The Sixer Sense
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How Many Wins is Enough for the Philadelphia 76ers?

By Ethan Piechota

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia 76ers have brought basketball back to Philly, and have won 13 games more than last year with 20 games left. How many wins is enough?

The Philadelphia 76ers began the season how everyone expected — losing a lot more games than winning them. They started 6-18 through the first 24 games of the year. Even through the emergence of star center Joel Embiid and overseas sensation Dario Saric, the Sixers still couldn’t consistently put together wins. However, there was a new sense of hope and competitiveness surrounding the team due to the takeoff of “The Process” and success of Joel Embiid.

The 76ers ended a successful 2016 with a 124-122 win over the Denver Nuggets on December 30th. Then things got interesting. Robert Covington hit a game winning tip-in to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 93-91 on January 3rd for their second straight victory.

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Then, the Sixers lost a close one to the playoff contender Boston Celtics, 110-106. Following that, the Sixers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 105-95 on January 8th. After the game, Embiid told ESPN he thinks that the 76ers “have a chance” at the playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers ended up going 7-2 following Embiid’s statement and closed within 3.5 games of the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.

Embiid’s Injury

Joel Embiid sustained a reported bone bruise on his left knee at the time in a win against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 20th. The Sixers still managed to win 2 out of their next 3 without Embiid in the lineup.

Joel Embiid returned January 27th for a huge game. On ESPN, the 76ers would take on the Houston Rockets and James Harden. Embiid led the charge with 32 points as the 76ers lost a close one to the Rockets.

Then came the news that Embiid reportedly played through an injury during the game against Houston. The Sixers still listed Embiid as day-to-day with a bone bruise on his left knee.

Since that game, Embiid has not suited up for the 76ers and was ruled out for the year on March 1st due to a meniscus tear in the same knee. A few days before that, 76ers 2016 No. 1 overall draft pick Ben Simmons was also ruled out for the season, as there were still no signs of full healing in his injured foot.

How many wins is enough?

The Philadelphia 76ers currently are the 13th seed in the Eastern Conference, with a very respectable and hard fought 23-38 record. If the NBA season ended today, and the lottery went as it’s supposed to, the 76ers would have the 5th overall pick in the draft. The Lakers pick wouldn’t convey, considering they have the 3rd worst record overall.

How many wins is “enough” for the Philadelphia 76ers? Right now, the 76ers have won 23 games, with still 20 games remaining to play. They won 10 games all of last year.

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As for now, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are out for the remainder of the season. There is no better time to “tank” than now. The Sixers have shown their fans and the rest of the NBA signs of competitiveness and tremendous hope for the future. In order to beat out the Lakers for the third worst record in the NBA, the 76ers need to lose a vast majority of their remaining games.

I’m not trying to tell you that we as diehard Philadelphia 76ers need to hope and root for our team to lose. Rather, look at the big picture. The Sixers losing now means a higher draft pick or higher chance for potentially two top young stars alongside Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons for years to come.

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The 76ers have shown what they need to show. The playoffs are practically out of the picture, and two of their best players are done for the year due to injuries. Nonetheless, no matter how many wins the 76ers end the season with, behind a young core and promising future, basketball is back in Philadelphia.