The Sixer Sense
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Stephen Curry praises Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons

By Christopher Kline

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 04: Joel Embiid #21 and Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers warm up prior to the preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Wells Fargo Center on October 4, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 04: Joel Embiid #21 and Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers warm up prior to the preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Wells Fargo Center on October 4, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Ahead of Saturday night’s game, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry praised the Philadelphia 76ers’ core.

The Philadelphia 76ers will face their toughest task yet Saturday night in Oakland, where they’ll face off with the defending champion Golden State Warriors. The Warriors stumbled out of the gates, but have since found their footing en route to a 9-3 record — and a spot back (tied) atop the Western Conference.

We can’t expect the Sixers to walk away with a win, but we can learn a lot from what goes down tonight. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will face their most competent defensive opponent to date, while the Warriors’ offense will bend Philly’s defense in new ways.

The off-court dynamic has been equally as intriguing, with Embiid recently giving Draymond Green some choice words. Their two personalities alone should be enough for some entertaining antics.

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Stephen Curry, however, went a different route, dropping some high praise for the Sixers’ young core:

"“They’re animals, playing at a very high level right now. It seems like they got a lot of momentum with the roster and those guys being healthy. It’s great for the league obviously. These are young guys coming in and doing amazing things. It will be fun to get to know them on the court. They’re tough. Their story is great for the league.” — Chris Haynes, ESPN"

These comments don’t always mean much, but Curry knows a thing or two about impressive basketball. He and the Warriors single-handedly reshaped the way NBA offenses work, while Golden State has since become the poster child for what competitive teams should look like.

He also has a point in regards to Embiid and Simmons. There are other young cores, but none of them have shown the promise that those two have as a tandem. The Sixers have the potential to emerge as one of the league’s best teams on both ends of the floor, and that’s a positive both for the Eastern Conference and the NBA as a whole.

Tanking clearly isn’t something the league office enjoys, but the Sixers’ storyline has some undeniable appeal. After years of hard-fought rebuilding and talent accumulation, we could see one of the most exciting teams in the league born from the ashes of a franchise that, at times, felt lost.

The Sixers, if things break their way, have the potential to be really good for a really long time.

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There are some major ifs in that statement, but after years of pushing through cyclical losing and painfully bad teams, fans deserve to have some optimism. Steph Curry is clearly a fan, and getting your hopes up isn’t the worst of ideas.