Sixers
Sixers visit Jazz looking for fifth straight win
Published07 Nov 2017
By Josh Liddick, Sports Talk Philly editor 
When the Sixers visit the Jazz in Utah on Tuesday night after three days off, they will be in search of their fifth straight victory.
Their fourth straight was on Friday night at home against the Pacers, where they took over the game late on the back of JJ Redick who led the team with 31 points.
The Jazz marks the start of a five-game road trip on the west coast for the Sixers, and the Jazz are an "easy" start to a trip that will get harder and harder as the games go on.
Utah is 5-5 and are coming off of an ugly loss to the Houston Rockets, where James Harden put up a career-high 56 points. The Jazz have been streaky this season so far, losers of their last two games. However, they won three straight prior to the recent skid.
The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid for the game due to "load management," so the anticipated Embiid vs. Rudy Gobert matchup will unfortunately be put on hold.
They will need to figure out ways to knock the Jazz off course, especially without Embiid on the floor. The Sixers are notorious for playing under themselves when their star center isn't in the game.
But the Sixers also have Ben Simmons, who has had an historic start to his career. He's looking to become the first player since Oscar Robertson (once again) to have three triple doubles in a span of 10 games to start a career.
Pretty elite company right there.
Center situation headlines contest
The center situation without Joel Embiid in the lineup is an intriguing one. Richaun Holmes just came back from injury last Friday night and played very limited minutes.
Amir Johnson has welled up quite a few minutes when Embiid missed games in the past, but the efficiency just isn't there consistently for Johnson to make that much of an impact on the floor.
Johnson has definitely had a double-double here and there in points and rebounds this season, but he doesn't bring the same intensity that Holmes brings in a game.
I really liked what I saw from Holmes in the brief moments he was on the court on Friday vs. the Pacers. He looked like the very same player that dominated in increased minutes last spring when Embiid went down with a season-ending knee injury.
Holmes finished the night with six points on 3-of-7 shooting, but he also accumulated five rebounds and an assist. Johnson took one shot from the field and made it to finish with two points. He also had two boards and two blocks. For both players, they both played 10 minutes.
I think as Holmes continues to heal from his wrist injury, we will see his production increase as well as his minutes. Head Coach Brett Brown has had nothing but positive words for Holmes since returning from injury.
“His breakaway-like rim-to-rim speed in early offense is A-plus,” he said. “There is sort of tenacity and toughness. He wears his heart on his sleeve that I think adds to what we are trying to do anyways.
“But there’s just a bounce to Richaun Holmes that makes him different.”
As of around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, reports said that Richaun Holmes would be getting the start for the Sixers over Amir Johnson. It's unclear how many minutes his workload will be, but Holmes has thrived in a starting role in the past, so he will definitely be in his niche on Tuesday. Philly.com's Keith Pompey reported that late Tuesday.
#Sixers to start Richaun Holmes, not ruling out playing Jahlil Okafor https://t.co/lDfZQrCyoQ via @phillysport
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 7, 2017
Oh yeah, I guess there is another center out there. A certain 21-year-old is currently the subject of trade rumors once again. David Aldridge of TNT reported that the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls have emerged as the top landing spots for Jahlil Okafor.
And even though he has a lack of desire to play for the Sixers, and the team in the past said they had no intent on putting Okafor in the rotation, Pompey mentioned above they aren't ruling out playing Okafor due to the Embiid injury.
Jerryd Bayless out means even bigger role for T.J. McConnell
So T.J. McConnell has been impressive this season. He was impressive last season too, but McConnell has shown so much more growth and maturity than he did last season.
McConnell knew going into this season, that his role was going to be a lot different, especially with the addition of Markelle Fultz, and returns of Jerryd Bayless and Ben Simmons.
McConnell, on paper, just wasn't going to have those same opportunities that he had last season.
However, since Markelle Fultz went down with a shoulder injury, McConnell's minutes have increased drastically. Before October 25, McConnell played under 20 minutes every night. Fultz played limited minutes, but the minutes he did play took away from McConnell.
Since the injury, McConnell has averaged around 26 minutes per night. I really don't think McConnell is able to make as much of an impact on the floor when he doesn't have an increased workload.
And that's not even from a statistical standpoint, really just purely from a team efficiency standpoint.
It's no secret that the Sixers play better when their hustling point guard is passing them the ball. Obviously, there are options that the Sixers take that are more pertinent with what they are trying to accomplish, but McConnell has always thrived when he has a larger role.
Tonight is no different, in fact, you might even be able to expect an even bigger role for McConnell in this matchup with the Jazz.
Jerryd Bayless has been ruled out of the game, and in fact, is ruled out indefinitely according to Philly.com's Keith Pompey.
#Sixers' Jerryd Bayless out indefinitely with left wrist injury https://t.co/ueRf7ENpNQ via @phillysport
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 7, 2017
So with Bayless and Fultz now out indefinitely, T.J. McConnell will no doubt have an increased role, and maybe perhaps Furkan Korkmaz will be making his NBA debut prematurely (Pompey to the rescue once again.)
#Sixers will recall @FurkanKorkmazFK after tonight’s #Sevens vs. #WestchesterKnicks game.
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) November 7, 2017
Jazz to watch: Ricky Rubio, Rudy Gobert
Ricky Rubio has had a rocky NBA career. He never wowed like everyone though he would in Minnesota, so getting a new start in a new city was thought to do wonders for his career.
So far, so good thus far.
Rubio is averaging 16 points, six assists, and four rebounds per game in 10 games for Utah this season. Rubio is playing a lot more quality minutes than he ever played with the Wolves in six seasons with the team.
With no Gordon Hayward, that scoring option is completely eliminated.
Rubio was never considered to be a scorer before, but now that the Jazz are counting on him in ways Minnesota never did before, that is something the Sixers need to be mindful of on Tuesday night.
The Sixers also need to be mindful of playing against Rudy Gobert and defending him in the paint. No Joel Embiid means the Sixers truly don't have a player that can match wits with Gobert.
Holmes is a small center, but he plays with an aggression that might even top Gobert. However, Gobert's elite defensive ability and pristine shot-blocking attributes will be a force to be reckoned with.
| Matchup Preview | November 7, 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Philadelphia 76ers (5-4, Away) |
Utah Jazz (5-5, Home) |
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Broadcast Information
When: 9 p.m. ET
Where: Vivint Smart Home Arena
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Listen: 97.5 The Fanatic
