Philadelphia 76ers: 3 players who must step up in the playoffs

Al Horford

Finally, we have the famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) big-name acquisition in Al Horford. Now, the Philadelphia 76ers have had a major issue with spacing since the start of this season. Because the Sixers are 21st in the NBA in points per game with 109.6 points scored on average, the idea of moving Horford to the bench has become more appealing.

Even if that doesn’t happen, the Sixers already will look to stagger Horford and Embiid’s minutes, thereby making Horford the center when Embiid sits. It would be disrespectful to Horford to not realize the value he could bring at that spot. Given his playoff experience, Horford could very well be exactly what the Sixers need running with the second unit.

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Interestingly enough, Horford has made the playoffs all but one season. In the playoffs, Horford boasts an impressive 13.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. It’s no secret that Big Al has been known to step it up come playoff time. It wouldn’t be so shocking to see him do the same for the Philadelphia 76ers come July.

Now, the most concerning factor would be the end of games. In particular, how the Philadelphia 76ers would pair Horford and Embiid together to make sure that spacing isn’t a concern. Here’s my take: ideally, you keep Embiid in the paint, while placing Horford closer to the wing or even the elbow if you can manage it. I can most definitely see a world where Horford and Embiid would be able to be moved interchangeably here. That said, Embiid is not as mobile, so Horford may be best-suited covering fours in this situation.

Hopefully, with all things considered, Al Horford would be able to step his game up in the playoffs. Given the lack of consistency and continuity with the rotations, there could be some overall issues. That said, if the Philadelphia 76ers truly want to succeed, they will need to find a way to get the most of all of their players, including the veteran Al Horford.