Due to unfortunate circumstances, the Philadelphia 76ers have played most of this season with a limited roster. Because of this, Doc Rivers has been forced to roll out a plethora of different starting lineups. Monday's matchup against the Orlando Magic was the first time in close to a month the Sixers had their full rotation active.
Even with the team back at full strength, Rivers continues to tinker with his starting lineup. On Saturday, he ran Matisse Thybulle with starters but went back to Danny Green against Orlando.
Part of why Green has come off the bench is to limit his minutes, but it is not the only reason. During his pregame media availability Monday, Rivers hinted at his starting lineup being more fluid moving forward.
“We're going to do a lot of things. As I said before the year, I think this is a starting lineup that will change a lot, at least in those positions,” Rivers said.
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Based on these comments, it looks like who the Sixers' fifth starter is might become matchup-based. Rivers later touched on the element each player brings when they inserted in the starting lineup.
“Danny [Green] does what he does, whether he starts or comes off the bench. When he starts, he provides spacing, shooting, defense. When Matisse [Thybulle] starts, it's more of the defense. I thought the other night, starting Matisse was a great example. Looked great, but then they trapped Joel [Embiid] every time, and we had one less guy. You can go either way with it,” Rivers said pregame.
Both players have a strong case as to why they should be in the starting lineup on a nightly basis. Green's veteran presence has been an underrated part of that unit's success since his arrival, while Thybulle's all-world defense helps fill the void left by Ben Simmons.
Keeping the lineup fluid might feel like the best route now, but promoting Thybulle might be the best decision long term. Even with his offensive limits, having him on the floor as a disruptor on the perimeter will be a necessity down the line.
Green has made a career off being an above-average wing defender, but age has taken a toll. He is still a positive on that end of the floor but is not best suited as a primary defender. If the Sixers want to make a deep run in the playoffs, they will need Thybulle to play big minutes and lock up any opposing perimeter threat they might face.
The issues on offense need to be addressed if a change like this is going to work, and now is the time to find a solution. Contenders constantly use the regular season to experiment with different looks and schemes. Rivers should consider doing the same to find ways for Thybulle to be effective with the starting unit.
Still in the early stages of the regular season, Rivers has time to work with his lineups and rotations. Based on his comments Monday, tweaks in the lineup might become a regular occurrence moving forward.
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