(AP)

Part of James Anderson’s matriculation into the 76ers has been adjustment. Namely, evolving into a shooting guard who doesn’t shoot all that much.

Anderson has attempted only 46 shots through the Sixers’ first seven games, an average of 6.5 shots per game. And while he’s hitting at a 41-percent clip, Anderson has become more of a defense-first option for coach Brett Brown.

That doesn’t come as a surprise to Anderson’s former coach.

“(Anderson) is pretty good at a lot of areas. Hopefully, at some point, he’ll get really good at something,” said Gregg Popovich, whose San Antonio team was in town for Monday’s date with the Sixers. “He does many different things, and this is a chance for him to gain some confidence and find his way. He really enjoys Brett and has a relationship with him. Brett is a great confidence-builder. He knows how to make people feel like the greatest player that ever lived at that position, so he’ll be good for someone like James Anderson, who needs that confidence.”

Anderson, who played for the Spurs for two seasons, from 2010-12, is averaging 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 33.4 minutes per game, a total that demonstrates his penchant for putting the ball in teammates’ hands. He’s shooting 41 percent overall (19-for-46) and 32 percent from 3-point range (8-for-25).

There’s a chance Anderson, the 20^th pick in the 2010 draft, would’ve latched on with San Antonio if not for depth on Popovich’s roster.

“The only reason he didn’t stick was we didn’t have space. We had bodies,” Popovich said. “There was no place else to put him. What I remember about his most is what you’ve seen – coaches love him. He does whatever you ask him to do.”

And Anderson is OK with that.

“It’s been a big challenge for me, going out and trying to defend the top shooting guards in the league,” he said following the Sixers’ shootaround Monday. “I’ve been aggressive at the other end, too. I’m just doing anything I can to help this team.”

Andrew Bynum's knees must be feeling better, because he upped his rehab some more.

Thursday, after the Sixers' practice had concluded, Bynum began taking shots. This time, he was jogging lightly to certain spots on the floor, at the high post, and receiving bounce passes before tossing up a few hooks and jumpers. Earlier in the week, Bynum was only shooting from a stationary position.

“It's a huge lift," Sixers coach Doug Collins said. "The thing I like is Andrew is a very hard worker. When he came here, he knew nothing about our organization – other than we wanted him and he grew up in New Jersey and we wanted to make him a focal point of what we were doing. He came in here with his own medical people. Now he's working with our people and ... that's a positive sign.

"I worked out on the elliptical (Wednesday) while he was working out and he was working his tail off."

Think Collins hasn't considered what it'll be like when Bynum debuts for the Sixers?

“He sees where we are right now and … you think he's not sitting there thinking we might have seven or eight more wins?" Collins said. "It's interesting. I was looking the other day. Pat Riley lost Dwyane Wade one year and went 15-67. The Spurs lost David Robinson and went from a 60-win team to 17-47 when Pop (Gregg Popovich) took over the team. That's the impact star players have on the game."