LOS ANGELES -- The Sixers won two games on their six-game road trip and were competitive into the fourth quarter in two others.
It might not seem like much, but for the Sixers, it was enough success that they are returning home feeling better about themselves than they have in a long time.
“We really made huge strides this road trip,” center Jahlil Okafor said. “I’ve heard a few guys in the locker room say we have a little swagger now. Now we’ve won a few games and there’s a new attitude to this team we’re all really excited about.”
The Sixers (3-33) open a six-game homestand Monday against Minnesota a different team than the one that left for the road Dec. 23. Recent acquisition Ish Smith has averaged 13.4 points and 7.6 assists in five games with the Sixers to shore up the backcourt, and the team as a whole has improved drastically in multiple key areas.
For one, the Sixers averaged 99.2 points on their road swing, up from 91.9 going in. They shot 43.5 percent from the field, up from 41.7.
Most importantly, they’ve cut down on turnovers, especially recently.
After averaging 17.9 turnovers their first 33 contests, the Sixers are averaging 13.7 in their last three.
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The improvements may turn out to be just the products of small-sample size, but for now the players and coaches are confident it is more than that.
“There is a reclaimed self-belief we didn’t have pre-Christmas,” head coach Brett Brown said. “If I were to be honest, there were times I’m looking and I’m not seeing the light. I’m wondering, ‘Where are we going to find our spark?’ Now, especially with the addition of Ish, you see a little bit of daylight of what can be.”
A 130-99 shellacking at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers to finish the trip tempered the optimism somewhat. The Sixers still allowed 106.7 points per game and allowed opponents to shoot 46.3 percent from the field in the six games.
Still, there were enough positives on both an individual and team level to justify the Sixers’ overall good vibes.
Smith, Nerlens Noel, Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry and Richaun Holmes all set or tied their season-highs in scoring on the trip, and the Sixers lost the rebounding battle only twice in the six games.
“I think we played with a little more of a swagger these games,” Noel said. “We’re figuring some things out. Guys are playing well and doing their job.”
Now, the Sixers have a chance to show their newfound confidence in front of the hometown fans.
“This road trip has been long, but I think it has been successful for us,” Brown said. “I just feel we leave with a different feeling.”