The balance Shake Milton, Ben Simmons and the Sixers are trying to strike with pace
When Ben Simmons is pushing the ball down the floor, finding shooters and cutters or attacking the rim himself, the Sixers hum.
We’ve known for a while that he’s creative and dangerous when he plays fast, as he showed Sunday in the Sixers’ scrimmage against the Thunder, a 102-97 loss (see observations).
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2020It's a Shake and Simmons world, we're just living in it.
Simmons with the vision, Shake with the finish from beyond the arc as the Sixers hold a commanding lead over OKC, 81-60. pic.twitter.com/B0GzlhtwQk
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly)
It's a Shake and Simmons world, we're just living in it.
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) July 26, 2020
Simmons with the vision, Shake with the finish from beyond the arc as the Sixers hold a commanding lead over OKC, 81-60. pic.twitter.com/B0GzlhtwQk
As for Shake Milton, the team’s new starting point guard, Brett Brown doesn’t want the 23-year-old to play with too much pace.
I think today was a great day in relation to how I think teams are going to play him,” Brown said Sunday. “They’re going to jump him, they’re going to spin him, they’re going to crawl into him, they’re going to whack him when they can. And the physicality of today I thought equaled what you’d see from the Celtics or Toronto, as an example. And I think he’s coming around from that perspective, dealing with the physicality. … And he’s going to have to.
“To be the starting point guard with a team that’s pretty good, there’s a hell of a lot of responsibility in that role. And I don’t think he’s sped up in his mind. For him not to be sped up in his game because of pressure is something I was impressed with (today). … In general, I think Shake has handled that extended defense and overall physicality, the pressure, quite well.
One quality of Milton’s that always stood out is how he plays the game on his own terms. He rarely appears bothered by the occasion or the defense. Brown’s expectation that teams will try to swat at the ball when Milton drives, guard him aggressively on pick-and-rolls and jostle him when he’s away from the ball is reasonable. That unflappable demeanor will be tested.
Such attention won’t be entirely new to Milton, who was a star with the Delaware Blue Coats in the G League as a rookie. While in Delaware, Milton was asked to command the game and draw fouls against defenders eager to shut down one of the league’s best scorers. He certainly hasn’t seen it all before – Milton only has 52 games of NBA experience – but he understands the importance of not letting defensive pressure have an excessive influence on his approach.
“That wouldn’t surprise me,” Milton said. “It just kind of comes with it. Me being a taller point guard, they’ll probably try to (put) somebody who’s small (on me), get on me and pressure me and be physical. Just adjust and keep going.”
From their first two scrimmages, it seems as if Milton is often the Sixers’ “half-court point guard” and Simmons is the team’s “transition point guard.” Brown said as much Friday.
“I can almost simplify it like this: On any missed shot, I want Ben with the ball,” Brown said. “Any time the opposition team misses and we’re running, I want Ben Simmons with the ball and let him get to the rim and dunk or find another shooter. It’s really that clean and that simple.”
Though the Sixers are 19th in the NBA in pace this season (99.38), there’s reason to believe that number could increase in Disney World. Joel Embiid may be perceived by some as a plodding big man who always trails the play, but lineups with him and Simmons have played at a brisk 104.50 pace this year. If both players are healthy – Embiid missed Sunday’s scrimmage with right calf tightness – the Sixers plan to play them together frequently, and for their stars to see heavy minutes in the postseason.
Al Horford, who started in Embiid’s place and had 13 points and nine rebounds vs. Oklahoma City, still finds playing with Simmons intuitive despite the two-time All-Star’s shift in role.
“Honestly, I don’t see much of a difference,” he said. “The way that we want to do things, we want to get out in transition. And when we get in transition, we’re giving the ball to Ben and letting him dictate and make plays. And then in the half court … I can still go into the pick-and-roll for him – and we did that a few times today – and kind of play out of that. It’s not much different.”
Simmons, meanwhile, continues to trust his instincts and intelligence. He nearly had a triple-double in 26:31 on Sunday, recording 14 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and five turnovers. The Sixers must balance, among other things, his exceptional speed, Embiid’s post-up prowess and the half-court pressure that will be thrown Milton’s way. It doesn’t sound easy on paper, but Simmons seems confident he can help them manage.
“I haven’t really been looking at this position as a four, five, whatever it is,” he said. “I’ve just been out there playing and to me, when I’m put in different situations where I’m able to succeed, where I’m comfortable. And I feel like these past two games I’ve been doing well.
“Can always do better. There’s a lot I need to work on and improve, but I think overall, I’m just getting that flow back and I’m feeling really good.”
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