Simmons, Harris Talk Growing Chemistry Within Starting Lineup

Part of what made the Sixers so successful this season was the play of their starting lineup. Daryl Morey did a fantastic job revamping the supporting cast around Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Tobias Harris, and the results were almost instant. 

Bringing in sharpshooters like Danny Green and Seth Curry has cured the spacing issues that plagued the team last season. When all five starters played in the regular season, the Sixers had a 27-5 record. 

Their strong play together has carried into the postseason. The plus-minus numbers for the Sixers' starters against the Wizards have been absurd. In Saturday's win, all five players were a +27 or better. 

All five starters also finished in double-figures in game three. When firing on all cylinders like that, this team is almost impossible to defeat. 

After the game, multiple players spoke on the stellar play from the starting lineup. Ben Simmons feels it is on them to set the tone for the rest of the team. 

"I think we're just connected right now. We know we've got a lot of games to play to get to where we want to go, and it starts on defense for us. We've got to lead by example, all of us," said Simmons. 

Tobias Harris weighed in on this same topic later on. He feels the chemistry among the starters only continues to grow as the season progresses. 

"I think it's really good. We're just flowing off one another. As we started this playoffs, one thing is we want to just continue to build that trust," said Harris. 

Trust has been a common theme brought up by players as of late. It has been a testament to the improved culture within the team compared to previous seasons. 

Simmons is correct in the starters being the tone-setters. As the leaders of this team, it is on them to lead to the charge. 

The way they share the ball on offense and lock in on defense has made them an extremely tough lineup to compete with. This group not only feels they can win a title but are playing like it as well.  

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.