NEW YORK — The Philadelphia 76ers are a talented roster led by some of the highest IQs in the game. When this team gets it down pat, that is when they will seriously take off with LeBron James leading the break and Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Jaylen Brown running the wings on the break.
The Sixers caught a glimpse of that in Thursday’s preseason loss to the Brooklyn Nets as James had five assists, including one he threw up court to a streaking Edgecombe for a layup. That’s something the Sixers will look to utilize all season.
“Get the ball up the floor, kick it ahead, and play the game the right way,” Brown said after the contest. “Run, fill the corners, basic stuff. It seems we got a really good group. We don’t overcomplicate things, but the more simple details are the most effective. Sprint to the corner, get our spacing, play the game the right way, and that’s 50% of the job right there.”
Playing in transition may be the preferred style of play for the Sixers, but it is easier said than done. It’s not easy to play defense for the full 24 seconds, then seal the possession with a rebound, and then turn the other way and start a break. It takes pride, conditioning, and a want to get out and get easy buckets.
“It is easier said than done, you know?” said Edgecombe. “Because obviously you’ve got to run, you’ve got to sprint, especially if you just come from playing 24 seconds of great defense. You’ve got to sprint, and you’ve got to be ready for the outlet pass. You never know when the ball’s going to come your way. So, like I said, you’ve just got to be ready. And obviously it also takes rebounding. We’ve got to rebound in order for us to get in transition.”
One thing’s for sure with this Sixers team: as long as James has the ball, they will be in a good position to succeed. The way James sees the game is always a huge part of his greatness, but the fact that he has real athletes surrounding him in Maxey, Brown, and Edgecombe, it makes life easier even for James in this instance. The wat to push the ball and play faster is something at the forefront.
“I think it’s always important just to be able to attack offensively before the defense is set,” James said after the Nets contest. “So anytime we can get some early transition points or early attacks against defenses that’s not set, or you know, you got VJ, you got Tyrese, you got JB, we’re able to punch gaps, especially if they have a numbers advantage ,or even a one-on-one advantage, the guys are not going to really be able to stay in front of them. So it’s great we was able to connect on a couple of them tonight.”
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers talk the want to play in transition with speed on the roster