76ers Overcome Lackluster First Half to Defeat the Magic 108-101

Posted on August 7, 2020 by jcrosby1315

The 76ers faced off against the Orlando Magic Friday evening in the bubble. This would be the team’s first game without Ben Simmons. With Simmons out, Brett Brown started Al Horford in his place and it proved to work out early on. Horford scored 6 of the first 13 points, taking advantage of his matchup with Magic PF Gary Clark. The score pretty much stayed even through the first quarter, with no team able to pull away. We got a look at former Sixers first overall pick, Markelle Fultz in the first quarter as well. He scored 4 quick points. The Sixers led 25-23 after a sloppy first quarter.

The second quarter was much of the same, consisting of bad shooting and fouls. The Sixers lead by as much as 7 but shooting woes and turnovers killed the team. The only player on the Sixers that kept them in it was Alec Burks. He had 13 points in his 13 mins of play. He hit timely 3-pointers, but it wasn’t enough. The Magic went on an 11-2 run to lead 47-43 and the Sixers were down 50-48 at half time. Not sure if it was the Magic’s defense or Embiid being tired, but he took a lot of jump shots and didn’t fight for post position. Another thing I noticed, not only in the first half but the entire game was the slow pace. Ben Simmons not being on the court changed the way the Sixers played. Ben usually pushes the pace, putting pressure on the defense for lay ups or open threes.

The theme continued in the third quarter, a slow pace that favored Orlando. Joel Embiid came out of halftime way more aggressive. He went into the period with 8 points and ended with 18 after the third quarter. Tobias grabbed timely offensive rebounds to keep the home team in it. DJ Augustin started to make his mark in the third with some lay ups and threes. It seemed as if Shake had a lot of trouble staying with him. The 76ers were fortunate enough to only be down 79-77 at the end of the third, playing a D+ game thus far.

The home team opened the fourth on a 9-0 run to go up 86-79 and didn’t relinquish the lead. A group effort from Tobias, Alec, and Horford helped keep the Magic at bay in the final period. D.J. Augustin and Evan Fournier tried to keep their team in it, but it wasn’t enough. Joel Embiid didn’t have the best fourth quarter but did have a highlight reverse dunk.

Embiid reverse slam 😮 pic.twitter.com/UYvKAzggfs
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 8, 2020

Ultimately, the 76ers won 108-101 behind balanced scoring from Tobias Harris (23 pts, 15 rebs), Joel Embiid (23 pts, 13 rebs), Alec Burks (22 pts), and Al Horford (21 pts, 9 rebs). Nikola Vucevic (21 pts, 12 rebs) and Evan Fournier (22 pts) paced the Magic. Former Sixer Markelle Fultz scored 13 points (4-12 from the field).

Quick Observations from the game:

Josh Richardson’s inconsistency is killing the Sixers. He is very indecisive with his decisions on the court, especially out of the pick and roll. For the Sixers to have any chance in the remaining seeding games and playoffs, Josh must be a more efficient decision maker with the ball in his hand. I’m fine with Josh shooting long twos, as long as he doesn’t hesitate.
Alec Burks is a BUCKET. This is what the Sixers expected when they traded for him, but Brett Brown never gave him consistent minutes. I will say, you can get the Burks you saw against Orlando or the Burks that shoots 4 for 16.
The pace is suffering without Ben Simmons. Pushing the pace was his strength and it seems like they didn’t push much this game. Simmons led fast breaks puts pressure on the defense and helped create open threes.
Al Horford would “ring the bell” if I were coaching the Sixers. He took full advantage of his matchup and hit open shots in rotation. His 21 points were really needed tonight and a key to keeping the Sixers in the game.

Damian Lillard and the Portland Trailblazers are next on the schedule for the Sixers. I’m really looking forward to this matchup to see where the Simmons-less Sixers are at. Joel will have his hands full with the bigs for Portland. Also, will the Sixers back court be able to contain Dame and CJ? I’ll be tuned in to see. The game is a 6:30pm tip this Sunday.

Observations from the Sixers’ Tune Up Scrimmages in the Bubble

Posted on July 29, 2020July 30, 2020 by jcrosby1315

Basketball is unofficially back with the NBA scheduling three scrimmages for the 22 teams that are in Orlando for the restart of the season. With the real games kicking off this Thursday, and the Sixers first game being on Saturday, excitement is in the air!

The 76ers scrimmaged three Western Conference opponents that are not on their remaining eight seeding game schedule. They scrimmaged the Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Dallas Mavericks. After watching these games, I have some quick thoughts and observations going into the final eight games of the regular season:

Ben Simmons is Back!

Ben Simmons is back and looks as healthy as he was at the start of the season in October 2019. We all were worried about Ben when he hurt his lower back, but it looks like he spent a lot of time rehabbing. He was moved to the “Power Forward” position as Head Coach Brett Brown tweaked the lineup during the bubble training camp. Simmons’ stat line for the scrimmages included 9 pts, 7 rebs, 9 asts, 3 steals (1 for 2 from the 3-point line) vs the Grizzlies. A 14 pts, 11 rebs, 9 asts, performance against the Thunder and 4 pts, 2 asts, 9 reb game against the Mavs.

Yes, Ben shot two corner 3-pointers and made one of them. I do not expect him to shoot them every game, but I do think he will take more of them. It will absolutely help the spacing of the team if he continues to confidently shoot. Ultimately, Ben still has the ball in his hands a lot, running the offense from the elbow. You can expect him to continue to initiate offense going forward regardless if he is not labelled the starting Point Guard.

Tobias Harris is the Key to the Sixers’ Summer Dreams

Tobias Harris has grown as a leader on and off the court for the 76ers. Harris has led by example, standing up for social justice reform and holding his teammates accountable in doing the same. It has been said by his coaches and teammates that he has helped curate the team bond into something that is stronger than it has ever been.

Tobias also has been a leader and sound decision maker in the scrimmages the Sixers played. He had a double-double (15 pts and 10 rebs) in a win against the Grizzles. He followed that up with a 9-point performance against the Thunder and another double-double (28 pts and 11 rebs) against the Mavs. Tobias must be the steady scorer the Sixers need if they are going to truly compete. If Tobias can average 23 ppg going forward, it can really take some pressure off Embiid having to shoulder the load offensively. Consistency will be the key for Harris and if he can be consistent with his opportunities every game, the Sixers will surprise many people.

Shake Milton and the Rotation

Shake Milton is now the Sixers starting point guard and he hasn’t been aggressive at all during these scrimmages. I get it, I know he’s trying to feel out the role with everyone healthy, but he has to do what got him the starting role. He has to attack off pick and rolls and shoot open 3-pointers. Shake if you somehow are reading this, play your game! It will only elevate this team.

In my previous article, I discussed how I thought the rotation would play out in the seeding games and playoffs. After watching the scrimmages, my mind has changed on this based on Brett Brown’s substitution patterns. Going forward, I think we will see the starting lineup of Milton, Richardson, Harris, Simmons, and Embiid. The key reserves will be Horford, Korkmaz, Thybulle, and Robinson III. Mike Scott and Raul Neto seemed to have fallen out of the rotation. Alec Burks will be an X-factor off the bench. He won’t get consistent minutes, but he will be used if they need a creator off the dribble and instant offense. I will be paying close attention to the rotation as the real game start up.

Stadium Vibes

I must say, I am impressed with the NBA and how they put together the courts for the bubble. I also like that they are providing home arena sounds and graphics for the designated “home team”. It was pretty cool to hear the sounds as if they were playing at the Wells Fargo Center. I hope the virtual Sixers fans in attendance boo the team if they are losing or not playing hard, that would really feel like a home game!

Let the Games Begin!

The 76ers play their first game this Saturday at 7PM vs. the 5^th seeded Indiana Pacers. The Sixers are expected to start Joel Embiid, who sat out the last two scrimmages. The Pacers will be without Domantas Sabonis for the beginning of the restart due to left foot issues. Make sure you tune in and look out for a recap from 76^th and Broad!

The Sixers are back! Welcome to the Bubble!

Posted on July 9, 2020July 11, 2020 by jcrosby1315

First and foremost, I hope that everyone and their families are safe and healthy during this pandemic!

The 2019-20 Sixers are back, but this time they will have to be quarantined on an NBA campus while competing for an NBA championship. The NBA has decided to resume its 2019-20 NBA Season during the COVID-19 global pandemic by creating a quarantined bubble in Orlando, FL. 22 of the 30 NBA teams have been invited to Orlando to finish the season. The season will officially resume on July 30^th with each team playing out the regular season with 8 “seeding games”. If the 9^th seed is within 4 games of the 8^th seed, that will activate “play-in” games to see who makes the playoffs. There will be plenty of rules and social distancing guidelines that players, coaches, and staff will have to endure for this bubble to remain safe and the return of the NBA to continue. Now that there is some background on the return, let’s look at the Sixers’ return schedule:

Sixers’ Schedule:

Date	Team	Time (EST)
8/1	Indiana Pacers	7:00PM
8/3	San Antonio Spurs	8:00PM
8/5	Washington Wizards	4:00PM
8/7	Orlando Magic	6:30PM
8/9	Portland Trailblazers	6:30PM
8/11	Phoenix Suns	4:30PM
8/12	Toronto Raptors	6:30PM
8/14	Houston Rockets	TBD

Where They Left Off

When the season abruptly ended, the Sixers were 39-26, which was good for 6^th in the east. They were tied with the Pacers but losing the season series tie breaker so far. Ben Simmons was out indefinitely with a back injury and Joel Embiid was just returning after a 6-game absence from a shoulder injury. This team was very inconsistent and with injuries, this team just didn’t have the chemistry. The 76ers were an amazing 29-2 at home and a horrible 10-24 on the road. Many TV pundits had jumped off of the Sixers championship bandwagon and making it a point to try to drive a wedge between Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. One positive situation was beginning to develop when the season shut down and that was the rise of Shake Milton. Shake Milton came on the scene nationally with his 39-point game against the Clippers. His great play continued all the way to the shut down and I expect him to have a big role on the team going forward.

Predictions

It is hard to predict how the Sixers will perform in Orlando because it’s not technically home or away. It has been stated by some of the players that they look at this as an opportunity to restart and right the ship. The talent on the roster is there but the fit of the pieces has been an issue all season. I think we will get a mixture of the home and road Sixer performances. The rotation I expect to see includes Shake Milton joining the starting lineup of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, and Tobias Harris. Key contributors off the bench will be Al Horford (truly a 6^th starter depending on matchups), Mike Scott, Glenn Robinson III, and Furkan Korkmaz. I do believe that Alec Burks and Matisse Thybulle will play but just not sure if they will play consistently as they rev up for the playoffs. As far as a prediction for the final 8 games, I think the Sixers will go 6-2 with losses vs the Magic and Suns and grab the 5^th seed to face Jimmy Butler and Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. We shall see if my prediction holds true, but if it does and the blue & white play the Heat in the first round, all I can say is GET YOUR POPCORN READY!

Sniper Shake! Who is Shake Milton? A Profile on the Sixers’ Combo Guard Who is Making the Most of an Opportunity

Posted on March 3, 2020March 22, 2020 by jcrosby1315

Shake Milton during his career high performance, where he scored 39 points against the Clippers Sunday

Who is Shake Milton? If you’re a casual Sixers or NBA fan, you may not have any clue. After his 39-point performance against the fully loaded Clippers Sunday afternoon, you know who he is now. Shake straight up dominated Sunday against the Clippers. He shot 14-20 from the floor and 7-9 from three point range. He dominated the first half including a highlight fast break dunk over Patrick Beverly. Even when the Clippers titled their defense toward him in the second half, he did not shy away and continued to be aggressive. The Clippers put Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Pat Beverly on him, with none of them having much success in slowing Milton down. As I wrote in my last piece, Shake would be one of the Sixers who would have to step up in Ben Simmons’ absence. Now that we know what happened Sunday, how did we get here?

Malik Benjamin “Shake” Milton was born in Owasso, Oklahoma just outside Tulsa. Milton starred at Owasso High School earning Gatorade Player of the Year for the state in his junior and senior seasons. His senior year, he averaged 30 points per game and was Oklahoma Super 5 Player of the Year. He committed to Southern Methodist University (SMU) and was recruited by head coach Larry Brown, the former Sixers head coach. Shake was a four star recruit and chose to attend SMU over University of Oklahoma and Indiana University.

While Shake had a solid career at SMU, his numbers did not jump off the page. Milton’s freshman year saw him receive All AAC Rookie Team honors averaging 10.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 2.7 APG. By his junior year, his production increased to 18 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 4.4 APG. His season was cut short with a broken hand after 22 games, but was still able to make All AAC second team.

Shake declared for the draft and was eventually picked in the second round with the 54th pick by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was traded to the 76ers on draft night for the 56th and 60th picks in the 2018 draft. Milton ended up signing a two-way deal with the Sixers, meaning he would split time between the Sixers and their G-League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. He appeared in 20 games for the Sixers averaging almost 5 points. However, in the G-League, he averaged 25 PPG, 5 APG, and 5 RPG. His scoring average was 4th best in the G-League.

Before the current NBA season, the Sixers signed Shake to a 4 year NBA deal. Early in the season, Milton looked to be in the rotation but after injuring his knee against the Hawks he didn’t return to the lineup. He was buried on the bench only used in garbage time situations. Once injuries started happening, Brett started going to Shake Milton to get a trust worthy ball handler in the game. With injuries to Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, Shake has stepped up in ways no one predicted. He has started 12 games thus far this season and will likely continue to start going forward. Brett Brown mentioned after Sunday’s game that he told Milton he would not be in the rotation after the All-Star break but it didn’t pan out that way.

You have to give Shake Milton credit for taking advantage of the opportunity that he has been given. Lets see if the former second round pick can continue to shine now that defenses will be preparing for him. This feels like vintage 2016 Sixers, where we are rooting for a little known second round pick to make a difference and honestly its not a bad feeling.

Ben Simmons Sidelined with Lower Back Injury- How will this affect the Sixers’ Playoff Push

Posted on February 23, 2020March 22, 2020 by jcrosby1315

PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 20: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to head coach Brett Brown against the Brooklyn Nets at the Wells Fargo Center on February 20, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Nets 112-104 in overtime.

Sixers’ All-Star Ben Simmons left Saturday night’s game against the Bucks in the first quarter after re-aggravating a back injury. According to sources, Ben Simmons was “emotional” leaving the arena after getting a X-Ray. He received a MRI Sunday and will be re-evaluated Monday after a second opinion. Ben “originally” injured his back in Wednesday’s practice and sat out Thursday’s overtime win against the Nets. Some truly think Ben injured his back in the second half of the All-Star game after he fell when he completed an alley-oop. I’m far from a doctor but a second opinion in sports always sounds bad, normally because the first diagnosis the player received isn’t the best news. I’m hoping for the best but I’m thinking Ben will be out at least 6-8 weeks and returning for the playoffs. Whatever the timeline is, there are some questions that I have in regards to the Sixers and their playoff push without him.

Why Would the Sixers Play Him if He was Still Injured?

This is the question that really stands out in my mind. I know the game was against the Bucks on national TV, but we are in February. If this team is a “flip the switch” team, then this game didn’t mean as much as it was made out to be. The Sixers have had issues in the past with their young stars returning before they were ready. Embiid played with a torn meniscus against the Rockets in his rookie year because the game was flexed to national TV. There has been talk of the Sixers’ medical staff negligence and fans will riot if Simmons shouldn’t have been playing. I know Simmons is normally the Sixers’ ironman, having played 214 out of 221 career games, but you have to protect the player from themselves.

Who Will have to Step Up ?

IT’S OBVIOUS that Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, and yes Al Horford will have to step up in Ben’s absence. They all will have to step up their scoring, defense, and hustle. Ben brings defensive intensity and hustle every night, so there will have to be a collective effort to replace that. The offense will have to be more post oriented and pick-and-roll dependent. I expect Embiid to up his scoring average to about 27 PPG and Tobias to up his average to about 23 PPG.

Who Will Push the Pace and Handle the Ball?

The most obvious answer most would think would be Josh Richardson. Josh will have to step up and handle the ball, increase his scoring and make more plays for others. JRich is currently averaging 14.3 PPG, 3 RPG, and 3 APG. Those assist will have to increase to about 6 a game. Brett has used Josh as a back up PG in the past this season with mixed results. Shake Milton is someone who I think will come in and be a solid contributor and will most likely be inserted into the starting lineup. In recent weeks, Shake has come in and really helped this team. He shoots the three well and is an above average playmaker. Brett will most likely give him the duty of the primary ball handler and pace-pusher. The other ball handler will be Alec Burks. His pick and rolls with Embiid and Horford should provide scoring off the bench. Alec will have to score 14-15 PPG off the bench each game to help with the scoring load. He can push the pace and is one of the few Sixer players that can get their own shot repeatedly. One thing that worries me about the possibility of Ben’s extended absence is who will create three point shots for this team? Ben’s pace and pass first mentality has him leading the league on assists on 3-point shots made (223 made three pointers).

Can a Buyout Player Help?

The buyout market can really produce a player that can help your team and in this case, the Sixers need a guard. There are only two players currently on the market that could POSSIBLY help the Sixers. The two names that come to mind are Dion Waiters and Tyler Johnson. So far this season, both have had issues with the teams they were on. Waiters was in the dog house as soon as the season started and then had an episode where he got too high on the Miami team plane after eating edibles. He hadn’t been in the rotation, and when Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler had injuries, he stepped up and helped the team stay in games by scoring double digits in the three games he has played. You know what you get with Dion Waiters, scoring and no defense. Maybe playing at home in Philly would help Waiters’ play but I don’t know if Sixers would take that chance. Tyler Johnson hasn’t been in the Suns’ rotation this year but is a career double digit PPG scorer and average three point shooter. He could help with ball handling and pushing the pace but isn’t known as a great defender.

Ultimately, I think Sixers will stay with in-house talent but will have a hard time finishing the season if Simmons is out for an extended period. I just think he does so much for this team making it difficult to plug the hole he will leave on the court.

76th & Broad