The Sixer Sense
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Marco Belinelli is going to be really good with the Sixers

By Christopher Kline

PHILADELPHIA,PA - FEBRUARY 14 : Marco Belinelli #18 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center on February 14, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA,PA - FEBRUARY 14 : Marco Belinelli #18 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center on February 14, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Marco Belinelli looked quite good in his Philadelphia 76ers debut.

The Philadelphia 76ers are heading into the All-Star break on a high note. The squad pulled off the rare reverse-Sixers comeback, making up a huge deficit in the third quarter before eventually knocking off the Miami Heat by a final score of 104-102.

Oh, and they did that without Joel Embiid.

Now 30-25 on the season, Philly has the seventh seed on lock and is just two games behind the fourth-seeded Wizards. A couple of things stood out in that victory over Miami, but one name in particular showed out: Marco Belinelli.

The 31-year-old was a significant spark off the bench, going for 17 points while hitting some big fourth-quarter shots in his Sixers debut. 13 of his 17 points came in the final frame.

We already knew Belinelli fits what the Sixers need. He’s another veteran who can shoot at a high clip and keep things moving offensively, something the bench has desperately lacked all season. Still, his debut was even more impressive than most expected.

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Belinelli won’t turn into a flamethrower every night, but he does have a knack for tough shot-making. It’s something he showed in Atlanta, as well as every other stop during his journeyman career.

That tough shot-making was on full display Wednesday night, with Belinelli hitting a handful of consecutive threes early in the fourth quarter. He followed that up with an off-balance 3-pointer through contact, although it was inevitably waived off.

His shooting was part of what sparked the Sixers’ comeback effort, and the fact that he was paired with J.J. Redick was an interesting — and important — wrinkle from Brett Brown.

With both J.J. and Marco on the floor, the Sixers have two quick-trigger shooters who are capable of drilling shots at all three levels when curling around screens. That was extremely effective without Joel Embiid dealing from the post, so imagine the possibilities that come with the big man in the rotation.

Belinelli is somebody who’s genuinely capable of giving the Sixers double-digit scoring on a nightly basis, which they can’t get from the likes of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Jerryd Bayless or Justin Anderson.

As somebody who’s likely a half-season rental, it’s important to avoid getting too attached to Belinelli and what he brings to the table. He’s not the solve-all piece that gets Philly to the finals, nor is he important to their future.

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He is important to their playoff run, though, and his skill set fits this current roster like a proverbial glove. It’s fitting that Sixers fans fall in love with their new Italian dude on Valentine’s Day. Plus, his interviews are Dario-level gold.