Daryl Morey discusses just how Sixers can improve mental toughness
CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers have a certain storyline surrounding their team at the moment. After falling to the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals and being ousted in the second round for the fourth time in five seasons, the question of mental toughness has popped up.
Tobias Harris, who is one of the team’s leaders, mentioned after the loss to Miami that he believes the team needs to improve in that area. However, mental toughness isn’t something one can just get in the gym and work on. It comes from within and taking accountability and growing.
“I think it’s something that our players can grow,” said team president Daryl Morey. “Going through losses and how you respond to that, you take it as your own. I think we all need to look in the mirror and say how can we each be better? I know our coaching staff does a great job. They challenge our players to do that.”
That’s the problem for the Sixers, though. They have yet to really respond to any of these losses. They haven’t grown or learned from their past mistakes in order to advance in the playoffs and continue to grow on the floor in that sense.
Joel Embiid took a step forward to be there for his team despite multiple serious injuries, and Tyrese Maxey has impressed with his mental toughness, but the others have to follow suit.
“I think Tobias is right with that,” Maxey said. “Mental toughness is a thing that this team is really gonna have to look in the mirror, and all of us are going to have to try to gain that mental toughness and be tough within ourselves and as a group as well. I think that’s something that we’ll look at and try to get better at.”
Ultimately, it will be on Morey and the rest of the front office to make the necessary changes to the roster to go win a title. Maybe they can go out and get a guy similar to a P.J. Tucker, which is what Embiid wants for the roster.
“Joel has been better every year since I’ve been here and over his career,” Morey added. “Tyrese, each guy can look and say how can they be better and that goes for myself as well. It could come from internal improvement or it could come from acquisitions and I think we have flexibility in free agency, trade, resources that are provided to us by Josh (Harris) and David (Blitzer) and we’ll do whatever we need to do to make it better.”
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