NBA: 8 big questions remaining heading into the push for the playoffs

Are the Philadelphia 76ers really pretenders in the East?

Almost three quarters into the NBA season, we still don’t know what Philadelphia 76ers are and what they aren’t. Before the season, many expected this season to run through the Eastern Conference with ease. With the Bucks losing one of their key cogs in the offseason, the stage was set for the Sixers to assume the position as favorites in the East.

However, since the season has started, the Sixers have been everything but that. They’ve been an utter disappointment and Al Horford doesn’t seem to fit next to Joel Embiid. Then there’s the whole “can Embiid and Ben Simmons coexist” narrative that has stolen headlines over the last few weeks.

Brett Brown is probably on the hot seat as well and Embiid was recently openly flirting with Jimmy Butler the Heat on social media just the other week. The Sixers are in a bit of disarray, but on the bright side are only 4.5 games back of the third seed in the East.

Can they turn it around? Absolutely, they are loaded with talent. However, there’s nothing this team has done that suggests they will as the playoff push begins. Who knows?