While budding young superstars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid get most of the credit for the Philadelphia 76ers‘ success, J.J. Redick‘s unique skill-set is what brings the team to the next level.
Ben Simmons is going to win the Rookie of the Year award. Joel Embiid is going to be in contention for the Defensive Player of the Year award. Both of those two players are special young talents that will be playing in numerous All-Star games throughout their careers, yet the man that elevates this Philadelphia 76ers team from good to great stands 6-foot-4 and only weighs 190 pounds.
J.J. Redick signed a one year contract this summer worth $23 million, and many fans and analysts agreed that the Sixers overpaid for the aging sharpshooter. Through 18 games, however, Redick has earned every penny of that deal thus far.
Brought in to spread the floor and shoot the ball at a high level, Redick is doing just that by averaging 16.1 points per game while shooting 41.3 percent from three this season. The shot making alone is not why Redick elevates the team’s play, but instead its the type of shots that he has been making throughout the year.
J.J. Redick has harassed defenses with his constant movement off the ball, and has done an excellent job of tiring defenses out by making them chase him through screens and back-door cuts. What makes him so deadly is the fact that if the defense leaves him open for even a spit-second, he is going to pull the trigger and sink a triple.
On catch and shoot three pointers this season, Redick is shooting 44.3 percent. His quick release in these opportunities make him tough to guard, and it comes in handy quite a bit when the Sixers are in a slump on offense. For example, against the Orlando Magic on Saturday the team struggled to score to start the game. Their solution to this slump? Get Redick open for a three.
This deep three gave the momentum back to the Sixers and opened things up for everyone else around him. Having a player capable of making shots from that far beyond the arc opens up driving lanes which, in turn, also creates more looks for the other shooters on the Sixers roster.
After seeing a few Redick threes splash through the net, the defense usually resorts to quick and aggressive closeouts. In these situations, Redick uses his highly effective pump fake to get the defender to fly by, leaving him with an open look that might as well be considered automatic.
The 76ers were in need of veterans that can lead by example for this young squad, and Redick is exactly that. He has bought into the system that Brett Brown has put into place, and the numbers show it. On a Sixers team that averages the most rebounds and passes per game in the NBA, Redick is averaging a career high in rebounds while also averaging his most assists per game in five years.
In addition to everything I have already mentioned that Redick brings to the team so far, the Philadelphia 76ers are 14.5 points better when he is on the court. That net rating ranks third on the team, ahead of Ben Simmons who ranks fourth. The Sixers current starting lineup of Ben Simmons, J.J. Redick, Robert Covington, Dario Saric, and Joel Embiid also currently rank first in the entire NBA in net rating, as that unit outscores opponents by 29.3 points while on the floor together per 100 possessions.
Redick’s presence alone has been incredible this season. With the best starting lineup in the league according to net rating, this team could make some noise in the postseason if they clean up their bench rotations. They have enough talent to make it difficult for any opponent to beat them in a seven game series, and Redick’s ability to stretch the floor is the key to making everything else work around him.