The Philadelphia 76ers have had to turn to their younger players recently due to the league’s health and safety protocols keeping several key players out for a week. That experience for Isaiah Joe, Dakota Mathias and even Tyrese Maxey has been very beneficial for them.
While Maxey was already in the rotation, Joe has taken advantage of his minutes, and he earned playing time on Thursday with three of the team’s regulars returning to the lineup. He knocked down four 3s, and he played strong defense against Miami Heat shooter Duncan Robinson, which caught the eye of the team.
This begs the question: What does coach Doc Rivers do with his rotation when the other players return? Seth Curry will undoubtedly be the starter at shooting guard, but what about Furkan Korkmaz, Matisse Thybulle, and Joe?
“There’s never any complication when guys are playing well,” said Rivers. “There’s room.”
Rivers stated before the season that he would like to have a 10-man rotation, and that held true at the beginning of the season. Now that a guy like Joe has been given a chance, Rivers might have to expand it.
“I’ve never cared honestly,” Rivers stated. “9, 10, 11, 12, 13, I don’t care. I’ve never had a problem throwing anybody in a game. You have to look at games as singular, sometimes.”
On the flip side, now that the youngsters have this valuable experience, this gives Rivers confidence that he can turn to any of these youngsters and they can give good production. That is especially important this season due to the league’s protocols with the pandemic continuing and with injuries that pop up.
“It’s a major, major good problem whatever sense that makes,” Rivers added. “Because with COVID and just early season injuries, you’re going to need to be deep, you really are. The fact that we are, Isaiah adds another guy to that rotation, that’s really important to us.”
The Sixers will continue to work out kinks and rotation questions as the season continues on Saturday when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies on the road.
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