The Philadelphia 76ers will see a lot of different lineups throughout the season, but who will they be starting on opening night?
The Philadelphia 76ers are going to have to try their hand at many different starting lineups throughout the 2016-17 season. Just based on the roster they have, and who is starting the year injured, things are going to vary greatly throughout the season.
Even before the injuries, the Sixers were known as a team that was going to have to do a lot of experimentation throughout the year. Just looking at how many of the players are new to each other and haven’t played with each other, and also how unique some members of the roster are, that was expected. Brett Brown and his coaching staff will have to tweak and adjust a lot throughout the year.
But on opening night, who will the Sixers start? Of course, Sixers fans initially hoped that this would be the night they get to see Ben Simmons start and initiate the offense for the first time in the regular season, but with him going down a few weeks ago with a fractured bone in his foot, that’s not happening.
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Luckily, the Sixers do still have options. Nerlens Noel and Jerryd Bayless are other players who will almost certainly be out with injury, but other players that were recently injured such as Jahlil Okafor and Robert Covington look to be ready, even if they come attached with minute restrictions.
Center
Although I wouldn’t have anticipated this a few weeks ago, Joel Embiid is going to have to make his first ever regular season career start with the Sixers on opening night. Weeks ago, I would have assumed that Nerlens Noel would have started in the center slot, but with him needing a minor knee surgery, the Sixers don’t have many options.
The other option would, of course, be Jahlil Okafor, but he is going to be on a minutes restriction, which means he will almost certainly come off of the bench. Brett Brown has indicated as of late that he also thinks Okafor may be best off the bench for the most part this season.
Additionally, Okafor may end up playing in the four for some time to get Richaun Holmes playing time in the center spot.
Power forward
In the power forward slot will likely be Dario Saric. Saric isn’t a typical power forward. He can play away from the rim, which will be very good for the spacing issues the Sixers have had the past few years. Saric has improved his 3-point shooting a ton over the past few seasons overseas with the Anadolu Efes, and looks like he could easily be a stretch-four that the Sixers need.
He does need to improve his defense this year, because he doesn’t have much of an identity beyond the arc. He seems to not be able to guard the wings or the key very well.
Small forward
In small forward we’ll likely see Robert Covington start the game. The Sixers actually don’t have very many options here, and we’ll likely see Jerami Grant play some time in this slot as well, despite him working better as a power forward.
Covington sprained his ankle in the team’s final preseason game on Friday night, but seems ready to go.
Shooting guard
Gerald Henderson will start at shooting guard. the only other clear option that’s healthy right now in this slot is Nik Stauskas, and there is almost no chance that Stauskas will start after the absolutely awful performance he put up in the preseason.
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Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot is another option, but is much too young and inexperienced to be starting on opening night. Hollis Thompson could see some time as a two on Wednesday, but he shouldn’t start in that slot.
Henderson will be the veteran glue holding things together in the starting lineup.
Point guard
This is quite possibly the only spot that seems to be up for debate, but I think we’ll see Sergio Rodriguez making the start at point guard for at least the first few games. T.J. McConnell may sneak in at some point, but for the time being, Sergio is the best option.
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Jerryd Bayless being out for the start of the season certainly doesn’t make things easy for the Sixers, because he would likely be the starter if he were available. He will possibly ease his way in as the starter once he’s up to full strength with his wrist.