Robert Covington Starting to Find Offensive Groove With Sixers
When the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Robert Covington from the LA Clippers, it was known that he'd be upping the team's ceiling defensively. That said, the veteran forward appears to finally be finding a groove on the other end of the floor.
From the moment he started getting playing time, Covington made a difference with his defense. However, his offensive production was minimal at best. Nick Nurse applauded him for his aggressiveness, but the shots just wouldn't fall.
On Wednesday night, Covington looked like he might be turning the corner offensively. After not scoring more than seven points in a game for the Sixers, he erupted for 16 in a loss to the Boston Celtics. Most of these points came around the rim as an off-ball cutter.
Following this performance, Covington was asked about starting to feel comfortable in the Sixers' offense. He stated he continues to learn more about the ins and outs of the system and has talked more with Nurse about generating looks as a cutter.
"Just knowing the offense more. Like more wrinkles, ways that the team guards, certain ways that I can make myself more available," Covington said. "One thing Coach [Nick Nurse] talked about a lot was cutting and you know doing the little things and that’s what got me you know, a lot of good looks and created a lot of looks for my teammates."
Covington also brought up how his previous situation led to his slow start. Last season, he only appeared in 48 games for the LA Clippers. On top of that, he was averaging the second-lowest minutes per game of his career. The former All-Defense wing admitted he's still getting adjusted to playing consistently but has faith everything will come together soon.
"The more and more I get comfortable on the offense, like I said, I’ll be able to do a lot more," he continued. "I’m still finding my place you know, and being that I didn’t really play last year, it’s like still trying to get your feet wet and everything, so everything will come around 10 fold."
Covington finding his way offensively is crucial for the Sixers, as he is someone who is expected to get a lot of minutes. If Nurse is going to leave him out for long stretches, he'll need to find ways to produce on offense.
With Kelly Oubre out for the next few weeks, the Sixers' second unit needs to find production from somewhere. Covington putting together a strong night against the Celtics is a step in the right direction.
