The Philadelphia 76ers are putting special emphasis on the defensive end in 2019-20.
Brett Brown is a defensive coach, and this version of the Philadelphia 76ers is the best defensive team he’s had since arriving in South Philly. Joel Embiid and Al Horford have earned All-Defense honors in the past, while Ben Simmons and Josh Richardson are worthy of such consideration in the future.
At his annual media luncheon, Brown said the Sixers will play ‘bully ball defense.’ Philadelphia’s size and physicality is unmatched — Embiid and Horford can wall off the inside, Richardson can shadow point guards with his 6-foot-10 wingspan, and Simmons can defend the opposition’s top wing.
Even Tobias Harris, who’s considered the Sixers’ weak link in the starting five, has vowed to become a more impactful two-way presence. If Harris turns into a net-zero defender, Philadelphia will have the league’s top defense, bar none. And it won’t be close.
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Horford’s presence is especially meaningful. Not only can he aptly defend power forwards, but he’s an elite center who can protect the rim, defend pick-and-rolls, and switch screens as necessary. He will keep the defense afloat when Embiid sits, a luxury Philadelphia lacked last season.
When speaking on the Sixers’ defense and its potential, Horford mentioned their combination of talent and will. Everyone will have each other’s back, cleaning up mistakes and smothering offenses with a constant barrage of length and toughness.
"“The fun thing is, we’re going to have each other’s back and that’s the first thing. We all know we have the ability to cover individually that the way we’re going to be special is all of us covering for one another. If there’s a mistake, we’re going to cover it and we’re going to be strong and set a tone on the defensive end.” — Horford at Sixers media day"
That’s a promising quote, and it speaks to the Sixers’ desire to establish chemistry this summer. After going through multiple mid-season trades in 2018-19, it became clear Philadelphia wasn’t quite on the same page. This season, the goal is to get familiarized early in the process.
Every starter made special mention of defense at some point. Simmons wants to be the best defender on the roster. He said Defensive Player of the Year is the only individual accolade that matters. He wants to lock in and elevate an elite defense.
Richardson is comfortable guarding point guards, a task he received on occasion in Miami. He’s known for his lateral quickness and tenacity at the point of attack, so it’s a natural fit. He will ‘put a bandaid‘ on the Sixers’ poor guard defense of years past.
Embiid is a given. A top defensive center and a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Embiid will still anchor Philadelphia on that end, providing an all-catching backstop at the rim. He eats space and deters shots in a manner very few centers can.
The Sixers have the makeup of a top-flight defensive team. It’s clear everyone on the roster recognizes that potential.