JUST IN: Paul Reed Talks About Defending Zion Williamson in Sixers News

Big man Paul Reed of the Philadelphia 76ers responds to protecting Zion Williamson, the All-Star forward for the Pelicans.

The Philadelphia 76ers were hoping to get back on track when they entered the court on Friday after suffering back-to-back losses earlier in the week. A meeting with Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans was next on the agenda.

The Sixers made things interesting after halftime, despite their dull first half performance. In the closing minutes, they were able to draw even, but not close enough to pull off the victory. The Sixers suffered their third straight loss as New Orleans defeated them 103-95 in the end.

Guys have had to step up and take on bigger roles as a result of the Sixers’ numerous injury problems. Paul Reed, a large man, is one of many doing so. Since Joel Embiid was injured, he has been in and out of the starting lineup all the time.

Nick Nurse assigned Reed, one of the bigger and more athletic options the Sixers have, the duty of defending Zion Williamson for extended periods of time. The youthful center talked about trying to match up with the two-time All-Star after the game. He has a strong left wing, as we all know. Since he has a strong left hand, all we really need to do is take away his left hand while making sure everyone is helping. That’s our strategy, in a sense,” he remarked.

In this contest, the former No. 1 selection ended up playing a variety of roles for New Orleans. Williamson finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks in 34 minutes of play.

Despite coming off the bench in this game, Reed was one of the key players that stood out. With 17 points and 11 rebounds in the last minutes, he recorded a double-double. Additionally, Reed demonstrated his ability to stretch the floor by making two of his four attempts from beyond the arc and hitting.

Although replacing Embiid has not been simple, Reed has made every effort to cover for him in the center spot. On Sunday night, the Sixers will return to action when they play the New York Knicks.