Bill Streicher - USA TODAY Sports
Ish Smith has fueled a turnaround in Philly.
The Philadelphia 76ers are finally playing good basketball!
Well, kind of.
Since acquiring Ish Smith from New Orleans in late December, Philly has won three of its last nine games, an impressive feat considering they managed only one win in their first 31 contests.
Smith, the architect of these wins, is a 6‘0” career backup who went un-drafted in 2010. On paper he’s not exactly a foundational, season altering athlete. He’s solid…ish.
However, Smith’s presence has shored up Philly’s offense and improved its defense to the point that the Sixers look like a real, professional basketball team.