Will Philadelphia 76ers Win Again This Season?

The Philadelphia 76ers need one more win to avoid the worst season ever. Will they be able to get one more?

The Philadelphia 76ers have not been good this season. When Ish Smith came to the team in late December, we saw improvements, but still, they have been bad. This team went 18 games before winning one, and went 1-30 in the first 31 games of the season.

It was excruciatingly hard to watch, and some are calling this team the worst basketball team to ever exist in the NBA. Statistically, they could even be right by the time this season is all said and done. Philadelphia’s CBS station pointed out that the Sixers need one more win in order to avoid tying the worst all-time record for an NBA team. The 1973 Sixers hold that record, so it wouldn’t be a record that would be changing franchises in any way.

It would certainly look bad, to tie that record, as many Sixers fans and analysts have been adamant that this team is on the edge of something big. It’s not about what’s happening now, but what will happen next year and the following years as this team finally begins to come together.

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The Sixers nearly escaped Denver with a win over the Nuggets in their last game, but were killed at the buzzer by an Emmanuel Mudiay shot to win it. The Sixers, just 9-63 now, need one more win to avoid that terrible record. But will they be able to do it?

Philly has 10 remaining games this season, and seven of those games come against teams that are on track to make the playoffs, or within one spot of making the playoffs this season. These teams, in theory, should all be competing hard to solidify a better playoff spot, or a playoff spot in general for themselves. Losses this late in the season can be incredibly damaging, and losing to the Sixers would not be good for those fringe playoff teams. These teams know not to hold back with Philly, because as bad as their record shows they are, they compete hard.

This leaves three games for the Sixers to grab a win in if they can’t win in any of those seven games against playoff-like opponents. They come against the New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, and Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks have been playing okay lately, winning four of their last 10. They always seem to give Philly trouble, so I think it’s safe to assume they’ll lose to the Bucks. Last time they played Milwaukee, the Sixers lost by 13.

The Pelicans, although their record may not show it, have some skill. With Anthony Davis out for the rest of the season, though, the Sixers could take advantage of the current state of New Orleans. At the same time, the Sixers are missing their star big man, Jahlil Okafor. There’s a possible win available here, though.

Lastly, the New York Knicks offer a good matchup for Philly. Last time these two teams met, the Sixers lost in double overtime to the Knicks, showing they could keep up for a while with them. In this last game, though Jahlil Okafor was available, which is always a big change for the Sixers. Okafor has since been injured, undergone surgery, and been ruled out for the season.

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It’s a bit shaky deciding if the Sixers will win another game this year. If they do muscle out a win, everyone still available for the Sixers will have to be healthy, which has been an issue. Nerlens Noel will have to have a huge game, and they will need to limit their turnovers. Also, it will probably come against the New York Knicks or New Orleans Pelicans. I believe that there has to be at least one win still up for grabs for Philly to prevent them from tying the worst NBA season ever.