Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Brown wants more production from Johnson
PHILADELPHIA >> Amir Johnson played 74 games for the 76ers last season, enough of them with sufficient professionalism and production for the front office to pay him another $11 million to try it again.
More than a quarter of the encore season later?
Brett Brown wants him to get, “back on track.”
Statistically, Johnson has not demonstrated a dramatic plunge from his 2017-2018 production, falling only from 4.6 points a game to 3.9 heading into play Friday against the Indiana Pacers while averaging about five fewer minutes. But he has not rebounded with as much consistency, has appeared more tentative with the ball and has been less likely to provide an instant defensive presence.
“As long as we win, it really doesn’t matter,” Johnson said. “But if you go numbers-wise or analytics-wise, if you read analytics, I am probably down on activity. It’s kind of different for me because I never used to read plus and minus numbers. If I look at the stat sheet and my plus and minus now. If I play 47 seconds or a minute or whatever I get, it’s probably not good.”
Johnson played to a plus-2.9 last season. This year, he is at a minus-1.0.
The Sixers signed Johnson before last season, convinced he would provide a veteran presence and clean two-way play, much as he did the year before in Boston. Yet even though his playing time diminished toward the end of his first season with the Sixers, he was given another one-year contract to be a responsible back-up to Joel Embiid.
Brown believes the 13-year veteran can provide more.
“I don’t think that he’s played to the level that he has played at in the past,” Brown said. “Some of it is opportunity. Some of it is form. But he was one of the important defensive pieces to our program last year as a backup center to Joel. And at times I came in as the season unfolded later and put Dario (Saric) at a five or Ersan (Ilyasova) at a five. So, now he’s in a fist fight with Mike Muscala. Sometimes I can pivot out there. Sometimes I can go with Ben Simmons.
“He’s trying to find his way and I need to help him.”
Brown has promised to give his current roster the first chance to fail before launching a passionate campaign for Elton Brand to add help at the Feb. 7 trade deadline. Caught in a swarm of multidimensional teammates who can play multiple frontcourt positions, Johnson knows it is time for him to take advantage of that chance.
“Whatever opportunity I get,” he said. “I think Coach is doing a great job with the rotations, with growing Mike and Ben at the four. And usually whenever Jo is in foul trouble or is not having a good start, that’s when he throws me in there. It’s tough, but I just have to be ready to help our team when he does throw me in there.
“So far, it’s kind of been up and down because it’s tough when you get in there to try to make something happen. “I’ve got to be better at it.”
••• Jimmy Butler missed his second consecutive game Friday, that after playing just 9:40 three games ago before sustaining a groin injury.
There is no indication, yet, of a crisis.
“There is progress,” Brown said before the game. “There was a legitimate chance he could have played tonight. Just on further review and further discussions with him, and he’s a soldier as we all understand, I don’t want him chasing. I want him on top of this thing and not chasing an injury. I want to get on top of it and get him where he is 100 percent confident and comfortable. We are not there yet.
“It is trending and moving in a way that we hope to see him really soon.”
Brown said the Sixers will practice Saturday before flying to Cleveland for a Sunday game.
“Maybe we’ll get a chance,” he said, “to see him in Cleveland.”
In place of Butler, Furkan Korkmaz made his second consecutive start Friday.
••• After the Sixers were outscored, 127-124, by visiting Brooklyn Wednesday, Ben Simmons cited unacceptable communication at the defensive end. Brown was OK with the analysis. “When you have a team that has the ability to switch, it sticks out a lot there,” he said. “It really sticks out to me when you are talking about off-ball defense, where the game is a little bit faster. You are trying to see the ball and see your man. In that environment, I agree with Ben. We can always do better communicating our switch groups, who is in the switch.”