Elton Brand and the Sixers front office placed a big, franchise defining bet on defense and size last summer. Out with a pick-n-roll and isolation scoring specialist in Jimmy Butler. Out with one of the greatest 3 point shooters in NBA history in JJ Redick. In with Josh Richardson and Al Horford. That’s a lot of offense out the door and a lot more defense coming in. Apparently Philadelphia wanted to try to win ugly with a gargantuan and smothering defense that had no holes to attack. No flaccid defenders to punish over and over. No weak links. No sitting ducks.
In quest of a ring, the Sixers pushed their chips onto the defensive end of the table
