Sixers’ lack of defensive effort has been the main culprit in sudden losing streak | Film Review

The 76ers most recent losses have unfortunately been a master class for how not to play NBA defense.

After impressive wins against the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics the Sixers turned in flops against the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic.

While there are arguments to be made that the Sixers stars will be more willing and able to play up to their potential when it matters most, it’s a little alarming to see them come out with such little effort and lack of execution against the less threatening teams in the league this close to the postseason when playoff positioning is still on the line.

That’s what we’re looking at here; effort and execution on defense.

First, here’s a reminder of what it looks like when the Sixers are giving it their full effort.

Joel Emiid is there to alter Kyrie Irving’s shot and everyone is involved in poking the ball away, diving on the floor, and being ready for the transitions play. Of course, the game is tied against a team that the Sixers desperately needed a win against in order to head into the playoffs with confidence, but that doesn’t mean the same effort shouldn’t be applied at other times.

The Sixers were then in Atlanta to face a Hawks team that is very capable but absolutely beatable. The lack of effort was clear from the jump as Atlanta put up 74 points in the first half.

This was the second consecutive possession in which the Sixers just went through the motions against a Trae Young-Alex Len pick-and-roll. That’s how it felt for nearly every defensive possession of the game, that the Sixers were just going through the motions but there was no effort behind their actions.

You’ll notice in the clip below that Ben Simmons gets caught behind the offense and despite altering the shot, does nothing in the way of recovery. There is no one diving on the floor, going for a steal, or even attempting to close out on Kevin Huerter, who sank the second-chance three-pointer.

Things didn’t get any better on Monday night against the Magic. Playing without Simmons and James Ennis the Sixers were well aware of the slack they would have to pick up. Instead, their effort and execution looked worse than it did against the Hawks.

Michael Carter-Williams recognized his shot was off as soon as it left his hands and even though Embiid and Co. see him coming in they do absolutely nothing to keep him from getting his own three-point rebound and easily laying it in. Even with the game slipping away from them against a team they know they can beat, the Sixers didn’t give it even half of what they could.

The rest of the night was more of the same with sleeping rotations and lackluster help.

The problem is that the Sixers, if they maintain the third seed, will not be playing against one of the bigger, better teams in the East in the first round of the playoffs. If they want to make it to the second round they are going to have to do better than this against a team that may not ring the motivating alarm bells that seem to bring out the best in them.