Tag: George Hill

Multiple Sixers sound off on criticism Ben Simmons received after Game 1

The Philadelphia 76ers sound off on the criticism Ben Simmons has received for his Game 1 performance.

The Philadelphia 76ers were able to finish off a 125-118 win over the Washington Wizards in Game 1 on Sunday and it was a solid win for everybody involved. The Sixers got a big performance out of Tobias Harris as well as Joel Embiid, but there was one performance that was key in the win, but it received a lot of criticism.

Ben Simmons put up a stat line of six points, a playoff career-high 15 assists, and 15 rebounds in the win while also providing excellent defense on Wizards star Bradley Beal. It was a performance that coach Doc Rivers called “special” after the win, but Simmons got criticized for only scoring the six points and he was 0-for-6 from the foul line.

“I have zero reaction, I really do,” said Rivers. “If you guys don’t know the treasure you have by now, then shame on everyone, because he’s been fantastic for us. He creates points every single night for us. When Ben is on the floor, we were really good. I’m amazed that people don’t see that what he does.”

Simmons is so essential to Philadelphia’s offensive success. When he is able to get out in transition and pushing the pace to create more open looks for everybody in their offense, they have the success that they expect to have.

“We’re so caught up in is the amount of points he scored,” Rivers continued. “If Ben had all 125, would we be mad that Joel didn’t score? Who cares who scores as long as we’re scoring? I think Ben does a great job of doing that for us. When Ben plays, we score more points.”

When Simmons defended Beal, he held him to 1-for-6 shooting. That is elite defense against an explosive scorer and everybody needs to begin realizing what he does bring to the floor on a nightly basis.

“I love Ben’s game,” said veteran George Hill. “What I can say, he shouldn’t give two craps about what you guys say, what other people say, what the media says, or what other people on the outside looking in say. He has a job here and he does a great job doing it.”

“There are nights where he can score a lot of points and there’s nights where he’s doing other things to impact the game and help us win,” Hill continued. “He’s scoring six points with 15 assists and 15 rebounds, if anybody else does that, you guys are congratulating him for having a great game. I feel like, just take pressure off of him, and just play basketball like he’s doing because he’s doing a great job so far all year.”

Simmons will eventually have to score more points as the playoffs go on, but if one watched Sunday’s Game 1 win and thought “Simmons had a bad game”, then one did not watch what he did all over the floor.

“There’s always gonna be some criticism for anybody out there no matter what,” said Seth Curry. “It is what it is, just go out there and keep doing the right things. We know what he brings to the table and his team and that’s the reason he’s out there for so many minutes. He brings a lot of good stuff to the floor. If he was hurting us, I’m sure he wouldn’t be out there.”

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Sixers individual player grades from Game 1 home win over Wizards

Here are the individual player grades for the Philadelphia 76ers in their Game 1 win over the Washington Wizards.

The Philadelphia 76ers began their 2021 playoff journey on the right foot when they knocked off the Washington Wizards on Sunday 125-118 to take a 1-0 lead in the first-round series. It was a solid win for the Sixers, who have a lot of pressure as the No. 1 seed.

The Sixers received big games out of Tobias Harris in the first half (28 points) and Joel Embiid in the second half (21) to get it done.

With that being said, here are the individual player grades from their series-opening win:

Final Philadelphia 76ers individual player grades for 2020-21 season

Now is the time for the individual player grades for the 2020-21 regular season for the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 2020-21 regular season is in the books for the Philadelphia 76ers. They finished 49-23 and atop the Eastern Conference. It was a fun and entertaining season for the Sixers, who accomplished their goal of earning the No. 1 seed and having home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Led by their star duo, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, and the savvy additions of Danny Green and Seth Curry, they have made huge steps forward. Coach Doc Rivers has been huge in their development. He has gotten the most out of the star duo as well as Tobias Harris on the offensive end.

As the team gets ready for the playoffs, we take a final look at the regular season and give out the individual player grades:

3 observations: Sixers finish regular season with home win over Magic

Tyrese Maxey led the Philadelphia 76ers past the Orlando Magic at home to finish the regular season.

The final buzzer has sounded on the regular season as the Philadelphia 76ers finished up a meaningless game on Sunday with a 128-117 win over the Orlando Magic at home. The Sixers already had everything wrapped up as they will enter the playoffs with the No. 1 seed and will finish at 49-23 on the season.

Philadelphia rested its starting lineup as they gave the youngsters a lot of time on the floor in this one and they made some solid plays. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 30 points, six assists, and seven rebounds and he shot a blistering 10-for-11 from the floor in the first half as he finished up his rookie regular season with a bang.

George Hill had 14 points, Shake Milton had 15 points and nine assists, Paul Reed had 17 points and 12 rebounds, Isaiah Joe had 17, and Rayjon Tucker added 10. Dwight Howard returned from a one-game technical induced suspension and had five and seven rebounds and Anthony Tolliver added nine.

Here are the observations from the regular-season finale:

Sixers guard George Hill discusses emotion ahead of return to Indiana

Philadelphia 76ers guard George Hill discusses his emotions in a return to Indiana on Tuesday.

There is always some type of emotion when a player returns to his former home whether it’s the first time or the 10th time. For Philadelphia 76ers veteran George Hill, he returns to Indiana on Tuesday to take on his former Pacers team. He spent five seasons with the Pacers and had a lot of success.

A return to Indiana is not only a matchup with his former Pacers team, but also a homecoming. He is a native of Indianapolis, and he fulfilled a childhood dream of playing for the Pacers.

When the Sixers land in Indiana, Hill will be able to see old friends and family who remain there. While the emotions of facing the Pacers are gone, there is always some type of feeling seeing friends and family.

“Indiana is always home to me,” said Hill at practice on Monday. “It holds a special place in my heart. It was always a dream to be a Pacer and I got to fulfill that dream, but my family and friends are still there so it’s always a great place to go back to. It’s always a place that I consider my home so even though I’m not there playing, I still have deep roots there and good relationships there.”

The Sixers and the Pacers tip off at 8 p.m. EDT from Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Tuesday.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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George Hill, Sixers excited for future success of rookie Tyrese Maxey

George Hill and the Philadelphia 76ers continue to rave about rookie Tyrese Maxey.

Philadelphia 76ers rookie Tyrese Maxey continues to make a splash in the NBA despite the season being anything, but normal. After going for 22 points in a start on Saturday against the Detroit Pistons, Maxey is now averaging 7.6 points and he is shooting 46.1% from the floor on the season.

The rookie already received a lot of praise for that performance, but as the team got back to work in practice on Monday, they could not stop talking about the 6-foot-2 guard out of Kentucky.

He has the attention of veteran George Hill who has only been around for a short amount of time. The 13-year veteran believes the rookie has a very bright future in this league.

“I’m super excited for him,” said Hill. “I think he is going to be one of the top guards in this league for years to come. I’m always on him telling him to continue to stay ready, continue to do what he’s doing because I love everything about him. The kid has heart, he has a high motor, he wants to learn, and play the right way. I’m so excited for all the success that he’s gotten so far and I know that there’s way more in that bag that he got so I’m looking forward to it.”

The reason why Maxey has been able to find early success in the league is due to a maniacal work ethic. The rookie has been in the gym whenever he can and he is continuing to add to his game. He already came in with an innate ability to finish around the basket and be able to finish floaters, but there has been some improvement lately in his ability to knock down open looks from deep. On top of that, he has taken steps forward on the defensive end.

“He’s very coachable,” said coach Doc Rivers. “He listens, there’s nobody that works more. If you saw the minutes as far as he has on the practice floor, he’s so far ahead of everyone else, it’s unbelievable.”

Even on days where the coaches want the players to relax and not come into work, Maxey was in there continuing to work on his game.

“Even yesterday (Sunday) where we had a black day which means no one comes in,” Rivers explained. “I know that he worked out because unfortunately he’s working out with my son (Spencer), and I know that he did go in which is fine. We don’t care if you go in, but he was the only one and that’s just who he is. He works at it, he wants to be good, and he’s showing that.”

Maxey’s minutes have fluctuated for the most part over his rookie season. There have been times where he has played a lot, but there have also been times where he does not play at all. That is to be expected for a young player on an established team, but the work he has put in is noticeable.

“I think the biggest thing you should look at is, he’s played in sparring moments,” said veteran Tobias Harris. “He hasn’t gotten consistent minutes and it’s kind of natural as a young player in the league, but to be able to play here and there, but then to also take that opportunity and to show growth in your game throughout the season, that’s big. That shows the work he’s put in off the floor, outside of when we play in the arena, but the work he’s putting in the practice facility, and how he’s getting better.”

While Maxey could have a much larger role on other teams, Harris wants him to focus on the end goal. The Sixers have a chance at winning a championship and this experience is something he can take and help his game moving forward.

“The sky’s the limit for him so I can’t say enough of how good he is,” Harris finished. “My biggest thing I tell him is just be patient with this process because he’s a guy that could be on one of these bottom teams playing X amount of minutes and averaging 17/18/20 points a game. Right now, he’s on a winning team and a team that is fighting for a championship so there’s more growth in that area, in my opinion. Just being able to allow him to see the end game and to stay in a moment is the biggest thing.”

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Sixers talk George Hill’s role on team as playoffs continue to approach

The Philadelphia 76ers discuss George Hill’s role as the playoffs continue to approach.

The Philadelphia 76ers acquired George Hill from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team deal at the trade deadline on March 25. The idea was to bring in a veteran with a ton of playoff experience who will make an impact on both ends of the floor.

In 12 games with Philadelphia thus far, he is averaging 5.5 points and 1.8 assists while shooting 42.1% from the floor and 31.3% from deep. He has been a calming veteran on the floor when the team needs it, and he has provided physical defense that will be important in the playoffs.

Hill expressed after the team’s recent win over the New Orleans Pelicans that he is still trying to find his role. Coach Doc Rivers cleared that up a bit on Saturday before a win over the Detroit Pistons.

“What he’s doing,” Rivers explained. “He’s terrific defensively, being a speed guard for us, making open shots, being another facilitator on the floor with Shake (Milton). Shake’s not a point guard, and neither is George. They’re both just really good guards. Just finding the rhythm with those two guys and then playing with the rest of the guys.”

Hill is still learning how to fit in with the rest of the team and he is talking with guys on the roster. For example, veteran Dwight Howard has been talking with Hill on the bench to help him along, and they are trying to help Milton, Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle along the way.

“Me and George have been playing for a very long time, so we understand the game,” Howard explained. “We know that we’re playing against guys who are really just really starting to blossom and open up as players so for us, it’s just trying to find ways to communicate to them effectively on how to make each other greater.”

Hill made a big defensive play at the end of the win over the Pelicans. He bodied up against Eric Bledsoe and forced a turnover that sealed the win.

“It’s great to have the luxury of putting George on the floor at the end of the game,” Rivers added. “He’s so smart defensively. It adds another defender that we can put on the floor which is really good for us.”

The important part is Hill has been around for a while, and he understands how to make adjustments. He will have Howard in his ear as well to make those continued moves forward individually and as a team.

“How to get Shake easier buckets, George, how to get all our guys easier shots,” Howard finished. “The angles that they want in their screens, so our conversations are always about how we can improve as basketball players.”

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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George Hill talks comfortability with Sixers after win over Pelicans

Philadelphia 76ers guard George Hill talks comfortability following a win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Philadelphia 76ers brought George Hill in at the trade deadline on March 25 due to his ability to play both ends of the floor and provide a veteran hand. He provided both of those skills in a 109-107 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.

Hill had 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting and he made two steady plays late. He called a timeout when Philadelphia was scrambling and the timeout was able to calm the team down and then he made a big defensive stop in order to seal the win.

Hill stayed in front of New Orleans’ Eric Bledsoe and he forced a turnover to win it for Philadelphia. Those are the plays that the team expected of him and he is providing them despite still learning his new team.

“I’m still getting in shape, things like that, trying to find my rhythm, trying to find my role here,” Hill explained. “It’s been a little up and down, but it’s something I’m used to my whole career of just coming in and trying to find a way and figuring it out. It’s taking a little longer than expected, but just keep putting one foot in front of the other.”

Hill’s efforts did not go unnoticed by his teammates. Despite the Sixers blowing a big lead and having to scramble and rally late, he did make two heady plays in order to survive in this one.

“G. Hill made a big play and called that timeout when we had two left, but we never really want to be in that position,” said Ben Simmons. “We want to be up by a lot more and hold that lead. I think it’s good for us, but guys get a little tired at the same time so it’d be nice to be able to keep that lead a little bit longer.”

While Simmons is right, the Sixers were still able to come away with the win and that is all that matters as Hill continues to make an early impact with his new team.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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3 observations: Joel Embiid leads Sixers past Pelicans, win 7th straight

Joel Embiid leads the Philadelphia 76ers past the New Orleans Pelicans at home on Friday.

The Philadelphia 76ers returned home on Friday to host the New Orleans Pelicans and they once again faced a shorthanded team as they were missing stars, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. Philadelphia was able to build up a comfortable lead, but the bench did not play well again as they allowed New Orleans to take a lead in the fourth.

The starters then had to enter and rally and they were able to walk away with a seventh straight win 109-107 over the Pelicans after a defensive stop late. Joel Embiid was terrific again and led the Sixers with 37 points and 13 rebounds as New Orleans did not have an answer for him at all.

Tobias Harris was huge late and added 17 points, Seth Curry had 16, Ben Simmons had eight, 10 assists, and nine rebounds. George Hill added 11 off the bench.

Here are the three observations following a win at home:

3 observations: Sixers run away from Hawks at home, clinch playoff spot

The Philadelphia 76ers knock off the Atlanta Hawks at home and they clinch a playoff spot in the process.

The Philadelphia 76ers were the healthy ones on Wednesday at home as they hosted the depleted Atlanta Hawks and they took advantage of this rare occurrence. The Sixers have been battling a lot of injuries lately, but Philadelphia had a full roster for this one and they were able to get to work early and often.

Philadelphia scored 37 points in the opening quarter, holding Atlanta to 17, and they were able to win it easily 127-83 at home. In the process, the Sixers have clinched a playoff spot for the fourth consecutive season, and they can now have their eyes set on getting everything ready for the postseason.

Seth Curry led Philadelphia with 20 points, Joel Embiid had 17 points and seven rebounds, Tobias Harris added 17 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, and Ben Simmons had eight points and six assists. Off the bench, Shake Milton had 12, six rebounds, and six assists, Furkan Korkmaz added 12, Tyrese Maxey had 11, and George Hill also added seven points and six rebounds.

Here are the three observations from the win: