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Dwayne Dedman gets held down by Nik Stauskas but makes the layup anyway as the Spurs host the Sixers at the AT&T Center on February 2, 2017.
Dwayne Dedman gets held down by Nik Stauskas but makes the layup anyway as the Spurs host the Sixers at the AT&T Center on February 2, 2017.
Davis Bertans rolls in for a layup despite interference by Ersan Ilyasova as the Spurs host the Sixers at the AT&T Center on February 2, 2017.
Davis Bertans rolls in for a layup despite interference by Ersan Ilyasova as the Spurs host the Sixers at the AT&T Center on February 2, 2017.
Kawhi Leonard pulls away and makes a fall away jumper after beng fouled by Dario Saric with Richaun Holmes following the play as the Spurs host the Sixers at the AT&T Center on February 2, 2017.
Kawhi Leonard pulls away and makes a fall away jumper after beng fouled by Dario Saric with Richaun Holmes following the play as the Spurs host the Sixers at the AT&T Center on February 2, 2017.
Dwayne Dedman leans up for a shot against Jahlil Okafor as the Spurs host the Sixers at the AT&T Center on February 2, 2017.
Dwayne Dedman leans up for a shot against Jahlil Okafor as the Spurs host the Sixers at the AT&T Center on February 2, 2017.
Kawhi Leonard heaves into the defense of Dario Saric as the Spurs host the Sixers at the AT&T Center on February 2, 2017.
Kawhi Leonard heaves into the defense of Dario Saric as the Spurs host the Sixers at the AT&T Center on February 2, 2017.
For both Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and 76ers coach Brett Brown, the 2016-17 season has been a perpetual game of roster roulette.
Each coach has trotted out 20 different starting lineups, to staggeringly dissimilar results.
One key difference: Popovich has been able to play his best five together 23 times this season; Brown has been able to do so only nine times.
The Sixers are 7-2 when Brown starts presumptive Rookie of the Year Joel Embiid, Robert Covington, Ersan Ilyasova, Nik Stauskas and TJ McConnell. Their other 19 lineups are 11-31.
“I think it’s hardest on coach, if anything,” said Sixers center Nerlens Noel, who missed the Sixers’ Feb. 2 loss at the AT&T Center. “As players we have to go out there and do what we have to do regardless of whose dressed or not. It’s our jobs to mesh in the best way we can and make the chemistry click for whoever’s out there.”
Popovich’s lineup riddle is considerably easier.
The Spurs’ preferred five of Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tony Parker, Pau Gasol and Danny Green are 18-5, good for a .782 winning percentage. Their other 19 units have gone 21-7, a .724 winning percentage that outranks every team outside of Golden State.
Popovich has a capable plug at every position, for seemingly every situation.
Brown is not so lucky.
Embiid has played just once since Jan. 21 as the team takes supreme caution to ensure his health for the remainder of this season and, more importantly, beyond.
Though Philadelphia will have two players — Noel and Covington — who did not play in San Antonio, Embiid will once again sit out.
There’s no way to mask the absence of a 7-foot, 250-pound basketball unicorn that can drill 3-pointers, napalm opponents off the dribble and provide elite interior defense.
Embiid has an unmistakable LeBron effect on his team – Philadelphia has outscored opponents by 67 with the rookie on the court and have been outscored by 380 when he sits.
“It’s tough, considering what he brings but we have other guys that have to step up,” said Covington, who averaged 13.1 points and 7.1 rebounds in January.
Brown was able to get his team to do just that in their first meeting with the Spurs. For a time.
Playing without Embiid, Covington and Noel, Philadelphia led the Spurs by five at the half and clung to that slim edge until midway through the third quarter.
“They don’t have their guys, and it doesn’t matter,” Popovich said. “They just play one way, and that’s competitively, aggressively. They execute, they did a great job. We played a good 24 minutes in the second half, but Brett’s got them believing in themselves, and their execution was better than ours, for sure.”
If Brown wants to pull an upset on his old boss, that execution will have to last a full 48 tonight.
nmoyle@express-news.net
Twitter: @NRmoyle
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