The Sixer Sense
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5 improvements the Sixers need to make for a playoff run

By Dan Volpone

MIAMI, FL - FEBRUARY 27: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers warms up before a NBA game against the Miami Heat on February 27, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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 Ron Elkman/Sports Imagery/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - FEBRUARY 27: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers warms up before a NBA game against the Miami Heat on February 27, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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 Ron Elkman/Sports Imagery/Getty Images) /
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SACRAMENTO, CA – NOVEMBER 09: Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on while there’s a break in the action against the Sacramento Kings during an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on November 9, 2017 in Sacramento, California. 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

3. Shooting consistency

Finding consistency from beyond the arc has been an issue all year for the Sixers.

Robert Covington started the season on fire, sinking 50% of his looks from beyond the arc. He’s cooled off significantly since then, though, all the way down to 36.5%, just below the league average. J.J. Redick leads the team at 40.1 percent, but that’s still his worst rate over the last four years.

Covington’s shooting has been especially concerning when you examine his decline by month.

Luckily for the Sixers, these aren’t their only two capable three point shooters. Dario Saric is shooting 38 percent from deep, by far the best percentage he’s shot at any level of basketball. T.J. McConnell, on just one attempt per game, is converting at a 47.2 percent clip. New signing Marco Belinelli has made 37.2 percent this year.

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The Sixers as a team are around average from three at 36.3 percent, according to NBA.com. They certainly haven’y been bad, and they have a lot of players who can knock down a shot from beyond.

Even on poor shooting nights, the Sixers have shown they have enough talent to beat good teams. Against Cleveland on Thursday, they only went 10-30 on threes and still managed to beat LeBron James on the road. They’re able to lean on their elite defense each night to keep them in the game.

But Redick and Covington are both starters, and they attempt more threes per game than anyone else on the team. If they could get hot and play up to their full potentials, the Sixers will be very difficult to beat in the playoffs.