Semi/Morris and team options and match ups with Saric and Ilyasova

[rollie mass]

I think its time for another Semi post that is specific on how he might be used vs Philly
From what i have seen playoff basketball favors Semi,it's more physical .Also Semi gets very squared up when drawing charges always a plus.
Illyasova and Saric are tough and play smart physical ball
Simmons doesn't shoot from outside. Simmons has not often run up against the elite strength and lateral skills that Semi possesses.
Also i like when Semi boxes out.And isn't a liability on perimeter switches but doesn't have great length
Semi has improved his passing and  the ball doesn't stick.
With the addition of Illyasova  to Saric Philly has a couple of tough smart guys that go after the ball.
So it would be interesting how we match up without Jaylen out.

[Vermont Green]

I was  thinking about starting a post about match-ups.  I think the options are interesting.  I think I would put Smart on Simmons.  Simmons handles the ball much better than Giannis and I think would give Semi some problems.  Plus, you need Simmons guy to "get back", not crash the boards, overall better suited to Smart. When Simmons does pinch for rebounds, Smart is fine to stay down with him but I expect more of the match up to be on the perimeter.

I am not all that worried about Saric and Ilyasova.  I know that Saric has done some scoring on us in the past but I am OK with a strategy that lives or dies with Saric scoring.  Morris and Ojeleye are both good match ups to cover these guys.  Baynes and Horford can deal with Embiid.  Rozier is perfect to stay with Redick.  I like our match ups.  Sixers will be made to work for points.

[Chris22]

I thought Horford covered Simmons.

[gouki88]

I was  thinking about starting a post about match-ups.  I think the options are interesting.  I think I would put Smart on Simmons.  Simmons handles the ball much better than Giannis and I think would give Semi some problems.  Plus, you need Simmons guy to "get back", not crash the boards, overall better suited to Smart. When Simmons does pinch for rebounds, Smart is fine to stay down with him but I expect more of the match up to be on the perimeter.

I am not all that worried about Saric and Ilyasova.  I know that Saric has done some scoring on us in the past but I am OK with a strategy that lives or dies with Saric scoring.  Morris and Ojeleye are both good match ups to cover these guys.  Baynes and Horford can deal with Embiid.  Rozier is perfect to stay with Redick.  I like our match ups.  Sixers will be made to work for points.

I too like Smart on Simmons. Simmons isn't a very dominant post guy, and Marcus makes his man work incredibly hard for their points

[liam]

I was  thinking about starting a post about match-ups.  I think the options are interesting.  I think I would put Smart on Simmons.  Simmons handles the ball much better than Giannis and I think would give Semi some problems.  Plus, you need Simmons guy to "get back", not crash the boards, overall better suited to Smart. When Simmons does pinch for rebounds, Smart is fine to stay down with him but I expect more of the match up to be on the perimeter.

I am not all that worried about Saric and Ilyasova.  I know that Saric has done some scoring on us in the past but I am OK with a strategy that lives or dies with Saric scoring.  Morris and Ojeleye are both good match ups to cover these guys.  Baynes and Horford can deal with Embiid.  Rozier is perfect to stay with Redick.  I like our match ups.  Sixers will be made to work for points.

I like our match ups as well. I guess I haven't seen The Sixers enough to be scared of any of their guys. Even with our two top players ( Three with Jaylen out) out I think we still have some very talented players. Miami did not play The Sixers tough in the 2 games I watched. You need mobil switchable players to run with the Sixers, which I think The Celtics have. The 1st game tonight will tell me a lot more about the actuality of the match ups but I think The Celtics in 5 or 6. I think the Bucks would've beat the Sixers.

[Vermont Green]

I thought Horford covered Simmons.

Why would we want to do that?  Does not seem like a very good match up for us.  Maybe if Fultz or some other guard is in and the primary ball handler, allowing Simmons to match up more as a big (which he can probably do) but I don't see why the Sixers would do that except for very limited situational rotations.

[hpantazo]

I thought Horford covered Simmons.

Then who would cover Embiid? Simmons would run circles around Horford

[shake603]

I was  thinking about starting a post about match-ups.  I think the options are interesting.  I think I would put Smart on Simmons.  Simmons handles the ball much better than Giannis and I think would give Semi some problems.  Plus, you need Simmons guy to "get back", not crash the boards, overall better suited to Smart. When Simmons does pinch for rebounds, Smart is fine to stay down with him but I expect more of the match up to be on the perimeter.

I am not all that worried about Saric and Ilyasova.  I know that Saric has done some scoring on us in the past but I am OK with a strategy that lives or dies with Saric scoring.  Morris and Ojeleye are both good match ups to cover these guys.  Baynes and Horford can deal with Embiid.  Rozier is perfect to stay with Redick.  I like our match ups.  Sixers will be made to work for points.

I too like Smart on Simmons. Simmons isn't a very dominant post guy, and Marcus makes his man work incredibly hard for their points

I feel like he hasn't had to flex those skills this year, but Simmons has been tremendous in the post when he's had to work out of that space. Also its just bad in general to get good passers into the post against smaller defenders. I'm all for Smart taking the job, but i'm not super enthusiastic about it.

If Brown is out though it might just have to work that way.

I'm intrigued by the Embiid matchup too, do folks think Baynes will be able to handle iot for the most part?

[Sophomore]

I think Al probably guards Simmons.

If they put Semi on Simmons instead, they probably have to go small - put Al at the 5 guarding Embiid. I think they want to avoid doing that for long stretches - Embiid is a big dude, and although he does drift out to shoot the 3, he also likes to play physical near the basket. Al has said he doesn't love playing true 5s, and it's not where he's at his best.

If you have Baynes on Embiid, that might match alright for us defensively; Embiid will encounter a willing, physical defender, and Boston should be able to bring spot help. Embiid might even be a little more tempted to shoot 3s - which is definitely where I'd rather see him. When we have the ball, if Semi is in and Baynes is out, you might see Embiid playing way off him the way Giannis did - clogging the paint and creating a real problem for us. Giannis is a tall, athletic player, but he's not as good a defender as Embiid. If Embiid is free to play center field he could be a real menace on defense.

But I'm sure there will be some experimentation. Certainly when Embiid is out there's more room for different things to happen. And the way this season is going, we might see all kinds of crazy lines out of necessity.

[Boris Badenov]

I hate to say it but Greg Monroe is really important for our chances. If he plays well offensively he could wear Embiid down a bit.

[incoherent]

Al guards Embid and Semi will guard Simmons.

Lets keep the same starting lineup and treat Simmons like we treated Giannis.  Only switch it up if its failing bad.

[feckless]

I thought Horford covered Simmons.

That's my memory also and Al did a nice job on Simmons in the regular season.

Baynes on Embiid, Aron will frustrate Embiid.

Tatum on Saric, we are ok here.

Rozier on Redick and

Smart on Covington or vice versa.

Last series Middleton and Giannis were our tough match-ups.  Simmons is a play maker not the scorer that Giannis is! and Redick and Belinelli are shooters off of movement not often creating their own shot with the ball like Middleton.

We will miss Jaylen but I don't see who on Philly proves to be as difficult to guard as Middleton or Giannis as a scorer.

Morris v Ilyasova - we are ok.

Shane v McConnell?

Semi a reduced role but maybe let him show Simmons some strength with great feet.

[rollie mass]

Do we have any advantage at guard position, RozierSmart ,Larkin?
Where should Marcus pick up Simmons-who does Tatum guard--
Seems like Marcus Morris needs to hit his shots--

And i almost forgot Monroe down low-
-Brad has a lot of options to flic through
We just got done with a team that had great length it will probably be a relief to play the sixers.
I also forgot Simmons foul shooting-close games crowd roaring, as it is a lousy 56% for season
That is a huge pressure point in close games.

[csfansince60s]

Do we have any advantage at guard position, RozierSmart ,Larkin?
Where should Marcus pick up Simmons-who does Tatum guard--
Seems like Marcus Morris needs to hit his shots--

And i almost forgot Monroe down low-
-Brad has a lot of options to flic through
We just got done with a team that had great length it will probably be a relief to play the sixers.
I also forgot Simmons foul shooting-close games crowd roaring, as it is a lousy 56% for season
That is a huge pressure point in close games.

Hack-a-Simmons with this so-called “rookie”.

Hope Stevens uses it.

[colincb]

Our problem against the Sixers has been offense, not defense. They held us to a season-low 80 points in our only loss to them. No Celtic played well and we had a ton of turnovers too. Limit the turnovers would be number one goal. Getting good looks would be goal number 2.

Cs have held Sixers to 95 PPG vs their season average of 110 PPG. We know how to defend them.