Philadelphia 76ers: Doc Rivers can instill “bully ball” mentality

The Philadelphia 76ers might finally find an identity under Doc Rivers.

Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers branded themselves as a “bully ball” team. After a series of regrettable transactions in free agency and on the trade market, the Sixers planned to run out the tallest, meanest starting five in basketball. That never quite worked, but the initial plan was admirable — if disastrously misguided.

The Sixers never achieved the feel of “bully ball” under Brett Brown. There are innumerable reasons for that. Some of it was Brown’s system. Joel Embiid sleepwalking through half the season didn’t help. Ben Simmons‘ timid nature didn’t help.  Tobias Harris’ mid-range obsessiveness didn’t help. Al Horford showing up completely washed also did not help.

On the whole, everyone in Philadelphia underperformed to some degree last season. Embiid and Simmons are all-world talents, but the ecosystem around them was starved of basic basketball necessities. The roster actively made life harder for Embiid, and it showed. Simmons improved defensively, but still had stretches of frustrating indecisiveness on offense. Brett Brown was dealt an unwinnable hand and selected as the fall guy.

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Now, under the guidance of Doc Rivers, the Sixers will look to revive a franchise on the fritz. You should absolutely not trust ownership, nor the front office, to make the requisite changes. The requisite changes may not even be possible. But alas, the Sixers have a lot of talent and a determined head coach. There are worse places to be.

In his introductory press conference, Rivers poignantly stated that Philadelphia will play to its strengths. The Sixers will not aspire to Golden State, nor try to acquiesce to a league that, broadly speaking, differs stylistically from what Philadelphia is built for. The Sixers will use size and speed to its advantage.

Rivers said he wants the Sixers to finish top-10 in pace. He wants to speed up the game — smart, when you consider Ben Simmons is among the most lethal transition threats in basketball. It’s also smart when you consider the damage Joel Embiid can do with an open floor and unset defense. Embiid is more than a post-up big.

While pace and “bully ball” are not often referenced in conjunction with one another, Rivers’ up-tempo vision could help the Sixers achieve their desired identity. Get Simmons and Embiid moving downhill, and the Sixers can use their punishing size to overwhelm smaller defenses.

With Rivers, you can expect more movement. More cuts, more pick-and-rolls, more fast breaks. In order for Philadelphia’s size advantage to really register, the Sixers need to actively attack the rim. Too often last season, the Sixers’ offense was caught in no-man’s land, leading to a deluge of contested 2-point jumpers and fruitless possessions.

Embiid needs to be more engaged when doesn’t have the ball. Simmons needs to cut and slash with more purpose. The Sixers need to create advantages for Tobias Harris, who spent too much of last season in stale iso possessions. Movement and momentum could help the Sixers overcome a lack of volume shooters.

At this point, it’s natural to approach the Sixers with undiluted cynicism. There’s a chance this roster, as presently constructed, is impossible to contend with. On the other hand, Philadelphia was the best home team in basketball last season. With more structure and a reinvigorated system, maybe the offense comes together away from the Wells Fargo Center, too.

We will see if Doc Rivers can unlock a roster Brett Brown could never figure out.