From the moment he was hired, Mike D’Antoni has been eagerly anticipated in how he would makeover the Philadelphia 76ers offense. But the truth is that he already has. Brett Brown used many of D’Antoni’s principals.
Mike D Antoni arrived on the heels of Jerry Colangelo. From the moment his name was announced, sports writers who have not followed the evolution of the Philadelphia 76ers called this a coup d’é·tat. The Philadelphia 76ers had come to their senses, were overthrowing the yolks of Sam Hinkie and Brett Brown, and were going to undo all of the “damage” of Sam Hinkie by immediately entering the market with an open checkbook for any and all available free agents.
Headlines floated debates about which players would be cut or traded and which big name superstars would be signed or traded for?
So far, retired Elton Brand and point guard Ish Smith constitutes the entirety of this wave of transactions for the Philadelphia 76ers. But there is more than boots on the ground, or in the case of the Philadelphia 76ers, sneakers on a basketball court. Much of the improvement has been in the approach of this Philadelphia 76ers team. One of the most significant improvements is the offense.
In the opening of this season, the Philadelphia 76ers were unfamiliar and hurting. While five players recovered from injuries, the team was trying to make introductions to one another while they took the basketball court. Needless to say, the results were less than spectacular. Some pointed at the “Process” as the reason for the lack of offense. Some pointed at head coach Brett Brown as the reason for the lack of offense. But the truth is that the team was just too young, too unfamilar, and too banged up when the season opened. The team averaged 86 points per game in October. The Sixers jumped to 91.8 points per game (PPG) in November. The team jumped to 94.5 PPG in December, but ran at a 104 PPG in the last three games of the month.
So far in January? The team is scoring 100.8 points per game.
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The obvious answer is the introduction of point guard Ish Smith. But Ish Smith was no scoring catalyst in New Orleans when he played for the Pelicans. There, he had a streak of seven games where he scored in double digits. In that run, the New Orleans Pelicans were 3-4. Not the kind of pace one might expect with a point guard who suddenly catches fire. The offense of the Philadelphia 76ers has improved dramatically since D’Antoni walked head coach through his first white board.
We captured the potential impact of Mike D’Antoni‘s hiring in mid December. At the time, the Sixers offense was an abysmal 91.6 points per game. Right now, their season average is up to 94.7 PPG and climbing. The pace the team is scoring right now is just under 101 points per game. That’s good enough for middle of the pack for the NBA. The key to the D’Antoni offense is the point guard. THAT’s why the trade for Ish Smith became mandatory. But the other key is not just a good point guard to bring the ball down court, but the movement of the ball. The offense must pressure the defense by moving the ball too quickly for the defense to react and defend.
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The surprise is that this offense is taking to the new schemes so rapidly. With the Miami Heat at 95.5 PPG, the Brooklyn Nets at 95.6 PPG, and even the Los Angeles Lakers at 96.3 PPG, The currently momentum could carry the Sixers better than several other NBA teams by season’s end. Why would that matter? As the team prepares for 2016, positive momentum creates excitement and optimism. Both are needed when the team adds even more talent this off-season via the NBA draft and free agency.
Timing of personnel moves is everything. The team will not pursue free agents until the front office is confident that the team is ready to evolve into the next level. With the coaching pair of Brett Brown and Mike D’Antoni, the coaching staff is prepared for the best of the NBA. Now it is just a matter of bringing the team up to a level where a star can make an impact. With the team progressing on the offense and defense, and young players maturing, the team is virtually a blank slate for the likes of Mike D’Antoni to teach, to educate, and to mold those young players into a formidable offense. From what we’ve seen so far in a month’s time, D’Antoni still has that magic touch.