With the NBA schedule released, we finally get a feel for who the Philadelphia 76ers are going to be playing this year.
Expectations are (maybe unfairly) higher than they’ve been in years for this young Philadelphia 76ers team. Joel Embiid. Ben Simmons. Markelle Fultz. J.J. Redick. Robert Covington. Dario Saric. It’s going to be a fun season and hopefully it’s just the beginning. Many folks in Philly see the playoffs as a sure thing. It’s time to take a look at the schedule and figure out where the Sixers are going to get the wins they need to get there.
October
October 18th – Washington Wizards (A) – L
October 20th – Boston Celtics (H) – W
October 21st – Toronto Raptors (A) – L
October 23rd – Detroit Pistons (A) – W
October 25th – Houston Rockets (H) – L
October 28th – Dallas Mavericks (A) – W
October 30th – Houston Rockets (A) – L
October record: 3-4
Overall record: 3-4
November
November 1st – Atlanta Hawks (H) – W
November 3rd – Indiana Pacers (H) – W
November 7th – Utah Jazz (A) – L
November 9th – Sacramento Kings (A) – W
November 11th – Golden State Warriors (A) – L
November 13th – Los Angeles Clippers (A) – L
November 15th – Los Angeles Lakers (A) – W
November 18th – Golden State Warriors (H) – L
November 20th – Utah Jazz (H) – L
November 22nd – Portland Trail Blazers (H) – W
November 25th – Orlando Magic (H) – W
November 27th – Cleveland Cavaliers (H) – W
November 29th – Washington Wizards (H) – L
November 30th – Boston Celtics (A) – L
November record: 7-7
Overall record: 10-11
December
December 2nd – Detroit Pistons (H) – W
December 4th – Phoenix Suns (H) – W
December 7th – Los Angeles Lakers (H) – W
December 9th – Cleveland Cavaliers (A) – L
December 10th – New Orleans Pelicans (A) – L
December 12th – Minnesota Timberwolves (A) – L
December 15th – Oklahoma City Thunder (H) – L
December 18th – Chicago Bulls (A) – W
December 19th – Sacramento Kings (H) – W
December 21st – Toronto Raptors (H) – L
December 23rd – Toronto Raptors (A) – L
December 25th – New York Knicks (A) – W
December 28th – Portland Trail Blazers (A) – L
December 30th – Denver Nuggets (A) – L
December 31st – Phoenix Suns (A) – L
December record: 6-9
Overall record: 16-20
Must Read: Top 10 Sixers entering next season (Part 2)
January
January 3rd – San Antonio Spurs (H) – L
January 5th – Detroit Pistons (H) – L
January 11th – Boston Celtics (H) – W
January 15th – Toronto Raptors (H) – L
January 18th – Boston Celtics (A) – L
January 20th – Milwaukee Bucks (H) – W
January 22nd – Memphis Grizzlies (A) – W
January 24th – Chicago Bulls (H) – W
January 26th – San Antonio Spurs (A) – L
January 28th – Oklahoma City Thunder (A) – L
January 29th – Milwaukee Bucks (A) – L
January 31st – Brooklyn Nets (A) – W
January record: 5-7
Overall record: 21-27
February
February 2nd – Miami Heat (H) – W
February 3rd – Indiana Pacers (A) – W
February 6th – Washington Wizards (H) – L
February 9th – New Orleans Pelicans (H) – L
February 10th – Los Angeles Clippers (H) – W
February 12th – New York Knicks (H) – W
February 14th – Miami Heat (H) – W
February 22nd – Chicago Bulls (A) – W
February 24th – Orlando Magic (H) – W
February 25th – Washington Wizards (A) – L
February 27th – Miami Heat (A) – L
February record: 7-4
Overall record: 28-31
March
March 1st – Cleveland Cavaliers (A) – L
March 2nd – Charlotte Hornets (H) – W
March 4th – Milwaukee Bucks (A) – L
March 6th – Charlotte Hornets (A) – L
March 8th – Miami Heat (A) – L
March 11th – Brooklyn Nets (A) – L
March 13th – Indiana Pacers (H) – W
March 15th – New York Knicks (A) – L
March 16th – Brooklyn Nets (H) – W
March 19th – Charlotte Hornets (H) – L
March 21st – Memphis Grizzlies (H) – W
March 22nd – Orlando Magic (A) – L
March 24th – Minnesota Timberwolves (H) – L
March 26th – Denver Nuggets (H) – L
March 28th – New York Knicks (H) – W
March 30th – Atlanta Hawks (A) – L
March record: 5-11
Overall record: 33-42
Must Read: Top 10 rookie/sophomore assets in the NBA
April
April 1st – Charlotte Hornets (A) – L
April 3rd – Brooklyn Nets (H) – W
April 4th – Detroit Pistons (A) – W
April 6th – Cleveland Cavaliers (H) – W
April 8th – Dallas Mavericks (H) – W
April 10th – Atlanta Hawks (A) – L
April 11th – Milwaukee Bucks (H) – W
April record: 5-2
OVERALL RECORD: 38-44
Is a 38-44 record good enough to make it into the playoffs? The average eighth seed in the Eastern Conference over the last five years has finished with 39.8 wins. Coincidentally enough, however, three out of the last five seasons have seen the eighth best Eastern Conference team finish with 38 wins.
Next: A Saric/Simmons frontcourt could work in bursts
And, for what it’s worth, Las Vegas has set the Sixers win projection over/under at 40.5 wins.