5 Things We Learned Philadelphia 76ers Win Tenth

The Philadelphia 76ers Win Tenth Game, Tying Last Season Win Total in Less Than Half A Season

The Philadelphia 76ers patience may be wearing thin, but signs indicate they won’t need to be patient much longer. You see, the Philadelphia 76ers have just recorded their tenth win of the season, and have won three of their last four games.

The game was a Sunday afternoon matinee for the east coast, with a noon start on January 8th. While the team featured two struggling NBA teams, there is still a box office draw in every arena to see the play of Philadelphia 76ers All-Star-Hopeful rookie Joel Embiid play.

But the team has more on the line. The 2017 NBA Draft is not too far into the future.  Unfortunately for Nets fans, they will not enjoy their lottery pick. Instead, the Nets will pick from the Celtics first round slot, as well as gain the Celtics 2nd round pick for their troubles.

The win on the road is the fourth for the 76ers so far this year. In fact, if not for a semi-meltdown on the road in Boston, this discussion might be about their four game winning streak.  While no major feat, this tenth win is significant for the 76ers in many ways.

Recent History of Tenth Win

The 2015-2016 Philadelphia 76ers recorded just ten wins their entire season.

In 2014-2015, the Philadelphia 76ers recorded their tenth win on Jan 30, 2015.

In 2013-2014, the Philadelphia 76ers recorded the tenth win on Jan 1st, 2014. However, a month later, the team would trade Michael Carter-Williams and K.J. McDaniels. Shedding popular, but ineffiecient, NBA players would test the fiber of the fans.

The 76ers would only win 19 games in that 2013-2014 season. as a result.

In 2017, the Philadelphia 76ers are 2-1.

Tenth Win, In Spite Of…

But the tenth win of the 2016-2017 season carries a completely different mood with it. This is a team without two starters in Ben Simmons and Jerryd Bayless, a team whose roster has been paper thin at virtually all positions at one time this season.

The Philadelphia 76ers are every bit as scrappy as recent years.  After so many years of futility on the basketball court, the 2017 version of the team shows flashes of brilliance throughout it’s lineup.

This team has seen it all this year. Players discontent. Untimely injuries. Trades of promising prospects. The team has even waived a rather popular locker room figure. And so far, the team is on track. Perhaps moving a tad slower than hoped for, but the team is definitely showing positive momentum this season and it’s improving.

The tenth win held some lessons for the fans and the team. What are they?

Lesson I: Robert Covington Does More Than Score

A player with the skill sets of Robert Covington offers a basketball coach a true smorgasbord of skillsets. The guy can block, steal, rebound, shoot layups and corner threes. In fact, there is little he cannot do.

And so, when he has a scoring slump, head coach Brett Brown does not panic. In fact, as he always seems to do, he focuses on the positives:

For the game, Robert Covington was a one-man-band. He scored 15 points, pulled in 11 rebounds, stole the ball 5 times, handed out an assist and rejected a shot. While fans focus on the obvious stat, scores, Covington is proving why he was one of Hinkie’s favorite prodigies.

Lesson II: Nik Stauskas Stepping Up

Nik Stauskas has earned the reputation of workout warrior. But spending time in a gym is simply recreation unless there is a focus to using the training.  Work on deficiencies, boost strengths.  Accomplish that, and you are improving yourself and your team.

And that is just what Nik Stauskas is doing.

His 15 point effort comes in tied as his second best scoring output for the season.

Part of his claim to fame right now is the fact that he has been picking up minutes at the point guard role.  So far, he has performed respectfully there as well.

Brett Brown loves versatility. Right now, Stauskas is getting high marks in that class.

Lesson III: Saric Continues Developing

Dario Saric has been the Philadelphia 76ers version of duct tape. When the team needs spot minutes at center, Saric is center. Recently, the team needs minutes at small forward, Saric is small forward. When the team began the season needing a starter at power forward, Saric was power forward.  He shows grit.

Ductario Tape Saric.

Saric is an NBA rookie with the mindset of a veteran. That makes it awfully easy for head coach Brett Brown to point to a position in his lineup and tell Dario to play there.  Conversely, it makes it awfully difficult for the rookie to develop consistency, a game rhythm where moves became natural instincts.

In short, it forces him to concentrate on the game far too intensively than he should be asked to do.  In similar fashion, the experimentation of who and how to play out center around Joel Embiid has cut into Embiid’s production as well. And no insult intended, Saric is not Embiid – yet.

But Saric continues to show signs of great play. Today, he converted 29 minutes of playing time into 18 points and five rebounds, while shooting 50 percent from 3pt range.  He has also been developing some mean inbounding skills.

Lesson IV: El Chacho Is Back, Sort of…

It was great to see Sergio Rodriguez back on the court again. For the game, he played 12 minutes, scored four points and handed out three assists.  It was a game of knocking off the rust, and getting his game legs under him.

Sergio Rodriguez is in a curious position with these Philadelphia 76ers right now. He has been the starter for a majority of the games. But similar to last season’s situation with point guard Ish Smith, his contract expires at the end of this season.

With the Philadelphia 76ers getting surprisingly solid play out of T.J. McConnell right now, the team faces a fork in the road. Does the team work to retain Rodriguez, simply allow his contract to expire, or deal Rodriguez to a playoff team in the hopes to accumulate some value for next season? If the Cavaliers call, the 76ers will listen.

El Chacho has done a good job for the 76ers. But the team has veteran Jerryd Bayless on a three year contract, and Ben Simmons returning to the team in a month. I would not be surprised to see the 76ers move either McConnell or Rodriguez to a PG needy playoff team.

Lesson V: Joel Embiid Delivers, Again

Joel Embiid keeps on delivering. After an emotional performance against the rival Boston Celtics, there was a chance of a letdown in facing the Brooklyn Nets on the road. But not Embiid.

He put up another 20+ point performance

But one of the stats I was very pleased to see was four assists. But the bottom line on Embiid is the ceiling. He is scoring. However, he anchors the team defensively which few rookies can do, if ever.

Embiid was part of the 76ers plan all along. Not just plan to play, but plan to build a championship team. So far, he is right on track. And if Joel Embiid is on track, so are these Philadelphia 76ers.

Next: Simmons WIll Kick Up 76ers Pace

This was the team’s tenth win. For the rest of the season, the 76ers are playing on house money. Let’s hope they mack the best of it.