With the Philadelphia 76ers firing on all cylinders in their recent six-game win streak, is it time to claim them favorites in the East?
The Philadelphia 76ers are a threat in the Eastern Conference and may be the most exciting team in the NBA. In their recent matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a glimpse of playoff success flashed before the eyes of everyone.
Ben Simmons was finding teammates, being active on the boards and even scoring the basketball – en route to his 10th triple-double of his rookie season.
Simmons’ game is what makes the Sixers brand of basketball fun to begin with. His ability to push the ball down the court opens looks for all of his teammates. It leaves nearly every player in prime position to catch-and-shoot or simply find a layup.
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And it shows in the box score as well, with Philadelphia ranking third in assists (26.3).
Meanwhile, Joel Embiid outperforms every matchup he has, and to highlight his play is the norm for almost everyone. Against Karl-Anthony Towns, it was no different. Embiid has a plethora of post moves and specific spots on the floor that generate points with ease. His defense is no pushover with him being in the conversation of Defensive Player of the Year by being the anchor of a defense that ranks fourth in defensive rating (103), according to NBA.com.
Not to forget their overshadowed third star in the making, Dario Saric. The confidence shown in his own play is what makes him impossible to handle alongside Embiid. He stretches the floor with his quick trigger but also his ability to catch the ball and immediately go downhill with it.
But the team goes beyond their young stars, and that is what makes them prolific. Each player has capabilities to contribute in ways that are unbelievable to witness.
Robert Covington is the purest definition of a 3-and-D player, usually suffocating the opposition while sinking 3’s on a 40 percent clip. To go without mentioning, he makes Ben Simmons look like a kid in the candy shop with his ability to cut to the basket. Without Covington being a part of this team, success would not be in favor of Philadelphia. He goes a long way in making the process what it should become in the future years.
J.J. Redick, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova are all known commodities in the NBA for their shooting prowess. And let’s not forget the first pick in this year’s NBA Draft, Markelle Fultz, who is ready to go whenever he is ready, according to Head Coach, Brett Brown.
You may ask yourself where is he going with this? The answer to that question is that the Philadelphia 76ers are proving that this late in the season they are ready to go come playoff time. They have the players to make it against virtually everyone in the East with two generational talents in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid with the supporting cast to prove it.
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The youth and speed that comes along with Philadelphia creates a mismatch nightmare for even the top dogs of the Eastern conference in Toronto and Cleveland (and, potentially, Boston).
While many believe that the Philadelphia 76ers are out of the conversation regarding playoff success, maybe it’s time you did a little soul searching and educate yourself. It is time to trust the process even if it feels a bit too early.