Philadelphia 76ers still have basketball left to play… unfortunately

The Philadelphia 76ers still have basketball to play… unfortunately.

Not to spoil any major plot points of the 1973 folk horror film ‘The Wicker Man,’ but it includes a scene in which a group of villagers dances around a giant wooden figure that has been lit on fire in a presumably vain attempts to improve its harvest.

In many ways, it’s the perfect allegorical image for 2019-20 Philadelphia 76ers. A loyal following, a towering figure, and inescapable demise.

The Sixers organization is a mess from top to bottom, and yes, it’s time to burn it down. Everything — from the front office, to ownership, to the coaching staff, to the roster — deserves stringent evaluation. Philadelphia should probably clean house entirely, but such bold action is uncharacteristic of Sixers ownership.

With all that said, it can be difficult to remember why such despair has invaded the fanbase. The Sixers are currently locked in a postseason battle with the Boston Celtics, who hold a 2-0 series lead. That means the Sixers have at least two more games left on the schedule before their summer of mystery and introspection begins.

If you want my honest prediction, the Sixers will probably lose two fairly uninspiring games and get swept out of the arena. If Boston is feeling kind, maybe a gentlemen’s sweep is in order — my original prediction.

Ben Simmons or no Ben Simmons, this level of underperformance should cast a shadow of intense criticism over the entire organization. It’s time for the Sixers to reckon with their mistakes and take the necessary steps to change.

As for more immediate concerns — such as trying to avoid another blowout in Game 3 — Brett Brown seems to have changes in mind. In speaking with the media on Thursday, he had this to say about Philadelphia’s defensive game plan.

There’s a quote commonly associated with Sherlock Holmes that fits quite nicely here. I will allow you to fill in the blank.

In addition to schematic changes that are well past due, the Sixers are preaching a more physical approach in Game 3. Typically, most road teams are not entirely despondent after two losses. Without true home-court advantage, however, it’s difficult to muster any real optimism for a Sixers comeback.

Not to shoot the messenger, but the Sixers have barely felt Al Horford‘s defensive “presence” all season, so color me skeptical. He was really good last season — a top-30 player in the league, even. But it’s time to stop pretending he’s the same player, somehow oppressed by the Sixers’ veil of ineptitude. He’s just not good anymore. At least, not good enough to warrant a $100 million contract and starting minutes on a “contender.” He got benched for a rookie!

The Sixers have preached physicality and toughness all season, and yet they are consistently out-hustled on the glass and imposed upon by opposing defenses. The Celtics do not have the personnel to contain Philadelphia’s size on paper, and yet the Sixers cannot generate a single matchup advantage outside of Joel Embiid. Horford posted up and took a fade-away jumper over Romeo Langford — that skinny rookie out of Indiana — in Wednesday’s loss. Spare me the physicality theatrics. It’s not happening.

Brown also had this to say about his team’s disposition in the locker room.

I’m all for controlling your emotions and remaining level-headed, but the Sixers could use a good chair kick. If the threat of complete embarrassment and a spot in NBA history as one of the league’s most egregious underachievers isn’t enough to motivate Philadelphia, well, not much will. If the Sixers aren’t absolutely furious on the court in Game 3, what’s the point, frankly?

The Sixers need more primal yells from Horford, more Embiid shimmies, and some Josh Richardson flexes on Friday night. Philadelphia’s recent history would suggest that Friday’s game is a prime opportunity for the Sixers to roll over, wave the white flag, and take one step closer to a sweep.

That is my expectation until proven otherwise.

In short, the Sixers still have basketball to play and a 2-0 series in far from over by traditional standards. But Philadelphia feels uniquely hopeless — like Wednesday night’s blowout was the straw that broke the camel’s back on a long, arduous trek to nothing at all. This whole season feels lost.

Philadelphia was once a beacon of youth and optimism. Now it just kinda sucks.