What the heck is going on with the 76ers? Mims looks at the puzzle in Philly
The 76ers are the Jekyll and Hyde of the NBA. Their record at home is an amazing 22-2 and they are winning those home games by an average of 10 points. On the road, they are a dismal 9-18 and have been beaten nine times by double-digits already this season.
The Sixers have glaring deficiencies on offense. They shoot 34.9 from 3-point range. They are ranked 20th out of 30 teams. They shoot far too many 3’s for a team that was built to work inside first. Joel Embiid averages 3.8 attempts beyond the arc per game. His attempts should not exceed 2. Tobias Harris and Mike Scott have struggled at different times this season from distance. The solution would be to acquire another outside shooter that will challenge Scott for minutes. A trade prior to the deadline on Thursday could remedy the current situation. That trade should not involve a starter or Matisse Thybulle.
The Sixers must find a way to utilize Al Horford. His numbers with the Sixers are down across the board when you look at his career stats. I would like to see more post ups to go with his pick and pop plays.
Sixers are ranked 24th in foul shooting. They must improve that percentage to elevate their playoff position. They are currently ranked 6th in the Eastern Conference.
Brett Brown must force the team to exploit mismatches. The offense does not flow fluidly with movement away from the ball. The team is great in transition with Ben Simmons attacking the rim. The team is ranked 7th in assists. I would like to see Simmons stop jumping in the air to pass the ball back out to a spot up shooter. Most of his turnovers occur because the defense is anticipating his move.
I am impressed with Simmons overall improvement, especially on defense. Unfortunately, Josh Richardson is injured. Richardson was playing better than I anticipated prior to tweaking his hamstring. After witnessing Monday night’s beat down by the Heat, I still miss Jimmy Butler. The bench play must become more consistent. If the effort does not improve in the next game against the Bucks on Thursday, a change in leadership may be forthcoming.
Follow me on Twitter. Use the #GTLivechat and I will follow you back. The Sixer’s game against the Bucks on TNT Thursday will be the featured topic. Join in and give your prediction as to who will win.