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Sixers: Sergio Rodriguez’s Struggles Can Be Solved Easily

By George Kondoleon

Jan 13, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Sergio Rodriguez (14) reacts in front of Charlotte Hornets center Roy Hibbert (55) after his score during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Philadelphia 76ers won 102-93. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Sergio Rodriguez (14) reacts in front of Charlotte Hornets center Roy Hibbert (55) after his score during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Philadelphia 76ers won 102-93. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Sixers roster is starting to form towards something special, but they’ve had some parody at the point guard position.

When the Sixers brought Sergio Rodriguez from Real Madrid back into the NBA, excitement sprung across the fanbase. It was a good, small risk to take. Rodriguez signed a one-year deal, allowing him to showcase his talents.

It seemed like a win-win situation. The Sixers land one of the top veteran guards in Europe, while Rodriguez once again takes a crack at the NBA with a more polished game than when he was first drafted.

It’s not just the financials that made sense for the Sixers to bring in the quick Spanish guard. The style of play Rodriguez thrived in with Real Madrid was comparable to that of Brett Brown’s. We broke down his fit before the season.

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The pace and space-type of play was what the Sixers needed. Rodriguez could have been the short-term off-guard next to Ben Simmons. Defensively it would have been less than ideal, but the Sixers would be excelling in transition even more so than they are now. He also would have been ideal in a lineup with Nerlens Noel and Dario Saric.

With Simmons the victim of a training camp foot injury, Rodriguez’s role shifted from transition guard to a traditional floor general. The season started off decent, putting up respectable scoring and passing numbers. The offense seemed more fluid with him in the game.

A run-in with poor play and gastroenteritis (infectious diarrhea), halted Rodriguez’s play. And with the emergence of T.J. McConnell becoming the glue to this Sixers’ hot streak, Rodriguez is now seeing a decreased role.

The Sixers often see possessions end in questionable decision-making when Rodriguez’s is handling the ball in the half-court. He tends to telegraph entry passes, while also struggling to connect on easy passes.

When driving to the rim, Rodriguez seems to be an a panicking mode around the rim. He often attempts to find the extra pass, but throws it into crowded areas. He loses the handle of the ball as well in those same instances.

Rodriguez’s struggles often come in the half-court, but he does show a hastiness in outside shots in transition as well. His shot selection often hinders the Sixers’ offensive possessions.

Rodriguez still shows signs as a decent bench guard. But it’s clear that he has been knocked off his regular starting role for the foreseeable future. His game is an easy fix, really. The Sixers would swallow the turnovers if he’s putting up good assist numbers, but the shot selection is what kills the flow of the offense.

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40.5% of Rodriguez’s shots come before the 15 second mark in the shot clock. The Sixers wins have been coming due to fluid ball movement. If Rodriguez wants to find an NBA home, he must start to tighten his game in half-court sets, as well as his overall decision-making.