NBA legend Byron Scott says the Philadelphia 76ers are blessed with the strength of their roster – and has broken down how it will help them.
LeBron James’ decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers has given the NBA a fresh look this season after his eight years with the LA Lakers.
The Sixers are currently 6-1 for the season, and are currently the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Speaking to the Fast Break podcast, Byron Scott was asked in a hypothetical scenario, who would take the final possession if the 76ers are five points down in the final 40 seconds in a playoff matchup.
He was asked whether it would be LeBron James, or the team’s top scoring player, Tyrese Maxey.
Scott said there was no simple answer that could be predetermined, and opened the conversation up a little more.
He said: “Coaches do not predetermine who takes the shot on a conversation like this, you predetermine who is playing their ass off this game, who gets the ball.
“The good news is [Nick] Nurse has got four guys he can go to. It just depends on the situation for me.”
With the likes of Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid, the 76ers are fortunate to have such great strength in depth.
Byron Scott coached the Lakers between 2014 and 2016 at a difficult time for the franchise, winning only 38 games across two seasons combined.
He pointed out that he never had the same fortuitous scenario that Nick Nurse now has with the 76ers.
Scott explained: “I couldn’t do this when I was coaching on the Lakers with Kobe, because Kobe was the only great player we had.
“Every last shot is coming to you, you got to figure out what to do.”
Speaking to the 76ers, he compared, “With these guys it depends how the game is going.”
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Scott likes the situation for LeBron James
With such depth on the roster, LeBron James is in an ideal situation, considering he enters the season at 41. He is not being depended on.
Scott likes it for James, commenting: “LeBron, a guy who has been there many, many times is taking a step back, letting these guys know ‘I’m here to win, I don’t need to be the LeBron I used to be’.”
It is certainly working so far, but a long season lies ahead. If Joel Embiid cannot stay healthy, then the demands on James could grow, considering the team’s lack of depth at center, which was recently criticized by Charles Barkley.
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