There’s a void in the Philadelphia 76ers’ lineup — a closer. Does Brett Brown have a player in mind that he can depend on in the final seconds of a nail-biter? With some rotation changes on the horizon, he may have to adjust his coaching lens in the most crucial part of a game.
It’s game seven of the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals. Eight seconds remain. The Philadelphia 76ers are down by one. A winning basket will propel them to the NBA Finals to take on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. The referee hands an inbounding Ben Simmons the ball. Who should receive the pass? Who do you trust to take the last shot?
If this situation were to arise in any game between now and the end of the season, Brett Brown has a dilemma. Reality check — NBA closers just don’t pop up in the league like Wawas in the tri-state area.
Typically, they develop as opportunities present themselves. These players only have ice in their veins after they’ve grown such a reputation through resume building. Brown has a few options though, and he must choose wisely when the season continues. Let’s evaluate each starter’s clutchness to see who should be the team’s closer.
Here is the clutch rating scale based on Mambas. (I am sure you know who this can be attributed to.)
1 Mamba — Player has no business taking the final shot (Inbounder)
2 Mambas — Player receives the pass but gets it to a teammate pronto
3 Mambas — Okay with player taking the last only shot if the play breaks down
4 Mambas — Comfortable with player taking the last shot (Play drawn)
5 Mambas — Confident in player taking the last shot (Play drawn)
Ben Simmons
Keep it moving.