Skip to content
Sixers
Link copied to clipboard
Link copied to clipboard

Brett Brown’s latest coaching dilemma with Sixers lineup: Stellar perimeter defense or three-point shooting

Brett Brown after Thursday’s shootaround to prepare for the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center: “For me, it is a confliction for sure,”

Los Angeles Clippers guard Lou Williams, below, tries to shoot as Philadelphia 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Clippers guard Lou Williams, below, tries to shoot as Philadelphia 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)Read moreMark J. Terrill / AP

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Brett Brown is going away from one of his principles.

The 76ers coach always preaches the importance of playing solid defense. He still says that’s the main ingredient for winning. But at the same time, he wants his team to shoot a high volume of three-pointers.

He’s made getting offensive help a higher priority than sticking with a defensive stopper during certain stretches of recent games.

“For me, it is a confliction for sure,” Brown said after Thursday’s shootaround to prepare for the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center.

Brown pointed out that guards Matisse Thybulle and Shake Milton are logical defenders for speedy Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox. The Sixers also need to focus on sharpshooting reserve guard Buddy Hield.

“Oftentimes, Matisse is in that mix,” Brown said of the standout rookie defender. “And you wouldn’t call him sort of a three-point shooter. So you have to figure out the balance of scoring versus defense. That’s the dilemma. So what you hope to do is grow Matisse into a more reliable three-point shooter."

Thybulle was shooting 35.6% on three-pointers entering the game. However, he made just 30.4% since the start of February.

Looking for shooting, Brown used reserves Alec Burks and Furkan Korkmaz over Thybulle during key stretches against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday and Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

But that tactic puts the Sixers at a disadvantage on the defensive end. Thybulle is the team’s best perimeter defender with Ben Simmons (pinched nerve in lower back) and Josh Richardson (concussion protocol) sidelined, and the Clippers took advantage of Thybulle’s absence.

The Sixers held an 87-80 lead with 7:04 in the third quarter. The Sixers subbed Korkmaz for Thybulle with 6:31 in the quarter, and the Clippers responded with a 22-5 run.