76ers' First Loss Exposed a Jaylen Brown Problem He Needs To Fix

Now that the Philadelphia 76ers have suffered their first loss, maybe they will finally do something about the elephant in the room.

Somebody is going to have to lend a hand to Tyrese Maxey and not allow him to be the only one who gets his shot any which way he wants. Yes, they’ve added Jaylen Brown to help with this, but it seems that there is a little confusion going on. 

Brown is definitely going to be a key part of what this team can become, but there may have to be a way for it to happen that doesn’t require just isolation basketball. Now, this isn’t a claim that he can’t play with others and has to rely on himself, but he has to work within the system he’s in. That’s where Tyrese Maxey comes in. Maxey is clearly leaps and bounds above Brown in terms of volume shooting. 

When you watch him play, it’s like watching a river flowing downstream; it’s effortless and smooth. Brown, who is also one who plays better with the ball in his hand, has looked a bit jagged and has forced up some very difficult shots. We’ve  seen what Brown is capable of. He had his best game to date as a 76ers star against the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 28 points.

All this is to say that this team still has to find their identity, and the teammates have to figure out how to work amongst one another. There just seems to be too much hero ball, and it's what many witnessed against the Detroit Pistons. A player like Brown can’t have the mindset of just attacking or forcing up contested threes; it just won’t work when faced against opponents who have great on-ball defenders. 

It’s been discussed throughout the offseason how this team is filled with players that are good only when they have the ball in their hands. The only difference is players like Maxey, James, and Embiid can play within the offense presented to them. That’s what Brown has to do. There have been moments where he seems to have gotten it, assisting on baskets and cutting to the basket to improve spacing and finding himself open under the basket. 

It may even appear that Brown works better when James is not on the court. However, this may not be the best way for the team to win if Brown continues to force the offense. If he can take  a page out of Maxey’s book and get to his spots when called upon. He may just have to play his style when he is the only true star in the lineup. 

It’s a long season, and this team is still figuring itself out. There’s sure to be some major activity over the next few days to rectify their issues.