The 76ers are on a two-game losing streak for the first time since Joel Embiid missed eight games in a row with left knee soreness, and for the second time since early February.
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"We're still a really good team," Jimmy Butler said after Wednesday's practice when asked what the Sixers learned about themselves in losses to the Hawks and Magic. "I mean mishaps, hiccups. We didn't do what we were supposed to do. I mean, hell, that (expletive) was two days ago."
The Sixers might be looking forward, but media and fans can continue looking back and pointing to aspects of those losses if things don't turn around.
In fairness, it's not like the sky is falling. It's a long season and bad games happen. But, the 76ers are supposed to be an elite Eastern Conference team that's capable of playing into June. Simply put, they beat themselves when facing Atlanta and Orlando. Their first half defense and fourth quarter turnovers against the Hawks were "terrible," as Brett Brown put it over the weekend, and their nearly 12 minutes without a field goal field goal at the Magic was a sight for sore eyes. Ben Simmons missed the game with the stomach bug, technically known as gastroenteritis. Sixers fans probably got gastroenteritis watching that second half.
"Seems like there's always humbling moments in the NBA," JJ Redick said. "We had a couple bad losses. I thought both those teams probably just played harder than us and that's something we can control and we got to be better there."
Redick couldn't have put it better. And as Butler said, the 76ers are a really good team. Because of that, it would suit them to use those two losses as a reminder that you can't sleep walk in the NBA, even against dreadful opponents like the Knicks. These games against Orlando and Atlanta should be used as a wakeup call, and Brown thinks they very well could be.
"The three things that govern in significant ways this stage of the year are the spirit of the team, and our spirit is great," Brown said. "The guys really are co-existing in tremendous ways. That is priceless. Then you get into form. How are we playing? I've admitted we've been erratic. We go to the Boston and the Milwaukee game versus some recent games…Then you get into the health of the players. Are we healthy?
"And so you go spirit, form, health…We're OK. I wish there was more consistency with the form, but there isn't. I think that there will be. Can losses help cultivate that? Perhaps."
What made those performances even more surprising is they followed a six-game winning streak that featured victories over the Celtics, Bucks and Pacers. Sure, a letdown game here or there isn't uncommon in an 82-game season, but the playoffs are approaching fast. If Brown is trying to get his team peaking at the right time, games 73 and 74 were speed bumps in the process.
"The last two games that have gone by we need to address and own some things, led by me, I'm the coach" Brown said. "(Wednesday's practice) was about that and was about competing in sort of a maybe the last real opportunity we have to practice prior to the playoffs.
"It's always defense. It's attention to a game plan. We're not Golden State where they have a history where they won championships. They've been with each other…We're not there. We're on 3.0 76ers. We don't have the luxury to pick and chose. To not do that and find a way to secure the third spot through our defense, through attention to scouting reports, through some things offensively, but normally that's not my problem. I know we went in a drought the other night, but in general that's not my problem. And trying to make sure like he we here are and respecting our opportunity to claim third spot. That's important. Those types of things we discussed."
Brown admitted getting the third seed is important. Previously the message has been more about playing good basketball, which it still probably is. Essentially, the two go hand in hand, and finishing in third place almost guarantees the Sixers will avoid Boston in the first round.
Getting the three-seed could potentially line the Sixers up against Brooklyn, who they fittingly face Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center.
It's worth noting that the Nets remaining regular season schedule is rather difficult.
@ 76ers
vs Celtics
vs Bucks
vs Raptors
@ Bucks
@ Pacers
vs Heat
But hypothetically if the Nets were to do really well in that stretch, that would likely give them the sixth seed, and could put them up against the 76ers. If that were to happen, common sense says Brooklyn would be going into the playoffs hot. If it wasn't for Jimmy Butler's buzzer beater on November 25, the Nets would be leading the season series 3-0 instead of 2-1. Brooklyn, especially their talented guards, have given the Sixers serious problems this season, even if it was against the pre-Butler Sixers and pre-Tobias Harris Sixers. The third version of this team is just as bad against playmaking guards.
Evan Fournier dominated the Sixers in their brutal second half Monday in Orlando. Rookie of the Year candidate Trae Young looked like a veteran All-Star this past Saturday night in Atlanta.
One could argue based on the past two games that Thursday night's game between the Sixers and Nets is just as important as last week's showdown with the Celtics. Now, that might be pushing it a bit, but to think that the Sixers are just fine and dandy with eight games to go in the regular season is just as naive. A statement needs to be made that this past Monday and Saturday were a fluke, and this team is worthy of the three-seed.
Three Butler Notes From Practice
Other than hearing what went wrong for the Sixers over their last two games, some of the more interesting pieces of information from Wednesday's practice came courtesy of Butler.
1. Butler's Friendship with Shake Milton
Rookie Shake Milton caught some eyes with his game against the Magic earlier this week when he scored 13 points on six-of-eight from the floor. Turns out when Milton broke his hand earlier this season, Butler was a teammate who was their for the rookie at an unfortunate moment.
"He's actually the first person to text me whenever I broke my hand and he was just telling me how he was there for me if I needed anything," Milton said. "He's a great dude. Great teammate."
Butler spoke highly about Milton as well.
"Even whenever he was down in the G-League, I was checking in on my guy because he was injured obviously," Butler said. "I just wanted to let him know that, 'You're going to come back. You're gong to have your opportunity.' He shined. You can tell that he was working whenever he was down there, doing what he was supposed to be doing. I'm glad to have him around. He works very hard."
Milton's friendship with Butler formed when they would play two-on-two and one-on-one together when Butler was recovering from injury this season. It included trash talk, which helped form the bond.
"He just helps me a lot throughout the game in general, whether it be offensively or defensively. He's not going to sugarcoat it. If I'm in the wrong he's going to let me know and if I'm doing well he's going to let me know that too, so I appreciate it."
2. Butler's Practice Jerseys
Butler's practice attire Wednesday caught the eyes of most media members in attendance. Instead of wearing a No. 23 Butler jersey as you would expect, he was dawning former Sixer Wilson Chandler's No. 22.
Jimmy Butler is rocking a Wilson Chandler practice jersey #Sixers pic.twitter.com/Tb633Bxo9h
— Dave Uram (@MrUram) March 27, 2019"I got everybody's jersey in my locker," Butler said. "It's a mystery who I pull out whenever I'm doing my random pulls."
When asked how he got that jersey, Butler said he stole them all out of Senior Equipment Manager Scott Rego's office. According to Butler, apparently he's the only one who doesn't have his own practice jersey at his locker.
"Just random," Butler said as he shrugged his shoulders.
Butler wasn't the only one dawning someone else's jersey Wednesday afternoon.
Joel Embiid was wearing Amir Johnson's No. 5 practice jersey after #Sixers practice todayJimmy Butler wore Wilson Chandler's 22"I got everybody's jersey at my locker. It's a mystery who I pull out whenever I'm doing my random pulls." pic.twitter.com/UYQtObb5p7
— Dave Uram (@MrUram) March 27, 2019Embiid chose to wear Amir Johnson's No. 5 when he was taking shots on his own well after practice. I guess guys get bored with their own numbers. Who knows?
3. Butler Not Paying Attention To "Harper-Mania"
Philadelphia can't get enough Bryce Harper.
Earlier this week, several media members, including myself, waited over an hour in the cold for Harper to take the field at the Phillies pre-Opening Day workout at Citizens Bank Park just so we could take some B-Roll video.
Yes, some of us in the media are that pathetic.
Anyway, Butler was asked if he's getting caught up in the Harper hoopla? He admitted he wasn't.
"I got a lot to focus on when it comes to this 76er-Mania, so I'll try to peep when I can, but I'm focused on basketball."
