As of writing, the Philadelphia 76ers are seated at seventh place in the Eastern Conference, which has them situated in the play-in tournament picture. That is good news, though, since only one game separates them from the fifth seed. If they are able to ride their momentum as of late, they should be well on their way marching into the playoffs.
Not a lot of people will pencil them in for a deep playoff run, but it would be unwise to just brush them aside. After all, the 76ers still pack a lot of talent and playoff experience on the roster. But more importantly, people seem to have forgotten that they remain home to a notable playoff riser in Paul George, who has gone under the radar even when he is healthy.
To be fair, George is now a shell of his former self. While he is only two years removed from his most efficient season as a pro, injuries (and age) have sapped him of the explosiveness he had that made him dangerous on both ends. Now, he has settled into a more complementary role for the 76ers as their resident glue guy and release valve out on the perimeter.
The 76ers have the ultimate playoff X-factor in Paul George
George recently made his return after a league suspension and came out firing from all cylinders. Against the Bulls, he turned in 28 points, six rebounds, four assists, and four steals in just 26 minutes of gameplay, swishing six treys in the process. He looked like prime PG out there, and playing close to that level will shoot this team’s chances up in the postseason.
Inching closer to 36, it is no longer realistic to expect George to play the way he did in Indiana, Oklahoma City, or LA. But with that being said, this is still a perennial All-Star who has had numerous heroic stretches in the playoffs and extensive experience in the biggest stage. For those reasons, he has the capacity to flip the league on its head come playoff time.
The 76ers may not be favored in any playoff series they would partake in, but the league is not foreign from talented teams peaking at the right time in the playoffs despite their playoff seeding. The Indiana Pacers were just like that in the last couple of years, and the Miami Heat even made it to the NBA Finals as the No. 8 seed. While Philly is a markedly different squad from those teams, it only goes to show that talent and experience can go a long way come April, May, and June.
As long as the 76ers can get some more luck on the health department, there is no reason why they cannot hang even with the best teams in the league. After all, if Paul George is your third or fourth-best player, you must have a hell of a squad talent-wise.