The Sixer Sense
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Can the Sixers get the No. 1 seed next season?

By Christopher Kline

BOSTON, MA - MAY 9: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to the media after the game against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2018 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 9: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to the media after the game against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2018 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Philadelphia 76ers should be competing for the top spot in the East next season.

To preface this article, it’s worth noting that No. 1 seed and best team are not synonymous. The Raptors tore through the regular season and got exposed by the Cavaliers in the postseason. Playoff basketball is driven by matchups more than games in mid-January.

With that in mind, the Philadelphia 76ers will almost certainly be in contention for the top seed next season. They ended a 52-win season on a 16-game win streak, blowing through weaker competition and engaging in impressive battles with the league’s elite.

As Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons continue to grow, their talent alone will make the Sixers competitive. Last season, the Sixers’ starting five was the most statistically dominant group in the NBA. That tends to result in regular season wins.

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This is Embiid’s first healthy offseason in the NBA. Given how quickly he learns and adds to his game, that should excite fans. He will have an entire summer to work with Drew Hanlen, absorb knowledge, and improve the inefficiencies that plagued him last season.

On top of that, the Sixers improved their bench. They swapped out Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova for better defenders, all while adding a steady dosage of Markelle Fultz — who, at least to begin the season, will be their sixth man.

Shooting will be at a premium — thus the desire to add Kyle Korver — but Brett Brown should be able to produce enough spacing through staggered rotations. The Sixers, simply put, aren’t getting worse.

Part of what made the Sixers dangerous last season was their effectiveness on both sides of the ball.

Embiid and Covington anchored an elite defensive unit, allowing Brett Brown to switch everything while JoJo cleaned up the mess at the rim. Embiid is one of the most impactful defensive forces in the league, while Covington quietly made first team All-Defense last season. Simmons is quickly approaching elite two-way status, to boot.

On the offensive end, the Sixers’ pace-and-space philosophy allowed them to run teams out of the gym. After the team’s turnover-laden first half of the season, Ben Simmons’ playmaking shined post-All-Star break.

The Sixers were able to burry teams with constant ball and player movement, led by Simmons’ ability to control the tempo and create opportunities for others. J.J. Redick and Dario Saric both shooting around 40 percent from deep played a big role in that.

Based on talent and offensive firepower alone, the Sixers were able to glide through the end of the regular season. Their lack of self-creation and halfcourt playmaking was an issue — one that sent them home in the postseason — but its something they were capable of overcoming in the regular season.

If Fultz returns to form, he adds another dynamic to the Sixers’ offense. Things are trending upward; the only question is the degree to which things are trending in that direction.

The Raptors and Celtics will both be good teams next season. Assuming Kawhi Leonard is healthy, both teams will probably be better than the Sixers on paper. That, as mentioned earlier, doesn’t automatically equate to the No. 1 seed, though.

Philly has chemistry on their side. The Raptors will need to work through the initial kinks that come with adding Leonard to the rotation. It’s worth mentioning that Leonard hasn’t played consistently in over a year, to boot.

The Celtics will be re-introducing Gordon Hayward to the rotation, all while Kyrie Irving forces Terry Rozier back to the bench. In terms of depth and coaching, the Celtics have a pretty clear advance over both squads. We’ll see if everything clicks from game one of the regular season.

As a product of their experience, depth and defensive versatility, the Celtics and Raptors are probably prohibitive favorites to come out of the East. The Sixers rank firmly in third, though, will have a legitimate opportunity to compete for home-court advantage.

Next. Our most recent Sixers mailbag. dark

Assuming the stars take another step forward and the bench becomes more dynamic, ruling out this Sixers squad would be foolish.