Sizing Up the Sixers (4-18):Many of the sets of eyes watching Thursday's pairing between the 76ers and New Orleans Pelicans will be fixed on the center position, and that's perfectly understandable.The second contest of the Sixers' current three-game road trip is expected to be highlighted by the match-up pitting Joel Embiid, who paces the NBA in rookie scoring and rebounding, against Anthony Davis, the three three-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year who presently holds the league's top scoring average at 31.6 points per game.Heading into Thursday's tilt, however, there are several other storylines of note in relation to the Sixers' frontcourt.First, if we stick with the “five” spot, the recent efforts of Richaun Holmes warrant attention. With Jahlil Okafor sidelined the past two games with gastroenteritis, and him not expected to be with the team in New Orleans Thursday, Holmes has seen his short-term responsibilities rise. Monday, in the Sixers' setback to Denver, Holmes, the team's third-string center when Embiid and Okafor are both available, served as Embiid's back-up, as a result of Okafor being on the shelf. The second-year Bowling Green product responded, producing 11 points (5-8 fg), eight rebounds, and two blocks in 18 minutes.In several ways, his contributions the next night were even more stellar. Minus Embiid (rest) and Okafor, the Sixers called upon Holmes to log 34 minutes, not only a career-high, but the first time he ever played more than 27 minutes in a single game.Furthermore, Holmes, still in the relatively early stages of his professional career, had to go up against the likes of All-Stars Marc Gasol, and Zach Randolph. The 23-year old finished with 10 points (5-13 fg), six boards, and three swats, which tied a season-high.Brett Brown's directive to Holmes, with his increased playing time, was clear, and he answered the call again.”It's to do what he does well longer,” Brown said Tuesday in Memphis. “He runs well, he is an elite roller after he sets a pick. He is a deer in the open court, and he is an elite roller.”No Sixer this season has had a higher percentage of his total offensive possessions come in pick-and-roll offensive sets than Holmes (20.2 percent frequency). And, as Brown indicated, Holmes has been effective. The big man has scored on a team-best 61.5 percent of the pick-and-roll touches he's received, while generating a team-high 59.1 percent of his pick-and-roll field goal attempts. “I feel good,” Holmes said recently. “I'm ready for the opportunity, and try to play as hard as possible.”On the opposite end of the court, Brown has been encouraged by Holmes' ability to protect the hoop. Holmes rejects shots at a respectable rate of 2.1 blocks per 36 minutes, and, in defending territory six feet from the basket or less, has held opponents 4.7 percentage points below their normal field goal efficiency. “Defensively, he is very underrated as a shot blocker,” said Brown. “You don't look at him at 7-foot like we would other shot blockers. His bounce, his ability to jump twice, makes him, in his own way, a presence at the rim and very active.”Perhaps more than anything else, Brown has appreciated the way Holmes has kept himself ready amidst a period in which his minutes have been dictated by the availability of others. “I have tremendous respect for the way he's handled himself,” Brown said. “He's become a bandaid, if you will, when somebody's injured or doesn't play. He's handled it with class, as a pro. He's handled it beyond his years of experience, and his actual age.”So that's the beat on Holmes for the moment.Moving one position over along the Sixers' frontline to power forward, developments as of late have also been promising.For starters, veteran Ersan Ilyasova has been a revelation. Since he was obtained via trade on November 1st, the native of Turkey has posted 13.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 26.9 minutes per game. Ilyasova leads the Sixers with 37 3-pointers made, and has shot 38.1 percent from beyond the arc.Brown called him a “great acquisition” Tuesday at FedEx Forum, after Ilyasova set season-highs of 23 points and 17 rebounds.”He goes about his business,” said Brown. “He does it without much emotion. I think he doesn't get too high, he doesn't get too low. He's just as steady as anybody I have coached.”Ilyasova, now in his ninth NBA season, is simply focused on doing what he can to help the Sixers get over the hump. Each of their last three games, all losses, have been decided by eight points or less. “We are all professionals, and we can't make excuses,” he said Tuesday. “We have no margin for error. We have to come out with a lot of energy, because we have those guys who will give 110.0 percent, and that's the only way we can win. We have to play harder than the other team, come out with a lot of energy, and do our best.”The mindset is one that Dario Saric, like Ilyasova, has adopted as well. The Croatian rookie has acted as the Sixers' second-stringer behind Ilyasova the last 12 games. The past week has been one of Saric's most productive yet. Over his previous three appearances, he's manufactured 55 total points and 27 rebounds, while converting 58.3 percent of his field goals (21-36 fg) and 50.0 percent of his threes (9-18 3fg). Brown has been happy to see Saric's swagger and self-belief return. One of the objectives going forward is for Saric to continue fine-tuning his perimeter game. “I think he's going to find ways more to use the 3-point shot,” Brown said of Saric, who has connected on nearly 40.0 percent of his 3-point attempts this year. “I really am trying to grow him to not be a 'long 2 ' guy, to really take two steps backwards, and get your comfort and feet set and really try to shoot threes. His percentage so far has been excellent.”Embiid's probable impending battle with Davis, rightfully, will garner a substantial amount of attention leading up to Thursday's tip-off at Smoothie King Center. In addition to his eye-opening contributions, though, the Sixers have some other reasons to feel good about what's been happening up front.Sizing Up the Pelicans (7-15):New Orleans began the season in bumpy fashion, dropping its first eight games, and 10 of its first 12 outings overall. Behind a four-game winning streak that immediately followed this rut, the Pelicans have recovered a bit, playing .500 basketball over their last 14 games. Beyond Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday represents a noteworthy member of New Orleans' roster. Now in his eighth NBA season, and fourth with the Pelicans since being traded by the Sixers three years ago, the 2012 All-Star has been in and out of the line-up this fall.Holiday missed New Orleans' first 12 outings of the season while on personal leave tending to his wife, Lauren. Weeks before Holiday and the Pelicans were set to start training camp, she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. Surgery was delayed so that the couple's child could be born.Holiday has averaged 16.4 points and 6.1 assists in 28.4 minutes since returning to New Orleans nine games ago. He sat out Monday's double-overtime loss to Memphis with turf toe.Series History:The Sixers and New Orleans have split their two-game season series each of the past two years. The Sixers used a 36-point second quarter on April 5th to power past the Pelicans 107-93. Anthony Davis went for 34 points in New Orleans' 121-114 triumph at Smoothie King Center February 19th. Follow Along:
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