The Question Marks
Furkan Korkmaz is the first name that comes to mind here. The Sixers have a glaring hole that was left by JJ Reddick and, while he is not the quality of shooter that JJ was, Furkan is the closest thing that the Sixers have. After hitting a game-winning 3-pointer earlier this year, Brett Brown talked about how he wanted to develop Furkan into the 3-point threat that the Sixers needed. When he is hot, Furkan is a massive asset to the team but when he is cold, Furkan is a liability on the court. Furkan has an extremely quick trigger and will likely play some minutes, but it will be very variable based on the game and how his stroke looks on any given night.
The biggest question mark on this roster falls on Matisse Thybulle. Matisse could very well play 30 minutes one night and then not get his number called the next game. Defensively Matisse brings more to the table than any other player (Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons excluded). This may play him into a role as there is no clear cut defensive matchup against Jayson Tatum in the starting lineup. If Matisse can hit 3’s on a consistent basis and lock up on the defensive end, he could play a major role in the playoffs and help the team a great deal. His lack of offensive ability at the moment along with Brett Brown’s tendency to play veterans over rookies in major moments may keep Matisse out of the lineup for the moment. It will be interesting to watch what minutes Matisse plays early on, but it very well may be an adjustment that Brown may have to make depending on how the series is going.
Another polarizing figure for the Sixers is Raul Neto. Brown’s stubbornness to play Neto seems to have paid off as we have seen Neto’s confidence grow in recent games. Raul is the closest thing to a true point guard that the Sixers have on roster (Shake and Ben included) and the need for this works in his favor. Neto possesses a craftiness and ability to get to the rim that can help the team. Someone will need to fill the backup minutes at PG and that may very well fall on Neto’s shoulders. He is a much better passer than Alec Burks which helps his case and he also is a respectable 38% career 3 point shooter. Neto is not a particularly good defender, but he has a tight handle couples with great footwork and very well may end up playing some minutes playoff minutes.
The Longshots
Kyle O’Quinn and Norvel Pelle do not truly possess the talent level for a playoff team, but a chance may occur in the series for minutes at center. O’Quinn has flashed his talent as a passer, as proven by his 11 assist performance against the Suns. It would have been a major shock to think the 29-year-old would even be in consideration for playoff minutes but he matches up fairly well with the undersized Celtics bigs. Norvel Pelle is fairly limited in his offensive game, but he could be an asset as a rim protector. If Embiid is limited for any reason Pelle could be tossed in the mix. He also has the greatest size and athletic ability out of the backup centers. Glenn Robinson III is also a name to watch. While he has missed time with injury in recent games, he showed promise in the first couple seeding games and could be another wing that Brown could look to give a few minutes to.
This will be an extremely important series for the Sixers as a whole and especially Brett Brown. Even after a disappointing year, the Sixers have still found themselves with a winnable matchup. With Brett Brown’s seat feeling warmer and warmer he will need the team to advance if he wants to keep his job. The rotation will undoubtedly play a major role in the Sixers odds and it will be interesting to watch what decisions he makes. The series will begin tomorrow with the game tipping off at 6:30.
Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
