The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers Ish Smith Can Dish

By Bret Stuter

Jan 27, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ish Smith (1) drives the ball to the basket as Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) defends during the second quarter of the game at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Leon Halip-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 27, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ish Smith (1) drives the ball to the basket as Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) defends during the second quarter of the game at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Leon Halip-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 25, 2016; Coral Gables, FL, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Brandon Ingram (14) dribbles the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the first half at BankUnited Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 25, 2016; Coral Gables, FL, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Brandon Ingram (14) dribbles the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the first half at BankUnited Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Tomorrow Is Today

You see, speculation about the role of Ish Smith to next year’s roster is divisive to the fanbase.  Some point to his production today and see plenty of reasons to be hopeful. He’s solid, he’s proven to make a significant positive impact.  He’s here, he’s now, and he’s just been playing a little better than a month with this new roster.  How good can he become?  Well, he’s playing very well already.

This is a video of Ish Smith following the last moment heart-breaking loss to the Golden State Warriors. There is no quit, no defeat in this man.  There is also a team leader.  He is quietly becoming the leader of the team, despite being one of the most recent newcomers. (okay, if you add his time up he’s probably better classed as a true team veteran). It’s that role of quiet soft-spoken messages which lead the team through the highs and lows of the NBA season since his arrival in late December.  Keep in mind, despite his past experiences with the team, and the obvious chemistry he has with players like Nerlens Noel, he is still just starting over with the team, and is playing for the first time with Jahlil Okafor, and has yet to play with the likes of Joel Embiid and Dario Saric – despite both players association with the Philadelphia 76ers for the past two seasons. So when he steps up to the microphone and discusses the team direction, it’s not his history speaking, but the vision inside the man – and the alignment of his vision with that of head coach Brett Brown and assistant head coach Mike D’Antoni.

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