown is that his offense is layers of passing that hopefully results in something. Offensive plans like this will always result in more turnovers, but should also result in high shooting percentages and equally important in high energy amongst the players. Nothing is as bad for a player as the old 2 person offense dominate in the early 90s where the other 3 guys go stand on the other side of the court behind the 3 pt line and watch.

Looking at the stats a couple days ago pointed out something very good about the Sixers. When you look at FG%, 3PT%, FT%, Rebounds, Assists, Block, Steals and Points they are the ONLY team in the NBA that is better than their opponent in every single category. There were no teams in 2018. There were no teams in 2017.

This is not a great team, but it is a very solid team, despite having 2 star players is surprisingly balanced. We are 3rd in the league in defense, and honestly that could even get better with the players we have. We could use a shooter, but I dont want one that is a defensive liability, so the guys we have now are just fine.

20-8 is fine. 40-16 would be good too. 58-24 will be good also.

zambonir 2019-12-17 18:33:04 UTC #191

They obviously have to improve in a lot of areas to be championship-caliber but you also only have to be championship-caliber in the spring. Christmas approaches though. But it should be a better team in the middle and last third of the season too (and obviously personnel will change along the way).

Do you think Joel even gets a flu shot?

VoteForKalas 2019-12-18 01:12:57 UTC #192

That is great, but unless Embiid and Simmons grow and improve more to lead the way and the defense, turnovers and inconsistency get better, we're going to likely fall short again this year. The same issues are still holding them back.

Brown is the head coach, he is responsible for the development and performance of his players. Of course, Embiid and Simmons are also responsible for themselves, but they have shown they will not or cannot do it alone. Brown enables them too much. If Simmons does not shoot from outside every game to keep the defense honest, I bench him until he commits to do so. If Embiid continues to be out of shape and getting sick, Brown needs to figure out what is going on and get him the help he needs.

There has to be accountability during the season so we are ready to ball out at a high level every game in the playoffs. That is what it takes to win a ring. If we waste this incredible talent and not win, it will be a travesty.

VoteForKalas 2019-12-18 01:18:46 UTC #193

If some are ok with winning 50+ games and losing in the first or second rd of the playoffs, that is their right.

I'm not ok with that - I want to win rings and Embiid and Simmons are talented enough to lead a team to do it. However, they need to keep improving and diversifying their games, the defense needs to be more consistent and the turnovers and inconsistent effort/performance need to be brought under better control.

VoteForKalas 2019-12-18 01:22:03 UTC #194

Thank you - you raise a good point that growth can occur over the season, but we need to start seeing it pretty soon so the confidence will be high heading into the playoffs.

zambonir 2019-12-18 02:39:32 UTC #195

It would also be nice to be the 1st seed of course. But I'm not sure anyone expected that for sure (a toss-up at best). Dropping to 3rd or 4th would be unacceptable of course. The conference is better than we expected and it looks like they will have to do more - on the road and in load management games - to stay above the pack.

But they are 20-8. And their two stars are clearly not finished products. Is Giannis? Was Kawhi in 2014? (He kind of was by the finals but he was on a much better team.)

I think Brown is playing the long game. And even though he said that thing about wanting Ben to shoot one three a game, he clearly does not believe, as a matter of strategy/philosophy, that Ben's outside shooting is as important as outside observers think. (Foul shooting and willingness to be fouled is another story I think.)

bkeich 2019-12-18 02:47:50 UTC #196

If Giannis stays healthy I think the rest of the east is playing for #2.

Remember how the West was once again supposed to be dominate this year and we were one of the favorites in the East, but that was almost by default. Boy did that turn out to be wrong, with the complete collapse of GState and Portland also not what they should have been, one can argue that the East might actually be a little better top to bottom.

frylock 2019-12-18 03:10:25 UTC #197

Couldn't agree with you more VfK.

This is a very good team, but in my opinion, not championship-caliber. And if "The Process" fails to yield a championship, then it was a complete waste because we could've continued making the playoffs with no real championship chance as it was without having to watch garbage basketball for a handful of years.

I think Brett is an average at-best coach, and I don't think in our lifetime we'll ever get to hear him introduced anywhere as "NBA Champion Coach Brett Brown". His first year he was abysmal in the playoffs and really played a significant role in botching the Celtics series, especially the game where we lost momentum in that series and coughed up a 20 point lead before halftime as he stood there and let it happen without even bothering to call a timeout. He was better this past year, but he's still, in my opinion, fundamentally flawed.

Accountability is the key word that VfK used that I've believed for a while -- this team has little to none. I believe little to nothing Brett says in his pressers so I don't bother listening to them. He's talked about conditioning programs for Embiid -- that sure hasn't happened. He talks about everything Ben should be doing and what he "expects" during a game (i.e. the "one three per game comment")... but nope, just keep half-heartedly driving through the lane, jumping up at the foul line and throwing the ball into traffic, yet nothing is done about it. Nothing changes. Same flaws. Yet somehow this year it's going to be different in the playoffs. He developed Robert Covington, but little else, so his player development record isn't exactly reeking with success stories, and that was supposed to be his strength coming in. Kudos to Toronto -- made an aggressive change in talent (Leonard) and an aggressive move in firing their coach of the year who could make the playoffs with ease.

Ben Simmons is a HUGE problem for this team, and it's probably going to cost them their championship window. His unwillingness to do what's best for the team and shoot the ball is pathetic. I don't care what their regular season record is -- they will gel together better as a unit and have a good regular season -- but playoff teams and playoff series are a different animal. I feel like this team is built more for the regular season and even with the talent they have, it could be trouble going against solid, well-coached units in a series (i.e. TOR, IND) that could regularly expose our weaknesses. Ben has stepped up as a defender, but come playoff time, it's not easy playing 4 on 5 offense and most playoff teams are going to get theirs scoring regardless of how good a defensive unit they're up against. Remember, he was so easy to defend for the Celtics a few years ago that we had to start TJ McConnell... that should really say something.

They're probably afraid of disciplining Ben for not doing what's asked of him fearing he'd ask for a trade. Which is funny because they'd probably have a better chance at a ring having done that than believing he's going to develop into a well-rounded player. For now, he's a good to great player that is severely flawed, and they'll likely throw their window away waiting for that to happen (which is probably a fairly finite window to begin with given Horford's age and possibly based on how long Embiid can play with his conditioning and injury history).

I'd love to know the whole backstory with Butler. I think it seems apparent he and Ben had a falling out, and my guess his blow up at Brown was wanting to run the point since Ben wouldn't shoot. Another potential factor for why they probably also went Harris over Butler is to appease Simmons, afraid he'd want out if they brought him back (granted it's probably not the only reason as there are several reasons to choose Harris over Butler and overall I agree with the move -- I just think Simmons is a big reason Butler would've never even been considered back and that was in my guess mutual). All conjecture on my part, but I just get a sense that Ben is a total headcase, which is ironic because he's probably always been more of a headcase than Fultz and Markelle sure got a ton of grief for it.

So I'll continue rooting for them hoping they can overcome the obstacles, but I have a hard time believing this team can beat LAL, LAC, or MIL in a series, and I'd worry about some of the other decent teams in the east that could make their life difficult before even getting to MIL.

I know, TL; DR (haha -- had to vent apparently)

zambonir 2019-12-18 03:33:15 UTC #198

There is a paradox at the core of your post though: either the players aren't good enough or the coach (oops I said roster the first time) isn't good enough. Or they both aren't. We may only get this one chance to find that out. Then Brown's gone. Then one of the two stars gets traded if the new coach doesn't win immediately.

And I'd say The Process already failed. Some bad draft luck (even if Embiid was good draft luck), some poor drafting (in terms of compatibility if nothing else) and of course some major front office dysfunction. Plus Fultz (at least Simmons is an all-star headcase).

It would be pretty interesting to finally find out what really went down with Butler though in the end there's probably enough blame to go around for everyone. Some say it was as simple as Horford coming available. Last year's trades certainly don't feel like a success and yet who really knows what would have happened if Kawhi's shot didn't land?

frylock 2019-12-18 03:52:13 UTC #199

Re: the paradox, I don't totally disagree but I guess I'd frame it like this:

I believe the players and talent are in theory good enough to win, but they'd have to have good fortune AND a willingness to change from the way things are now. If Ben doesn't start shooting, I think they'd have to be willing to take the ball out of Ben's hands and try to hide him as much as possible offensively, which is tougher with this year's iteration of the 76ers due to the more crowded spacing. It's not impossible for them to win it all, but I do think they're currently at a severe disadvantage for the reasons I stated and as they are constructed (bench depth also an issue -- plus the risky but necessary dependence on youth in Korkmaz / Thybulle).

The positives are they are basically built to combat Milwaukee, and there are some very encouraging defensive statistics that are certainly good to see, especially since I do believe the unit as a whole will be better as time progresses (their W/L record at home certainly is strong even though I the team as a whole has limited time playing together -- I expect more consistency from Richardson as he acclimates. He reminds me a bit of Harris when Butler first got here, seemingly not 100% comfortable with his role versus with his previous team).

It's hard to explain. I find the team generally likable, watch every game I can and passionately root for them, yet I just feel kind of empty about where they're headed.

bigegypt0417 2019-12-18 13:35:14 UTC #200

Are you really questioning the defensive progress of Ben Simmons?

If you are then it's clear you haven't been watching the games or even following the box scores.

VoteForKalas 2019-12-19 03:17:45 UTC #201

No, his defensive skill and effort is great when he is focused. That is what I question on both ends of the court with Simmons. His effort, hustle and commitment ebb and flow, they are rarely consistently high for 48 mins and from game to game.

Take the first quarter tonight vs the Heat - that is what the 76ers CAN be every night - relentless defense, effective rebounding, easy fast break points, moving the ball well, attacking the basket, getting to the foul line and getting balanced scoring from multiple people and via multiple ways.

But in the next two quarters of the game, they relapsed again - poor undisciplined offense combined with weak low effort defense, getting beat to loose balls, turning the ball over, shooting worse than a high school squad

Then in the 4th quarter the team tried to wake up and fight back, but it was too late and they fell short.

We know this team can be elite because we've seen it (first quarter as the latest example). I get on Simmons and Embiid because they are the ones that are going to have to lead us to the ring. Brown seems unable to compel the team to perform consistently, but a coach can only do so much. I like Harris, Scott, Richardson et al., but they are not leading us anywhere. They are complimentary pieces to play off our stars.

We need leadership and accountability and have very little of either IMO. Horford was brought in to provide some of that (as was Butler IMO), but he has largely been a dud so far. Butler at least has the passion and demands accountability which can be too abrasive I guess for some teammates, but every championship team in history has had that component. The 76ers do not currently.

Will Simmons or Embiid ever grow into leaders of that quality? I doubt Simmons will due to his general demeanor and attitude; he screams to me as one who does not want that role and is more comfortable being a secondary star. Embiid has several of the leadership traits, but is so new to basketball and still too immature to seize the reins consistently.

xogfog 2019-12-19 04:15:43 UTC #202

Sixers lose their first game at home in a tightly fought game with the Heat, Horford back-rimmed a potential game winning 3. The Heat's zone D gave the Sixers fits.