Philadelphia

Is Brett Brown's Job Really on the Line in Game 7 Vs. Raptors?

They say that anything can happen in a Game 7.

That certainly holds true for the Sixers and Raptors series which has seen four blowouts - each team with two wins in those - and two nail-biters.

Now, we may have another added wrinkle with a report surfacing that Brett Brown's job may be on the line if the Sixers can't win Game 7. Even if they're victorious on the road Sunday, the team reportedly has a Finals-or-bust mentality when it comes to Brown, per Marc Stein of the New York Times.

Given how this season and Brown's entire tenure have gone, that sounds like a terrible mentality if true.

Brown has his fair share of detractors - most of which are Sixers fans - but let's give him credit for a few things. He coached this team through The Process. Those opposed to Sam Hinkie's plan would constantly point to the team developing a "losing culture" and how that would affect young players. "Will the fans come back?" the critics would say.

All Brown has done is lead the team to back-to-back 50-win seasons for the first time since 1986. And he's done it with an ever-changing roster. Brown used to joke that he would say to guys, "nice to meet you, you're starting" during The Process years. Well, that didn't change this season. Remember when the team was desperate for wing help and signed Corey Brewer to a 10-day deal? Brewer was then inserted into the starting lineup and asked to guard James Harden.

Look at the roster from last year's run to the second-round of the playoffs compared to this season. The only real rotation players left are Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and JJ Redick. Of course this roster is immensely more talented, but that doesn't make what Brown has done easy.

For all the excellent moves Elton Brand made, he failed to acquire a legitimate backup center. With Embiid's health history, it's something this team sorely lacks. And while acquiring players like Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris helped, Brown essentially coached three different teams this season. He managed to keep it all together, managing talented players and huge personalities. The only issue we've seen reported was when Butler allegedly "aggressively challenged" Brown, but that appeared to blow over as quickly as it surfaced.

No matter what happens this summer with all of the team's expiring contracts, everything is built around Embiid and Simmons. The only stability they've ever known is Brown. Brand is the team's third GM in four years with the last two being ousted in the most unceremonious of fashions. With all the chaos, Brown has truly been the face of the franchise. With more possible roster upheaval this offseason, the team needs a stabilizing force.

There are two things Brown has gotten and earned criticism for. He's often too loyal to players he likes and he struggled mightily to make adjustments as Brad Stevens and the Celtics took down the Sixers in the second round in a gentleman's sweep. 

During this playoff run, he took his favorite player, T.J. McConnell, out of the rotation. Amir Johnson is another Brown favorite that hasn't seen much run. Brown tried to ride out Boban Marjanovic as his reserve five, but went away from him when the hulking big man struggled.

Brown got killed for not making adjustments against Stevens last season. These playoffs have been a different story. Brown has constantly made adjustments in this series against Toronto and several have paid off. Even as we approach Game 7, Brown has tinkered with the notion of playing seven guys, likely his best option.

On top of everything, the caveat of all caveats, Brown's best player has had health issues through the entire postseason. If the Sixers had anything close to a healthy Embiid in Game 4, this series might already be over. Can you judge a coach when their "crown jewel" isn't close to 100 percent?

Lastly, who the hell replaces Brown? The best coach on the market was likely sitting on your bench already, but Monty Williams is headed to Phoenix. South Jersey's finest Frank Vogel is off to the Lakers. Is Tyronn Lue your guy? He's managed big personalities, but he's also had the best player in the world during his only head coaching gig.

They say that anything can happen in a Game 7.

So maybe you shouldn't make franchise-altering decisions based on one.

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