The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Fultz, Belinelli on bench make Philadelphia 76ers contenders

By Rusty Gorelick

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 28: Head coach Brett Brown of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to Markelle Fultz #20 during a timeout in the second quarter against the New York Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center on March 28, 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 - MARCH 28: Head coach Brett Brown of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to Markelle Fultz #20 during a timeout in the second quarter against the New York Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center on March 28, 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

When McConnell and Bayless acted as the Philadelphia 76ers’ reserve guards, the team blew many leads. Now, Fultz and Belinelli make them a contender.

Ever since the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Marco Belinelli and brought back Markelle Fultz, the team has improved greatly. When Jerryd Bayless and T.J. McConnell made up the Sixers’ backcourt, the team blew big leads seemingly every time they gained one. Fultz and Belinelli give the Sixers a combination of athleticism and shooting range that McConnell and Bayless did not provide, thus making Philly a legitimate playoff contender.

With the two new guards in the rotation, Bayless does not even crack the rotation, and McConnell has averaged just 13.4 minutes per game in the last 10 games. McConnell can add a lot to a team in short spells on the floor, but no team that wants to call themselves a playoff threat can play someone with his limited skill set for more than 15 minutes per game.

His passing ability exceeds that of an average reserve point guard and his work ethic on the defensive end of the floor makes up for his athletic deficiency, but he cannot create his own shot or break a defense down when slashing.

More from The Sixer Sense

Unlike McConnell, Bayless did not add much to the team when Brett Brown included him in the rotation. In 23.7 minutes per game, Bayless has put up 7.9 points, 2.1 boards, and 1.4 assists for the Sixers while shooting a league-average 37 percent from deep and 41.6 percent from the field as a whole.

Belinelli, on the other hand, averages a career-high 13.3 points per game, with 1.7 boards and 1.5 assists while shooting 38.6 percent from long range and 50.6 percent from the field.

Although Markelle Fultz has not returned to the form he showed at Washington, he has proven himself as an upgrade on McConnell. He still needs to gain full confidence in his shot, but he has not shown much hesitation in the mid-range. Fultz’s strong slashing makes him a much better offensive asset than McConnell, and he has already revealed the havoc his whirlwind-like spin move can wreak on defenders.

The newfound depth in the Sixers backcourt should make every fan feel a sense of safety, even when Ben Simmons and J.J. Redick sit during the course of a game. Fultz and Belinelli give Brown the scorers he needed to come off the bench. The lack of guards creating their own shot contributed greatly to all those blown big leads earlier in the season.

Since the Philadelphia 76ers don’t have the star power of Golden State, Houston, or Cleveland, depth will make a big impact over the course of the NBA Playoffs. Kyrie Irving‘s injury will hold him out of the playoffs, meaning the Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors will threaten Philly the most in the postseason.

Next: The biggest fails of the Process

The Sixers’ 14-game winning streak proves they can hang with any team and keep up a high level of play for a long time. Armed with strong depth and momentum, the Philadelphia 76ers will cause a lot of problems for some of the NBA’s best teams and players.