CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers made moves at the deadline that should help them right now and in the future. They brought in Buddy Hield and Cam Payne.
Through three games with the Sixers, Payne is averaging 13.7 points and 5.3 assists. He has stepped right in and run the offense efficiently. It looks as if the offense hasn’t skipped a beat when he steps onto the floor as they head into the stretch run. It helps that Payne has some familiarity with the Sixers.
“The crazy part is, Adrian Griffin coached under Nick Nurse so he brought a lot of those things to Milwaukee while he was there, so I picked up on some of those things,” Payne said of the terminology. “When I got here, they said some of the words. I said ‘I know that!’ He said something else I was like ‘I know that play!’ so a lot of the stuff is pretty similar, but obviously, they got a few different things that I’m learning, but it’s been pretty much consistent since I’ve been here learning the stuff. I’ve been pretty figuring it out pretty easily.”
Along with Payne’s familiarity with Nurse through former Bucks coach Griffin, he also knows assistant coach Bryan Gates from their days together in Phoenix. That helps him: Gates sends him video clips which he will watch once the team heads into the All-Star break.
“For sure,” Payne added. “I know around like Monday, Tuesday, we’re gonna be back in here probably getting a lot more reps in, but B-Gates (Bryan Gates) has already been sending me clips of things that I — stuff with Joel and he’s not even here yet and I’ve been learning those things already so of course, I’m gonna get a lot more information in during this little break, but I’m gonna be in Philly a lot so that’s gonna help me, too.”
Watching film and being able to see how plays unfold do wonders for Payne and his learning ability. It is one of his best ways to learn before he implements them on the floor. It has been something of a combination of those learning styles that has helped him.
“Honestly, seeing it visually is best for me,” Payne explained. “Being able to see it visually and also coming out here and doing it. A little bit of both. I know point guards, you gotta know so much. You gotta know so many plays. You gotta know everybody’s position so it’s a big learning curve for me so it’s a little bit of both. A lot of practice and a lot of film. It’s a combination.”
Just going back to Gates and what he’s done for Payne’s adjustment, the familiarity of his voice and his willingness to reach out to him helps his process at the moment.
“That was huge,” Payne finished. “B-Gates being there. He was there when we landed. I was with him in Phoenix so that close connection was pretty dope and awesome for him to come in and send me all these clips right away and as soon as I got on the plane he sent me film and he just kept saying ‘Can’t wait to get you here. Can’t wait to get your energy’. It’s just cool and fun to have somebody you know is here as well.”
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