Should the Philadelphia 76ers be considered a sleeper pick when the season resumes?
Underachievement is not a strong enough word to describe how inconsistent the Philadelphia 76ers’ play has been after such lofty expectations early on. Why shouldn’t they be sleepers, when they were on pace to have the best home record in NBA history for a playoff team?
However, we know that there’s an incomplete picture that’s been painted due to a number of issues beyond coaches and players’ control. That picture will have a chance to be finished soon, and optimism is in the brush being used to illustrate that the Sixers are still a team to beat in the East.
Here are a few reasons that the 76ers should still be considered a legitimate contender and not a sleeper pick.
Reason 1
Despite a poor road record, the 76ers have beaten every elite NBA team. From Milwaukee on Christmas Day to the Lakers on a nationally televised Saturday night game in January, they have shown they can more than hang with the best. The Sixers put the clamps on Giannis and channeled their inner J.J. Redick that day, draining 21 three-pointers.
When the Lakers visited the Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers clicked on every level, diminishing LeBron James’s impact. Even the Clippers, who rolled out a healthy roster of players, were impressively taken down by the Sixers in February. In March, they almost lost to a short-handed Sixers team, where Shake Milton gave them the business, scoring 39 points in a game that should not have been as close.
With other big wins against Denver, Utah, Toronto, and Boston, it is evident that Philadelphia is not quite the underdog that Vegas has picked them to be. Think about it — do sleeper picks put dominant teams in their place?
Reason 2
Another reason we can’t dismiss the 76ers as a sleeper is because of Joel Embiid’s self-admitted sluggish start. For a guy who wears his emotions on his sleeves, he has really long sleeves. Over the summer, his two favorite teammates were not re-signed. He had the cloud of playoff unfitness hanging over his head, convincing him to not play as hard in order to better preserve his health for April. Both contributed to his sulky mentality that led to his numbers dropping. Boo hoo.
In media sessions, he claimed he was not having fun. He came into the season feeding reporters what they wanted to hear, but was he really ready to deliver? He lamented all of his trash talking in the past and swore he would cease his childish Tweets and Instagram posts.
What happened? He got into a fight with Karl Anthony-Towns and reenacted a Rocky Balboa shadow boxing routine while entertaining the crowd after his ejection. Also, who could ever forget the donut game versus the Toronto Raptors? True, the last time he had played there, the Sixers were eliminated on Kawhi Leonard’s last second shot, and Embiid cried himself off the court. Yet, that should have been no excuse to have a stat line worse than the last guy on the bench who never removed his warm up suit.
It was easy to see how unhappy he was at points early in the season with his deflated demeanor showing its sad self. Yet, it has been months since Embiid has played competitively. That itch has to be scratched. This helps us conclude that it is why he was lauded by Brett Brown to have been in the gym, working harder than any other Sixers player.
In recent interviews, he appears more focused and motivated to be the leader the team needs him to be. This hiatus has given him a chance to reflect and get in tip top shape, so we can expect a more serious Embiid once the courts open in Orlando. As the old adage goes, “It’s not how you start — it’s how you finish.”
Reason 3
Another point that can be made about the 76ers flicking off the sleeper pick label like a bug on your forearm is that a certain player is likely to have a huge chip on his shoulder. When ESPN rated its top five defensive players on the year, Ben Simmons was not on it. You mean to tell me that the league leader in steals was snubbed over Patrick Beverley?
I am certain Simmons is thinking the same exact thing. His response? When the season restarts, I predict he will go off on his opponents, locking them down like we have yet to see. Remember at the end of the Nets game in Brooklyn where Simmons gave a jubilant fist pump after playing stingy defense? That will be the Ben Simmons we will see in Orlando.
He has something to prove, and I would bet on his pride as a player to lift the Sixers to an elite defensive level that will see him smother opponents relentlessly. Did we also forget that his back is healed? Watch out Orlando.
Reason 4
Lastly, I can foresee another Sixers player rejuvenating his performance with extra time off to heal. He came from Boston and used to give the Sixers fits when paired with Kyrie Irving. As cameras start rolling and whistles start blowing in Disney in a few weeks, Al Horford 2.0 will be downloaded into the rotation and offer more features than the older version.
His post moves will still be there, and his passing will remain constant, but his movement and physicality will be elevated because of a well-rested body. The later two will provide much needed defensive effectiveness once he takes on the true backup center role for Joel Embiid.
The 34-year old still has some gas in the tank, and he will show why his value is on the higher end than what most doubters tend to believe. In addition, with 120 games of playoff experience, including conference finals minutes, Al Horford helps solidify why the 76ers should not be considered a sleeper pick the rest of the season.
Before the Coronavirus hit, if the Sixers were playing in South Philly, they were a juggernaut. If they were playing outside of the 215 area code, they wilted like a flower in the desert. The question for this team now is can they excel in a neutral environment? Can they rack up wins in a venue that neither has the enthusiasm of their home fans but also lacks the hostile energy of their opponents’ crowds?
This is the argument that sleeper pick pundits are throwing out here on their shows and in their articles. It is understandable. However, with a successful record against elite teams, a more motivated Joel Embiid, an incredulous Ben Simmons, and a rejuvenated Al Horford, the Philadelphia 76ers will show us why we should take the current Vegas odds with a grain of salt.