CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers are continuing to grow and build, and one player who encapsulates that development is Paul Reed. The third-year big man continues to take strides on the offensive end, and he appears to have gained a stranglehold on the backup center job.
His minutes have risen to 12.2 per game, and he is shooting 58.2% from the floor. He understands where he has to be off the screen, and he has continued to take his time with his offense rather than just rushing it every time he has the ball.
“It was a learning curve, for sure,” said Reed. “At the college level, you don’t gotta worry about that kind of stuff or even on the G League level, you can just go right up most of the time. It’s good being able to get these reps and be better at it.”
He’s shooting 69.2% from the floor during his previous eight games as he continues to work on that end of the floor. Reed was always known for his defense and energy, but his offensive game wasn’t the greatest in the world. The work he has put in is apparent.
“I’ve just been working on finishing against taller defenders with longer arms,” Reed added. “I know I gotta be more patient. Sometimes, I rush it, and I find myself missing more of my shots. That’s what I’ve been working on.”
It also helps the young big man knowing he has the trust of coach Doc Rivers. He can make a mistake or two, and he will not get pulled right away.
“Yeah, it helps a lot,” he said with a smile. “Just knowing that he trusts me enough to leave me out there and let me play through mistakes sometimes. I know I can’t make too many of them! It ain’t gonna be pretty.”
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