Philadelphia 76ers: 3 players who made the most out of the bubble

3. Raul Neto

This was a toss-up between the aforementioned Scott and Raul Neto. While Scott probably has a greater chance of seeing regular minutes in the playoffs, he was already on the fringe of the rotation. Neto went from an afterthought to someone who seems legitimately in Brett Brown’s back pocket.

Over the Sixers’ final three seeding games, Neto averaged 17.7 points and 4.7 assists on 37.5 percent shooting from deep. He averaged only one turnover a game, and he looked in control of Philadelphia’s often chaotic halfcourt offense.

The Sixers’ lack of guard play has been a constant storyline for three seasons now. Philadelphia is better when players on the floor can dribble, pass, and shoot. Neto does all three, and he does so without making innumerable mistakes or miscalculations. He’s a steady hand, which the Sixers often benefit from having.

Neto probably won’t see the floor initially in the Boston series, especially if Brett Brown commits to a nine-man rotation. If the Sixers’ offense stutters, however, there’s a good chance Brown throws Neto into the mix to try to spark something. Think back to the T.J. McConnell game against Boston a few years ago.

Guards are important in the year 2020, and Neto is essentially the only real “point guard” on the roster. He can run pick-and-rolls, push the tempo in transition, and most of all, he doesn’t let the ball stick. He’s a quick decision maker — one of the few on the roster. He’s no longer someone to ignore completely.