NBA Playoffs 2012: Complete Guide to Beating the Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers find themselves in a first-round playoff matchup with the top team in the Eastern Conference—the Chicago Bulls.

While the 76ers are the eighth seed in the East and one of the most inconsistent teams of the 2011-12 regular season, there's no doubt that they can be a challenging team to beat.

Not only are the 76ers one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, they are also one of the deepest teams, which is why they are so difficult to beat.  I thought I'd help the Bulls out by giving them a blueprint of how to ensure that the 76ers don't make it out of the first round.

Ahead is a complete guide to beating the Philadelphia 76ers.

Strong-Arm Philadelphia out of the Gate

Arguably the Philadelphia 76ers biggest weakness is their inability to play physical on the offensive side of the ball.

The 76ers only average 93.8 points per game, which ranks 22nd in the NBA.  That offensive average displays, in part, the 76ers' inability to play with strength and physicality when they have the ball on offense.

Physicality is not a strongpoint for the 76ers, as they average the lowest amount of trips to the free-throw line with just 18.2 per game.

That average shows just how often the 76ers shy away from contact on the offensive side of the ball, and that's exactly why beating them starts by bringing the physicality to them on the defensive side of the ball from the moment the game starts.

Forcing the 76ers to match a high level of physicality on the offensive side of the ball is one way to get them out of their offensive flow, and that's a solid place to start when trying to knock them out of the playoffs early. 

Get out into Transition Early and Often

The 76ers biggest strength is their impressive tenacity and discipline on the defensive side of the ball, as evidenced by their impressive average of allowing only 89.1 points per game.

The best way to neutralize the 76ers' defensive advantage is to control the pace of the game by getting out into transition early and often.

One of the reasons why the 76ers were unable to beat the Miami Heat this season was because just how efficient and explosive the Heat are in transition with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade running the court.

While the 76ers are certainly an athletic team, they aren't able to defend in the transition because of the lack of physicality that exists in their transition defense.

Not only does forcing the pace and running the transition keep the 76ers from getting comfortable in their defense, it also forces them to match the pace of their opponent, which is one of the best ways to beat them.

When the 76ers are uncomfortable, they are a terribly inefficient team, especially offensively.  Making them uncomfortable begins by getting out into transition early and often.  

Force Philaelphia to Win the Game in the Paint

While the 76ers are relatively deep at the guard and small forward positions, they lack that depth when it comes to their frontcourt.

The 76ers average just 38.9 points per game in the paint, which ranks 23rd in the NBA.  The main reason they are unable to score in the paint is because they lack physicality at the power forward and center positions.

Elton Brand, Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen aren't terrible players, but they aren't the kind of big-men that are going to overpower opposing defenses in the paint, and that's a major weakness for the 76ers.

To beat the 76ers, focusing on defending the perimeter and forcing the 76ers' big-men to win the game in the paint is absolutely key, as it's something that the 76ers just can't do. 

Make the 76ers Earn Their Points from the Free-Throw Line

If there's one thing that the 76ers certainly struggle to do, it's getting to the free-throw line. 

The 76ers got to the free-throw line an average of 18.2 times per game, which is the lowest average in the NBA over the span of the 2011-12 season.

If that wasn't bad enough, when the 76ers actually get to the free-throw line they only shoot an average of 74.1 percent, which ranks 22nd in the NBA.

Beating the 76ers is an easier task if you force them to earn their points from the free-throw line, as it focuses on one of their inability to play physical basketball.

Making the 76ers earn their points from the free-throw line is a good way to ensure that the 76ers' run in the playoffs ends in the first round. 

Slow Down the 76ers' Fast-Break Offense

The 76ers rely on their ability to get out into their fast-break offense to set the speed and tone of the game, and beating the 76ers in the playoffs starts by not allowing them to do just that.

Over the span of the 2011-12 regular season, the 76ers have averaged 15.5 points per game in the fast-break, which ranks eight in the NBA, even ahead of the mighty Miami Heat.

Their ability to get out into the fast break is one of the reasons why they are able to come back in games they should be lose.  That's why slowing the 76ers down is a key to taking them out of the playoffs.

The 76ers' half-court offense isn't terrible, but it's certainly not their strength.  Their lack of true superstar talent forces them to take low-percentage shots late in the shot-clock.

If the 76ers are forced into playing half-court offense, their shot percentage will plummet and you'll be able to limit them offensively.

Keep the Ball out of Andre Iguodala's Hands

One of the 76ers biggest strengths is the depth that exists on their bench, as they truly are eight or nine players deep.

That strength can also be their biggest weakness at times because they're missing a true superstar talent to lead them.

With that being said, Andre Iguodala is the one player on the 76ers' roster that is an All-Star caliber talent, so keeping the ball out of his hands with help take out the 76ers.

Iguodala is the third highest scorer on the roster with an average of 12.4 points per game, but that isn't his biggest strength.  His biggest strength is his ability to facilitate the 76ers' offense, as illustrated by his 5.5 assists per game.

Keeping the ball out of Iguodala's hands hinders him from doing what he does best, which is creating easy offensive opportunities for the talent around him.

The 76ers rely on Iguodala to spark their overall flow on offense, and if he doesn't have the ball, the 76ers will struggle to win games.