The Philadelphia 76ers have a 2-0 series lead over the Washington Wizards and are firmly in the driver’s seat. While the Wizards have enough transition firepower to make games competitive in D.C., the Sixers outclass them across the board. This should not be a long series.
That said, there are still lessons to be learned as Philadelphia gears up for a two-game road trip. Here’s what we can take away from the Sixers’ successful home stint.
Sixers lessons learned: The Wizards are too small
Washington’s defense is virtually incapable of contending with Philadelphia’s core pieces. This series does not come down to offensive firepower, which the Wizards can certainly muster. It comes down to tempo. If the Sixers are controlling the tempo and keeping Washington in the halfcourt, then it’s game over.
A big reason why is the Wizards’ defense, which cannot contain a patient, well-oiled Sixers offense. They simply lack the size. Tobias Harris can hunt mismatches all day long. Ben Simmons can muscle right through Russell Westbrook or Bradley Beal. Joel Embiid is faced with double teams, but those double teams rarely feature enough length and activity to bother him. It’s an unfair fight.
The Sixers have hung their hats on size for a while now, for better and worse. This series is a prime example of size playing in their favor. The Wizards are too small in the backcourt and have no real options behind Raul Neto and Ish Smith, which makes adjustments a futile idea. The Wizards are built to run, but when the Sixers prevent them from doing so, it’s game over.
Harris picked apart the Wizards offense to the tune of 37 points in Game 1. In Game 2, it was Ben Simmons who dropped 22 points on 15 shots in 28 minutes. The Sixers are too big and too physical for this team. Period.
Sixers lessons learned: The Fresh Prince reigns
Look, Ben Simmons is really good at basketball. In the spirit of Doc Rivers, it is my opinion that people should focus on the good, of which there is a lot, rather than get caught up in the bad, of which there is very little. More often than not, Simmons contributes to winning in a manner very few basketball players can. He is the soul of Philadelphia’s defense and the ignition that sparks Philadelphia’s offense.
In Game 1, Simmons posted 15 rebounds and 15 assists while playing essential defense on Bradley Beal. In Game 2, he filled a similarly important role on defense while turning up his aggression as a scorer, posting 22 points, nine boards, and eight dimes.
Simmons has the size and muscle to overwhelm Washington’s defense (as stated in the previous slide). It’s really not a competition. For the Sixers to get two strong performances out of Simmons in the postseason, however, is a forceful reminder that he can impact winning on the biggest stage. The Wizards are not a prime opponent by any stretch, but it’s clear the Sixers will need Simmons — and can rely on him.
When it comes to Simmons, there is very little reason for harsh criticism or overt panic after Games 1 and 2. He cannot and will not shoot, and that is never going to be ideal, but it’s such a small faction of his overall skill set. He can still generate open 3s for teammates at Luka Doncic levels, while his Defensive Player of the Year candidacy will be put to the test all postseason long.
Sixers lessons learned: Bradley Beal can cook
If there is one player who should register any level of concern in Doc Rivers’ head, it is Bradley Beal. The dude can cook. There’s a reason he averaged 31.3 points in the regular season. Not because he was chucking on a bad team. Not because the Wizards’ supporting cast is alarmingly understaffed. It’s because he’s one of the most gifted scorers in the game of basketball.
The Sixers have thrown countless looks at Beal, most of which involve either Ben Simmons or Matisse Thybulle — who are, as some might argue, the two most individually impactful perimeter defenders on planet earth. It has mattered very little for long stretches of this series. Beal has scored 33 in both games.
Luckily for the Sixers, Beal can cook without it causing large-scale issues for the defense. When the Wizards are contained to the halfcourt, Beal is the only real weapon. If he scores 33 while Westbrook combusts and the rest of the offense is a big goose-egg, then Philadelphia can sleep peacefully at night.
With poor shooters all around and Westbrook sucking up an uncomfortable amount of oxygen, it’s Beal who can truly unlock Washington’s offense. The Sixers have done a good job allowing him to get his without triggering production elsewhere on the Wizards’ roster. Westbrook has been a non-factor two games in, while Washington’s other elite shooter — Davis Bertans — just fouled out of Game 2 with a crisp zero points on the scoreboard.
Beal can cook, and it matters not.
Sixers lessons learned: The rotations haven’t really changed
Doc Rivers has stuck to his guns in the first round, comfortably digging 10 (or, technically, 11) deep into his rotation. While this is not unexpected, it is somewhat surprising that Rivers’ rotations remain virtually unchanged from the regular season.
As expected, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are stuck at the hip in most lineup combinations, while Tobias Harris has been tabbed to lead bench units. Slightly less expected, but again not surprising, has been the all-bench lineups, which continue to play a significant role in Rivers’ gameplan.
The results thus far in the Wizards series have been mixed, leaning towards negative. The all-bench group was a rallying force for Washington in Game 2, but it also buried them late (more on that in a second). The Sixers can get away with half-measures in the first round. The Wizards are not a very good team. When the competition stiffens in the future, however, Rivers will need to look long and hard in the mirror.
Fewer all-bench lineups will be a benefit once the stakes are higher. Rarely do the Sixers win all-bench minutes. Keep at least one of Embiid, Simmons, or Harris on the floor at all times — it is not difficult, and represents standard operating procedure for most teams with multiple All-Stars.
Also, Matisse Thybulle has not eclipsed the 20-minute mark yet this series. While Game 2 went to garbage time as soon as the fourth quarter struck, it is still notable that Philadelphia’s most disruptive defender — five blocks, four steals in 19:55 on Wednesday — still inhabits such a limited role.
As for Tyrese Maxey…
Sixers lessons learned: It’s Maxey time
Tyrese Maxey’s single-season trajectory is remarkable and speaks to his work ethic. The Sixers’ rookie has gone from borderline unplayable to a postseason-caliber player in a few months’ time. He clearly studies film, which has led to marked improvement on defense. He also listens to advice, which has led to a higher 3-point volume and more determined drives to the cup.
On the whole, Maxey is a very strong young player who deserves playing time — right freakin’ now. The Sixers’ second unit put Washington to bed in the fourth quarter because Maxey was on the floor. Rivers has not yet inserted Maxey into the proper 10-man rotation, but he played the second half over Furkan Korkmaz in Game 1, then supplanted Shake Milton in Game 2. A trend is developing.
At some point, if Maxey continues to produce — 10 points, three blocks in 13 minutes of action in Game 2 — he will have to get real, meaningful minutes. Rivers continues to express confidence in the rookie and Shake Milton can only kill so many possessions. Maxey’s speed and dribble penetration are a weapon no one else on the roster can replicate. The Wizards, who are notoriously fast, cannot stay in front of him. No defense has been able to consistently keep him out of the paint this season.
Maxey provides more upside and, at this point, probably a higher floor than Shake Milton. While Milton started last postseason and dropped 39 points on Doc’s own Clippers last regular season, it is clear the third-year guard is not the same player. We can speculate on the reasons why another time, but for now, Maxey’s light continues to shine brighter.
It’s time for Doc to make a change — to shake up the rotation and maxeymize the second unit. Yes, yes, I know, great puns.