Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons Markelle Fultz 1st postseason
By Bret Stuter
A hero will emerge
The Philadelphia 76ers have filled the season with heroics. The team is clearly built around Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and to a lesser degree, Markelle Fultz. But the team is getting such incredible production out of veterans J.J. Redick, Marco Belinelli, and Ersan Ilyasova, that it’s impossible not to tip the cap in their direction. Then you simply must acknowledge the stymying defense of Robert Covington, the pinpoint accuracy of Dario Saric‘s three-point shooting, and the sheer audacity of T.J. McConnell. But even there, we would miss the incredible offense of Amir Johnson against the Atlanta Hawks.
Ultimately, the Philadelphia 76ers are a closely knit team with players who are more than happy to pick up the game to help their teammates. That’s not by accident. That’s the result of head coach Brett Browns insistance that this team play to win, long before winning arrived.
Who will the next hero be?
To be honest, a half dozen names pop up in my mind. But I have to think Markelle Fultz will show up big in the playoffs. He is faster and more talented than many give him credit for. And as such, he becomes the Philadelphia 76ers secret weapon in post season. That is not to say he will lead all scorers, or even the the scoring of the 76ers. But he has that game-momentum-changing style of play where he can get hot at critical moments during the game.
Of course, the return of Joel Embiid will be a welcome sight as well. The best estimations have him as potentially returning to the team for game two of round one playoffs. His return may find him limited in playing minutes, but he will be a very empassioned player to have on the basketball court. And there are few teams with favorable matchup with Embiid playing center. In the end, this postseason experience will be the first of it’s kind for both Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz. Let’s hope it’s a good experience.