The Philadelphia 76ers have stumbled on the glass during preseason, a weakness they must address as they prepare to face the New York Knicks in their season opener on Tuesday. The Sixers were out-rebounded 63-34 in an October 10 loss to the Boston Celtics, followed by another deficit, 63-46, in a recent rematch. Both games exposed their struggles securing defensive rebounds, particularly when deploying smaller lineups with Dean Wade or Jabari Walker at center.
LeBron James, observing these rebounding challenges, pointed to the different ways teams crash the boards depending on personnel. "Obviously, every personnel is different. I know the way teams crash. Obviously, Boston is a team that kind of crashes four, three at most of the time. So you gotta get bodies on bodies," James said. He acknowledged that when facing strong offensive rebounders, doubling up may be necessary, especially when the Sixers use small-ball lineups.
The Celtics’ tenacity on the glass has been a persistent problem for Philadelphia. Jaylen Brown, a key figure in Boston’s rebounding efforts, explained the Celtics’ approach to crashing hard and how the Sixers must match that intensity. "We did better of matching their level of intensity—second and third quarter, but definitely room for improvement," Brown said. "We’ve got to be the harder-crashing team. We’ve got to win the margins."
Coach Nick Nurse admitted the team’s defensive rebounding requires more effort beyond initial positioning. "I think we're doing a pretty good job of checking. But, we're not, in, we're checking out, now we know the ball's bouncing up there, now you gotta go chase it," Nurse said. He noted that many loose balls come across the free-throw line and praised the team’s blocking out but emphasized the need to chase down rebounds or tip them to finish defensive possessions.
The Sixers’ rebounding woes come at a challenging time as they get ready to face the Knicks, who have offensive rebounders like former Sixers center Andre Drummond. Nurse and his staff have made rebounding a focus as they look to tighten up their defensive end.
Philadelphia’s struggles on the boards in preseason suggest rebounding will be a battlefield to watch when they tip off against New York. The Sixers’ ability to seal possessions and limit second-chance points could shape the outcome of their season opener.
According to Yahoo Sports.