2. Al Horford to the bench
This is a biggie — something we’ve speculated on for months, but wasn’t confirmed until recently. The Sixers will use Al Horford as the backup center to Joel Embiid. And while he’s bound to see some minutes at power forward, this marks a significant change in Horford’s role.
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First and foremost, the Sixers should eliminate all Embiid-Horford-Simmons lineups. It’s a faulty concoction — it does not work. Embiid-Simmons lineups are deadly. Even Embiid-Horford lineups can survive. But all three on the court at the same time is mediocre at best, and disastrous at worst.
Brett Brown will need to get creative with Horford’s minutes in order to make the most of an imperfect situation. The Sixers’ commitment to more pick-and-rolls is a positive. Horford is a dynamic pick-and-roll weapon, which Philadelphia hasn’t yet tapped into during his tenure. He can comfortably roam the paint in the minutes Embiid sits.
If the Sixers manage to play Embiid 38 minutes a night in the postseason, that leaves only 10 minutes at center for Horford. He will spend the rest of his evenings playing next to Embiid — ideally in lineups not involving Simmons. That puts his minutes around 15-20 per night, assuming he plays all the non-Embiid minutes and all the non-Simmons minutes.
Horford can still produce, and it’s clear the Sixers are gearing up to use lineups more conducive to Horford’s success. It will unfortunately come in a greatly reduced role. It’s no longer feasible for the Sixers to milk a successful 30 minutes out of Horford each night. Even if he’s healthier than before, he’s the ultimate example of the square peg in a round hole metaphor.