PHILADELPHIA — Nick Nurse decided to shake up the Philadelphia 76ers' starting lineup against the Charlotte Hornets, elevating Kyle Lowry and Mo Bamba. The Sixers ended up winning the game but the results from the new starting five were mixed.

Lowry finished with 15 points, 10 assists and six rebounds on 5-9 shooting. His impact was felt all over this game, particularly in the fourth quarter, in which he played all 12 minutes. Bamba tallied eight rebounds, two blocks and two points on 1-4 shooting in 20 minutes. He started off strongly but his impact cratered as the game went on, playing six minutes in the third quarter and none in the fourth.

Nurse said that swapping Bamba and Paul Reed was a way to match up better with the Hornets, who had just one healthy center (starter Nick Richards) and a bench with smaller, bulkier forwards who play center, namely Grant Williams. Moving the taller Bamba to the starting lineup so that the more nimble Reed could play against quicker, smaller players made sense. It also gave the starting five a shooter at the center spot, which had the potential to open up the middle of the floor for the 76ers' guards.

The decision to start Lowry, Nurse explained, was not just about seeing what he could do with the starters but also about what Kelly Oubre Jr., whose spot he took, looked in a different role. Nurse said that he wanted to “try to invigorate Kelly off the bench” but he ended up missing the game due to right shoulder soreness.

Nurse said that he is “mediumly strongly” considering Lowry for a more permanent starting role. One big upside that provides is that it allows Tyrese Maxey to be used off the ball more. Having a great playmaker like Lowry should make Maxey's lead role much easier.

“I think that they were very concentrated on double-teaming him in the pick-and-roll,” Nurse said about Maxey. “So usually, we're gonna try to get him off the ball. They were even coming on some double teams on some of the pin-down screening actions for him, too.” Those plays may not always end up with Maxey scoring but they do open up progressions to get it to another teammate who comes open. 

For Tobias Harris, a self-described “structure guy,” having someone like Lowry who can set the offense really well goes a long way. His 31-point performance serves as further proof of how Lowry helps his teammates. His nose for the ball and relentless hustle certainly boost the 76ers, too.

“Man, you see some of those plays he made at the end of the game. Those are the plays when he's on the other team that you hate the guy for,” Harris said. “But those are winning-basketball-type plays. He was so great for us in just calming the group down from time to time, getting to the set that we wanted and making sure we were organized and that's huge for us.”

The decision to elevate Lowry was a rousing success. The move to elevate Bamba paid off, though it mostly came from what his backup did.

Reed played 24 minutes, including a massive chunk of the fourth quarter, and recorded 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks on 5-6 shooting. He was informed of the lineup change before the day of the game, making him prepared. It also gave him extra motivation to play well.

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“I knew I had to go out there and play hard. I feel like that's what the team needed from me,” Reed said. “I'm the type of guy who, of course, I'm gonna have a chip on my shoulder after they demote me like that. But at the end of the day, I gotta be a supportive teammate. At the end of the day, it's about the team. So whatever the team has to do the win then I'm all in for it.”

One of the areas Reed shined in was playmaking. His ability to find cutters is critical, especially at the end of the shot clock. His bounce pass in between defenders to Maxey on a slot cut was perhaps the finest play of his performance.

“You gotta add a little zip to it. You gotta add a little finesse to it,” Reed said of making passes in tight windows. He pointed to LeBron James and former teammate James Harden as guys who he tries to learn from as a passer.

The 76ers have some decisions to make with their lineup, though it would also behoove them to get another center to step in when Reed and/or Bamba have bad nights. It will take the best lineup combinations to withstand Joel Embiid's absence.