The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers are more than Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid

Bret Stuter|
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 20: Ben Simmons #25 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers grab a rebound against the Boston Celtics at the Wells Fargo Center on October 20, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 20: Ben Simmons #25 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers grab a rebound against the Boston Celtics at the Wells Fargo Center on October 20, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The suddenly 3-4 Philadelphia 76ers have a chance at .500 if they can defeat 1-6 Atlanta Hawks. And if you check their success, these Philadelphia 76ers are more than Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers fans know the true importance of center Joel Embiid. Already, his 20.8 points, one block, and 10 rebounds per game lead the team. And he has only played 37 total NBA games.  He anchors the team defensively, and has plenty to do with who does and does not score near the basket.  The team waited over two years for this man. Each game, he proves that he was worth the wait.  To suggest he will get better seems to be a statement on very safe ground.

Likewise, rookie Ben Simmons is assaulting the NBA. How do you defend a 6-foot-10 point guard? The reality is, NBA teams really cannot. Defend him with a guard, he uses his power and size to drive to the basket. Defend him with a forward, and his freakish ball handles allows him to drive to the basket as well. Double or triple team him? He passes out to the open man. Already boasting one triple double, he flirts with three doubles at each game.

But there is more to this team than “two good players”.  In fact, the pair could not do it without the team around them.  Let’s look at the unsung heroes on this team so far:

T.J. McConnell

T.J. McConnell is a little bit like the Marvel universe villain Ultron . He keeps evolving, getting better and stronger. Just when you think he is surely outmatched on the roster, he comes storming back. On a team where he must compete with Ben Simmons, Jerryd Bayless, Markelle Fultz and more, the preseason analysis had him stuck on the bench. Yet here we are, seven games in and he has played all seven games with a 21 minute per game average.

How does he earn that time?

When your head coach speaks that highly, you are doing something right. Such as? 6.4 points, 4.7 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and .3 blocks per game. But the most surprising statistic? He already has a 15.7 performance efficiency rating, good for fourth best on the team. Oh, and by the way, he was undrafted. Sam Hinkie brought him to the team as a last minute addition.

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Robert Covington

The Philadelphia 76ers are a team with a defensive minded coach. So it should not surprise you to learn that the team has designated defense-specialist Robert Covington as a starter.   Robert Covington is a great “3 and D” force on this roster.

Robert Covington, like T.J. McConnell, joined the team as an undrafted player. His presence on the court is a great balance to the offense other players.  On this team, Robert Covington is the perfect fit.

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Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot

Guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot is still raw, but his rapid improvement feeds the imagination. Just how good can this player become?  Well that’s a great question. He is the first player on this list who was drafted, and the only player who was both drafted and arrived to the team that year. In spite of all this, he seldom found playing time.

While he began last season with little offense and plenty of foul trouble, he learned over time to reign in his energy and focus it.  When he became a starter, he rose to the occasion. He averaged 18.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals on 33 minutes.

TLC is still both young and raw. He is playing in just his 75th game, and has just 19 starts.  While his role is much less playing time so far, he did manage 17 points on just 17 minutes of play against Houston.

Dario Saric

For all the flash of the team roster, Dario Saric is the equivalent of the blue collar guy. He is the proverbial the jack-of-all-trades on the basketball court.  And while he too has a reduced role, his skill-set is such that he can fold into a center, power forward, or small forward role for the team in any given game, and in any given series. Perhaps the most surprising skillset of Saric is his circus-like assists

That type of skillset on a Space Pace Pass mantra team cannot be overemphasized. With Saric on the basketball court, the team is always on offense.

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These are the unsung heroes of the team so far. I’ve ignored the veterans signed via free agency.  And I’ve omitted the future potential of Markelle Fultz.  While there is plenty of season ahead, the team cannot be considered to be Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and all others.  There are a number of key players on this roster, some have climbed from the obscurity of a modest undrafted beginning to evolve into a true NBA player.

And that is the magic of the Sam Hinkie rebuild. It’s not just that he set the team up to find three elite players. He also loaded the team with significant supporting cast as well.