8-6 Sixers are set to win 46.9 games

Even after a slow start to the season, the Philadelphia 76ers are on pace to finish well above the .500 mark.

The 8-6 Philadelphia 76ers are set to win (8/14*82=) 46.9 games, if they continue at that rate throughout the season. This would amount to 12 games above .500 and a middle seed in the playoffs (currently they are seeded fifth in the East).

The Sixers have won eight games, despite playing ten of those games on the road and only four at home. They just completed a five-game west coast swing at 3-2.

They also are winning despite injuries:

• Markelle Fultz played four games with a shoulder injury and has missed the last ten games.
• Jerryd Bayless has missed the last five games with a sore wrist.
• Richaun Holmes missed the first eight games with a fractured wrist.
• JJ Redick missed two games with a back injury.
• Joel Embiid missed two games under load management restrictions. His minutes were restricted in his first 10 games.
• Nik Stauskas has a sprained ankle. With 3 players injured, James Michael McAdoo has been activated from the Delaware 87ers.

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In August, I predicted that if healthy, the Sixers would win 54.7 games, based on the fact that they won ten out of 15 games in January with far less talent. So far they haven’t been healthy, but I’ll settle for a little less.

The team is still inexperienced, as they lead the league in turnovers (18.4, league average 15.6) and personal fouls (25.1, league average 21.0) per game. The team lost two heartbreakers against Houston and Sacramento, but did well coming back against the Clippers. They were blown out by Toronto, 128-94, and blown out in the second half of the Golden State game. However, they did have a five-game winning streak.

Outlook

The team is suffering growing pains, but is talented enough to easily make the playoffs.

When Fultz and Bayless return, the team will receive an offensive boost with the backup unit.

As the team learns to close out games their winning percentage should increase dramatically.

The starting five seems to be set as Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, Ben Simmons, Robert Covington and JJ Redick all played between 30-39 minutes in the last two games. They seem to be gelling both offensively and defensively.

Against the Lakers, the deadly duo of Embiid (46 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, and seven blocks with only two turnovers in only 34 minutes) and Simmons (18 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists, five steals, and one block with only one turnover) dominated. This is as close as you can come to seeing a quadruple double and a triple double in the same night. They are a perfect match for each other. They are getting better every game.

The other starters are also doing great. Covington is set to sign a four-year, $62 million contract. He’s shooting 50 percent from three. Over the last four years the 76ers are 1-41 when Covington is not in the game — amazing. He scored 31 points against the Clippers on Tuesday on only 12 shots. Redick scored 31 points against Indiana and Saric scored 25 against Utah to lead the team with a win without Embiid.

With the most difficult part of their schedule completed, the Sixers will look forward to a favorable home schedule. Nine out of the next ten games will be at home.

As the team continues to grow, gel and get healthy, we can expect them to begin to dominate and win even more.

Next: 2018 Rookie of the Year ladder 1.0

Stats are from basketball-reference.com