Sixers Christmas gifts: Ben Simmons — A mean streak
It’s too easy to say “a jump shot!” so I will instead take it further. Ben Simmons needs a mean streak. An aggressiveness, a nastiness, that currently eludes him. Simmons often plays too timid for someone with his athleticism and talent. He should attack the rim at every opportunities. He should relish the chance to embarrass his defender — to flat-out overwhelm the poor soul tasked with guarding him. He should embrace contact, even seek it out. He should replicate the intensity he shows on defense on offense. That alone — with no meaningful improvement in skill — would drastically transform Simmons’ game.
Sixers Christmas gifts: Seth Curry — The greenest possible light
The Sixers brought Seth Curry in to do one thing: shoot the darn basketball. He hasn’t been flinging it up enough since his arrival, and while it’s still really, really early in his Sixers career, he’s too good a shooter not to take advantage of the open shots yielded by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
When Curry comes out of a hand-off with Embiid, his first thought should be “am I open?” — not, “can I find a teammate?” Doc Rivers has made it a point for Philadelphia to run and gun, and Curry is especially good at gunning. He should look to exploit every sliver of daylight.
Sixers Christmas gifts: Danny Green — Graceful aging
Doc Rivers’ curiously light usage of Danny Green in the Sixers’ opener raised some eyebrows. He was not (and still is not) on the injury report, and Rivers was quick to rely on Milton and Korkmaz to fill Green’s shoes in important moments. It raises the question — is Green on the decline?
While it’s too early to make definitive proclamations, and Green’s lack of usage may have been purely situational, he is 33 years old. Players tend to decline at some point, and Green has been losing steps for a while. He’s still a notably good 3-and-D wing, but hopefully he doesn’t experience a steep drop-off in the vein of Al Horford.
Sixers Christmas gifts: Tobias Harris — Decisiveness
The Sixers would benefit greatly if Tobias Harris could simply make up his mind when he catches the ball. Either shoot it — more often, please — or move it. Don’t pass up open 3s for contested 2s. Don’t dribble aimlessly outside the offense while teammates wait eagerly for your next move. Don’t hang around the post when it’s not time to hang around the post. Harris needs to be decisive.
Sixers Christmas gifts: Joel Embiid — Good health
In this day and age, of course we wish good health on everyone — even those who don’t play basketball for the team we’re tasked with covering. That said, Embiid’s durability has long been a bugaboo the Sixers can’t outrun. If Philadelphia truly wants to compete, Embiid needs to be on the floor and in peak condition.
Embiid has committed to a healthier diet and improved physique this season. How long that holds up, of course, is the main concern. Embiid’s physical style of play lends itself to nicks and bruises. When Embiid is forced to miss a few games because of a bum knee, how he looks afterward — and how quickly he gets back to 100 percent — is the real test. Here’s to hoping Embiid is in the best shape of his life.