The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers need Markelle Fultz’s defense now

By Bret Stuter

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 15: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers practices his foul shot prior to the game against the Toronto Raptors at the Wells Fargo Center on January 15, 2018 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 - JANUARY 15: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers practices his foul shot prior to the game against the Toronto Raptors at the Wells Fargo Center on January 15, 2018 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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next

The Philadelphia 76ers must address defending fleet-footed backcourt scorers. To do so, the team needs to fight fire with fire. That means Markelle Fultz must get healthy

The Philadelphia 76ers are a young team, making inexperience mistakes on the basketball court. They are vulnerable to excessive turnovers, they commit a high number of fouls, and they are incredibly streaky in both offensive output and in wins/losses. But there is a weakness in their team right now which they will face again and again in NBA post season. They are vulnerable to a speedy and gifted back court guard. Plain and simple.

And the team is struggling to keep their post-season aspirations afloat. After a solid start to January 2018, the team is back to .500, after losing three consecutive contests. There are some things the team needs to clean up overall. Fewer fouls, better handles on the ball, and making better shot selections.

Young team qualities, veteran team ambitions

These are characteristics of a young team with a host of young, inexperienced players. And even beyond the individual players, this roster has not yet congealed in the NBA post-season furnace.   There are still areas of huge growth needed for this roster.

The trouble is, nobody knows what the final product for this team truly looks like. The teams starting lineup, by this time in the season, should be Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, J.J. Redick, Robert Covington, and Joel Embiid. Unfortunately, Fultz never got to the court. Coupled with other injuries, that pushed Dario Saric off the bench into a starting role, and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Jerryd Bayless. The Philadelphia 76ers bench is in shambles.