Sixers have found their shooting touch during five-game win streak

The 76ers have won five games in a row following Sunday’s 134-99 rout of the San Antonio Spurs at the Wells Fargo Center and a common trait in all five games has been lights-out shooting.

The Sixers have shot 50 percent or better from the field in each of the five games. According to Basketball-reference.com’s Stathead, the last time the Sixers shot 50 percent or better in at least five consecutive games was Jan. 18-25, 1992 (which consisted of five games).

» READ MORE: With Sixers Joel Embiid sidelined, more focus will be on Dwight Howard

Here is a look at their last five games

March 1 — 130-114 over Indiana: 50 for 88 (56.8%)

March 3 — 131-123 OT over Utah: 48 for 93 (51.6%)

March 11 — 127-105 at Chicago: 53 for 103 (51.5%)

March 12 — 127-101 at Washington: 49 for 90 (54.4%)

March 14 — 134-99 vs. San Antonio: 56 for 98 (57.1%)

For the season, the Sixers are shooting 48.3% from the field. In the five March games, they are shooting 54.2%.

When asked after Sunday’s win why he thinks the offense is clicking, coach Doc Rivers spoke about familiarity.

“We’ve been together now half a season,” he said. “We work on spacing and guys are passing the ball right now.”

Over the course of a 72-game season, the Sixers and other teams will get in an out of grooves. Right now the Sixers are in a serious one.

“It’s amazing why that (effectiveness) stops at some point and then you have to remind them,” Rivers said. “ … Right now, we are doing a great job of what we call the flow pass and our flow passes have been unbelievable over the stretch.”

Compare these five games with the first five games of the season and one can see how much more than a half season together has really made the Sixers jell.

» READ MORE: In welcoming fans to the Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers took a necessary step toward normal | David Murphy

In five December games, the Sixers shot 44.5%.

Normally with a high percentage it would mean that a team is getting easier baskets in transition. The Sixers (27-12), who host the New York Knicks on Tuesday are averaging 19 transition points during this five-game win streak. They entered Sunday averaging 22.6 transition points per game according to NBA.com stats.

So it isn’t as if an overly high number of transition baskets are bumping up the field goal percentage.

The Sixers have simply been finding the open man and playing an unselfish style. Sunday they had 35 assists on 56 field goals and their ball movement was among the best it has been all season.

“We looked like we were playing with pace, moving the ball and playing with each other,” said Ben Simmons who had 14 points and nine assists. “We were finding the open man.”

Another factor is that the bench is playing better. During the five-game winning streak, the bench is averaging 53.8 points, while the opponent’s reserves are averaging 40.8.

As an example, Fukan Korkmaz has shot 8 for 9 (88.8%) from three-point range over the last two games, and 16 of 29 (55.1%) during the past five.

Matisse Thybulle, who started two games when Simmons was out due to quarantining but usually comes off the bench, has shot 13 for 15 from the field, including 5 of 5 from three-point range in his last three games.

The Sixers are getting a lot of open shots and making a good percentage of them.

A final factor could be that they are energized. Due to the all-star break, they went seven full days without playing a game. They have won their three games since the break by an average margin of 27.6 points.