The Philadelphia 76ers are currently in sixth place in the East, and teams in that position do not normally get some love to any degree in championship conversations. However, this group is not your typical sixth seed that is barely out of the play-in tournament picture. After all, they have one of the most loaded and talented rosters in the league.
Unfortunately, it is also precise pondering to point out that the 76ers are also not your typical, uber-talented title hopeful. Red flags occupy a slew of positions on this team, but if anything, the reputation they have formed over the years is that they are a group that typically fizzles out when it matters the most in the playoffs.
Truth be told, it is probably only a just assessment to adopt that kind of narrative bias when speaking of Philly. This team has not even sniffed an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in the Joel Embiid era, which only fortifies the notion that they have been perennial underperformers during the postseason. And until they prove otherwise, it is simply a reach to call the 76ers real contenders this season.
The 76ers cannot be truly considered as real contenders and here’s why
Of paramount importance in determining just how far this 76ers team can go is their collective health. This squad is built in a way that their stars are meant to dominate for them to have a big chance against any competition, but even if just one of Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe does not enter the playoffs healthy enough, they can already bid adieu to their championship hopes this year.
But aside from that largely uncontrollable fact, Philadelphia badly needs to prove to everyone that it is capable of winning a lot of ugly games. Playoff matches intentionally take teams out of their comfort zones, and this is typically the factor that closes the talent deficits. Teams with good habits and great sense with the intangibles always come out on top.
The 76ers will certainly advertise themselves as contenders in the next few years, but until they can first prove that they can mount a deep playoff run, no one will be really taking them seriously as a title aspirant. Hence, it is incumbent upon them to exceed their limits this time around and trump expectations for once.
Otherwise, this team will be etched in the history books as having one of the most loaded lineups to never even sniff actual contention, which is a huge shame in and of itself.