It wasn’t long ago that the 76ers were floundering. At 3-14, this team wasn’t just bad — it was uninspired. Offensively, they had no identity. Defensively, they were a middle-of-the-road mess.
Fast forward a couple of weeks, and it feels like a different squad altogether.
Since Nov. 30, the Sixers have turned into a defensive juggernaut, ranking second in the league in defensive rating outside of garbage time, per Cleaning the Glass. Sure, they’ve had some softer matchups (looking at you, Hornets, Magic, and Pistons), but you can’t fake what they’ve done in the halfcourt: just 83.0 points allowed per 100 plays during their 4-1 stretch.
“We’re Not Getting Punched in the Face”
So, what changed? According to Kelly Oubre Jr., it’s all about attitude and communication.
“Guarding the ball,” Oubre said. “Communicating. Defense, that’s obviously a team possession, right? All five of us are getting more and more connected, whoever’s out there on the court.
“And we’re being more physical. We’re not getting punched in the face like we used to. We’re actually holding our ground and punching others.”
That’s a mindset shift — and one that’s been backed by coach Nick Nurse’s tactical adjustments. The Sixers have started mixing it up defensively. Whether it’s a zone look or a box-and-one (like the one they broke out against Franz Wagner), Nurse has leaned into variety.
“We’re doing a lot more switching, probably (more) than we have in a long time,” Nurse said. “And just trying to understand that switching, everybody ends up in every spot, so just making sure that everybody’s ready to cover. And our menu of the defenses we’ve played here recently is growing.”
Oubre Leading by Example
Oubre isn’t just talking the talk — he’s walking the walk. On offense, he’s found consistency, scoring in double figures in eight straight games. Defensively, he’s been a menace, recording a steal in 11 consecutive contests.
“I don’t care,” Oubre said of his defensive assignments. “I love guarding. Switching, you keep your man in front easier because there’s always somebody in front of them. But no matter what the coverage is, I love to do it. I love to bust through screens, rock my shoulders and all of that stuff. Just getting stops is my main priority.”
It’s not just Oubre stepping up. Rookie Jared McCain and veteran Guerschon Yabusele have been reliable presences, appearing in all 22 of the team’s games.
Injury Woes Persist
As the 76ers prepare for Friday night’s matchup against the 10-15 Pacers, they’ll once again be short-handed. Caleb Martin (right shoulder impingement) and Adem Bona (left knee tendinopathy) are both out.
Martin, in particular, has been gutting it out despite being far from 100%, something Nick Nurse was quick to praise.
“He’s got all kinds of things going on,” Nurse said. “But he’s playing. He’s not anywhere near 100 percent.”
Bona, meanwhile, remains day-to-day. “I think it’s taking a little bit longer than we’d hoped at this point,” Nurse said, “so I think it’s day-to-day.”
Embiid’s Limited Load
Joel Embiid is expected to start his sixth game of the season, though Nurse doesn’t plan to push his minutes.
“I don’t think I’m in a position where we’re thinking super crazy minutes ever anyway,” Nurse said. “So I wouldn’t say that’s a restriction, but it’s kind of just common sense.”
With the 76ers’ defense clicking and Embiid easing back in, the Sixers might finally be finding the rhythm they’ve been missing all season.
Whether it holds up against tougher competition remains to be seen, but for now, this is a team starting to look like they care again.
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