76ers Have Already Made Their Offensive Identity Crystal Clear

After watching the Philadelphia 76ers' final preseason game, there is one thing made abundantly clear: this team’s main objective is to run their opponents out of the gym.  

Despite the team going 1-3 in the preseason, the team found out quite a bit about themselves and how they plan to approach the season. In every game that the starters played, each time they got a defensive rebound, they pushed the ball up court, whether it was an outlet pass or a hail mary from half court. The goal was to try to get a score within 15 seconds of the shot clock. 

Their game against the Boston Celtics saw the 76ers score 24 fastbreak points. The starters are going to be a huge chunk of this offense, and that was to be expected. Three of the five starters finished with at least 20 points. This gives the idea that they have to play well offensively if this team is going to have any chance of winning. Another positive to take away from this is that LeBron James will have a good chance of not only leading the team and league in assists, but he could also average nearly a triple-double.

For those who don’t want to believe it, look no further than his stat line in the last game. James scored eight points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, and that was just in preseason. Having guards like Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, who are looking to break free off the inbound, are perfect for someone like James. The future Hall of Famer made it clear he wants to help guide this team to a title, not lead it in points.

This game plan sounds good, but it has its flaws. One major flaw at the moment is rebounding. With only one true center, this team is going to have a hard time down low. Not only that, but while the perimeter defense could be their strength, the interior leaves much to be desired. Furthermore, they could wind up making mistakes because they want to push the ball so much. This fast-paced offense will leave themselves vulnerable to turnovers, and that could disrupt the team chemistry as well as stunt the offensive firepower.

The hope is that head coach Nick Nurse puts this team in the right lineups at the right time to give the team their best chance and seize an opportunity. They will surely be in a duel for most of this Eastern Conference. But they have more than the will to win. The determination and huge stock of veteranship could be the best benefit of all.