The Philadelphia 76ers have been dominant to start the 2023-24 season after the James Harden saga finally ended. Joel Embiid is currently leading the MVP race in most voters' eyes with averages of 35.0 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, while Tyrese Maxey has been phenomenal and could be the Most Improved Player.
The star duo will be a lethal force as long as they stay healthy, but there will still be some bumps on the road ahead. Newly hired head coach Nick Nurse has utilized guys like Nicolas Batum and Robert Covington in fantastic roles, but there will still be situations throughout the year when Nurse may need to alter his rotation, especially in the postseason. The usual names will receive a substantial amount of minutes, but there is one name who will likely receive a dip in minutes as the season progresses.
Why Sixers' Patrick Beverley should play less
Looking at the minutes played for Philadelphia's key cogs, Nick Nurse has done an excellent job balancing the minutes of his troops. The freak off-court accident suffered by Kelly Oubre Jr. has been the only bump in the road for the Sixers, and he is expected to still be a vital piece of the championship puzzle. Thus, going down the list of Philadelphia, the individual who stands out is Patrick Beverley, who plays 17.2 minutes a night.
Beverley is usually the reliever of Tyrese Maxey, but there are still instances when they play together on the floor. The problem with using Beverley on a frequent basis is his weaknesses will continuously be exposed. Looking at it in the regular season, there is not any glaring problem yet with his consistent playing time, but it will be more of an issue in the postseason.
With the Harden trade, the Sixers are heavily reliant on the playmaking prowess of Maxey, which is a difficult approach to sustain when they are in a seven-game series against other Eastern Conference powerhouses. Philadelphia's backup point guard must be an athlete who is more of a floor general and shot creator rather than a pest.
Beverley has created his own niche with every organization he has been with, but his minutes must plummet if this franchise has any aspirations of winning a championship. The percolating issue is that the Sixers do not have another adequate playmaker who will eat Beverley's minutes, so that must be a priority for them heading into the trade deadline.
De'Anthony Melton is the only other reliable secondary playmaker for Philadelphia, so they will need one or two more ball handlers before April. Yes, Sixers fans might be adamant with their case that they have Embiid as another top playmaking option because of his 6.0 assists per game this season, but it has been proven that he struggles in the playoffs when he is not given the ball in precise areas where he can operate consistently.
Beverley can still earn some playing time under Nurse, but it must be decreased because the size factor is also a problem. Playing both Maxey and Beverley against the backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White does not seem like a brilliant strategy to execute in a best-of-seven series.
With the season still early, Nurse can still maneuver through a plethora of combinations, but Philadelphia must seriously consider lessening Patrick Beverley's minutes at some point.
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