At face value, the Philadelphia 76ers seem to be doing alright to start off the season. But Sixers head coach Brett Brown knows the real deal. They need some more help.
As reported by Keith Pompey of The Philly Inquirer, despite Joel Embiid and J.J. Reddick's stellar performance in the team's first few games, Brown confessed that they need more help from his other players:
“We need help,” said Sixers coach Brett Brown, whose team dropped to 2-3 after Wednesday's 123-108 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.
“We need other people stepping up, and playing more as a team and getting Mike [Muscala] and Wilson [Chandler] back in this,” Brown added. “I like what we have. I really like what we have.
“It's just early days. You know we are struggling a little bit.”
Brown's comments come in after two straight losses, sending their record to 2-3. A light observation would reveal that the Sixers' struggles are on the defensive end of the floor. Their opponents easily drive to the hoop — a result born out of miscommunication among the five on the floor.
And it's not just Brown who admitted his team's struggles. Ben Simmons, who sat out several games due to lower-back tightness, sent out a call to his teammates. For him, everyone has to be on the same page. Starter or bench player, everyone should be familiar with the playbook:
“We can't come off the bench and not know certain plays or not be physical enough out there,” he said. “It's Philadelphia. It's the Sixers. We play a certain way, and we hold ourselves to a high standard.”
The hopes are high for the Sixers this season and a wide-open East is all the more reason for guys to step up their games.
