Key second half stat for each Sixers player

With the second half of the NBA season underway, let’s take a look at one key stat to watch for each Philadelphia 76ers’ player going forward.

Sixers stat: Joel Embiid –1.17 points per possession in isolation attempts

Thankfully, Joel Embiid will only miss a few weeks with his knee injury, so this can focus on something basketball-related. Embiid has had an amazing season to this point, so there are many different directions to go with this.

Embiid is in the 91st percentile in isolation efficiency at 1.17 point per possession, basically the same as Kyrie Irving and James Harden. While Embiid does most of his work in the post, Embiid’s isolation scoring will be key to the Sixers’ postseason success. Opposing defenses will look to keep Embiid out of the post, so scoring efficiently from the perimeter is also important.

Sixers stat: Ben Simmons — 66.3% from the foul line

While 66% from the foul line may not seem great, Ben Simmons has continually improved his foul shooting. Simmons shot 56 percent his rookie season, 60 percent two seasons ago, and 62 percent last season. This steady increase is essential for Simmons’ success in the halfcourt offense. Ben’s confidence in his foul shot leads to more aggressive drives, which then leads to more drive-and-kick 3s for Sixers’ shooters. This subtle free throw improvement will go a long way towards a more efficient playoff offense.

Sixers stat: Tobias Harris — 58% from the field in the clutch

Tobias Harris is 14/24 from the field in the last five minutes of games within five points. Harris is viewed as the Sixers’ third star, but he is vitally important for the team in the clutch. Because Simmons is still improving his half-court scoring and it may be difficult to get Embiid the ball in the post at the end of the shot clock, late-game scoring situations may fall on Harris. Harris has the size and strength to get a decent shot off against most defenders, something that will be essential in the playoffs.

Sixers stat: Seth Curry — 5.5 threes attempted per 36 minutes

Seth Curry is 11th in the NBA in 3-point percentage among qualified players (43.6 percent) but is 115th in 3-pointers attempted per 36 minutes. For context, Curry is shooting 3s as often as Andre Igoudala and less often than Josh Richardson and Eric Bledsoe, all of whom are mediocre shooters. Curry needs to be more aggressive hunting for his shot, but Doc Rivers also needs to do a better job generating good looks for Curry.

Sixers stat: Danny Green — +0.03 DRPM

Defensive Real Plus-Minus (DRPM) is ESPN’s stat to measure the defensive impact of a player. For context, over +1 is very good, 0 is average, and less than -1 is bad. Danny Green rates as an average defender, which is about as expected. Green has been steadily declining in this metric over the past five seasons, trending from elite to just average. Offensively, Green has been the same player basically his entire career, but the defense is starting to take a hit.

Sixers stat: Shake Milton — 23.9% usage rate

Shake Milton has the second-highest usage rate on the team, behind only Embiid. Shake plays a significant portion of his minutes with bench units, so his usage should be high. Still, it is a bit surprising that a legitimate championship contender like the Sixers relies so heavily on Shake Milton. While Shake has shown off-the-dribble abilities, he is a knockdown off-ball shooter who should get some minutes next to the starters as the rotation shortens in the playoffs.

Sixers stat: Matisse Thybulle — 31.8% on catch and shoot threes

Matisse Thybulle has always been an amazing defender, but he has reached another level these past few games, locking down Bradley Beal and Zach Lavine. Thybulle’s defense will be essential in the playoffs, particularly against Brooklyn, but can he do enough offensively? Thybulle is only shooting 31.8 on catch-and-shoot 3s this season after shooting 37.4 percent last season. Defenses will not respect Thybulle if he is under 30 percent, so getting that number closer to last season will dictate whether or not Thybulle can stay on the floor in the playoffs. He has been hot as of late, a good sign going forward.

Sixers stat: Furkan Korkmaz — 37.5% on three pointers

Furkan Korkmaz has had a very up-and-down season, so 37.5 percent from three is actually pretty good. Still, because Korkmaz is a liability on defense, he really needs to be at or above 40 percent to offset his play on the defensive end. Korkmaz just lit up the Wizards and Spurs on 8-9 shooting from 3 combined, so hopefully, he can continue this hot stretch.

Sixers stat: Tyrese Maxey — 50.2% true shooting

Tyrese Maxey has mostly fallen out of the rotation, as Rivers has emphasized shooting over shot creation from his bench. True shooting percentage is basically a measure of how efficient a player is as a scorer, so it is very telling that Maxey is 186th out of 200 qualified players. Maxey has had some great moments as a rookie and has a very bright future, but he probably shouldn’t get time in the playoffs unless he can increase his efficiency.

Sixers stat: Dwight Howard — 6.6 fouls per 36 minutes

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Dwight Howard is second in the NBA in fouls per 36 minutes and is still fouling like crazy. The bright spot is that a significant amount of Dwight’s fouls come on the offensive glass or on non-shooting fouls, so he isn’t killing the defense. Coaches are typically okay with bench players using their fouls, but Dwight could be more under control. Otherwise, Dwight has had a nice season as the backup center, minus some unnecessary turnovers.

Sixers stat: Mike Scott — 37.9% on three-pointers

After a strange start to the season, Mike Scott is quietly up to 37.9 percent on 3s this season. If Scott can continue to shoot this well, the Sixers may not need to trade for a backup stretch four, although Scott’s defense has dropped off over the past few seasons. Still, it is encouraging to see Scott back in his normal role and playing well.