Philadelphia 76ers: Paul Reed finally got some run with James Harden

It happened; it finally happened: Paul Reed got some run as Joel Embiid‘s primary backup.

Yup, you aren’t dreaming. This wasn’t some crazy trick or a byproduct of taking the show on the road to Canada, where Matisse Thybulle is ineligible to play: Doc Rivers actually chose to play Reed because of how he matched up against the Toronto Raptors’ wealth of 6-foot-8 interchangeable forwards and earned his first instance of prolonged run playing alongside James Harden.

The results? A breath of fresh air.

Now sure, some will poo-poo Reed’s run as nothing to write home about. They’ll point to his -13 plus-minus in 11 minutes of action, his turnover at the hands of Thaddeus Young, or his inability to get off a shot before the clock ran out at the top of the fourth but goodness, Reed scored five points in eleven minutes and backed them up with seven rebounds – including three on the offensive glass – and a steal. If ever there was a game to highlight why the Sixers need to give their best bench frontcourt defender – I said it – some run, this was it.

Assuming the Philadelphia 76ers don’t procure another player to bolster their wing defense, Paul Reed has to be in the conversation to play a legitimate role for the Philadelphia 76ers come playoff time, especially if they draw Toronto in the first round. But will it happen? That, my friends, is the million-dollar question.

Paul Reed has a role for the Philadelphia 76ers if Matisse Thybulle can’t go.

Paul Reed and Matisse Thybulle could theoretically be used very similarly on the court with a bit of creativity and some smart lineup design.

Both are long, lengthy defenders who can switch over multiple positions defensively, get back on their man after inching into the painted area with an outstretched hand, and both aren’t what you would call traditionally effective shooters from beyond the arc, even though Reed put up solid numbers in the G-League and Thybulle has a solid shooting percentage since James Harden came to town. While it would be a fool’s errand to play the duo together on the court at the two forward spots, the duo could theoretically be used interchangeably in the same offensive sets either as a defensive helper for Embiid or as an athletic finisher playing alongside Harden.

If Thybulle can’t play in Toronto for as many as three games against the team that tanked Philly’s conference finals hopes in 2019, and the Sixers don’t go out and sign a player like Justin Anderson, who would theoretically be eligible for the playoffs if he isn’t signed for the remainder of the season by the Indiana Pacers when his 10-day contract expires, Reed could fill a finite role.

And hey, even if Thybulle does get his situation remedied, there’s still a role for Reed versus Toronto and every other team in the association, really, as there are very few teams who roll with two massive, Joel Embiid-type centers for a complete 48 minutes.

Against a team like Milwaukee, Reed could be a solid defensive option from the center spot both against Giannis Antetokounmpo – who decimated Paul Millsap in their last meeting – and against Brook Lopez, who spends most of his time as a 3 point shooter on the wings. Similarly, having a player like Reed playing alongside or in place of Embiid would be an asset against the two Js of Boston, who have consistently given the Sixers trouble since being drafted by the team a half-decade ago. Really, the only team left in the playoffs that Reed doesn’t particularly match up well against in the East’s playoff picture is the Chicago Bulls, as their one-two punch of Nikola Vučević and Tristan Thompson are both notably bigger than the small ball center from DePaul.

Considering the Bulls are a longshot to face the Sixers in the first, let alone second round, I think it’s safe to say that won’t matter too much.

How the Philadelphia 76ers choose to play the final two games of the regular season will be fascinating. Will they play the starters and iron out a playoff rotation? Or will Doc Rivers give his starters rest in one or even both of the team’s back-to-back contests against non-playoff teams? The chances of securing the third-seed will surely play into that conversation, as the Boston Celtics reportedly have two “frontline players” who are unvaccinated and will want to avoid Toronto as a result, but if the team does give the starters some work, I would really like to see James Harden play as many minutes as possible with Paul Reed, as forging some quick chemistry could go a long way in avoiding the typical point swing that occurs when Joel Embiid leaves the court and keep the team’s championship dreams alive.