Sixers Zero In on Rebounding Woes as Playoff Push Intensifies
CAMDEN, N.J. - The Philadelphia 76ers are back on the practice floor, and there’s no mistaking the priority right now: rebounding. After a stretch of games where they were consistently beaten on the glass - including a 53-38 deficit against the Knicks, a 53-33 gap in a loss to the Hornets, and a concerning 46-24 shortfall in a win over the Kings - the message is clear: this can’t continue.
Even in that win over Sacramento, the Sixers gave up 24 second-chance points while failing to register a single one themselves. That kind of imbalance is a red flag, especially for a team with deep playoff aspirations.
Paul George acknowledged what’s becoming increasingly obvious - the Sixers are a bit undersized in the frontcourt. With George and Kelly Oubre Jr. flanking Joel Embiid, Philly often finds itself up against bigger, more physical front lines. Sacramento, for instance, rolled out a rotation featuring Domantas Sabonis, Precious Achiuwa, and Maxime Raynaud - a trio that caused problems all night long.
Head coach Nick Nurse isn’t brushing it off. He knows this is more than just a stretch of tough matchups. It’s a fundamental issue that could derail the team when the stakes get higher.
“There’s a few things,” Nurse said after practice. “Sometimes it’s size and athleticism - playing against bigger guys, more athletic, stronger, whatever.
Sometimes it’s just not paying attention to details and getting a body on people. And then sometimes, I think it’s a little bit like defense in general.”
He’s not wrong. Just like a hot scorer can get rolling if you don’t clamp down early, offensive rebounders can feast if you let them get a couple early. That’s what happened against Sacramento - once the Kings started pulling down offensive boards, the floodgates opened.
“You give up a few, and then the blood’s in the water,” Nurse said. “Those guys really seem to get cranked up after they get a couple. They’re like, ‘Man, this is an easy way to live tonight.’”
That’s the kind of momentum that can flip a game - and come playoff time, a series.
So what’s the fix? According to Nurse, it’s not just about effort. It’s about awareness, communication, and in some cases, doubling up on dominant rebounders like Sabonis.
“It takes some thought. It takes some effort.
It takes some scheme,” Nurse explained. “Sometimes it takes two guys on certain guys.
Sabonis is a guy you probably need to use two guys on. He’s very good at pushing as the guy’s in a shooting motion.
He’s gonna wedge most guys underneath the basket, and the only ones you’re gonna get are the ones that come through the net. So somebody’s got to come from the backside to help on those.”
That kind of attention to detail is what Nurse is drilling into his team now. During practice, he broke down film clips showing both the breakdowns and the bright spots - moments when the Sixers did the dirty work and controlled the boards.
“We’ve been pretty good at that,” Nurse said. “And that was a lot of the clips we showed today.
We showed, like, here’s one where you have to come and help guys. Because even when you’re blocking out, sometimes the ball’s coming over your head - that’s got to be somebody else’s ball.”
The Sixers have shown they can rebound when locked in. But over the past week, the consistency hasn’t been there. And with the postseason inching closer, that’s a problem they can’t afford to let linger.
This isn’t just about padding stat sheets. It’s about controlling possessions, limiting opponents’ second chances, and giving Embiid and the offense the best shot at closing out games. If Philadelphia wants to make a real run this spring, it starts with owning the glass.