One of the driving forces behind the 76ers’ decision to modify their defense this off-season was to become better equipped at dealing with an issue that surfaced during last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals.
And sure enough, as was steadily the case in that second-round series with the Boston Celtics, the Sixers again in Tuesday’s opener saw a solid dose of 5-out offensive looks from the Cs.
Sticking to basic X-and-O talk, a 5-out offense is designed to generate spacing, and a good amount of it. The formation is at its most dangerous when, you guessed it, five capable, difficult-to-guard shooting threats are spread out across the floor.
Take, for instance, this first-quarter Celtics possession from Tuesday’s 105-87 loss.
From the left to right corner, Jayson Tatum (42.9% career 3-point shooter), Gordon Hayward (36.8%), Kyrie Irving (38.7%), Al Horford (37.0%), and Jaylen Brown (37.8%) are stationed either above or just below the arc.
You can see how this configuration affects the Sixers’ defense. Everyone is pulled out towards the perimeter.
Throughout training camp and the preseason, Brett Brown talked about the importance of coming up with 5-out counters. He and his staff subsequently determined that, for the sake of long-term effectiveness, making the Sixers’ defense more switchable was necessary.
That’s why, in the sequence above, big man Joel Embiid finds himself covering the shifty, slashy swingman Tatum, who, by the way, can stroke it, too.
That’s precisely what the 2018 Rookie of the Year runner up proceeded to do here.
While the Sixers might not have gotten the stop they were looking for on this specific play, or some of the other 5-out actions Boston ran in Tuesday’s contest, Brown left TD Garden with a glass-half-full outlook. He favors the long view.
The Sixers also didn't want to get caught in any pick-and-pop traps involving Horford, another theme from last year's playoffs.
More than anything, though, the Celtics are talented. And more than that, 5-out fits their talent. And even more than that, the Cs are deep.
“They’re really hard to guard,” said Brown. “I think they have are playmakers, shot takers. They score the ball, and so most of the schemes you end up challenged a little bit.”
Embiid felt the Sixers did “ok” on defense, given the circumstances. Rolling out new wrinkles on opening night, on the road, against a high-caliber opponent is no enviable task.
One game in, Ben Simmons already thinks he knows where the defense can improve right away, starting Thursday at home versus the Chicago Bulls.
The best part about the season now being here? The games come quick, and Simmons and the Sixers won’t have to wait long to put words in to practice.