Joel Embiid is taking his defense to ‘another level’ as the Sixers hit NBA’s stretch run

Joel Embiid and Doc Rivers pointed to the 76ers’ first-quarter defense as a significant key in Sunday’s rout of the Washington Wizards because, as Rivers described, “if [the Wizards] get comfortable, they become tough to play.”

P.J. Tucker’s individual effort guarding the 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis was lauded. That game plan also offered the opportunity for the versatile Joel Embiid to play as a “roamer,” or as a rim protector hanging near the basket.

The result: Four blocks in three quarters of action.

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“It makes sense with our team,” Embiid said after the game. " … We’ve got a lot of guys that like to be aggressive, and then we have a lot of breakdowns defensively. So if you’re going to have your best rim protector [on the perimeter], it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense. They’re going to have a lot of wide-open layups.

“Like I always say, defense comes first when it comes to me. Whatever I can do to help on that end, that’s always the focus.”

The Sixers entered Monday ranked ninth in the NBA in defensive efficiency (112.4 points allowed per 100 possessions), though that unit has been inconsistent in the 10 games since the All-Star break.

They have held three of those opponents under 100 points. They also gave up 133 to the Dallas Mavericks, 130 to the Milwaukee Bucks and 147 to the Indiana Pacers — though the Sixers won the latter two games. This stretch, though, has been peppered with Embiid brilliance, such as his six-block performance against the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 23 and three rejections apiece against the Boston Celtics on Feb. 25, the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 7 and Portland Trail Blazers last Friday.

“We’re getting to that point of the season where you’ve got to be on point when it comes to everything,” Embiid said. " … In the past, my defense from the regular season to the playoffs has always gone to another level. It’s all about trying to build it.”

Tyrese Maxey’s explosive scoring has returned in his move back to the starting lineup, averaging 22 points on 57.3% shooting from the floor and 53.7% from three-point range in his past seven games.

The shift has also appeared to help D’Anthony Melton, who had started 51 games this season but has re-emerged as a spark off the bench the past week.

He has scored in double figures in each of his past three games, including finishing with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists against Washington. Rivers also highlighted Melton’s alteration of a late Damian Lillard shot in Friday’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers as one of his textbook disruptive defensive plays, on a night when he also finished with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting (3-of-4 from long range) and five assists.

“It’s great to see his energy back up,” Rivers said.

» READ MORE: Excelling individually, Joel Embiid, James Harden catapult Sixers to Eastern Conference contenders

Melton initially moved into the starting group in November, when Maxey and James Harden sustained significant foot injuries that kept each player out for at least a month. Yet even after they both returned to health, Melton remained in the first five because of his prowess as one of the NBA’s leaders in deflections (three per game) and steals (1.6 per game).

Melton slipped into a slump going into and coming out of the All-Star break, shooting 32.4% from the floor and 30.4% from beyond the arc in the seven games before the lineup adjustment. Maxey also sputtered as Rivers attempted to find the pockets to still give him 30 minutes off the bench. So the coach officially made the switch on the Sixers’ most recent road trip, though he maintained he is not “fearful” of changing again based on matchups.

Both players were part of an unconventional closing lineup in the win against the Trail Blazers. Melton, meanwhile, totaled seven points and two assists during the Sixers’ surge to start the fourth quarter against the Wizards, which turned a 12-point lead into a 25-point cushion and allowed Maxey to rest for the remainder of the game.

Wednesday’s game in Cleveland is the final regular-season matchup between the Sixers and Cavaliers, who are behind them in the Eastern Conference standings. The 3 1/2 game gap between the third-place Sixers (45-22) and fourth-place Cavaliers (43-27) entering Monday is fairly significant, given Cleveland has already played 70 games.

Still, securing the tiebreaker would be beneficial for a Sixers team that plays seven of their next eight games on the road and has the second-toughest remaining strength of schedule based on opponent win percentage, per Tankathon.

The Cavaliers routed the Sixers, 113-85, in Cleveland in their first meeting on Nov. 30, the game Rivers infamously called a “schedule loss” in his postgame comments. The Sixers then beat Cleveland, 118-112, in their final game before the All-Star break on Feb. 15, racing out to a giant lead before holding off the Cavaliers’ late rally.

“We just beat them. That’s your attitude,” Rivers said. “It doesn’t matter to me. … All these games are important, so I don’t think we circle one.”

Embiid on the Sixers’ win over the Wizards: “We didn’t go down 20 this time. It makes it easy.”