Doc Rivers Reveals New Plan for Sixers' Second Unit

Injuries have been a thorn in the side of the Sixers for the past week and change, but things seem to be looking up. The Sixers have been able to roll out their starting five, and the injury report remains almost empty. 

With less than ten games to go in the regular season, it is time to looking ahead to the postseason. In preparation for the playoffs, teams are starting to solidify their rotations for when the lights get brighter. 

Dealing with injuries has delayed the Sixers being able to do this. Doc Rivers would even mention that dealing with the injury bug has cost him time playing guys in their proper rotations. 

Now that his team is fully healthy, Rivers can get his rotations where he wants them. He would even try a new experiment within the second unit on Wednesday. 

Once George Hill made his debut for the Sixers, Rivers said he would try more multi-guard lineups. This would be the case on Wednesday when he rolled out a smaller, more perimeter-based bench unit. 

The lineup consisted of Hill, Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz, Matisse Thybulle, and Dwight Howard. After the game, Rivers would say it's been something he's wanted to try but couldn't because of injuries. 

"That's been the plan. We just had to get everybody healthy. We like that lineup. That's what we're going to do. We like the small lineup with one big," Rivers said after Wednesday's matchup with Atlanta. 

Matisse Thybulle is the key that makes this lineup work. His ability to defend bigger forwards allows Rivers to get another guard on the floor but not give up anything defensively. 

This new-look bench lineup also cures some spacing issues it had in the past. Earlier in the season, the trio of Howard, Thybulle, and Ben Simmons would struggle in a crowded lane. 

The second unit now has a good mix of ballhandling, shooting, and defense. While all of them will likely not play in the playoffs, this new lineup should improve one of the Sixers' weaker areas. 

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.