With Joel Embiid out, Paul Reed stepped up when Sixers needed him most: ‘I know what I can do’

NEW YORK — Paul Reed is the poster child for receiving constructive criticism and biding his time.

The 76ers’ backup center also has extreme confidence that’s enabled him to stave off self-doubt when things look bleak.

Those qualities have benefitted the Sixers during the latter stages of this season. And his ability to overcome adversity has helped the team complete its first playoff series sweep in 32 seasons.

» READ MORE: Sixers top Brooklyn Nets, 96-88, to sweep first-round series without Joel Embiid

With Joel Embiid sidelined with a sprained right knee, Reed started at center in Saturday’s 96-88 series-clinching victory over the Brooklyn Nets in Game 4 of the first-round showdown. The third-year player had a shaky first half and heard about it in the Barclays Center visiting locker room. Responding well to that criticism, Reed ended up with 10 points, a career-high 15 rebounds — including a eight offensive boards, tying a career high — along with three assists, one steal, and a block.

“He kept his hand on the ball, getting extra possessions,” P.J. Tucker said. “That stuff matters. ‘You got to have a motor in this game’ is what I told hm. ‘Don’t worry about scoring. Just worry about being in the right place, right time, helping and communicating.’ And he did. In the second half, he came out and he did that.”

Reed had two points on 1-for-4 shooting in the first half. He did have five rebounds and an assist, but was a minus-12 in 13 minutes, 5 seconds.

“In the first half, he had three offensive rebounds he tried to put up rather than throwing them back out for threes,” Doc Rivers said. “All year, he has been grabbing them and throwing them back out for threes.”

After intermission, Reed went back to what he usually does.

As a result, in the second half, he finished with eight points on 4-for-6 shooting, grabbed 10 rebounds, and was a plus-19 in 18:50.

One of Reed’s more memorable plays was stealing Cam Johnson’s pass with 1:54 left in the third quarter. That led to a Tyrese Maxey three-pointer to put the Sixers up, 63-57, 5 seconds later, forcing a Nets timeout.

Tucker rushed up to his mentee during the break in the action.

So what was his animated message?

“That’s what the [expletive] I’m talking about,” Tucker said he told Reed.

» READ MORE: ‘They’re always [expletive] on my name!’ Not now, after Tobias Harris was worth every penny in Sixers sweep

Reed also made several big plays late in the game. His cutting layup put the Sixers up, 78-72, with 6:59 remaining.

After Mikal Bridges pulled Brooklyn within four points, Reed grabbed an offensive rebound with 6:23 to play. He immediately passed the ball to De’Anthony Melton, who buried an open three-pointer to make it an 81-74 game.

With the Sixers still clinging to a seven-point lead, he grabbed defensive rebounds on consecutive possessions. And he blocked a Johnson floater with 3:36 to play.

“Paul Reed was huge,” Maxey said.

Of course he was. Before the game, Reed said he was going to step up. But he revealed after the game that he wasn’t informed that he would start until an assistant coach informed him prior to the game.

“I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, for real,’” he said.

The 23-year-old had to know something was up by how he was situated in the locker room. Not only was he seated in a different location than Thursday, he had two lockers for Game 4. That’s a gesture usually reserved for Embiid, James Harden, Tobias Harris, and Tucker.

“I just thought he earned that,” Rivers said of starting Reed. “He’s been playing well.”

Yet he’s had some rough times as a Sixer.

Reed swept the NBA G League MVP and rookie of the year honors in 2021. But he rarely played that season and the following one for the Sixers. He failed to understand his role and had quality veterans ahead of him.

» READ MORE: Doc Rivers sounds off after controversial fouls on James Harden, Joel Embiid: ‘We got a problem in this league’

This season, it wasn’t uncommon to see Rivers and Tucker chew him out after mistakes. But he never doubted his ability.

“I work so hard,” he said. “I work every day to work on my game. I know what I can do. I know what I’m capable of.

“But sometimes, like the first half, I forced bad shots because you can get overconfident.”

His confidence was still intact in the second half. Reed just realized he didn’t have to force anything.

“My teammates are going to find me,” he said. “I’ve got to trust that, and that’s what they ended up doing down the stretch of the game.”