Sixers coach Doc Rivers sees defensive improvement from Furkan Korkmaz
The Philadelphia 76ers will be missing a key piece of their lineup for the time being as they will be missing Danny Green for a little while due to a right calf strain. The Sixers will have to turn to their bench players to come in and make an impact in his place.
The one who will most likely receive the most playing time is fourth-year guard Furkan Korkmaz. The shooter out of Turkey immediately answered the call in Game 3 when he poured in 14 points and he knocked down a couple of triples in order to help the Sixers get the win and the series lead.
Korkmaz will probably be the likely starter in place of Green and while the offensive end is where he will make his biggest impact, it is on the other end of the floor where he continues to make strides.
“He’s really just playing harder, honestly,” said coach Doc Rivers. “He, I think, gets me better now knowing that I don’t like football players. Meaning, I love the game of football, but I don’t like it played in basketball, where you don’t get to play on offense and then go rest. Two-way players are very important.”
Korkmaz, in the past, would struggle on the defensive end of the floor and it would cost him in terms of playing time. There would be plenty of times where if he would not make his 3-pointers, he would not be able to make an impact out on the floor.
Now, he understands that he has to go out and defend his man on the other end to do other things out on the floor.
“Furk is doing all the little things that are required out of him,” Rivers added. “We’re not asking him to be Ben, but we’re asking them to be a better version of himself, defensively. I think he’s doing that.”
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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