Subscribe
Follow Us
When the Philadelphia 76ers take the court in Minnesota this Friday, their lineup will look much different. After using the All-Star break as added time to rest and recover, James Harden is expected to make his debut for his new team.
Along with adding another All-Star into the mix, Harden's presence will give the Sixers some optionality when it comes to lineups. With an array of talent up and down the roster, Doc Rivers can use the coming weeks to experiment with different groups. That being said, here are three different lineup combinations he should consider rolling out.
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Sixers lineup experiments
1) Harden/Maxey/Thybulle/Harris/Embiid
Over the break, debates have arisen about what the Sixers' starting lineup should look like upon Harden's arrival. Some feel Danny Green should become the fifth starter, but from a two-way perspective, this is arguably the best five-man unit Rivers can roll out.
Given the scoring ability of the other four players, Thybulle's offensive shortcomings aren't as much of an issue. With Harden and Embiid shouldering the weight of the offense, Thybulle can stick to wreaking havoc on the perimeter with his elite-level defense. On the other end, all he has to do is take advantage of cutting lanes when defenses send help on one of the stars.
Come the playoffs, Thybulle will need to play extended minutes because of his defense. Figuring out how to utilize him best with this group will be essential in these final weeks of the regular season.
2) Harden/Green/Harris/Niang/Embiid
In the past, we have seen the Sixers be successful running a group of Embiid and four shooters. Adding Harden to the fray, spacing will be even more important. This grouping could allow the Sixers to open up the floor for the two-man game with Harden and Embiid while having capable outside shooting.
When the pair of All-Stars get in the pick-and-roll, defenses are likely going to collapse the floor. This should create open shots for whoever is out there with them. Given the passing ability of Embiid and Harden, the ball will find the open shooter.
Danny Green, Tobias Harris, and Georges Niang are all strong shooters off the catch and can make defenses pay when they are given room. Of course, any shooter on the Sixers' roster can be plugged into this lineup theoretically, but this pairing also can switch somewhat easily on the defensive end.
3) Harden/Green/Harris/Niang/Millsap
This lineup is fairly similar to the one above, but with one glaring difference. It still is unknown if Rivers plans to stagger his two stars, but if he does, this small-ball experimentation certainly is interesting.
Throughout the year, Rivers has brought up the idea of “small big lineups.” With the addition of Paul Millsap in the Harden trade, there is another forward on the roster to use in these types of lineups. Grouping these five players allows the Sixers to utilize small ball while maintaining size to help rebound and defend.
The weak points on defense are glaring, but the possibilities on offense are enticing. They could essentially play five-out and allow Harden to attack in isolation while being surrounded by shooting. He could also run a pick-and-pop with any of the three forwards to attack a mismatch.
Rivers has endless combinations he can roll out coming out of the break, but these are three he must consider.
