The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers unconventional winners

By Bret Stuter

Sam Hinkie, Sixers (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Sam Hinkie, Sixers (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Philadelphia 76ers
CAMDEN, NJ – SEPTEMBER 25: Ben Simmons #25, Joel Embiid #21 and Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers pose for the camera during the Philadelphia 76ers Media Day on September 25, 2017 at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey.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 Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

Winning with style

The Philadelphia 76ers remain a rapid improving team. But the loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 27, 2017 has shaken some fans’ fragile beliefs in this team.  Let’s bolster that collapsing optimism here and now.  This team is built on the backs of rookies.  Ben Simmons has 18 NBA games under his belt. Joel Embiid has 48 NBA games under his belt. And Markelle Fultz has four NBA games under his belt. And the fans believe this trio will lead the team to a championship. And for all intents and purposes, they are likely correct.

The normal track for a team depending on so much youth is not so successful so rapidly.  And this is a team which has played eight games against the top nine teams in the NBA, and earned three wins as a result.   That is a solid showing from a team with so much inexperience.

Unconventional play, unconventional wins

On one hand, the Philadelphia 76ers run their offense through center Joel Embiid. Most NBA teams no longer do. On the other hand, the Philadelphia 76ers rely upon 6-foot-10 point guard Ben Simmons to run their offense. Most NBA teams do not do that either. In fact, once the Sixers clean up foul trouble, turnovers, and poor shot selection, this team will dominate.

Next: Why the 76ers should wait another year to spend big

How long will that take? Well given the previous statement of 70 total NBA games among the three stars, that could be a couple more months.  More realistically, about the February 2018 time frame to really see this team heat up.  But that won’t be a sudden splash of invulnerability. This team will continue to grow, become more formidable, win more and lose less.  When the season opened, many held the key to this season was keeping Joel Embiid healthy enough to play 60 games.  Now that the season is underway, the key to winning is keeping Embiid, Simmons, and Fultz healthy enough to play. Three rookies with less than a season’s worth of experience in total.
Unconventional winners.