Philadelphia 76ers: Best Sixers lineups in crucial game scenarios
By Uriah Young
Scenario 3: Sixers down by three in the final quarter (10 seconds left with possession)
Best Sixers lineup: Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, Furkan Korkmaz, Shake Milton, Derrick Walton Jr.
No Embiid this time. Although he is a decent 3-point shooter for his size, the deficit will only be eliminated by the shooting touch of scorers on the roster who are primed for a quick shot from beyond the arc.
No question, Seth Curry is your go-to guy. The question of who inbounds the ball comes into play, and what to do should Curry be double teamed on the inbound pass? As seen against Portland early last season, Furkan Korkmaz was the recipient of a pass where he nailed a game-winning 3-pointer. Should he inbound the pass, the defense must account for his movement following his pass. That could prevent the inbounds defender from lagging off or helping defend Curry.
For those who argue that Simmons must be the inbounder, you need to understand the time left on the clock. With so much time to run a quick play, Simmons makes it easy for defenses to double team the other Sixers scorers, and he is a zero option for even taking a shot needed to tie the game.
Milton can hit the three with confidence, and Derrick Walton Jr. can knock down 3-pointers with a career average of 41 percent. Tobias Harris gives you the option to run a quick pick-and-roll and is the tallest player on the court. He may be the best option after Curry to receive the pass, and Harris could have the option to pass back to the inbounder, Korkmaz, should the defense be overly concerned about Curry.
In the end, this lineup has the best shooters on the floor that give the Sixers a chance to tie.