Philadelphia 76ers: 5 reasons they will make the playoffs in 2017-18
By Simon Smith
3. Roster complements the modern game
Head coach Brett Brown has made it known of his mantra of “defense, pace and space”. In essence, this is very accommodating for the common style of play in the modern NBA.
Defensively, the man in the middle, Joel Embiid, has demonstrated in an extremely small sample size that he can be the transformational presence to take the Sixers to great heights. When on the floor in his 31 games last season, the Sixers had a defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 99.1, which would’ve ranked first in the league over the course of the season.
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Furthermore, the aforementioned Covington, a hound on the perimeter, was unfortunate not to have not been selected to an NBA All-Defensive Team this past season, such was his impact at that end of the floor.
While they are unproven, players of the caliber of Fultz and Simmons should have the smarts and awareness to at least be adequate defenders to commence their careers.
Also, spacing the floor shouldn’t be a problem for the Sixers this season. The addition of Redick naturally is going to help in this department. An under-the-radar reason is the return to full health of guard Jerryd Bayless, who played just three games in his debut Sixers season. A genuine combo guard, Bayless’ ability to play both on and off the ball should help with the flow of the offense, hence giving coach Brown additional flexibility in this lineup formations.
Although he’s just a rookie, Fultz converted at a 41.3 percent clip from behind the arc in college, and playing alongside the likes of Embiid, Simmons and Redick should ensure enough floor-spacing for him to get quality looks.
But overall, the key components of the Sixers should ensure a swift rise up the standings this season. Their mix of youth and experience, combined with their ability to interchange various lineups, should be a sight for Sixers fans as we approach opening night.