The Sixer Sense
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With defense struggling, Justin Anderson might deserve minutes

By Christopher Kline

PHILADELPHIA,PA - FEBRUARY 12 : Justin Anderson #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers goes up for the dunk against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center on February 12, 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 12 : Justin Anderson #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers goes up for the dunk against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center on February 12, 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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With the Philadelphia 76ers’ defense slipping, some rotational adjustments might be necessary.

The Philadelphia 76ers have slowed down lately, losing at home for the first time in 2018 against the Pacers before struggling to pull out a victory in New York last night. They haven’t necessarily struggled, but they don’t look quite as dynamic as they did in January and February.

A lot of that comes back to defense. The Sixers have been among the league’s elite defensive teams since Christmas, with Joel Embiid anchoring an aggressive, athletic rotation that features several plus defenders.

In their last six games, however, the Sixers have given up 118 points or more four times. Embiid’s still playing, Ben Simmons and Robert Covington are still effective, and T.J. McConnell still brings grit off the bench.

So, where are these newfound issues coming from?

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It seems like these issues, at least to an extent, trace back to the changes Philadelphia made to that aggressive, athletic rotation: Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli. With Justin Anderson, Richaun Holmes and Trevor Booker no longer in the rotation, the Sixers have lost some of their punch on the defensive end.

Generally speaking, Ilyasova is a solid defender. He plays smart team defense, knows where to be, and can draw his share of charges when given the opportunity. He doesn’t bring the same energy that somebody like Holmes does, but he doesn’t come with the same deficiencies either.

Belinelli could be the primary culprit, although that’s relatively speaking. I tend to view Belinelli as a net positive, bringing another high-end shooter and smart cutter to a bench rotation that has struggled with offensive consistency all season.

On defense, though, he’s a clear issue. There’s no way around it, and that can be especially problematic when he’s the team’s first player off the bench on most nights.

That’s where Justin Anderson enters the picture.

Anderson fell out of the rotation while he nursed a sprained ankle, but he was playing some of the best basketball of his career before that. His shooting is still hit-or-miss, but he was making hard cuts off the ball and bringing the energy he’s known for on the defensive end.

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It might behoove Brett Brown to reinsert Anderson into the nightly rotation for that very reason, adding some defensive hustle and another versatile body for certain stints. Belinelli should still get the majority of backup minutes on the wing, but fitting Anderson into the rotation for 10-15 minutes per night could be a nice change of pace.

It’s worth noting that Belinelli is far from the only issue here. Embiid has looked sluggish for stretches during those past six games, while Brown has gone out of his way to rest players on some nights.

Still, with the Sixers competing for playoff positioning in an air-tight Eastern Conference, every game counts. They already have their fair share of issues when playing on the road, so making sure the defense is performing at its highest possible level will be critical if they want to comepte in a seven-game series.

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We’ll see if Brown makes any adjustments in the coming games.