On a 10-72 team, you really can’t expect to find roster combinations with much positive. Surprisingly, we found five such combinations from various Philadelphia 76ers lineups.
The Philadelphia 76ers struggled throughout the 2015-2016 season. But when these five lineups were in the game, things ran a little more smoothly.
There are some things which I truly enjoy about writing for the Sixer Sense. Routinely, I encounter someone whose knowledge of a player, a coach, a play, a scheme, or the importance of a statistic exceeds my own.
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I love to learn, to be challenged, to have the walls of my knowledge and comfort zone torn down around me by a fan base who continue to keep their eye on the prize. There is not much that we can do in the education aspect of the Philadelphia 76ers. Most of you are very learned about the topic and about the team you cheer for.
But every once in awhile, I find something in the annals of the NBA that is so refreshing, so unique, that I bring it to you as a fan base to examine it together as a group and see if there truly is something new to learn here. So I’ll list the top five lineups from www.media.nba.com below, and discuss the qualities of each to see if this a a lineup we are replicating with our roster moves going forward.
The ranking criteria? Points per game adjusted for 48 minutes. Any other criteria? None.
Next: Lineup 5
Lineup 5
V: Jerami Grant, Richaun Holmes, T.J. McConnell, Hollis Thompson, Christian Wood.
This was a lineup of backups, but they played like a well oiled machine. They only played a total of 5 out of 48 minutes on the floor together and this lineup was assembled by head coach Brett Brown in just three games in the season, but though brief in longevity, they had some curious statistics:
They played as a + 106.7 as a unit, and were perfect on treys and free throws. In fact, this group shot 90% from the floor. Where they suffered was the boards, generating zero offensive rebounds and a sub-average 26.7 defensive rebounds. The team excelled on distribution and ball control, averaging 53.3 assists per game and coughing up no turnovers.
While the team was was 100 per cent accurate from the perimeter, they generated most of their offense from field goals. Their 17.8 three point attempts per game was far below the team’s 27.3 3pt attempts on the season. The lineup generated 186.7 points per game, good for fifth best lineup for the team.
Next: Lineup 4
Lineup Four
IV: Jerami Grant, Nerlens Noel, T.J. McConnell, Ish Smith, Hollis Thompson
This lineup appeared in four of the Philadelphia 76ers games, and had a aggregate +112.5 rating as a group. While the team was scored less as a group than the previous lineup, the presence of Nerlens Noel paired with Jerami Grant was felt in a big way, as rebounds and blocked shots were much more frequent.
The lineup appeared a total of four times in the season, and played together for just six minutes out of the 48 minutes overall. With Noel and Grant in the mix, the rebounds were very strong, as well as the discipline of the unit – committing only 7.5 personal fouls.
In this lineup, shooting accuracy was somewhat reduced, but still well above average for the team. This lineup attempted the most three-point shots of the top five, while also suffering above average blocked shots when attempting to score.
The distribution of the lineup continued to be solid.
Next: Lineup 3
Lineup Three
III: Robert Covington, Jerami Grant, T.J. McConnell, Nik Stauskas, Hollis Thompson
With no true center, and three guard, this is one of the small ball lineups used by the Philadelphia 76ers. They assembled this lineup for four games, and averaged 8 minutes per 48 minutes when they played together. As a unit, they accumulated a +120 rating. Although a small ball lineup, the presence of Grant and Covington allowed them to work the boards for rebounds. Although this lineup only shot 50% on their 3PT shots, they attempted more treys than any of the other top lineups.
Defensively, this was a huge lineup. Averaging 40 steals per 48 minutes.
However, as a small ball lineup is apt to do, this lineup struggled on the boards, coming down with only 34.3 – less than the team average of 41.
Offensively, this was the least of the top five, averaging a mere 165.7 points per game. We have two more lineups to go.
Next: Lineup 2
Lineup Two
II: Isaiah Canaan, Robert Covington, Kendall Marshall, Jahlil Okafor, JaKarr Sampson
This group only assembled in one game together, as Sampson was waived at the trade deadline needlessly. But in that one game, they played well together – all four minutes of it.
With Canaan, Covington and Okafor, this group scored points in droves, averaging 204 points in a 48 minute cycle. As a group, they came it with a +132 rating. This lineup simply was the offense, as they offered less in the way of stopping the other team than any other lineup.
This lineup shot perfectly from the floor and from the perimeter, but generated no blocks or steals. There was a supercharged offensive configuration, setting Okafor up in the post, Canaan and Covington up at the perimeter, Sampson to drive and Marshall to distribute the ball.
Sampson’s presence in this lineup is a harbinger of what Ben Simmons can bring.
Next: Lineup 1
Top Lineup
I: Robert Covington, Carl Landry, Jahlil Okafor, Ish Smith, Nik Stauskas
This was the best lineup of the Philadelphia 76ers, and they only played as a unit in one game. In that period, they amassed a stellar +150 rating. So why did this lineup work? Quite simply, there was the all important presence of perimeter shooting with Covington and Stauskas, There was the mid range precision from MVP Landry. There was an irresistible force at the post in Jahlil Okafor, and there was a scoring/passing field general in the form of Ish Smith.
This lineup generated a differential of +150, far superior to the +132 of the runner-up lineup. With a combination of Landry and Okafor in the paint, the team had a compatible front court tandem, and with Covington, had a presence at the post, at mid range, and at the perimeter.
Surprisingly, despite the debate over Okafor’s lack of rebounds, this lineup generated the top rebound volume, pulling down 80 balls. This lineup also generated 70 assists, 10 steals and 10 blocks per game, all above average figures for the team.
This squad lacked only in free throw attempts, which is not a bad place to be lacking statistically.
Next: Has Jamaal Charles Lost a Step?
Common Thread
This Philadelphia 76ers team was not a good team in the 2015-2016 season. But that is not to say that the team does not have any talent, nor to say that the team did not have chemistry in some of the lineups sent out to the basketball court. Of the five best lineups of the team, Jerami Grant appeared in three of them, Richaun Holmes appeared in one, T.J. McConnell appeared in three, Hollis Thompson appeared in three, Christian Wood appeared in one, Nerlens Noel appeared in one, Ish Smith appeared in two, Robert Covington appeared in three, Nik Stauskas appeared in two, Kendall Marshall appeared in one, Jahlil Okafor appeared in two, Isaiah Canaan appeared in one, Carl Landry appeared in one, and finally JaKarr Sampson appeared in one.
If the team is looking for core players, the search should begin here. These players combined to generate the best production out of Brett Brown’s plays. if the team had to sit on players, it would be logical to consider Jerami Grant, T.J. McConnell, Hollis Thompson, Robert Covington, Nik Stauskas, and Jahlil Okafor strongly has making the roster. Holmes, Landry, Noel, Wood and Marshall would be given a thorough exam to make the pass to next year’s roster, but would be weighed against other players signed in that position.
Next: NBA Rumors: Will 76ers Pursue Suns’ Bledsoe or Knight
We’ll examine these players more closely as we enter the new NBA season on July 7. But for now, this is a good reference point of who worked best with whom under head coach Brett Brown.