Sixers head coach Brett Brown explains why Markelle Fultz will start, but not in 2nd half of games

https://sports.yahoo.com/sixers-head-coach-brett-brown-014415827.html



Sixers head coach Brett Brown explains why Markelle Fultz will start, but not in 2nd half of games



Noah Levick
NBC Sports Philadelphia•Oct 13, 2018, 3:44 AM





Brett Brown explained Friday why he plans to start Markelle Fultz at the beginning of games but not in the second half. By Noah Levick



CAMDEN, N.J. - It was a typical end-of-practice scrimmage, the starters in the blue jerseys and the second unit in the white, with one exception.

The blue team had six players.

Sixers head coach Brett Brown put a score of 92-92 on the scoreboard, with three minutes on the clock. And he put JJ Redick on the floor, Markelle Fultz on the bench.

That's how Brown started the second half of the Sixers' final preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks, and he confirmed Friday night that's how he plans to begin the regular season.

Brown explained the rationale behind that decision:

What it does is it lets me try to grow Markelle and bring him along at the start of a game. It's five minutes - I think it's not as dramatic as sometimes people do. So it's five minutes. I'm doing that because I want to grow him. I want to grow us. Can that help us? And I believe that it can.

And I believe the decision of, ‘Well, why don't you do that again in the second half?' I'm trying to give him as many minutes as I can as a point guard, and I can better do that with the way I just spelled it out, if I'm committed to starting him, and I am. I want to see how this goes, and those are the reasons.

By trying to play Fultz as much as possible as a point guard, Brown seems to be acknowledging Fultz isn't yet the kind of player who can space the floor and dependably knock down jumpers. The kind of player, in other words, who could fit easily next to Ben Simmons.

Despite all the repairs Fultz made to his jumper during a long summer of work with trainer Drew Hanlen, his shot is still clearly not at the level of a typical NBA two-guard. In preseason play, he shot 5 for 14 on attempts from 13 feet and out. He made 1 of 5 three-point shots.

The easy, obvious solution would be having Fultz come off the bench and run the point for the second unit. That's essentially what he'll be doing in the third quarter. And it sounds like, even with the vastly improved confidence he has in his shot, Fultz still feels best at the point.

"It's a coaches' decision, it's a team decision, what's best for us," Fultz said. "Putting me in a better position, playing the one and getting the ball more. Being a playmaker, what I am. So I'm perfectly fine."

In the long term, a major part of what will define the success of this season is whether Fultz and Simmons can coexist effectively.

The big issue, of course, is that Simmons' jumper is still an infinitesimal part of his game (his only field goal attempt outside of the paint in the preseason was blocked), and Fultz is still rediscovering the shot that helped make him a consensus No. 1 pick.

And while Simmons has plenty of promise at the four, he wasn't an efficient player in the post as a rookie. His 0.69 points per possession on postups last season ranked 17th percentile in the NBA.

Ideally, the Sixers will be able to grow both Fultz and the team, as Brown hopes. But realistically, it's not hard to foresee the potential challenge of trying to keep Fultz in the starting lineup next to Simmons while also pushing for an Eastern Conference title.



bob
MY NOTE:  Here's my big takeaway:  "Despite all the repairs Fultz made to his jumper during a long summer of work with trainer Drew Hanlen, his shot is still clearly not at the level of a typical NBA two-guard. In preseason play, he shot 5 for 14 on attempts from 13 feet and out. He made 1 of 5 three-point shots."  He is going into his 2nd NBA season (I don't give a shit about what the NBA calls it from a ROY perspective, he'll be almost halfway through his rookie contract by the end of this year) and still isn't a starting 2-guard.  If Jayson Tatum ends up coming off the bench, which he probably won't be until Gordon Hayward is up to starting again (and maybe not even then!) it will only because a more veteran all-star is in front of him on the depth chart.  Who's ahead of Fultz?  34 year old JJ Redick?  And if he isn't a 2-guard because he can't shoot (or because, at 6'4", he is a bit undersized in today's NBA?) is he going to start at point in front of Simmons?  Not a prayer. If Fultz isn't a starting 2-guard because of his shooting then Simmons sure isn't.  Maybe we can trade Rozier for Fultz and another Philly first rounder.  I'll bet Brad can fix his shot. LOL.



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Tweener who until proven otherwise can’t shoot.

I am not a basketball genius, but I have never, ever heard of such a strategy at any level since becoming a basketball fan almost 60 years ago.

Perhaps the strategy will work for both the 'ers and for Fultz, but it sure is weird especially when announced before a game is even played.

Much to early to write Fultz off - outstanding shooter in college (41.3% 3 point shooter) - 20 years old with only 14 nba games under his belt - Mysterious shoulder ailment the big issue. Youth is on his side.

swish

swish wrote:Much to early to write Fultz off - outstanding shooter in college (41.3% 3 point shooter) - 20 years old with only 14 nba games under his belt - Mysterious shoulder ailment the big issue. Youth is on his side.

 swish

Heard his FT% was never good and NBA 3 point line is longer....

cowens/oldschool wrote:

swish wrote:Much to early to write Fultz off - outstanding shooter in college (41.3% 3 point shooter) - 20 years old with only 14 nba games under his belt - Mysterious shoulder ailment the big issue. Youth is on his side.

 swish

Heard his FT% was never good and NBA 3 point line is longer....

oldschool

Time will tell - Jaylen Brown - free thows in college.654 - last year Celts .644 --- Fultz in college .649
Jaylen - 3p% in college .294 -- last year .395--- Fultz .413 in college. Who knows for sure what the future holds when dealing with kids in their late teens and early 20's.

swish