Should the Sixers start and close games with 3-guard lineups?

The Philadelphia 76ers played well in guard Tyrese Maxey’s recent absence. Philly’s record was 12-6 in the 18 games Maxey missed. It helped that James Harden returned eight games into Maxey’s time out. Even with that, the bench mob stepped up big time. De’Anthony Melton, Shake Milton, Georges Niang, Montrezl Harrell, Matisse Thybulle, Furkan Korkmaz, and Danuel House Jr. made up those minutes in spades. The Sixers have run out and experimented with lineups with more ballhandling from Milton, Melton, and Korkmaz. This leads me to ask, should the Sixers start and close games with three-guard lineups?

The question has legitimate credence behind it given the recent success the Sixers have had, speaking from statistical and eye test standpoints. On top of Maxey’s injury, the Sixers would deal with missing Joel Embiid on a few of those nights. Forcing head coach Doc Rivers’ hand to play different lineups, more three-guard lineups in particular. The M&M Mafia (I guess that’s Shake and De’Anthony’s duo nickname from me) had more chances to play together and with Harden, Korkmaz, or Thybulle.

Should the Sixers move De’Anthony Melton into the starting lineup full-time?

From the eye test standpoint, the floor looked bigger in the half-court due to increased ball movement. The M&M Mafia was using ball screens from Embiid and Harrell to slice into the defense to find a kick out pass. Started the ball movement and it just started pinging around the perimeter. The effort was palpable throughout the absence of Maxey. Playing time opened up and the rotation was given its opportunity to prove itself and gain a defined role on the team. Niang and Harrell held down their dog and the offensive roles of an exceptional pick-and-pop shooter and hard roller to the rim Thybulle, Kork, and House Jr. were a bit of a mixed bag but they did more good for the squad than bad during the Maxey sidelining.

That lineup would be Maxey, Melton, Harden, Harris, and Embiid. I believe this lineup can really excel on both sides of the ball. It has enough on offense to score more than opponents and the defense to get teams to struggle just enough. Of course, that lineup is theoretical, and just switching Tucker for Melton. Until this point in the season, this lineup has not been tried, which is a problem. Those are the Sixers’ best players and finding a way to pair them all together would be ideal. Dare I say this purely speculative statement, but it is part of the reason why…