Sixers Mailbag: How Should the Sixers Prepare Themselves for the Playoffs?

Prior to their disheartening losses to the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, the Sixers were rolling, poised to overtake a conference rival for a Play-In seed. They're still working on getting back into this thing after the brutal 3-14 start, but they're winners of 10 of their last 15 games. So, it's a fine time to conduct the first-ever On Pattison Sixers mailbag.

The trend: eyes toward the playoffs.

True or false. Assuming everyone stays healthy and Daryl makes an addition at the trade deadline who play positive meaningful minutes in their playoff rotation, the 76ers can make it to the finals.

— okaycantor (@okaycantor) January 2, 2025

False. I don't conclude that based on what I think the Sixers are capable of. I just think saying "true" would be an insult to the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. All three times have something in common: they've built chemistry in the regular season. That the Sixers haven't had that luxury isn't necessarily a fault of their own. But, this possession against the Utah Jazz has stuck with me:

Now, can they clean up a play like that quickly? Yeah. But, it's microcosmic of a bigger issue: they don't have the experience together to know who they are in every character-challenging situation. They're going to play much better teams than the Jazz in the playoffs. There will be moments that threaten the foundation of everything they've built since the big three first started to log games together. They may have a good bit of time to build more and smoothen edges, the problem is that the teams they ostensibly compare themselves against - Boston, Cleveland and New York - will likely all have had more time to smoothen their own rough edges.

How many games do the 3 best players have to play together to make us feel comfortable that they could be a successful team in the play-offs?

— Lachham (@lachham.bsky.social) January 1, 2025 at 8:49 PM

I don't think there's an arbitrary number of games. What matters is how well the pieces fit together so that they can seamlessly overlay Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. They have the Embiid and Maxey part pretty well figured out. But, they've struggled to find ways to overlay George into the offense without one of the other two guys having to take a significant step backward in role for that particular game. 

You hope the distribution can be much more even, instead of, say, 30 points for Embiid, 27 points for Maxey and 12 for George. So, I don't know what the number of games needs to be. I think the golden question is how long do they need to establish an overlay where they're all clicking at the same time. Because where they are now - a heavy dose of Embiid controlling possessions, two-man game between him and Maxey and some George isolations and catch-and-shoot threes - is not going to be enough.

What seems most important in trades, a 4 to rebound and shoot, that can hold up ok defensively, or another playmaker to back up, play alongside, defend well enough and take pressure of maxey?

— Lachham (@lachham.bsky.social) January 1, 2025 at 8:52 PM

The revelation that Guerschon Yabusele has been completely eliminates the need for a legitimate stretch power forward, in my opinion. They have enough defensive versatility that I trust their depth at the four. 

I think it is, almost without question, another guard. I'll do you one better - I think they need a guard who upgrades the playmaking and can make catch-and-shoot threes. 

I'll probably write more on this in the future, but I'm more convinced this season than ever before that Maxey is just not a real point guard. Now, I will say that I think the NBA is full of scoring guards that masquerade as point guards. What I mean by that is the Rajon Rondos and Chris Pauls mostly do not exist anymore. There are some fabulous playmakers in the league, but they're gifted at manufacturing the assist instead of manufacturing the play that leads to the shot two passes away. That innate selflessness, to me, is what makes a point guard. 

I explain that to say that it doesn't have to be an insult that I don't think Maxey is a point guard. I just don't think he sees the whole floor consistently enough to be a true point guard. But, I do think he's a ruthless shooting guard. So, any guard who can supplement his playmaking as well as be effective when the ball is in Maxey's hands is the move, in my opinion.

How do you think a healthy Sixers team matches up with the new Knicks now in a potential seven-game series?

— FlipsToStock (@flipstostock.bsky.social) January 3, 2025 at 10:10 AM

I leaned slightly Sixers after the Karl-Anthony Towns trade because I thought the Knicks' perimeter defense would be great enough to insulate KAT's exposure at the rim but I questioned whether they had the offensive rebounding to make up for what I perceived as a lack of shot creation on the initial play. Man, was I wrong. 

Their offense has been stellar. Their defense has been just outside of the top 10 in the league. By the way, KAT has been absolutely incredible. I'm curious to see how he'd fare against Embiid in the playoffs because I think he's a more confident player with the Knicks than he was with the Wolves. 

Given the continuity, complimentary play and depth in the starting five, the Knicks seem like the easy choice. But, you look at the box score and they're playing 40+ minutes every night. On one hand, that conditions you to be ready for huge minutes in a seven-game series. On the other hand, it wears you down. 

Additionally, I think Philadelphia's depth is far better, which is a damning indictment of the Knicks' bench. The other thing I think about now is that I've been largely unimpressed with the job Nick Nurse has done this season. So, I wonder if the coaching matchup favors New York. 

If the Sixers are healthy, I think it's close. But, I'd lean slightly toward the Knicks.

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