The Sixer Sense
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Joel Embiid Genius Declaration Philadelphia 76ers Replace Cavs

By Bret Stuter

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Build Team

Building a cohesive team coincided to the moment new president Bryan Colangelo arrived and former president Sam Hinkie left. It was simply the time for the switch, and not dependent upon new philosophy.

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    • How the team is constructed is where the new personality of Bryan Colangelo has steered the Philadelphia 76ers.  In his view, rookies and untested NBA players are raw potential energies which need veteran guidance to align with team play.  While there is some truth to that, the Philadelphia 76ers owe much of the team success to the leadership of the younger players.

    Veterans Value

    The Gerald Henderson, Jerryd Bayless, and Sergio Rodriguez, simply did not gain the level of production hoped for from their signing a year ago.  But they did add one very valuable  aspect to this team.  They absorbed starting minutes until younger players on the bench earned the starts.

    During the Veteran run with the team, the team hovered at 8-24.  Both Gerald Henderson and Sergio Rodriguez joined Jerryd Bayless on the injured list as 2016 drew to a close.  The time arrived. Rookies and young players had to step up.

    And they did.

    Team Vision Takes Root

    The team upped their game and went on to achieve a 20-30 record in 2017.   But it happened after Joel Embiid made the bold claim that the 10-25 Philadelphia 76ers were capable of making the playoffs.

    "“I think we have a chance. We’ve been hot lately,” he said. “We’ve won three out of four lately, so I look at it and I think we have a chance and we’re really figuring things out. We’re starting to learn how to win games.”- via ESPN interview after defeating Brooklyn Nets"

    From that moment on, the Philadelphia 76ers played at a far higher level. Eventually, other players began to proclaim that this team is capable of making the NBA Playoffs. The crazy idea uttered at a moment in team history of “we are better than this” became a self-fulfillng prophecy.

    When you examine the roster, the evidence is unmistakable.  This is a playoff team, if healthy.