In a featured showcase between two lethal Eastern Conference teams, the Philadelphia 76ers got manhandled by their rivals on their own court. The New York Knicks, largely to the tune of a dominant third quarter output, escaped Philly with a win, sending the hosts to their third loss in their last four contests.
The 76ers managed to come back and keep things close in the last minute, but a 30-13 edge in favor of the visitors proved to be too much for them to truly get back from. However, another story of the game which everyone will gloss over is the rebounding discrepancy. New York easily won the battle on the board with a 53-37 advantage in total rebounds, [thanks in large part to Mitchell Robinson](https://www.espn.ph/nba/story/_/id/47719372/mitchell-robinson-sparks-knicks-rally-win-vs-76ers) and Josh Hart, who combined for 11 offensive boards.
In sum, Philly allowed their tormentors to rack up 19 offensive rebounds compared to just six of their own, highlighting a huge issue for this team that could very well end up limiting their ceiling come playoff time. But more importantly, rebounding is something the front office should address before the trade deadline.
The 76ers can no longer afford to ignore their rebounding woes
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Philadelphia ranks 16th in the league in rebounding, but they are definitely one of the worst ones when it comes to ending possessions. The 76ers are 21st in securing defensive rebounds — a problem area which has been existent for quite some time now.
[While Joel Embiid is back to his dominant form](https://thesixersense.com/76ers-just-made-their-biggest-addition-this-season-without-making-single-move) on the scoring end, his physical limitations have hindered his ability to be an imposing presence on the boards. Naturally, that is the major concession they have to accept with the superstar, but the 76ers cannot just settle with this compromise. They have to do something about it.
Andre Drummond has been mothballed in games with Embiid starting, which calls for the front office to find better rebounders who can be inserted into the real rotation no matter what. Adem Bona has not been consistent corralling boards, and their perimeter players have not been up to par when it comes to gang rebounding.
With where the 76ers currently stand, there is a real possibility that they end up facing the Knicks or the Pistons — who are both in the top-five in rebounding — come playoff time. And if they do not address their rebounding woes, Philly could very well see its chances reduced to the most plausible minimum. That is how critical rebounding (or their lack thereof) has become for this team.