Philadelphia 76ers: J.J. Redick is keeping things together

J.J. Redick’s entire NBA career has prepared him to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a trip to the NBA Finals. History proves that he’s ready for the challenge that lies ahead.

The Philadelphia 76ers are entering the second half of the season as a team with a legitimate shot at making the NBA Finals. Adding Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris to play alongside Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons provides a lot of offensive firepower. It’s been a while since the expectations have been this high in Philly, but veteran guard J.J. Redick has seen this scenario several times before.

Twelve seasons into his NBA career, Redick still proves to be a valuable asset. This season, he’s averaging a career high in points with 18.6 a night. He’s sixth in the NBA in 3-pointers made, while shooting an impressive 39.5 percent from beyond the arc.

This isn’t a fluke season, either. Redick has been contributing at a high level throughout his career. It’s no coincidence that his team has made the playoffs every year that’s he’s been in the NBA. So the question is, what makes J.J. Redick so special?

“He’s as professional as anybody I’ve ever been around,” shared 76ers coach Brett Brown in an interview with the New York Times. Redick’s attention to detail on the floor allows him to find open shots, even when opponents know what he’s going to do. After all, curling off the screen at the top of the key has been his go-to move for over a decade.

The former Duke standout has skills that aren’t always quantified by a stat sheet. He knows how to be patient. He didn’t start a single game until his third season with the Orlando Magic. That happens to be the same season the squad advanced to the NBA Finals for the second time in team history. Dwight Howard was the household name, and Jameer Nelson controlled the ball most of the time, but Redick always found a way to contribute.

He did the same thing during his four years with the Los Angeles Clippers. At that stage in his career, Redick had figured out what it took to gain consistent success in the NBA, but playing alongside Chris Paul and Blake Griffin wasn’t easy. CP3 is a ball-dominant guard and Griffin’s mindset at that stage in his career was to attack the basket every time he touched the ball. Still, Redick was instrumental in the team winning 50-plus games in four consecutive seasons.

Ironically, Redick is playing with a very similar core in Philadelphia. Despite the array of talent on the floor, Joel Embiid is clearly the focal point of the 76ers’ offense. Although Ben Simmons has a much different game than Chris Paul, Simmons is often inclined to dribble the ball until he finds a way to drive to the basket.

In each of these scenarios, Redick has never been one to complain. He simply makes the most of his opportunities when they are provided to him. What’s key is that as he continues to hit shots, his younger teammates grow more confident in making the extra pass.

Redick has shared the floor with big men who weren’t just dominant on the basketball floor. Dwight Howard was the second coming of Shaquille O’Neal‘s personality during his prime. Blake Griffin made a name for himself dunking over a car during All-Star Weekend. Current teammate Joel Embiid may very well be the NBA’s official ambassador of Twitter trolling. None of this affects Redick’s ability to do what the team asks of him on a nightly basis.

Sometimes the intangibles that Redick offers have nothing at all to do with basketball. In a league where multimillion dollar guaranteed contracts are the norm, Redick has the innate ability to be a regular guy. The relationship that he maintains with former Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson is a testament to that.

“It was always bigger than basketball for J.J. and me,” explained Nelson in an interview for the Philadelphia Inquirer. “We talked religion, family. We talked about everything. We still talk all the time. We get together with our wives on occasion. He’s straight up and down. With J.J., there’s no sugarcoating. If he likes you, you know it.”

It’s a theme that has been constant. Whether it was horsing around with Blake Griffin in L.A. or entertaining Jimmy Butler’s antics in Philadelphia, Redick knows how to make his guys feel at ease.

J.J. Redick hasn’t been the most-celebrated athlete on his team throughout his NBA career. His contributions are often overshadowed by the All-Stars and MVP candidates that he’s hired to assist.

From helping Orlando reach a championship to aiding the Clippers in finally becoming a competitive team, Redick’s contributions are difficult to replace. He’s providing the Sixers with the same exact energy that he’s brought in every stop along his career. With the talent assembled in Philadelphia, this franchise is hoping for even better results.

Critics argue that Redick is the weak link in the 76ers’ starting five. Sure, he’s not a top-tier defender. But how many teams in the NBA have that at all five starting positions? He’s a part of this Sixers team for the same reasons that his previous squads have achieved success. He’s a lights-out shooter who doesn’t need much space to be effective, and he’s just an overall great teammate.

This isn’t just an opinion. J.J. Redick has experienced 12 seasons in very similar scenarios that prove it.