Philadelphia 76ers Two Out Of Three Can Still Be Bad

Philadelphia 76ers Two Out Of Three Can Still Be Bad

It may seem premature to many, but I believe the Philadelphia 76ers have two potential bright and shining stars of the NBA yet to be: Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel. Both players excel in the NBA: one with offensive production from the post, one with defensive athleticism that plays havoc with the opposition. In both cases, they are growing up day by day and with no serious injury or setback will light up the basketball courts of the NBA for many years to come.

I discussed how the NBA championship looks in the world of basketball analytics some time ago, and noted that the championship teams of the NBA need at least three superstars. Sitting on two, you would guess that the Philadelphia 76ers would be winning better than 50% of their games, right?

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Well, how does winless grab you? So you think that disproves my theory?

Let’s look at this team, and the makings of an NBA superstar. Lebron James, star of the Cleveland Cavaliers, joined the NBA in the 2003-2004 season. His first four games were: 25 points, 21 points, 8 points and 7 points respectively – all the while playing for an 0-4 start to the Cavaliers season. He would finish the season with a 20.9 points per game (PPG) average, and the Cavaliers would finish with 35 wins in that season. But the beginning of the season was not a gold standard of play for Lebron James. He was new to the NBA and new to the Cavaliers roster.

The arrival of Jahlil Okafor has been better than expected so far. In his first four games, Okafor has scored an average of 20.3 points per game. Only Kevin Durant had scored 80 points or more in his team’s first four games while doing so at a tender age of 19. Okafor is currently leading all rookies in scoring so far this season. As you recall, Jahlil Okafor fell to the third pick of the Philadelphia 76ers 2015 draft selection, somewhat surprisingly bypassing the second pick made by the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers instead chose point guard D’Angelo Russell from the Ohio State Buckeyes. Many had projected and hoped the teams would swap their picks. But despite the collection of solid talent at the post, the 76ers later discovered that Joel Embiid, the previous year’s third pick, would be sidelined one more season with his foot injury. With the conversion of Nerlens Noel to a center/power forward, the road was paved for the Duke Blue Devil center to excel in the Sixers offense.

Let’s check another example: long time center of the San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan had an average score in his first five games of 14 PPG. By the end of the 1997-1998 season, he was over 21 PPG. That team won four of the first five games, but they were an established team on their way to a 56-26 season.

The arrival of Nerlens Noel has been a test of patience for Sixers fans, but the patience has been aptly rewarded. Originally draft at the sixth selection of the 2013 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans, he was packaged with a protected 2014 first round pick and was traded to the Sixers for Jrue Holiday. The reason for his slippage to the sixth selection was the fact that he was entering the NBA with a knee injury that would sideline him for an entire season. A defensive standout, Noel averaged 8.1 rebounds per game (RPG) and 9.9 PPG in the 2014, but he played for a bound to lose Philadelphia 76ers team that would only attain 18 wins that year. This year, Noel had worked hard in the off season to develop a 15 foot shot, and the results are promising. In four games, he is averaging 13.3 PPG while upping his rebounding to 10.8 RPG.

Both Okafor and Noel are developing their careers, their style, their strengths. The key to this long term duo is that they are developing them together, in close synchronization. They are learning together, like brothers in a pickup football game that are simply younger than the other team. It isn’t pretty so far, but each player is building the durability, the NBA mojo, and the savvy to learn to win in this league. It remains to be seen if they can develop that chemistry that works, but despite the early 0-4 start, this pair is as exciting as they come. I also discussed the scenario of the 76er season so far. Head coach Brett Brown was given a pail of pieces from which to assemble a team. The team he is building this season is merely a mosaic, a fragile but skillfully assembled image of the team that has yet to be in Philadelphia. The players are building confidence and teamwork. It’s a process that simply takes time. Just more time.

Next: Philadelphia 76ers: Winless In Philadelphia

By the end of November, I predict you will see the signs. In at least two games, Noel and Okafor will show up in such a red hot fashion that the NBA will begin to sit up and take notice. Yes, the team is young. Yes, the team is struggling to find a point guard and perimeter shooting. But eventually, the stars will begin to shine on the Philadelpha basketball court.

And you won’t need a telescope to see them.