76ers Cannot Afford Another Offensive Letdown Against Pacers

The Philadelphia 76ers (3-1) take on the 2-2 Indiana Pacers as both are coming off losses and looking to rebound in an Eastern Conference showdown. 

For the 76ers, the plan should be simple: get the offense going. It’s been a rough go for the offense, as they’ve had to kick it into high gear after a first-half slump. Their defense has done its part to keep them in games, but now they face a problem: The Pacers come in with similar numbers in terms of offensive production. 

The Pacers are ranked ninth in pace, while the 76ers are ranked fourth, which means defense may be quite lackluster. What could be the 76ers' saving grace? It is the fact that they have their full arsenal of weapons at their disposal again. 

In their most recent injury report, it seems VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid are healthy and ready for the Pacers. Embiid was sorely missed in their loss to the Pistons, so having him back will be a huge boost to the offense and especially the defense.  Edgecombe was missed as well, as he is considered one of their best defenders, and against a Pacers team that relies heavily on their guard play, he’ll be needed.

It’s uncanny just how similar the two teams are. They both rely on their starting point guards to initiate offense and look to play at a fast pace that could tire out the opponent. That’s what makes this such an interesting matchup. As far as their interior looks, Ivac Zubac has been ruled out, and it looks like Jay Huff will be their starter. With the 76ers struggling to rebound the ball, this could be their chance to change that narrative. 

So there has to be a question as to what is the best way to combat this, and there may not be a true answer to this just yet. The one thing this team has to stray away from is the idea that running true plays is a thing of the past.  Against the Pistons, there was a distinct lack of offensive cohesion; they can’t do that again, or the result will be the same.

It’s true that this team has a defense, and they get active later in the game, but if the Pacers play at a pace equivalent to the 76ers, like the numbers suggest, the defense won’t be of much use.

This will be the next test. Can the offense be the hero when faced against a like-minded opponent like the Pacers?