5 takeaways from the Philadelphia 76ers’ shorthanded games

Sixers takeaway #2: The other rookies showed promise but still have to earn their minutes

While Maxey exploded out of the gates, the other rookies have had their ups and downs. Isaiah Joe was viewed as one of the best shooters in this draft and has not been afraid to showcase his stroke. Joe is in the 90th percentile of 3-pointers attempted per 100 possessions and has hit 33 percent of his 3s, which should go up over time. Still, the rookie needs to round out his on-ball skills and defense to earn more minutes.

Dakota Mathias has been reliable but has not shown any high-level potential. While he does not make many mistakes and usually makes the right play, Mathias can disappear from games for long stretches. Finding more ways to consistently make an impact would help his spot in the rotation.

Paul Reed has not played as much during this stretch but has shown impressive energy and offensive rebounding ability. Reed is much more of a long-term project with his limited offensive skill but he still managed to show some flashes.

Sixers takeaway #3: Danny Green is the perfect role player but terrible at anything more

It is not a coincidence that Green had his worst two games of the season against Denver and Atlanta, two games that Green’s offensive creation was needed. Green promptly had his best game of the season, his record-tying nine 3-pointer performance against Miami, just as Ben Simmons returned from injury to run the offense.

Clearly, when Green is one of the better offensive players on the team, he struggles mightily. When the veteran can slide into a more natural role, he thrives. Going forward, Green’s minutes should always coincide with the Sixers’ top offensive players, allowing Green to focus on spot-up shooting and defense.