Space, the final frontier
Spacing on the basketball court translates into getting open looks at the basket. And as long as the Philadelphia 76er have Simmons, Embiid, Redick and Covington healthy, the fifth starter is a basic plug-and-play for now. Most recently, that is the role for Dario Saric, who has excelled as number five. But he is benefitting from the cast of characters around him in a big way. Here’s why:
Air Alamo
When Joel Embiid is on the basketball court, he pressures the paint of the opposing team. Many try to double team him, and that has some chance of success. But Embiid is solid, and can pass out to an open shooter or draw the foul. By drawing a foul, he places pressure on the depth of other teams.
Simmons pulls defenders to the paint
Ben Simmons gives the team a flexible look. He can drive to the paint but can draw defenses to him and pass out. With both Simmons and Embiid on the court, the opposing team must commit three to defend the basket, and that means one perimeter shooter gets an open look. And where do those defenders come from? The perimeter.
So space is a direct contributor to three point shooting accuracy, and driven from three point shooting attempts. At one point, this team lived and died by the perimeter shot. But with a pulse of injuries impacting major players, the 76ers have diminished that long-range assault. As of Monday, January 8, 2017, the Philadelphia 76ers attempt just 29.7 three-points shots per game. That is good for 12th in the league, a surprising spot for the perimeter shooting roster. Factoring in the Philadelphia 76ers attempt the third most shots in the NBA at 87.1 shots per game, and you see that the team is shying away from that perimeter shot. Is that a good thing?