Isaiah Canaan learning a balancing act at point guard

MANCHESTER, N.H. - The norm for the 76ers, once again, is abnormality. That is nothing unusual for this organization since the rebuild started to take place a few years ago.

Guard Isaiah Canaan is feeling the ever-changing ways the most right now. A certified scorer all his life, the 6-foot Canaan will be the starting point guard when the season begins Wednesday in Boston. Perhaps it's by default, until Kendall Marshall and Tony Wroten are fully recovered from the torn ACLs both suffered last January. But Canaan doesn't see it that way.

Acquired in February last season from the Houston Rockets, Canaan made an impression with coach Brett Brown. In 22 games, including 12 starts, Canaan went for 12.6 points and 3.1 assists in close to 26 minutes a game. He went for 31 points with eight three-pointers in a game at Oklahoma City in March. Scoring has never been a problem for Canaan, but that's not exactly what this team is looking for from him right now.

"It's just never letting go of the responsibility of that position while appreciating his skill package," Brown said. "He's a shooter, he's a scorer. I'm not going to make him John Stockton. I'm not going to make him Steve Nash. I have to take what he does - and what he does he does quite well - and still ask, demand, teach, show what time and score tells a point guard to do.

"And so it's the education of this position with me absorbing his inherent skills and not squashing those. You want to highlight those, you want to put him where he can succeed. That's the evolution of the challenge. I'm trying to always help grow him as a point guard, because he is my starting point guard."

Canaan manned the point for most of Friday night's final preseason game, but also played some shooting guard, and finished with nine points, three assists and four turnovers in 26 minutes during the Sixers' 81-65 loss to the Boston Celtics.

"It's definitely different, just coming from high school and being a scorer, then going to college (Murray State) and being forced to be that type of scorer, and now transitioning over to being a true point guard," Canaan said. "I think I've always been able to do it, and I always do what the coaches ask me to do, so now I'm being asked to distribute more, so I just have to find a balance to be able to do both and just read the game, whatever the game gives me.

"I'm blessed with the ability to score the basketball. Now, at the same time, I'm the lead point guard, so when my teammates are open, I have to find them and get them shots, as well. It's just finding that perfect balance."

Same thing for Brown. It looks as though the team will keep T.J. McConnell beyond Monday's cuts, and he will back up Canaan. Perhaps one of either Pierre Jackson or Scottie Wilbekin will also be retained. And with Marshall and Wroten still maybe a couple of months away, Canaan is the man.

"There's a few times throughout the game where I know I can get that shot off, but I'm thinking if it's the right time to do it or is one of my teammates open that can get a better shot," Canaan said. "There's always time throughout the game where you feel like you can get a shot. I know I'm able to make those type of shots. I just have to keep leading the team and make sure my teammates are getting what they can. At the same time, if the defense is off of me, then I'm blessed with the ability to score, also."

Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel both got significant minutes in the finale and showed some flashes during a painful offensive showing for both teams at the Verizon Wireless Center.

In 34 active minutes, Noel totaled eight points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks, while Okafor scored 12 points and grabbed eight boards in his 30 minutes.

Jerami Grant added 11 points and six rebounds for the Sixers, who finished the preseason 2-5. They turned the ball over 23 times against the Celtics and shot only 24-for-83 (28.9 percent) from the floor.

Robert Covington was helped off the floor in the fourth quarter, unable to put weight on his right leg. The team said he sprained his knee.

Sixers coach Brett Brown praised USA Basketball's decision to appoint San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich as head coach, once Mike Kryzyzewski steps down following the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Brown spent 12 years with Popovich in San Antonio before moving to Philadelphia. Brown also has much international experience, having gone to three Olympic Games, twice as an assistant coach, once as the head coach of Australia.

"It's a no-brainer," Brown said. "I've been lucky to go to three Olympic Games, and you look at that forum, that stage, and it warrants somebody of Pop's experience and class and just intellect. He's always had a global perspective outside of the game, and I think that that forum for his is a no-brainer.

"The United States basketball program continues to be in good hands. I think Mr. (Jerry) Colangelo and USA Basketball just made a decision that was close to a no-brainer."

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