5 Things Philadelphia 76ers Must Do to Reach Full Potential

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The Philadelphia 76ers are currently in a major slide and need to make several adjustments in order to get back on the right track for the season. Clearly, the team has suffered major injuries, but that should not be an excuse to give up on this season.

These five adjustments could launch the Sixers into the playoff hunt and excite the fan base once again. The Sixers need to wake up their largely dormant fans, and a great way to do that is to field a highly competitive team.

Both coach Doug Collins and general manager Tony DiLeo need to improve this team in order for it to reach its full potential. 

Here are five changes the 76ers should make to do just that.

Get Evan Turner More Involved in the Offense

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Evan Turner is having another typical Evan Turner season in which he is inconsistent and frustrating to Sixers' fans everywhere. 

Turner is at his best when he has the ball, so coach Doug Collins should allow him to play with the ball especially when Jrue Holiday is off the court. Turner is not a great jump shooter but is a very good passer for his position.

Coach Collins needs to tailor the offense to better suit his skills.

Get to the Free Throw Line

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The Sixers are the worst team in the NBA at getting to the free throw line. They only get to the free throw line .148 times per field goal attempt, good for last in the NBA. 

This has been a problem ever since Doug Collins was hired three years ago. Collins simply does not stress the importance of getting free points.

The Sixers get to the line about 17 times per game, which, compared to the 28 times per game the Los Angeles Clippers get to the line, is miniscule..

That means the Sixers are simply not driving the lane enough and settling too often for jump shots.

Improve Their Bench Production

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The Sixers' bench has gone from one of the best in the league to one of the worst this season. The 76ers front office made some tough offseason decisions that have turned out poorly.

The crew of Nick Young, Dorell Wright, Spencer Hawes, Royal Ivey, and others is simply not good enough to compete with the league's elite teams. Not only are most of these guys limited offensively, but they are all also very questionable defenders.

Philadelphia must address this problem at the trade deadline if it wants to compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. 

Help Jrue out with the Scoring

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By just watching Sixers games it becomes evident that Jrue Holiday faces the burden of having to carry his team night in and night out.

Holiday only receives help in the scoring department from Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young, which is a bad sign. Hopefully, when Andrew Bynum returns Holiday will have a legitimate second scorer and be able to focus more on getting his teammates involved.

The fact Holiday is averaging 8.9 assists per game is stunning, considering he has very few options around him.

Get Andrew Bynum Back from Injury

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This is the most obvious change the Sixers need going forward.

Clearly, any team would improve greatly with a star such as Bynum returning from injury. However, because the Sixers lack another quality center option, Bynum's absence has been felt that much more.

The big man is slated to return after the All-Star break, but the Sixers may be out of contention by that time. The Sixers must try to stay around .500 until he returns if they want a shot at getting into the playoffs.

Bynum's return is also a big deal for the future of the franchise. The 76ers must see him in game action before they can decide on his future with the team.