Three Normal Things: Sixers Vs. Clippers
Three Normal Things
Adam Aaronson, whose legal name is Sixers Adam (@SixersAdam on Twitter), covers the Sixers for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez. He has been legally banned from covering the team in person, and when that ban was set to be lifted, Covid-19 struck. He believes cantaloupe is the best food in existence, and is brought to you by the Official Realtor of The Process, Adam Ksebe.
Welcome to Three Normal Things, where nobody gets ruled out.
#1: The Sixers can’t find a full-strength opponent
One of the easiest barometers with which one can measure the quality of a contender is how they perform against other leading teams in the league. Unfortunately, that measuring stick is nonexistent for the Sixers, who followed up a game against a Nets team sitting James Harden and Kevin Durant by facing the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard.
Due to the condensed nature of this season’s schedule, particularly in the second half of the season, this is becoming the norm across the league. It feels like every time you turn on a nationally-televised game, at least one high-profile player is sidelined.
Looking up and down the Sixers schedule, their only true tests against contenders have been their two games against the Utah Jazz -- which they split, 1-1 -- and their home contest against the Lakers on the night of Tobias Harris’ game-winner.
Unfortunately, this is a trend that will likely continue for the remainder of the regular season.
#2: A delightful, unusual half
The Sixers got off to a red-hot start tonight, opening the game on a 17-3 run and then maintaining a lead in the double-digits throughout the entire first half. But there was something deeper that is worth noting.
The Sixers rank 27th in the NBA in three-point attempts per game, averaging 29.7 shots from beyond the arc. Tonight, they shot 29 triples in the first half alone.
Among the notables were Mike Scott (eight first-half attempts), Danny Green (seven) and Furkan Korkmaz (five).
To get up that many threes -- many of them good looks -- is extremely impressive, especially without Seth Curry. This is the identity the Sixers should be focused on adopting as an offense -- Joel, then Ben, then a barrage of three-point attempts.
#3: Mike Scott continues to lose grip of his rotation spot
While Scott’s three-point volume was great tonight, his efficiency was far from it. Additionally, he had a rough night defensively and was frequently in foul trouble.
Scott has had his moments as a Sixer, but it seems beyond clear that he is not going to help this team anytime soon. With Tolliver in town on a temporary basis and a roster spot open for a full-season contract, you’ll be hard-pressed to find something the Sixers need on their bench more than a stretch big-man who can play the four and perhaps a bit of five as well. Scott just is not that guy.