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Why the Sixers' Defense Was No Match For the Denver Nuggets

Denver knocked down six of its nine 3-point attempts in the first quarter, bending and breaking Philadelphia's defensive concepts into near submission by the end of the first 12 minutes.
Austin Krell|
Mar 17, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) works in the post against Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona (30) during the second half at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Mar 17, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) works in the post against Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona (30) during the second half at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

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Philadelphia 76ers

If you went to bed before the undermanned Sixers tipped off against the Nuggets in Denver on Tuesday night, you had about an hour of foresight that the rest of viewers did not have.

The Sixers trailed by 16 points after the first quarter and 32 points at halftime. Denver knocked down six of its nine 3-point attempts in the first quarter, bending and breaking Philadelphia's defensive concepts into near submission by the end of the first 12 minutes. The game was competitively over some three minutes into the second quarter.

But this matchup illuminated many of the concerns you've had about the Sixers' defense all season.

So, let's break down each 3 the Nuggets took in that first quarter.

Note: Off-the-dribble 3s were not included in this breakdown.

Christian Braun drew first blood.

This is a look the Sixers should live with every time. They funneled the ball to a sub-30% shooter. They accounted for Nikole Jokic and Jamal Murray. They did not leave Cam Johnson open one pass away. The only thing to circle is that there's a pocket of space that causes both Quentin Grimes and Adem Bona to go with Murray, leaving Braun open.

Perhaps the only thing to say is that Bona gets behind Murray on the switch. He can't do much from that position, and Grimes has already made the rotation to the middle of the lane. It would be unconventional, but VJ Edgecombe could've tagged Murray on the roll, audibling Bona out of the action and to Johnson or Braun. That would either allow Grimes to stay home on Braun or create an x-out situation where Grimes rotates to Johnson as Bona rotates to Braun.

This one is more of what the Sixers have done—to frustrating results—all season.

There are two bodies accounting for Jokic. If he makes the pass back to Murray, Justin Edwards is right there. Grimes is sandwiched by Braun and Johnson. The spacing is cramped. He could get to either guy. There is no need for Dominick Barlow to rotate off Aaron Gordon, a 40% 3-point shooter, one pass away.

Speaking of Gordon...

In principle, you don't mind Barlow straying into the paint with the ball on the weak side of the floor. But again, Gordon is an excellent 3-point shooter. There are already two bodies on Murray. Cam Payne is on Jokic, which is better than leaving him wide open but still poses obvious issues.

But there are two Nuggets on the second side of the floor. Both are wide open. Barlow is the only Sixer in help. He could take up a more mutual help position between Braun and Gordon. That way, regardless of who the ball goes to, he has a shorter distance to travel on the closeout.

The Nuggets missed 10 shots in the first quarter. They got the offensive rebound on three of them. Sometimes, there's only so much you can do. But offensive rebounds can lead to cross-matches on the ensuing scramble.

It is a cross-match insofar as Edwards rotates to tag Jokic out of the trap, forcing Andre Drummond to come help. Payne drops to tag Braun at the rim. Grimes stays with Gordon. All of that leaves Tim Hardaway Jr. wide open in the weak-side corner for a 3.

With the scheme presented the way it was, the rotations are logical. Drummond having to come help ease the cross-match puts three Sixers in the paint to account for two bodies, leaving someone open on the perimeter.

There is something to be said about the Sixers having both bigs defending the initial action between Murray and Jokic. It leaves no size closer to the rim, pressuring the defense to collapse in some way. But if there's one cross-match, there's a decent chance that means there's another cross-match elsewhere.

The Sixers have Payne guarding the least dangerous Nugget on the floor. Fine. They funnel the ball to Braun and he capitalizes on an open look. You'll live with that.

Here's another transition 3 for Denver.

It's difficult to imagine that the Sixers don't want some size accounting for Jokic in the trail position. That has to put someone back at the rim with Jokic at the top of the floor. You should always be trying to take away the rim, and Trendon Watford is the second biggest guy in the lineup.

It is justifiable that that part of the coverage unfolded the way it did. But Payne leans far closer to the bad 3-point shooter, leaving the far better shooter open in the corner. The first instinct should be to favor Murray. If he makes the swing pass to Braun, you can play your chances of him making an open 3 or rotate away from Murray to close out. But leaving Murray that open simply isn't justifiable.

And finally, another over-help.

Spencer Jones is an excellent shooter, albeit on somewhat-limited volume. The Sixers have two bodies on Cam Johnson out of the pick-and-roll. Edgecombe is tagging the roller. Watford should be hugging up on Jones in the corner, just one pass away.

The Nuggets are the second best 3-point-shooting team in the league. They have the greatest passing big man of all time. The Sixers' defensive scheme, with the constant over-helping one pass away, presents a puzzle that Jokic can solve with his eyes closed.

Philadelphia likely lacked the personnel to stay with Denver in this game anyway. But the Sixers' defensive principles burned them early and often. That was all she wrote.

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Austin Krell
AUSTIN KRELL

Austin Krell has covered the Sixers beat since the 2020-21 NBA season. Previous outlets include 97.3 ESPN and OnPattison.com. He also covered the NBA, at large, for USA Today. When he’s not consuming basketball in some form, he’s binge-watching a tv show, enjoying a movie, or listening to a music playlist on repeat.

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