Ever since James Harden has arrived in Philadelphia, the expectations from fans have risen.

No longer is making the playoffs enough. It’s time to win a championship. Luckily, having both Joel Embiid and James Harden gives you a solid chance at achieving that goal, but, unfortunately there are some things still holding back this Sixers team.

It’s no coincidence both things are tied hand in hand with head coach Doc Rivers. The first is Doc’s horrible rotations and a complete lack of feel for the game. Obviously, the bench was going to be the weak part of this team. You are willing to make that sacrifice to acquire a player of Harden’s magnitude. But at the same time, Doc isn’t utilizing the proper bench players.

How many times have you seen Doc deploy a lineup with 4 of the slowest players in the league? The combination of Danny Green, Tobias Harris, Niang, and either Korkmaz or the newly acquired Deandre Jordan, happens far too frequently. Lineups with those guys in them turn into an all-star game. The opposing team gets fast-break layups whenever they please. The worst part about it is Doc doesn’t seem to care.

Today’s modern NBA is all about space and pace. Deploying the slowest lineup possible is a recipe for disaster. You just have to find a way to mix Maxey and another young spry player into that group. Otherwise, teams will continue to have a hay day in the fast break.

The next thing holding back the Sixers is their horrific rebounding. They currently rank dead least in the NBA in rebounds per game at 49.5. The issue is the lack of hustle and there seems to be no urgency to box out; ever. This is a lack of discipline and fundamentals that fall on Mr. Doc Rivers. Sixers fans can only hope this gets cleaned up in time for the playoffs.

Mandatory Credit; USA Today Sports