The Philadelphia 76ers are looking very good after winning both games of the two-game series in blowout fashions against the Atlanta Hawks. One thing that has come as a result of those games is that the Sixers are going to embrace a smaller bench unit moving forward.
Per Jason Frank of The Step Back, head coach Doc Rivers has indicated that when the team is healthy, the 76ers will embrace a small all bench unit that will include:
- George Hill: 6-foot-4
- Shake Milton: 6-foot-5
- Matisse Thybulle: 6-foot-5
- Furkan Korkmaz: 6-foot-7
- Dwight Howard: 6-foot-10
Can the Sixers’ wings in Thybulle and Korkmaz defend opposing power forwards?
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Not a particularly big lineup especially at the forward positions with Thybulle and Korkmaz. Both have had good seasons, however, can they continue doing so defending bigger players.
Let’s be clear, the all bench lineup that Rivers turn to doesn’t appear too much during the course of the game. Usually, Tobias Harris or Ben Simmons is also on the court with so this won’t be an issue. However, there will be times that Thybulle and/or Korkmaz will have to guard up a position.
Thybulle is the best equipped to do so with his 7-foot wingspan, per NBAdraft.net. Even showing positive signs of doing so against the undermanned Hawks team. However, he’s best at containing the opposing team’s best perimeter player, so having him do this on a regular basis would be a poor use of his skills.
Unless the lineup that Philly’s small-ball unit will go against has a prolific power forward, Korkmaz will probably be defending the opposing power forward. The positive is that he’s the second tallest player in that unit. His ability to move on defense would be more than capable to stay in front of power forward.
That being written, according to Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer, Korkmaz has about a 6-foot-7 wingspan. On top of that, he’s generally not great defensively. That’s not a great recipe for success but with Howard anchoring the paint it should work for a short stretch of the game.
This isn’t an ideal defensive lineup, but offensively it’s dangerous for the Sixers and it can be very potent in the right situation. Thybulle and Korkmaz have the skills and/or size to adequately defend opposing power forwards for short stretches of a game.