NBA: 5 championship contenders after Kawhi Leonard’s decision
Philadelphia 76érs
The great thing about not having overly stacked teams is that fun, exciting, and talented teams like the Sixers have a shot at the chip as well. No one has ever questioned the talent and potential that this team has, but they have not yet proved that they have what it takes to make it all the way. However, this time around, with the league being devoid of “super teams” and the East up for grabs, Sixer fans should be looking forward to the upcoming season.
The addition of Al Horford gives the Sixers leadership and maturity, which can help them as well as a guy who can play Center in place of Joel Embiid as an insurance policy for Embiid’s health. Resigning Tobias Harris gives them a quality forward who can space the floor as well as create off the dribble. A possible starting lineup of Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, Harris, Horford, and Embiid has the potential to be a defensive nightmare for opposing teams and give the Clippers a run for their money for the label of the best defensive team in the league. Will they play a vintage inside-out game?
How will they consistently create scoring opportunities off the dribble with the personnel that they have? It’ll be interesting to see Brett Brown’s offensive system.
The landscape of the NBA has changed for the better. We’re going to see the best players in the league going at each other on a level playing field, something which has not been the case for the past few years. Give it a year more and add Brooklyn to the teams which are in contention.
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The NBA champions are no longer a foregone conclusion and uncertainty has been restored. If you’re an ardent NBA fan, this is precisely what you want to see – good old competition and uncertainty.