Comparing the Philadelphia 76ers’ efficiency to the Eastern Conference

The Philadelphia 76ers currently hold the four-seed in the Eastern Conference and are just as efficient as any team above them.

The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the most efficient passing teams in basketball, averaging the most assists per game (27.3) within the Eastern Conference. Furthermore, the Sixers make the second most passes per game in the league (321.7) and correspondingly score an average of 67.0 points via assist (third in the NBA).

This is no surprise given that the Sixers’ hybrid point guard Ben Simmons orchestrates their offense with the fourth most assists per game in basketball (7.9) and the second most passes made per game (66.2). Even Philadelphia’s 7-foot center Joel Embiid closely trails Simmons, placing ninth in the NBA in passes made per game (57.5). Likewise, Philadelphia has the most assisted field goals made (66.0 percent) in the Eastern Conference and the most assisted three-point shots made in basketball (94.6 percent).

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Philadelphia, second in elbow touches (446.9), is averaging 1.8 assists per game from the elbow, more than any team in basketball. Not only do the Sixers conduct the most post ups (16.5) in the Eastern Conference, but also, lead that conference with the most points per game on post-up opportunities (9.6) and assists (1.2).

With an offensive efficiency rating of 110.2, Philadelphia is behind the sixth-best Toronto by 0.3. Philadelphia is averaging only 20.1 drive points per game, the third least in basketball, but their driving field goal percentage (51.4 percent) is just second behind Milwaukee.

Philadelphia is converting 30.4 catch-and-shoot points per game (slightly less than the Bucks’, Raptors’, and Celtics’) but their catch-and-shoot field goal percentage (38.0 percent) trails Indiana by 2.7 percent, Toronto by 1.1 percent, and Boston by only 0.8 percent. Regardless, Philadelphia’s catch and shoot three-point percentage (37.7 percent) tops that of Boston, Toronto, and Milwaukee.

Philadelphia’s 17.8 pull-up points is more than the averages of both Milwaukee and Toronto and the Bucks, Raptors, and Celtics all trail the Sixers’ 21.8 paint touch points per game by at least 2.8 points.

Philadelphia’s effective field goal percentage (53.7 percent) is third in the NBA behind Milwaukee and the Sixers are shooting the three ball just 0.3 percent worse than Boston, shooting just 0.5 percent worse from the field than Milwaukee, and making 3.8 percent fewer free throws than the league’s third best Boston. Despite trailing Boston’s free throw percentage by a small margin, Philadelphia owns the second highest free throw attempt rate (0.319) in basketball, behind only the Los Angeles Clippers. Further, Philadelphia’s true shooting percentage (57.9 percent) is good for third best in basketball, greater than any Eastern Conference team besides Milwaukee.

32.9 percent of Philadelphia’s 82.9 rebound chances are contested and yet the Sixers collect an average of 46.9 rebounds a game, fifth in the NBA. This is largely in part due to Simmons (9.1) and Embiid (13.5) placing within the NBA’s top-20 per game rebounders, but also, the Sixers’ starters combine for the second most rebounds (34.3) in both the Western and Eastern Conference.

The Sixers’ rebound rate (52.0 percent) trails Milwaukee, but is at least 1.8 percent better than Toronto, Indiana, and Boston. The 76ers are scoring a per game average of 13.7 second chance points, atop the Eastern Conference, and four of the Sixers’ starting five players are top-45 in points per game.

Although Philadelphia averages less per game steals and blocks than their top-tier Eastern Conference competition, the Sixers have the ninth best defensive field goal percentage (45.5 percent) in the NBA. Philadelphia and Boston are tied for the second lowest opponent effective field goal percentage (50.9 percent) which only Milwaukee beats (50.1 percent).

Philadelphia is among the eight best teams in basketball at preventing opponent rebounds and opponent assists on a per game basis and defend the three ball better than any team in the Eastern Conference with the exception Boston.

Philadelphia has the second most clutch wins in basketball (23 wins, 67.6 percent win percentage) and sports a top ten plus/minus in that situation (0.5). Philadelphia lags behind teams such as Boston and Toronto late in game, but nevertheless, the Sixers’ clutch true shooting percentage and clutch effective field goal percentage place within the top-10 around the league.

Philadelphia’s reinforcements are not the most productive, but shoot more efficiently than most top-tier Eastern Conference benches (first in three-point percentage, third in field goal percentage, and first in free throw percentage). The Sixers’ path to the Finals will certainly not be easy, but their versatility, scoring efficiency, and diversity of talent will allow them to compete with any team.