PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are in the process of trying to diversify the offense in an effort to add more versatility to the scheme. In the past, the Sixers would rely so much on the Tyrese Maxey-Joel Embiid pick-and-roll, but now, coach Nick Nurse and Co. is focused on expanding things.
For example, Andre Drummond is now shooting 3-pointers. What once started as a joke then turned into “OK, if he’s open, he can shoot them”, to now “OK, he should drift to the corner and take a 3-pointer within the flow of the offense”.
Drummond is shooting 43.8% from deep on 1.3 attempts per game. Obviously, the Sixers don’t want him all of a sudden becoming Stephen Curry, but they also want him shooting that shot.
“I told Kyle (Lowry), like, like, two days ago, as we came back from Detroit, I said, ‘Listen, Drum’s a 3-point shooter.’ Like, you can’t knock numbers,” Maxey said. “Numbers don’t lie and he’s shooting, like, 42% from 3. So if he’s open in the corner, we’ll take it. It adds to our offense, because it gets the big out the pain, and if I can get to the paint and the big comes over and I can kick it to him in the corner and have that confidence he’s gonna knock it down. That’s a big step for him.”
Drummond had 14 points and 18 rebounds in Monday’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers with the Sixers missing Embiid and Adem Bona. He stepped up in a big way down low while also knocking down a big 3-pointer in the fourth to help the Sixers rally and win the game.
“He’s been huge, man,” Maxey added. “He’s been huge, like what he’s done for this team. We only had one 5-man today, and he played a lot of minutes, 37 minutes. He played a lot of minutes. So he did a really good job with just holding down the paint. He’s done a good job of making 3s in the corner, spreading the floor. I told him he added some years on his career shooting those 3s, but he’s done a good job, man.”
With that being said, there are still plenty of people who still gasp every time Drummond pulls up for 3. That’s probably something that needs to stop as time moves on as the 2-time All-Star has found a groove with that type of shot.
“I think for me, it’s new for everybody,” Drummond acknowledged. “What everybody’s known in my 14 seasons of playing is getting a lot of rebounds and finishing in the paint. If I do hit a 3, it’s just like one of those Hail Mary things, if I’m open, but now I’m getting it, and like in the flow of the offense. I’m knocking down big shots. So just the confidence. The confidence piece and my team believing I’ll make the shot, my coaching staff believing I’ll make the shot. That’s all I really need to be out there and shoot that shot.”
The Sixers will take on the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday to begin another back-to-back set.
