Early signs of a key difference between Doc Rivers and Brett Brown

technical details

is_video => true
is_chrome_page => null
article_body => "Brett Brown wasn\u2019t an especially restrictive coach for the Sixers.<\/p>\r\n\r\nHe encouraged Ben Simmons to use his considerable talents in the open floor, didn\u2019t yank his stars from the game when they erred and almost always found a silver lining or two in defeat. <\/p>\r\n\r\nIt was noticeable, however, that Doc Rivers stressed in training camp he wanted Simmons and Shake Milton to play \u201cfree\u201d and be the best versions of themselves. Milton in particular sounds like he appreciates that message, as well as the fact that he\u2019s no longer scrapping for a rotation spot the way he was last preseason. <\/p>\r\n\r\nHe scored 19 points in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sixers\/shake-milton-sixers-win-celtics-preseason-game-joel-embiid-sixers-observations\">Sixers\u2019 108-99 preseason win Tuesday night over the Celtics<\/a> and showed why Rivers and his teammates had been so eager to laud him during camp. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cHim putting the ball in my hands and challenging me offensively and defensively, just to be aggressive and to be out there playing loose and playing free, it definitely feels good,\u201d Milton said. \u201cIt feels like there\u2019s a weight off your shoulders. You\u2019re able to go out there and play loose and really not be afraid. You don\u2019t want to make mistakes, but not be afraid to make mistakes. Be able to be out there and just play your game. So it definitely feels good.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\nMilton\u2019s strong showing Tuesday doesn\u2019t guarantee a Sixth Man of the Year campaign is to come or indicate he\u2019s a virtuosic scorer under Rivers. Fifteen of his points came in the third quarter, which he started next to Simmons because the Sixers sat Danny Green for the second half. His offense when he\u2019s surrounded by fellow bench players and has a greater burden to create shots could prove more challenging. <\/p>\r\n\r\nThere are some similarities to Milton\u2019s time in the G League, when he was generally the best player on the floor and the <a href=\"\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/76ers\/star-blue-coats-could-shake-milton-help-sixers-and-what-about-zhaire-smith\">Delaware Blue Coats asked him to run the offense, draw fouls and trust in his game<\/a>. The competition is better now, but Rivers wants to convey the same idea \u2014 that the Sixers only need the 24-year-old to be who he is. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cHe was great,\u201d Rivers said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what we need from him \u2014 we need him to be Shake every night. I tell him literally every day, \u2018Be Shake. Be Shake.\u2019 I probably have said that 15 times already. And I thought tonight he did that. He was very comfortable, under control, didn\u2019t force a lot of shots. He was fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\nRivers also doesn\u2019t mind motivating his players through direct criticism. In his first game back after having surgery on his left knee in August, Simmons wasn\u2019t pushing the pace to Rivers\u2019 liking in the first quarter. Rivers \u201cjumped up\u201d to make it known that walking the ball up the floor was unacceptable. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cI love that,\u201d Simmons said. \u201cI was just trying to get my legs under me, so that first quarter, it was tough. Once I found them, we got into a flow. I think we went on a stretch where we got five defensive stops in a row and pushed that lead early. But overall, I love that Doc\u2019s going to make me be aggressive and tell me to push the ball.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\nAlong with having an edge over Brown in terms of head coaching credentials, Rivers made it further as a player. Brown played at Boston University and knew Simmons\u2019 father well from his time coaching in Australia, but Rivers was an NBA point guard for 13 seasons. Simmons has also been working closely with assistant coach Sam Cassell, who played 15 years in the league. <\/p>\r\n\r\nThe fact that Rivers has walked in Simmons\u2019 shoes matters to the two-time All-Star. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cHe\u2019s a hooper,\u201d Simmons said of Rivers. \u201cHe\u2019s played the game so it\u2019s easy to relate to him, and for him to tell us certain things and for us to really understand it on the floor. He\u2019s going to be honest and keep it real with us, which is what I love about him.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\nSimmons\u2019 comments weren\u2019t intended to classify Brown as \"anti-hooper\" or to put him down, but they help give us an early sense of what\u2019s changed for the Sixers at head coach. <\/p>\r\n\r\nThere doesn\u2019t appear to be anything obstructing Rivers\u2019 messages from reaching his new team. That may very well change when the Sixers start losing games and there are reasons to doubt Rivers\u2019 teaching points \u2014 it did for Brown when pressure and expectations increased \u2014 but so far, so good. <\/p>\r\n\r\nSubscribe to the Sixers Talk podcast:<\/strong> \r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/id1193293445\">Apple Podcasts<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/listen?u=0#\/ps\/Ilmsv7yqtikw5y7krsss4yritkm\">Google Play<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/06d2501p3gqUOlKramp84G\">Spotify<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/podcast\/nbc-sports-philadelphia\/zoos-views\">Stitcher<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/zoos-views\">Art19<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCXenWaHGZz4Ey4BObUUIyZQ\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-url data-embed-button=\"url\" data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/sixers-talk-a-philadelphia-76ers-podcast\/episodes\/9367daa5-bf40-4cd5-a6f5-33da2c8de171\" data-entity-label=\"Embed social\" data-timestamp=\"1608129358\" data-url-provider=\"ART19\"><\/drupal-url>\r\n"
created => 1608129781
changed => 1608131558
status => true
hero_image_credit => "Getty Images "
tags => null
field_bean_single_col => null
section => null
orig_image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"1500","height":"844","uri":"public:\/\/article\/hero\/Rivers_D_Getty_Images_1230147631.jpg","timestamp":1608129781}
image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"1500","height":"844","uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/philadelphia\/2020\/12\/16\/Rivers_D_Getty_Images_1230147631.jpg","timestamp":1608129781}
video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/video\/sixers-shake-milton-enjoying-playing-loose-under-doc-rivers"
is_mediaid => true
mediaid => "nqUOyINsOjDu"
video_autoplay => null
video_automute => null
mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
player_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/vplayer\/p\/BxmELC\/philly_main\/select\/media\/nqUOyINsOjDu?form=html&autoPlay=true"
chrome_data => null
description => "In his early days as Sixers head coach, Doc Rivers' messages seem to be reaching his players very clearly. By Noah Levick "
league => "NBA"
league_id => "101"
sport => "Basketball"
sport_id => "6"
image_credit => "Getty Images "
no_promo => false
no_trending_in_body => false
no_recirc => false
no_trend => false
short_title => "Early signs of a key difference between Rivers and Brown"
sponsorship_type => "presented_by"
type => "article"
alias => "\/philadelphia\/sixers\/sixers-celtics-nba-preseason-doc-rivers-ben-simmons-shake-milton-brett-brown"
title => "Early signs of a key difference between Doc Rivers and Brett Brown "
nid => "228471"
author_0 => "Noah Levick"
author_0_id => "17266"
mps => {"author_0":"Noah Levick"}
region => "philadelphia"
region_id => "3"
sponsor => null
sponsor_id => null
team_id => "84"
team => "Sixers"
published => 1608130200
article_type => "short"
meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/philadelphia\/sixers\/sixers-celtics-nba-preseason-doc-rivers-ben-simmons-shake-milton-brett-brown.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/philadelphia\/2020\/12\/16\/Rivers_D_Getty_Images_1230147631.jpg"]}

Sixers

/ by Noah Levick

Sixers

Brett Brown wasn’t an especially restrictive coach for the Sixers.

He encouraged Ben Simmons to use his considerable talents in the open floor, didn’t yank his stars from the game when they erred and almost always found a silver lining or two in defeat.

It was noticeable, however, that Doc Rivers stressed in training camp he wanted Simmons and Shake Milton to play “free” and be the best versions of themselves. Milton in particular sounds like he appreciates that message, as well as the fact that he’s no longer scrapping for a rotation spot the way he was last preseason.

He scored 19 points in the Sixers’ 108-99 preseason win Tuesday night over the Celtics and showed why Rivers and his teammates had been so eager to laud him during camp.

“Him putting the ball in my hands and challenging me offensively and defensively, just to be aggressive and to be out there playing loose and playing free, it definitely feels good,” Milton said. “It feels like there’s a weight off your shoulders. You’re able to go out there and play loose and really not be afraid. You don’t want to make mistakes, but not be afraid to make mistakes. Be able to be out there and just play your game. So it definitely feels good.”

Milton’s strong showing Tuesday doesn’t guarantee a Sixth Man of the Year campaign is to come or indicate he’s a virtuosic scorer under Rivers. Fifteen of his points came in the third quarter, which he started next to Simmons because the Sixers sat Danny Green for the second half. His offense when he’s surrounded by fellow bench players and has a greater burden to create shots could prove more challenging.

There are some similarities to Milton’s time in the G League, when he was generally the best player on the floor and the Delaware Blue Coats asked him to run the offense, draw fouls and trust in his game. The competition is better now, but Rivers wants to convey the same idea — that the Sixers only need the 24-year-old to be who he is.

“He was great,” Rivers said. “And that’s what we need from him — we need him to be Shake every night. I tell him literally every day, ‘Be Shake. Be Shake.’ I probably have said that 15 times already. And I thought tonight he did that. He was very comfortable, under control, didn’t force a lot of shots. He was fantastic.”

Rivers also doesn’t mind motivating his players through direct criticism. In his first game back after having surgery on his left knee in August, Simmons wasn’t pushing the pace to Rivers’ liking in the first quarter. Rivers “jumped up” to make it known that walking the ball up the floor was unacceptable.

“I love that,” Simmons said. “I was just trying to get my legs under me, so that first quarter, it was tough. Once I found them, we got into a flow. I think we went on a stretch where we got five defensive stops in a row and pushed that lead early. But overall, I love that Doc’s going to make me be aggressive and tell me to push the ball.”

Along with having an edge over Brown in terms of head coaching credentials, Rivers made it further as a player. Brown played at Boston University and knew Simmons’ father well from his time coaching in Australia, but Rivers was an NBA point guard for 13 seasons. Simmons has also been working closely with assistant coach Sam Cassell, who played 15 years in the league.

The fact that Rivers has walked in Simmons’ shoes matters to the two-time All-Star.

“He’s a hooper,” Simmons said of Rivers. “He’s played the game so it’s easy to relate to him, and for him to tell us certain things and for us to really understand it on the floor. He’s going to be honest and keep it real with us, which is what I love about him.”

Simmons’ comments weren’t intended to classify Brown as "anti-hooper" or to put him down, but they help give us an early sense of what’s changed for the Sixers at head coach.

There doesn’t appear to be anything obstructing Rivers’ messages from reaching his new team. That may very well change when the Sixers start losing games and there are reasons to doubt Rivers’ teaching points — it did for Brown when pressure and expectations increased — but so far, so good.