The Philadelphia 76ers are 6-1, so there’s no real panic in the building. The early returns have been strong enough that the honeymoon phase still feels very much alive. But one detail has already stood out: among the Boston Celtics alumni now in Philadelphia, Anfernee Simons has been more important to the Sixers than Jaylen Brown.
That doesn’t mean Brown has been a disaster. He hasn’t.
But he has had some rough nights, and when the Sixers have needed someone to steady the offense, Simons has been the one giving them the lift more often than Brown has. Paul George, by comparison, has not drawn many complaints from Boston, if any at all.
Simons hasn’t been Philadelphia’s best player, and his defense remains a problem. Still, he has repeatedly rescued an offense that has gone quiet at times. The Sixers have been winning, but most of those wins have come by the slimmest of margins, and Simons’ shooting has been a major reason why.
That’s especially true over the last three games, all of which Philadelphia has won by five points. In each one, Simons’ hot shooting from deep has effectively been the separator. He has given the Sixers exactly the kind of boost they needed when the offense stalled.
That kind of production fits the job Philadelphia wanted him to handle. It’s also familiar territory, since he was useful in that same kind of role for the Celtics last year.
Brown’s situation is a little different.
It’s still early, and there’s plenty of room for optimism even with Brown’s uneven start. The Sixers are still piling up wins despite the fact that he hasn’t settled into his role as smoothly as many expected.
The catch is that Boston has already seen this version of Brown before. He can deliver eye-catching numbers when the role is built around him, but asking him to shrink, adapt and still carry extra weight is a tougher sell.
He tends to be at his best when a team asks him for more. In Boston, he thrived when he was given the biggest role available, first as the No. 2 option and even as the No. 1 when Jayson Tatum was out.
Philadelphia is not built that way. The Sixers may still be one of the East’s top teams, but Brown may not be central to that success.
Simons, on the other hand, has an easier lane. Philadelphia is asking him for tertiary scoring and elite spacing, and that’s a role he can clearly handle. Brown is being asked for tertiary scoring, elite defense, spot-up shooting from three and more, all while other players carry most of the scoring burden.
That’s a much harder adjustment.
If Brown never fully clicks in this setup, it won’t automatically mean he’s overrated or that he can’t play. It would simply mean the role Philadelphia wants from him may not be the one he can thrive in.
And if that happens, nobody on the Celtics side will be surprised. The reaction will be simple: “I told you so.”
In Other News...
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Early in the season, Joe Mazzulla pushed Payton Pritchard to bring more to the Celtics than shot-making, and the guard has clearly taken the message to heart. In Bostons recent NBA Cup game against the Chicago Bulls, Pritchard paired his usual scoring punch with a noticeably sharper edge on the defensive end, showing the kind of activity that can help him stay on the floor in bigger moments.
Pritchard has said he wants to add more on-ball pressure and rebound better, and Mazzulla was encouraged enough by the showing to point to even more room for growth. For a Celtics team that already leans on Pritchards offense, the appeal is obvious if he can keep turning those defensive habits into something steady rather than occasional. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Is Driving A Celtics Change That Could Matter In May
Bostons defense has looked noticeably more disruptive early on, with the ball pressure and activity level showing up in ways that go beyond the usual opening-month noise. The Celtics are getting into passing lanes, swiping at dribbles and turning stops into chances to run, a shift that has given the group a different kind of edge while also cutting down on second-chance looks at the other end.
Paul George has been right at the center of that change, bringing the kind of defensive playmaking that can swing possessions before a set offense ever gets started. His rebounding has helped finish possessions, too, and if this level of aggressiveness holds, it could give Boston a useful wrinkle when the games tighten and the margins shrink later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Hit Another Low After Celtics Loss As Frustration Boils Over
The opening night of the 2026 NBA Cup had no shortage of eye-catching moments around the league, from Stephen Curry leading the Warriors back from a big first-quarter hole against the Lakers to Kevin Durant throwing down a highlight dunk for the Rockets. But from the Celtics' perspective, one of the cleaner results came in Chicago, where Boston handled the Bulls and kept a team already searching for answers mired in the same defensive trouble that has followed them through the start of the season.
For Chicago, the loss only deepened the sense of unease around a team that has struggled to find any traction early. The Bulls have been giving up points in bunches, and the frustration around that slide is starting to show in public. Caleb Wilson did not hide how he feels after the game, underscoring just how raw the mood has become as the Bulls try to stop the bleeding. [Read more 🡒]