Game 2 Film Breakdown | Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors
Guarding Siakam with Embiid
- The (potentially) series changing adjustment made by the 76ers in Game 2 was clear as day: Joel Embiid and the 76ers Centers guarded Pascal Siakam.
- They sagged off him and dared him to take floaters and above-the-break jumpers.
- The result: 4 for 16 shooting from Siakam when guarded by a 76ers Center and an unbearably low PPP on such possessions (even when accounting for fouls and offensive rebounds)
Posting Up Gasol – 1:55
- By guarding Siakam with Embiid, the 76ers were forced into guarding Marc Gasol with Tobias Harris.
- In the first half, Toronto had trouble deciphering the code. A combination of poor perimeter shooting and uncharacteristically subpar passing lead to missing the shooters in the Weak Side of the floor when the 76ers invariably doubled Gasol in the post
- In the second half, the Raptors adjusted by bringing Siakam to the Strong Side of the floor which shifted the geometry of the floor to make the off-ball defenders less likely to help when Gasol made kick-out passes.
- The Raptors need to continue to punish the Gasol-Harris mismatch if they have any hope of getting Embiid off of Siakam.
Showing High vs. Pick & Rolls – 3:11
- The 76ers let Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris run the offense more with pick and rolls – even with Simmons on the floor.
- Toronto combatted this by “showing” high with the screener’s defender (Gasol) to force Butler/Harris to pass out. This was to take advantage of Simmons’ lack of gravity and the ability to help off-ball more.
- However, help was often late and Toronto allowed rollers to finish in the restricted area when they forced Butler/Harris to make a pocket pass.
Defending Embiid’s Post Ups – 4:04
- The Raptors had less success defending Embiid’s post ups in Game 2. From a putrid 0.33 PPP in Game 1, the 76ers were able to generate nearly 0.90 PPP in possessions in which Embiid posted up.
Kawhi Hunting the Mismatch: 6:03
- In Game 1, Kawhi Leonard attacked J.J. Redick by forcing his man to set a ball screen. The 76ers didn’t want to switch this action and instead decided to “Hedge & Recover”.
- This produced an out-of-this world 1.88 points per possession the 8 times it was used to begin the series.
- However, in Game 2, Kawhi had Redick’s man set the ball screen just 6 times and it produced a more mortal 1 point per possession.