76ers Love Benefits of Playoff PJ So Far

Joel Embiid made a statement to the Philadelphia 76ers’ front office last season after the team was bounced out of the second-round of the NBA Playoffs. The big man made it clear that the Sixers needed a veteran tough guy that plays the game like PJ Tucker.

Fast forward a few months later, and the Sixers inked the former Miami Heat veteran to a multi-year deal. During the regular season, Tucker caught a lot of heat from outsiders due to his struggles on the offensive end.

But the Sixers continued to stress the fact that Tucker’s value goes way beyond the box score. And come playoff time, everybody will see the impact that the veteran forward brings.

Four games into the 2023 NBA Playoffs, and the Sixers are loving the benefit of having Playoff PJ on their side so far.

“[His fingerprints are] just all over, with his rebounding,” Doc Rivers said about Tucker after Philly’s Game 4 win over the Brooklyn Nets. “I was happy for him because we couldn't have gotten more wide open shots tonight. And tonight he just kept taking it. And that's all we said at halftime, ‘PJ, you've not forgotten how to shoot, just keep taking them.’ He did that, but whether they go in or not where he wins games, it's all the other stuff that he does for us.”

Rivers added that Tucker was "great" vocally as well. “There was a timeout, I think we gave up at the end of the third," Rivers explained. "I think we gave up a two-for-one, then a three or a quick drive. In the timeout, I stopped talking because PJ was talking so loud that I just let him take the timeout. He was phenomenal.”

Going into Game 4, the Sixers knew a win would allow them to advance past the first round of the playoffs, becoming the first team to book their ticket to the second round. Although Philadelphia has had Brooklyn’s number all season long, the absence of Joel Embiid in Game 4 was notable.

The Sixers trotted out the backup center Paul Reed along with the starting lineup. In Reed’s first playoff start, the young center started off shaky before hitting his stride and finishing the game with his most impressive postseason performance. After the game, he credited Tucker for helping with boosting his confidence.

“That’s like big brother to me, for real,” Reed said of Tucker. “He’s one of the dudes that kind of helped me in my development mentally and how serious I got to take this opportunity and how my preparation and mental focus is extremely important.”

After the Sixers’ Game 3 win over the Nets, both of Philly’s stars, Joel Embiid and James Harden, noted that they were glad to have Tucker on their side this time after he was a thorn in their sides during last year’s second-round series against Miami. Following Game 4, Maxey pointed out the cause of that and the value Tucker brings behind closed doors.

“We know that playoffs is like PJ Tucker time,” said Maxey. “It’s beside what he does on the court. What he does behind the scenes, nobody sees that. We always see his offensive rebounds. You see his corner threes, you see his toughness on the court, but off the court, you don't see him pulling guys to the side like myself or P. Reed or even James (Harden) or the Big Fella (Embiid). You don't see him pull the guys aside, coaching them, and leading. We need that, and we appreciate him for that. He’s been doing it all year, but he’s really stepped it up come playoff time. He said that the playoffs start now. I guess they didn’t start this series, but he said it starts now.”

The Sixers will have some downtime as they wait for the Boston Celtics-Atlanta Hawks series to conclude. By sweeping the Nets, the Sixers can rest up and gear up for Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they’ll compete for the third-straight season.