2. Defending quicker guards
Overall, defense has been a major strength for the Sixers. They’re fourth in the NBA in defensive rating, according to NBA.com, and they’re anchored by Joel Embiid‘s unmatched presence at the rim.
But Embiid isn’t the only reason for their defensive success. On the perimeter, Ben Simmons and Robert Covington have developed into two of the league’s best defenders. They’re able to use their heights (6-10 and 6-9, respectively) to disrupt passing lanes and switch onto any player on the court.
One place the Sixers defenders have struggled, however, is containing smaller, quicker guards. For a perfect example of this, look no further than Friday night’s game.
Kemba Walker, the Hornet’s 6-1 All-Star point guard, was able to post 31 points and lead his team to a 14 point advantage late into the third quarter. The Sixers love to switch screens, but against quick, crafty guards, this can lead to bad mismatches. Watch here as Dario Saric has to try to contain Walker.
After getting baited and blown by the first time, Saric sags off Walker, who easily knocks down the open jumper.
Asking Saric to guard someone so much smaller and quicker just isn’t fair. And the Sixers will have to figure out how to better handle players like Walker in the future.
In the playoffs, they’ll be charged with the task of covering point guards like John Wall and Kyrie Irving, two of the quickest players in the NBA. Look for the Sixers to use traps and hedges to avoid switching slower players onto the league’s top ball handlers.