New-look Sixers plagued by turnovers
Even Brett Brown had to laugh. The 76ers coach was trying to explain the difficulties that newly acquired point guards Isaiah Canaan is going to have running the offense following practice Thursday. Brown related how the night before Canaan managed to call two plays when just one was required.
Even Brett Brown had to laugh.
The 76ers coach was trying to explain the difficulties that newly acquired point guards Isaiah Canaan is going to have running the offense following practice Thursday. Brown related how the night before Canaan managed to call two plays when just one was required.
"It means three guys are going to crash into each other if they actually executed what the visual was," an amused Brown said. "You could see that he's trying to call the right thing and he's trying to please us, but it was just wrong. It was like he had a sentence with a Chinese word, a French word and Spanish word all in the same sentence.
"The current players have no idea what is going on," Brown continued. "But we have to do what we can to make sure that those two young guys grow. That's where we're at."
On Wednesday, the Sixers (12-45) dropped a 104-88 decision to Milwaukee and recently traded Michael Carter-Williams. It was the Sixers' fifth straight loss and it comes on the heels of a stretch that saw them win four of seven games.
Making his third start since being acquired from Houston along with a future second-round pick in exchange for K.J. McDaniels earlier this month, Canaan committed five of the Sixers' season-tying 28 turnovers while playing just under 33 minutes.
Backup Ish Smith fared worse. Smith, who signed with the Sixers within the last week, also committed five turnovers in 15 minutes.
For the Sixers, who will try to end their five-game skid when they host slumping Washington (33-25) at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday, this is nothing new. They average 18.7 turnovers per game. Washington has won just two of its last 12.
However, this could become worse because Canaan and Smith – now being asked to play major minutes – were seeing limited action before. Additionally, they are being forced to learn a new system late in the season that is foreign to them.
The combination of not being physically ready and digesting Brown's offense thus far have proven to be daunting. In three games with the Sixers, Canaan has averaged almost 31 minutes. A reserve who appeared in 25 games with Houston – just nine of them starts – he averaged less than 15 minutes per game.
"It's challenging," Canaan said of his increased responsibilities. "It goes with having not played that much to now you've got to get your game shape up to par. You get that with playing."
Brown, who spent the better part of two seasons developing Carter-Williams, said the turnovers will eventually begin to dip. However, he's more concerned with Canaan and Smith being more competent defenders.
In losing five straight, they have given up an average of 104.2 points. They went 4-3 in the games preceding the latest losing streak and allowed an average of 91 points.
"My challenge for him is defense," Brown said of Canaan. "We know he can shoot. But what we want from him is defensive. That is my calling card to him."
@JmitchInquirer