As if clockwork, the 76ers once again have a problem when it comes to their second unit. Right now, Philadelphia deploys the lowest-scoring bench in the league, which definitely rings a familiar tune for the franchise. Be that as it may, unlike in recent years, this issue is not something that should ring the panic alarm. After all, that group is meant to fulfill a much different role for the squad this season.
To cut to the chase, the front office did not form the bench unit the 76ers currently have in order to add to their scoring galore. The team has five All-Star-caliber players in their starting five, and unlike before, the main job of their second unit players is to complement the starters and not necessarily to turn in high-scoring nights. Aside from Anfernee Simons, Philly largely has complementary players off the bench whose main contribution is in the non-scoring departments.
The 76ers have the lowest-scoring bench but there is no need to panic
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a battle-tested and proven three-and-D wing whom the coaching staff can plug into various lineup configurations. Dean Wade is of the same ilk as a defensive-minded big man who can play all frontcourt positions and guard different players. Their cast of backup big men consists of players who are not known for their scoring.
When fully healthy, the 76ers have resorted to staggering the minutes of their starters in order to have two or three of them technically carry the scoring load on the "second unit". Simons is the lone source of reliable scoring beyond their starting five, and while that seems to be a dicey strategy, it simply makes a lot of sense given how this squad is constructed.
Philly already has a boatload of scorers and a lot of mouths to feed on offense. To fully optimize the abundance of scoring talent on the roster, it is only proper to spread the wealth when it comes to formulating lineups, especially since Nick Nurse and his crew have resorted to starting their five best players all at once.
As such, while it is not ideal to see the 76ers have the least productive second unit on paper, their low scoring output is simply a byproduct of the coaches' balancing act with regard to their star-studded opening lineup. The bench can still be a major component in the other departments, especially on defense and intangibles.
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