The big conclusion to the Philadelphia 76ers’ practice on Monday was the lineup changes Brett Brown has made. During the team’s practice in Orlando in recent days, Shake Milton has been playing as a starting point guard and Ben Simmons has “exclusively” switched to forward.
According to all reports, it seemed like Simmons was buying his altered role and acting well.
Brown said Simmons has responded to the power game forward and spending more time off the ball, “like a star.” Only a mature, ‘whatever it takes to make this team the best it can be’ [attitude], with the pieces we have that can be, I don’t know, just designed in a soft thing, something that is not awkward. That’s one of the pieces that he has to offer, and I think it’s been great to accept that and really kill him in practice. “
Simmons spoke in practice today and addressed these changes himself.
“It’s basketball, you have to get the ball,” Simmons said when asked about buying the forward role and having the ball less in his hands. “I am a basketball player at the end of the day. You know me, if you put me down, I’ll make anything happen. Whether it’s plays, buckets, stops, I’ll protect anyone from 1 to 5, I run the floor, I can get to the edge, I can score the ball, and I make plays happen. So wherever you put me, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, it’s going to happen. I don’t really see it as a title or a position. That’s mainly for you to write about in your articles. “
Simmons was also asked about his thoughts on Milton’s performance as a point guard and his two-man game together, and continued to speak incredibly well of him.
“[Milton] plays very well You can throw the ball, you have a high IQ, you can get to the hoop, you can finish. He is someone you can play with, and you can tell him something and he will put it into play and try it out. And that’s what you need in someone like Shake or players like that. He’s still developing and he’s come a long way from the first day I saw him play. He is just getting better. “
Simmons clearly doesn’t care about positional titles. He wants to focus on the wealth of things he can do on the floor, not get lost in the labels or the number of people who think he is going to have the ball.
Still, he will continue to handle a fair amount of the ball in any position, as he should. And while you wouldn’t necessarily expect Simmons to voice any issues he might have with a move to move forward right now, he seems happy to experiment and play more without the ball. He didn’t need to be so positive when talking about his tight role. He repeatedly emphasized that he is comfortable making an impact wherever he is on the floor.
“You just have to work with different things, try different things, see if they work,” added Simmons when asked if he or Brown suggested the change. “Because we are not yet in a stage where we can be comfortable. I’m still trying to figure it out for myself, where, you know, what feels comfortable, what’s the right thing for this team, how are we going to win. And if so, then I agree. I mean, I’ve been having fun in that position, whatever they say, all 4 or whatever. But at the end of the day, once you see me on the floor, I only do plays. ”
Although Milton may be entering the starting lineup as a point guard, he will continue to share some of those responsibilities with Simmons. As valuable as increased off-the-ball activity is for Simmons, he won’t just be picking, rolling the tire, cutting, and nothing else. You can still get a chance to speed up the transition, handle the ball, and attack as needed in midfield settings with your driving ability.
Based on everything we’ve heard so far, from Brown to Joel Embiid saying Monday that he believes this role will be even better for Simmons and the team, for Simmons himself, it appears that the Sixers’ new lineup experiment is set for a good start.
It also helps that Simmons can take a few months off to get back in top shape.
“I feel really good. I feel strong, explosive, fast, probably the fastest I’ve been since I’ve been on the ground. “
It is the first days. The Sixers have only had a few practices in Orlando and Brown will continue to experiment. The potential new five initials for Milton, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris, Simmons and Embiid have also not played together in one game yet.
However, it’s time for the Sixers to get more creative and see how they can embrace the full abilities of Ben Simmons and his young and growing teammate Shake Milton. Simmons has more to offer as a Coach, Short Roll Pin, and Finisher with his unique combination of physique and skill, and Milton’s Rapid Fire and companion game will be a welcome addition alongside him.
If this change works, it could make a real difference in the future.
