It’s a little goofy to rip a team just five games into the season, but the Sixers are 1-4 after an uninspiring performance in Toronto Wednesday night and they should be a lot better than this. They gave up 29 fast break points in the 119-109 loss, and you can take your pick of defensive lowlights from the game, but we’ll go with this one:

A force feeding and a failed elbow entry with Toronto going the other way.

After five games, according to NBA stats, the Sixers have a 117.1 defensive rating, which is fifth-worst in the league. They are giving up 21.2 fast break points per game, which is second worst. They’re allowing 39.2 opponent three point attempts per game, which is the 2nd most, and they look slow to get out to the perimeter and contest those shots (6th worst in the league). Everything related to the three point line is similarly bad, i.e. opponent three pointers made, three point percentage, and stuff like that.

They’re doing a good job of limiting second chance points and scoring off turnovers, so it’s really just generic half court effort, closing out, getting back in transition, and whatnot. The disappointing thing is  the hustle areas, like deflections, where they are sixth-worst (12.2 per game), or loose balls gathered, where they are third worst (2.8 per game). You gotta be active on defense and win in auxiliary categories, which has been the hallmark of recent Sixer playoff squads.

Ian Harrison at The Associated Press:


”We’ve got to get on the same page,” (Tyrese) Maxey said of the defense. ”We’re all still trying to figure it out. We’ve got three to four new rotation guys, so it’s hard. Once we figure it out, it’s going to be great.”

Sixers coach Doc Rivers echoed Maxey’s disappointment in Philadelphia’s defensive effort so far.

”We just aren’t doing what we need to do,” Rivers said.

We’re not even out of October yet, but these guys gotta start giving more defensive effort. It starts there.