Defense is key to the Sixers’ recent resurgence

When asked before Sunday’s game how important it was to the Chicago Bulls to advance the ball in transition, Nick Nurse replied: “Jeez, Do they run! They’re crazy.” But at the end of the 76ers’ win, All-Star winger Paul George was pleased with how his team “just flew around” while holding the normally high-performing Bulls to 100 points.

This performance highlighted how defense played a key role in the Sixers’ mini-swing. They have won four of their last five home games against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. It’s another area where improved health has led to greater cohesion, and now a schematic “menu,” as Nurse said, “is getting bigger and bigger.”

“One way or another we have to be,” George said of the defensive performance. “We have the athletes and then we have our presence in the middle with Joel (Embiid) and Andre (Drummond). I think we had a moment in Chicago where we kind of came together: ‘Okay, we can play fast.’ We can come back. We can communicate.’ …

“If we can sit down and defend against them, that should kind of set us up for the season.”

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Over their last five games, the Sixers ranked second in the NBA in defensive efficiency (104.2 points allowed per 100 possessions), which moved them to 12th in the league in that category (111) in the season that began Thursday .7 points per 100 possessions). . They also ranked in the top 10 in categories that have become hallmarks of Nurse’s aggressive style, such as steals (sixth, 9.3 per game), turnovers (second, 17.5), deflections (eighth, 17.2). ) and points for ball losses (seventh, 19).

In their last two victories, the Sixers outperformed an Orlando Magic team that ranked third in the NBA in defensive efficiency (106.1 points allowed per 100 possessions) by withstanding Orlando’s size and “being ready to to live with some open three-pointers”. “Looks,” said the nurse. Then the Sixers slowed down the Bulls, who led the league in pace (104.8 possessions per game), were second in the league in fast-break points (17.9 per game) and in the last ten Games ranked among the top three offenses (118.9 points per 100 possessions) begin Thursday.

“Anything that comes our way, or anything that’s close, has to be tough,” Kelly Oubre Jr. said after the Orlando win on Dec. 6. “It can’t be easy and open, because that’s just how teams are.” Get a groove. They get a rhythm and they get momentum.

“Tonight we definitely had our ups and downs – like all NBA games – but I think we weathered them by just being disciplined with the game plan.”

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More broadly, Nurse said the Sixers have improved significantly when it comes to “passing off personnel to each other” when changing screens. This approach required the undersized backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain to play “bigger” and more physical – and required them and their teammates to quickly transition them out of the most detrimental mismatches. George, who has been appointed as the main voice to communicate news coverage, added that the group is better at spotting mishaps on the ground.

“We know what we are doing. We know who we are,” George said. “And then there is the responsibility that we undertake. We are able to talk to each other about it and based on the results we can sort things out pretty quickly and move on.”

This “expanded menu” also means the Sixers can switch to multiple zone defense options mid-game, which helped stifle the Bulls’ hot offensive start. Nurse said his team played two zones in Chicago and in the second game against the Magic and three in the first Orlando game last week (a 106-102 loss).

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Moving into a zone always changes the rhythm at least partially, with the nurse thinking, ‘Oh God, we’re not guarding her.’ We have to do something.” Lately, however, the coach said those decisions have become more nuanced.

“These schemes can help a guard in foul trouble by keeping him at the top of the zone and out of the low post,” Nurse said.

It’s also an opportunity to play personnel groupings with two bigger bodies – a combination of Embiid, Drummond or Guerschon Yabusele – because one of the Sixers’ zone options takes the center out of the middle of the field.

“Sometimes I think we’re way too big for (the opponent’s lineup) we’re playing against,” Nurse said. “But I don’t just want to match in size to make a zone look better.”

During this unusual four-day break between games, Nurse said the Sixers have continued to refine the times in which they can rotate more liberally and land players in every single game possible. George added that he sees similarities between the Bulls and their next opponent, a Pacers team that also has a reputation as a fast team, even if it doesn’t score as efficiently as last season.

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And as the Sixers get used to playing alongside Embiid on offense again, Nurse expects to continue relying on his team’s resurgent defense.

“There are a few staples that I think can take you far,” Nurse said. “Defense is obviously one of them. And I think our defense is coming along really well. No matter who’s in, who’s out, whatever, it’s always going to keep you there until you find that offensive rhythm.”