Doc Rivers wants one Sixers starter on the floor at all times with bench unit
The Philadelphia 76ers are still working through all the kinks while still waiting to really get healthy. They have a lot of their main players back, but they have not had Mike Scott since their Jan. 14 matchup with the Miami Heat.
Scott is a key member of their bench as a player who provides a stretch 4 ability while also being able to give a boost of energy when the time comes. Due to not having Scott, coach Doc Rivers has had to get creative with his lineups.
There have been quite a few moments where he will have Tobias Harris or Ben Simmons run with four other bench players. Due to not having Scott, he has to stretch their minutes.
It’s just so tough right now without having another 4 and we either got to stretch Ben’s minutes or Tobias’ minutes every night,” said Rivers. “I don’t love it, honestly, but it’s what we have to do until we get some reinforcements.”
It’s not just Harris or Simmons either. Rivers would like to have one of the starters out there at all times until they can become a full team again. Harris is really the only guy on the roster who can play power forward at the moment.
“I like any one of the three, Joel, Tobias, and Ben on the floor at all times,” Rivers added. “I don’t like how we’re doing it right now, because we’re extending either one of their minutes every night, I don’t like that. But without a 4, we literally have no choice in doing it.”
For Harris, he likes being out there with the second unit and being a bit of a leader. He is the one the team leans on in those moments and he can do other things for guys like Shake Milton or Dwight Howard in order to help the offense go smoothly.
“Out there, there’s a lot of shooters,” Harris explained. “Being able to create some different plays with different matchups. Shake is out there with us so him being able to come off pick-and-roll. At certain times, I might be able to space the floor for him to come off there. I use that as an opportunity to be aggressive, but also play free out there with everybody else and just make a run.”
Harris is putting up a terrific season so having him out there is a big difference for their lineups. Obviously, not just Harris, but any of the starters. This is how they have to do things until Scott can return. Having to go with those lineups does have its obvious challenges, however.
“If you played a right team, a bigger team, that’s really difficult,” Rivers added. “I do like one of those three on the floor at all times, think it’s good for us, but we’re deep enough not to. Most games I’ll have one of them on the floor.”
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
