Philadelphia 76ers fans are, quite frankly, a tortured group of people. Time and again, they've been teased with the possibility of a Sixers team destined to make a deep run in the playoffs, only for the team to flame out in manners so strange that 29 other franchises couldn't even comprehend.
So, yeah, it's hard for fans to trust that Joel Embiid's dominant stretch in the past few games is sustainable.
However... He really does look dominant. Almost suspiciously dominant. Embiid is averaging over 25 points per game since the start of December, and his efficiency has leapt up in the past few weeks.
He doesn't look like his MVP self, to be fair. Embiid got his first dunk of the season on Saturday (and celebrated accordingly), although his shot chart looks more or less the same as it has in the past. Maybe he doesn't have the lift he used to, but when he plays like he has the past week, it's hard to claim he's lost a step. Which seems like a semi-miracle if you ask me.
Sixers fans are scared to believe in yet another promising team
Sixers fans are probably exhausted from getting their hopes up. At this point, they've been hurt too many times. But Joel Embiid's return to form might make them feel that dreaded hope once more.
Plus, having hope in this version of the Sixers is different from having hope in past versions, because these Sixers don't rely solely on Embiid's dominance. In fact, Embiid playing this well may be house money for the Sixers in a weak East. Tyrese Maxey is obviously the team's No. 1 option, and the supporting cast is figuring out how to play without Embiid, and learning how to integrate him back into the rotation when he does play.
Embiid not having the weight of the world (by world I mean the city of Philadelphia, which is the same thing) on his shoulders or his knees might be exactly what this franchise needs to break through. An awful conference helps too.
After years of the Sixers behaving like an NBA 2K franchise (not a compliment) they finally have a balanced roster, a reliable superstar, and a version of Joel Embiid who can still take over games but doesn't need to for the team to succeed.
What if this time is different for real? No, for real. No, for real. I'm not trying to be toxic by telling you all to just give your problematic ex another chance, but... The Sixers can change!