Bench scoring has always been a huge problem for the Philadelphia 76ers. Since the 2021-22 season, the team had had a bottom-third second unit when it comes to scoring the basketball, so it is probably safe to say that it has been a longtime issue for the franchise. This is a byproduct of not having enough talent spread out beyond the starting five.
This year, however, the 76ers have more raw talent to, say, spread the wealth. However, that has not materialized into them having a more reliable bench, as their second unit is still the eighth-lowest scoring one in the league through 16 , they may have just unlocked something in their most recent loss to the Heat to finally abate that weakness.
Against Miami, the 76ers bench tallied 44 points as a collective, helping the team stay afloat against a high-scoring Heat squad. However, beyond the raw markers, the coaching staff may have just stumbled into an ideal mix of players to lead their bench unit moving forward.
The 76ers may have just stumbled into a solution to their bench woes
Trendon Watford led all bench players in scoring, finishing the game with 19 points to go along with nine rebounds and seven assists. His all-around game was on full display in such a high-paced affair, and the 76ers offense just looked much smoother with him on the floor. It was not much, but he was a team-high +5 against Miami.
The other side of the coin is Jared McCain, who finally broke out of his brutal slump against the Heat. He ended the game with a season-high 15 points built on draining five of his 11 shots and three of his four three-point attempts. He looked really comfortable operating with the ball in his hands for the most part with Quentin Grimes getting moved to the bench for the absent VJ Edgecombe.
Moving forward, this two-man dynamic between Watford and McCain could just be the spark this 76ers bench needs. So far, the second unit has been heavily reliant on Quentin Grimes some staggered setups headed by Tyrese Maxey or Edgecombe to be even functional — that just cannot be the norm moving forward.
Together, the troika of Grimes, Watford, and McCain has what it takes to give the 76ers a different flavor to the offense than the opening group. Those players can play at a higher pace, and their perimeter shooting should be at a higher volume. Hopefully, the coaching staff permanently revolves the way the bench operates around these three players.