As if it’s an annual tradition, the Philadelphia 76ers still have one of the least productive second units in the league. Their bench is still among the lowest scoring ones in the league, averaging just 33.2 points per game in their first 31 games of the season — good for a meager 23rd among all teams. However, it is baffling how bench scoring remains such a huge issue for this ball club.
To punctuate just how unproductive their bench has been, the 76ers second unit is less than three points away from being the second-lowest scoring one in the NBA. You would think that having both Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain come off the bench would make scoring much easier, but that has not been the case at all.
The 76ers already have some problems they have to iron out and resolve in the starting unit, so having to deal with such an unreliable second unit is definitely not helping them in the slightest. But given this dynamic, the coaching staff should already be starting to acknowledge that changes have to be made in the rotation sooner than later.
The 76ers have a big issue with their rotation which affects both the starting and second units
Given that Grimes has immensely struggled as of late and McCain has yet to find his consistent groove, the 76ers will most certainly hit two birds with one stone if they relegate one of their prolific shot creators in the opening lineup to the bench.
Now, figuring out who that player is will require a heated deliberation, but generally speaking, the 76ers should greatly benefit from toning things down in the starting lineup and establishing a firmer pecking order while arming the second unit with another potent scorer to help it become a more productive fivesome.
Tyrese Maxe and Joel Embiid will always be starters for this team, but one of Paul George and VJ Edgecombe could take a “backseat” by realigning their roles to be a more featured option off the bench. Now, that is a tough sell for someone like Nick Nurse, who has always preferred having his five best players open games no matter the wonky fit, but it has to be done if the 76ers want to strike a better balance between their first and second groups.
The 76ers are not in any way on the verge of disaster, but it is becoming more apparent with each passing game that their current rotation needs a drastic change in dynamic. Hopefully, the coaching staff will see this and adjust accordingly.