2019-20 NBA Power Rankings: Philadelphia 76ers stall on top-10 fringe

The Philadelphia 76ers are dangerously close to implosion.

The timeline is not official yet, but the Philadelphia 76ers will miss Ben Simmons for an extended period of time. His injury should spark concern for the Sixers’ season, as Philadelphia still hasn’t proven itself capable of winning on the road.

Joel Embiid finished Monday night’s win over Atlanta with a career-high 49 points, an important statement in lieu of Simmons. If Philadelphia has a viable path forward in 2019-20, the responsibility falls on Embiid’s shoulders. He needs to play at a top-10 level on a nightly basis.

This has evolved into an especially stressful season for the Sixers fanbase. Poor decision-making at every level — front office, coaches, players — has left Philadelphia fighting not for the No. 1 seed, but home-court advantage. The Sixers are half a game behind Miami for the No. 4 seed.

The Sixers were supposed to contend this season. At this juncture, one must question whether Philadelphia has any chance to beat Milwaukee in a seven-game series — not to mention Toronto and Boston, who continue to gain steam.

As the season enters its final stretch, here is an updated look at where exactly the Sixers stand.