3. Bully ball
Even with Al Horford on the bench, Philadelphia is a big team. The Sixers can overpower the NBA’s most physical teams on a good night, and the Pacers present a prime opportunity for Philadelphia to wield its bludgeoning power in the paint.
Domantas Sabonis will miss the remainder of the season to injury, which means Indiana has shifted to a much smaller starting five. In scrimmages, T.J. Warren moved to power forward, while Aaron Holiday joined Victor Oladipo and Malcolm Brogdon in the backcourt.
The Sixers’ smallest player is Josh Richardson, who is listed at 6-foot-5, 200 pounds. His wingspan is 6-foot-10. Shake Milton is 6-foot-5, 207 pounds, and has a 7-foot-1 wingspan. On the other hand, Aaron Holiday is listed at 6-foot-0 and 185 pounds. That alone is a matchup advantage.
Inside, the Pacers will need Myles Turner to battle Joel Embiid. While Turner is a very respectable rim protector — and on his best night, a borderline All-Defense candidate — his frame pales in comparison to Embiid, who is taller, broader, and flat-out strong. He’s a matchup Embiid can exploit in isolation, especially without another big body to help inside.
Elsewhere, the Pacers will need Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. Warren to handle Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris. While Brogdon’s 229-pound frame certainly has some girth, that’s not an ideal scenario for Indiana. Neither will be able to match Simmons athletically, especially when he receives the ball on the elbow or in the post.
The Sixers have the size advantage in a very big way. Use it.