The Philadelphia 76ers have got one burning question this season: Who’s taking that last shot? Ever since the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown, then grabbed LeBron James a few weeks later, everyone’s been asking. Most NBA teams lock down a crunch-time pecking order. Think the Denver Nuggets with Nikola Jokić, or the Lakers running it through Luka Dončić. But the Sixers? They’re shaping up as a rare outlier.
Five Go-To Options Means Trouble for Opponents
When Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid are all on the floor, that’s five legitimate go-to options. Picking just one primary last-shot-taker would completely blow their unique roster advantage. It also clashes with LeBron’s core philosophy. Yeah, it sounds weird for the NBA’s all-time scoring king, but his real superpower is his passing. He’ll orchestrate the offense in crunch time, but that doesn’t mean he’ll always be the one shooting. Far from it, actually.
“You always make the right play,” James told reporters last December. That was after his 1,297-game streak of 10-plus points ended, when he chose to pass to Rui Hachimura for a game-winning three instead of forcing a shot. “That’s just been my M.O. That’s how I was taught the game. I’ve done that my whole career.”
Mismatch Hunting Is The Name of the Game
This insane talent pool gives the Sixers a rare opportunity, especially come playoff time. They’ll be mismatch-hunting like almost no other team. Remember how Jalen Brunson went full seek-and-destroy on James Harden in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals last spring? He single-handedly flipped that game for the Knicks. An apathetic defender like Harden won’t have anywhere to hide against this Sixers starting lineup. They can hunt him with whoever he’s guarding, even if that changes possession by possession. Guarding Edgecombe? Great. Maxey? Good luck. Brown or LeBron? LOL. If a frontcourt is overmatched, they’ll funnel the offense through Embiid. If it’s a shaky backcourt…
This level of flexibility makes the Sixers a nightmare. What do you even prepare for when any of five guys can drop a game-winner? Their adaptability is their true weapon, and it’s what they’ll rely on as the season heats up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Liberty Ballers.
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