Sixers-Nets takeaways: Curbing mistakes, getting more from Buddy Hield, and rewarding Cam Payne
Someone searching for a moral victory says the Sixers fought hard without their two All-Stars. But a realist would say they self-destructed in a game they were winning against a struggling team
NEW YORK — The 76ers still need to be more organized.
Buddy Hield is an elite three-point shooter, but he needs to be a more consistent scorer. Also, Cam Payne is a trouper.
Those three things stood out in the Sixers’ 112-107 setback to the Brooklyn Nets Tuesday night at the Barclays Center.
Getting more organized
Someone searching for a moral victory says the Sixers (35-26) fought hard without their two All-Stars, Tyrese Maxey (concussion) and Joel Embiid (left knee surgery). But a realist would say they self-destructed in a game they were winning against a struggling team.
“You can’t make so many glaring mistakes,” coach Nick Nurse said. “Those were some big point-swing mistakes that we made if you’re going to win a game like this, right?”
The Sixers jumped out to a commanding 14-point, first-quarter lead before their offense became stagnant. They went away from the “drive-and-kick” game and settled for contested three-pointers early in the shot clock.
Those shots didn’t go in, leading to the 14-point lead quickly evaporating.
“You know we made some not-so-smart plays,” Nurse added. “We foul a three-point shooter three times. That’s a big momentum switch, too. I think we were up eight at that point and they got five of it back on that one of those. … We played pretty well. We just didn’t play well enough to win.”
Hield’s shooting
The three-point specialist made 2 of 3 three-pointers against the Nets. However, he went 1-for-6 on two-point attempts, missing a couple of easy layups. This comes after Hield shot just 34.9% from the field in the previous four games.
However, the swingman took exception to being asked about ways to improve his shooting following Tuesday’s loss.
“I was two for three today,” he said.
That’s when Hield was reminded that he missed a couple of bunnies.
“I missed layups,” he said. “You miss a layup, it’s different. You are talking jump shots, it’s different. If I miss layups, sometimes you miss layups. It’s not like it’s an art. You just put the ball on the backboard. Talking [about] jump shots, I was two for three today. I just got to make layups.”
Nurse realizes Hield’s shooting has been inconsistent. The coach preached patience and letting shots come to you.
“I think that he is a semi-high-volume three-point shooter for sure,” Nurse said. “A semi high-volume shooter in general. And you know, sometimes I think you have to wait and settle and wait until drives and kicks and all those things come to you. I thought it got a little impatient and he was chasing the ball a little bit, looked a little anxious to score to me.”
But Nurse pointed out the Sixers run several plays for Hield — they just have to execute them a little more cleanly.
“And you know,” Nurse said, “keep finding ways to get him going.”
Flu. What flu?
Payne was at 70% against the Nets while battling the flu. The illness started bothering him in Friday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets. But it kicked in when the team boarded the plane to Dallas on Saturday. It caused him to miss Sunday’s game against the Mavericks.
“Today, I was at shootaround,” Payne said. “I wasn’t feeling too good but slept the whole time. And I was like I was going to give it a go.”
And he did, finishing with 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting while starting in place of Maxey. Due to fatigue, Payne only played 22 minutes, 35 seconds. So he could get a breather, new two-way point guard Jeff Dowtin Jr. played 5:55 in his first game action.
But Payne wasn’t missing this game.
“I was like, ‘I’m 30 years old. Get out there and play sick or not,’” he said. “‘Just get out there and help your team.’”
Payne was a little surprised the Sixers started him.
“But that’s the kind of team we got,” Payne said. “Everybody gotta stay ready.”