The Philadelphia 76ers fell to their first defeat of the season at the hands of the Boston Celtics, with the scoreline finishing 109-108 in favour of the away team. Again, it was on the defensive end of the floor that the Sixers struggled to improve their superiority. 76ers head coach Nick Nurse must find a solution to this problem if the franchise wishes to challenge at the higher echelons of the Eastern Conference, and Adem Bona could be the answer.
During the first two quarters of play, Boston cut through Philadelphia's defense like a hot knife through butter, as they recorded 68 points, and their opponent could not devise an effective solution to contain the offensive barrage.
A mixture of creative plays and absurd shot-making was a persistent thorn in the side of the Sixers, with only VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. showcasing any glimmer of resilience on the defensive end of the floor.
Nurse already stated that fielding franchise star Joel Embiid and Bona in the same lineup could be a possible solution to the defensive woes that Philadelphia suffered throughout the previous year. The athletic sophomore has shown during his sporadic cameo appearances so far that now could be the opportune moment for the head coach to enact this change.
Bona's defensive attributes could elevate the 76ers' performances
As Embiid continues his comeback from his devastating left knee injury, which has restricted his availability to feature over recent campaigns, he is slowly building his minutes in the rotation. Unfortunately for Bona, this has come at his expense. Although he has displayed that his length and athleticism need to be utilised more prominently to establish the Sixers' place amongst the NBA's elite teams.
Bona has recorded 16 minutes per game so far this season, but each minute has been filled with the usual energy and enthusiasm that Philadelphia fans have come to expect of him. The UCLA graduate has still managed to average an impressive 2.2 blocks during these appearances, with five of which coming in the 139-134 overtime triumph over the Washington Wizards.
The leading criticism levelled against Bona -- and an area that could be preventing Nurse from unleashing the dominant defender more frequently -- is his vulnerability to foul trouble. However, maturity may be trumping passion this season as the 22-year-old has only committed three fouls on one occasion this campaign, and that came in the opening night victory over Boston.
In addition, Bona is a reliable option who has little history as a player who is going to be on the injury table for long stretches of the season. Common sense would assume that the early stages of the season should be the perfect time for a head coach to experiment with lineups that have the potential to elevate his team's performances to another stratosphere.
Of course, playing Bona alongside Embiid would likely mean that Philadelphia would deprive itself of the high-octane offensive punch that has made them one of the most compelling teams to spectate during the 2025-26 NBA season so far. Nevertheless, substance over style has to be the priority when a franchise is in the midst of a championship window.
Nick Nurse teased a lineup with both Adem Bona and Joel Embiid when addressing reporters during the Philadelphia 76ers' training camp. This pairing may be the tactical tweak that cements the franchise as a championship contender -- especially given the scintillating level at which the Sixers' rising star Tyrese Maxey is playing.