3 areas of strength for Sixers heading into the 2022-23 season
The 2022-23 season in the NBA is quickly approaching, and that means it’s time to start previewing the upcoming season for the Philadelphia 76ers as they continue their quest for a title.
The Sixers had a busy and productive offseason addressing their issues by bringing in tough-minded players who improve their depth. PJ Tucker, De’Anthony Melton and Danuel House Jr. will contribute and give the Sixers some help around their star duo of James Harden and Joel Embiid.
On top of that, they have a rising star in Tyrese Maxey and they still have the reliable Tobias Harris as a No. 4 option on this team. On paper, they have one of the strongest rosters in the Eastern Conference.
Heading into the season, here are three areas of strength for the Sixers:
Pick-and-roll game
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The pick-and-roll game on the offensive end of the floor between Embiid and Harden should be one of the best in the league. Between Embiid’s offensive dominance and Harden’s brilliant playmaking, the Sixers should have success scoring at a high rate. Per Cleaning the Glass, the duo scored 124.1 points per 100 possessions, which is in the 99th percentile in the league. The duo is impressive and now they have more shooters to kick out to should they get doubled.
Depth
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The Sixers went out and addressed their depth issue as they continued to move forward in the East. The additions of Tucker, House Jr., and Melton will go a long way in helping them conquer a tougher-than-usual Eastern Conference and they all bring what the Sixers have been in need of: toughness and shooting.
A third star
AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Maxey is quickly morphing into the third star the Sixers need to compete in this league. He continues to grow as a player and morph into a knock-down 3-point shooter that is deadly when playing next to Harden and Embiid.
As the staff over at HoopsHype puts it:
Where would the Sixers be right now had they not struck gold drafting Maxey? Not much is often expected with a 21st overall selection, but the Sixers wouldn’t be considered legitimate contenders without him. With so few pieces of “The Process” remaining, getting Maxey helps make up for a lot of their lost upside.
The best part about this for the Sixers is he can still get better. He is still so young and there are different parts of his game that he can still improve upon. Philadelphia is in a good spot at the moment as they move forward.
