Despite managing to force a very tight affair that saw 25 lead changes and 14 deadlocks, the Philadelphia 76ers ultimately came up short in Game 2 against the New York Knicks. The game was close all night long, but the No. 2 seed in the East eventually pulled all the necessary stops to ward off their visitors late in the fourth quarter.
But although they lost, the 76ers are at least going to come out of this loss with something. After all, one gambit they made paid off for the most part –– that of reinserting Dominick Barlow into the rotation. The 22-year-old, who has seen very limited action in the playoffs, ended up closing the game for the team after playing nearly 16 minutes.
Barlow did not necessarily stuff the stat sheet, finishing the night with just six points, two rebounds, and two blocks. However, he did give Philly a different outlook on the defensive end. On multiple occasions, he basically tilted possession in favor of the 76ers thanks to his ability to be a mobile defender as a big man.
The 76ers might have found just something that works against the Knicks in Dominick Barlow
Barlow started in 59 of his 71 appearances for the 76ers during the regular season, but his playing time dwindled the moment the team made it to the playoffs. That is largely attributable to his lack of reliable scoring and presence in the perimeter, but with Joel Embiid out in Game 2 (and maybe more), Barlow will become crucial for the team anew.
Andre Drummond started as usual, but the 76ers initially went with Adem Bona to spell him off the bench. That, however, did not last long as Nick Nurse turned to Barlow, who imbued more defensive resistance for the team against a Knicks squad littered with creators from the perimeter. Barlow got switched onto their guards (even Jalen Brunson) multiple times and succeeded in getting a stop.
With Philly no longer running two-big lineups, Barlow should get an opportunity to be in the game as the lone big man if Embiid continues to be out. But having said that, even once the superstar makes his return, Barlow might have just made a compelling case to stay in the active rotation.
Against the Knicks' personnel, Barlow simply makes more sense to deploy than their other traditional big men, at least on the defensive end. As such, this is something which Nurse and his staff could adopt for the rest of the series in order to match up better against New York.
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