The Sixer Sense
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Why Brett Brown deserves to keep his job

By Michael Bronson

BOSTON, MA - MAY 9: Brett Brown of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to the media after the game against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2018 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 9: Brett Brown of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to the media after the game against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2018 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Brett Brown led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 24-win increase this season. Despite being out-coached by Brad Stevens in the playoffs, he shouldn’t be fired.

The quote below is from Brad Botkin’s article celebrating rookies Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell’s stellar play in the playoffs, but the quote involving the Golden State Warriors could easily be used as a reason for the Philadelphia 76ers to fire Brett Brown.

"“Take the 2015 Warriors, for example. In one year’s time they went from barely winning 50 games and losing in the first-round to 67 wins and a championship. Romantics will say they got better from the experience of three straight trips to the playoffs, and there is some truth in that. But not much. The real truth is that the Warriors got a new coach and started playing in a style more suited to their personnel. When they did that, they won. Immediately. No baby steps. When they were good enough, they were good enough.” — CBS Sports"

Before the Sixers lost the second game to the Boston Celtics, I didn’t think a Boston Celtics team without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward could beat them. After watching the Sixers lose 4-1, I don’t think another coach would’ve been able to lead this team to victory.

While another coach might have won another game against the Celtics by benching Ben Simmons in Game 3 (the worst game of Simmons’ career) and playing T.J. McConnell, the decision not to do that showed Brown was looking at the big picture and that even giving the impression that he was losing faith in Simmons wasn’t worth winning one playoff game.

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While it arguably took too long to make adjustments in the series against the Celtics, he ultimately realized the Sixers needed a second ball handler to take pressure of Simmons. Before getting the first and only win in the series against the Celtics, they lost the turnover battle in Game 1 (12-10), Game 2 (11-9), and Game 3 (14-13). By replacing Robert Covington with T.J. McConnell in the starting line up, the Sixers final won the turnover battle (8-15) and beat the Celtics 103-92.

Watching McConnell and Simmons have success together showed how much the Sixers missed Markelle Fultz. Fultz was supposed to do everything McConnell did while playing with Simmons, but at a near-All-Star level.

If the Fultz I watched in college was the same one that played for the Sixers, I believe the Sixers would’ve at least pushed the Celtics to seven games and might’ve won the series. That is something Coach Brown had no control over.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft 7.0

Few predicted the Sixers ending the season with a 52-30 record and the third seed in the East. Coach Brown did more than enough this season to earn the opportunity to try to lead the Sixers to the Eastern Conference finals next season.

Editor’s note: The Sixers plan to offer Brown a contract extension before his current deal expires.