Brett Brown calls Sixers’ shooting problems ‘outlier’ and ‘abnormal’

OKLAHOMA CITY — The areas that 76ers coach Brett Brown has targeted for improvement in his team in tonight’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder are kind of obvious.

The Sixers (7-4) made just 8 of 30 three-pointers in Wednesday’s 112-97 loss to the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center. They also committed nine of their 15 turnovers in the fourth quarter of their fourth loss in six games.

“We have to make shots and not turn the ball over,” Brown said of the matchup at Chesapeake Energy Arena. “Our defense is good enough to win games, and I’ll see you tomorrow. It really is.

“Like we can all do what you do and so do I, but you cut to the chase. The extraordinary drought that we have been in is rare.”

The coach thinks the Sixers’ shooting — they have made just 16 of 68 three-pointers (23.5%) in the past two games — is an “outlier” and “abnormal” and a slump that won’t continue.

“I’m actually doubling down and going the other way, just making sure nobody’s gun shy,” Brown said.

He said he’s seen all the three-pointers, noting the Sixers aren’t attempting bad shots. They have been swinging the ball to open three-point shooters, he said.

There have been a few shots early in the shot clock by Joel Embiid with Al Horford trailing.

“But Al and Joel are capable shooters,” Brown said. “Am I upset about, like, we are taking terrible threes, contested threes? No.”

Brown also believes the Sixers will have favorable results from trying to limit their turnovers. They average the second-most turnovers in the league at 18 per game.