Philadelphia 76ers: 8 ways to make the 2019 NBA Finals

7. Brett Brown’s game coaching must improve

Forget the general manager job, Brett Brown must become a better coach in game situations if the 76ers are to beat the Celtics in the playoffs.

Brett Brown is likable and popular in Philadelphia, although he did go through a gauntlet of criticism early in the season. The 76ers players seem to love him.

There is a strong feeling among the fans and the team that Brown deserves to stay on as head coach because he suffered through “the process.” He watched as top players were traded away for draft picks in hopes of moving up the lottery draft board to get franchise players.

The team was able to draft two of them, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Brown led the team that won 10 games in 2015-16 and 28 games in 2016-17 to win 52 games last season. The Sixers’ under Browns leadership won a playoff series against the Miami Heat, before losing to the Celtics.

It was during the Celtics’ series that the real grumbling started. Brown didn’t or couldn’t respond to a Celtics strategy that pulled Embiid, one of the best rim protectors in the league, away from the basket.

He didn’t seem to have an answer when the Celtics dared Simmons to shoot a jump shot.

The consensus among fans and reporters alike is that Brett Brown was simply out-coached by the Celtic’s Brad Stevens.

There were also rumblings during the year that Brown came up small in big games and was not the coach to lead the 76ers to the promised land.

Brown will have to prove this year that he has learned from last year’s mistakes if the 76ers are to get past a potent Boston Celtics team because Brad Stevens is not going away.