PHILADELPHIA — When one looks at Philadelphia 76ers veteran PJ Tucker, the focus is never on his scoring. It is always on what he brings to the floor defensively and how he affects a game by doing the little things.
On the season, Tucker is averaging 3.5 points and 4.3 rebounds, but he is shooting 40% from deep. He’s also shooting 42% on corner 3s, so the Sixers should get him more looks.
That said, Tucker has had the tendency of passing up shots. After he knocked down two of the three 3s he took in Tuesday’s win over the Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia wants to see more.
“He’s been passing up too many shots,” said Joel Embiid. “I get pissed off and I tell him I want him to shoot a lot. I don’t care if he’s open or not, just let it fly. I believe he’s that good of a shooter. Especially, in the corner. So he just needs to keep believing in himself because we all believe in him and it just helps us as a team.”
Tucker’s impact will most likely be felt the most when the playoffs roll around in April and May. That is where all of the little things that he does are going to be magnified, and he is going to be a great piece next to Embiid and James Harden. He’s just going to have to be ready to fire up corner triples when the time comes and that is why his teammates are getting on him to shoot.
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“I think everyone has, but I don’t worry about him a lot,” said coach Doc Rivers. “It’ll come to him. He’ll get his rhythm. I literally don’t worry about it a lot, but we do tell him when you’re open, shoot the ball.”
While Tucker is the focus when it comes to spacing the floor, Embiid wants all of their shooters to shoot when they’re open.
“When you got guys like him, Matisse (Thybulle), guys coming off the bench, Shake (Milton), when they’re coming in and they’re making shots, it just opens up everything,” Embiid finished.
That is why the Sixers have to get something out of Tucker on the offensive end. Embiid and Harden will need the space to operate on that end of the floor.
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