Sixers’ defensive core continues to impress
A New Year’s Eve win over the Phoenix Suns reminded us of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ potential on defense.
The Philadelphia 76ers‘ win over the Phoenix Suns on New Year’s Eve wasn’t a masterful defensive outing. The Suns ended up scoring 110 points, powered by a third quarter run where Devin Booker wasn’t capable of missing shots.
But as is the case with any NBA game, it’s important to look beyond the raw box score. The Sixers’ best players showed their two-way prowess, starting with Robert Covington‘s job defending — you guessed it — Devin Booker.
Booker scored 28 of his 32 points in the second half, but most of that came with Covington glued to the bench with foul trouble. He shot just 1-6 in the first half while struggling down the stretch once Covington was inserted back into the rotation.
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As The Athletic pointed out, Booker was just 4-14 from the field when guarded by Cov. We’ve seen some questionable defensive efforts from Covington in recent weeks, but this game was a solid reminder of just how disruptive he can be — and why the Sixers re-signed him at the beginning of the season.
We also saw a strong outing from Joel Embiid, albeit limited by foul trouble himself. The big man was plus-32 on the night, despite playing in just 31 minutes. His combination of size, strength and mobility isn’t something the Suns’ roster can match.
It wasn’t the best game in terms of showcasing Embiid’s defensive brilliance, but his impact was was felt nonetheless. Not many players force offenses to adjust to the extent Embiid does, and his ability to alter shots in the lane — even if they aren’t blocks — is beyond valuable.
Whenever he’s on the floor, they play like one of the best defensive teams in the country. That’s no coincidence.
Aside from Embiid and Covington, though, Ben Simmons continues to impress as well. His effort in some on-ball scenarios can be questioned, but his versatility and instincts are undeniable. He works his way into passing lanes in LeBron James-esque fashion, while his combination of size and lateral quickness allows him to successfully guard four or five positions regularly.
That was where the defensive appeal was when Simmons came out of LSU, even if his effort never peaked in college. He always had the physical tools and I.Q. needed to thrive on that end, and it’s that two-way impact that keeps him firmly in the All-Star discussion.
A lot of stress is placed on the Sixers’ offensive performance, but it’s important to remember how good they are defensively as well. Philadelphia is in position to compete for the foreseeable future, and that’s largely because of their ability to succeed on both sides of the floor.
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If Markelle Fultz returns and maximizes his defensive potential, we could be looking at one of the league’s best defensive cores down the line — if they aren’t already in that discussion.