The Only Way The Spurs Can Beat The Sixers On Monday
This is the only choice they have defensively
Quick-Hitters
- The San Antonio Spurs have a tough task Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers. It will be a must-win game for the Texas-based franchise, as they have very little margin for error in their quest to reach the playoffs for an NBA-record 23rd straight season.
- The Spurs must execute a perfect game defensively if they want to pull the upset against Philadelphia. This includes doing a good job in the paint, as San Antonio must find a way to stop both Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, probably at the same time.
- San Antonio opened as seven-point underdogs and the over/under opened at 229 points. CLICK FOR LIVE ODDS!
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Backs Against The Wall
The San Antonio Spurs have a daunting task in front of them if they want to reach the 2019-20 NBA Playoffs. They currently sit behind the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies, and are battling with the Portland Trail Blazers for the ninth spot. There is very little margin for error -- if any -- for Gregg Popovich’s men down the stretch.
A matchup against the 76ers should be the real benchmark of how far this team can go. With that in mind, it’s fair to wonder what the Spurs can do to pull the upset against Philadelphia.
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How To Limit Philly
The answer is quite simple. The Spurs must focus their efforts on crowding the paint on defense, limiting the impact of both Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The Australian recently moved to a power forward role and rarely attempts outside shots, so San Antonio can mitigate what Philadelphia’s two biggest offensive threats can do by attempting the same strategy on them.
If there’s one thing the Spurs have on their roster, it’s solid interior defensive. Jakob Poeltl, who is bound to start with LaMarcus Aldridge sidelined, happens to be the team’s best interior defender. Patty Mills and Dejounte Murray have also excelled defensively on the perimeter at times. As if that wasn’t enough, San Antonio currently sits in the Top 10 in defensive rebounds per game (ninth, 35.9) and blocks per game (eighth, 5.5) this season.
You can’t win a game solely based on defense, but that’s a big step to do so when you’re the underdog. And while annulling Simmons and Embiid might not be enough to accomplish that goal, it certainly feels like the best path to do so. Therefore, expect Coach Popovich to crowd the paint and let some of Philadelphia's other players try to beat them from the outside.
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