It is pretty tiring at this point, but to avoid a glib intro, let us restate the fact that the Philadelphia 76ers have inarguably been the most disappointing team in the NBA this season and no other ball club comes close to the brand of barrenness they currently find themselves in.
Fans who still have some hope that this team can get anywhere this season need an intense prescription of the realist pill. Sure, feel free make do with the close distance that subsists between them and the final play-in tournament spot in the East, but after the annihilation they faced in their most recent game, in what world can they possibly compete against, say, the Clevelands of the world?
Night after night, the 76ers continue to deliver on the promise that no one asked for — that of turning in a miserable amalgam of unwatchable basketball sequences. Philadelphia leads the league in that made-up stat, and as a result, they could very well lose one perk they honestly do not deserve to keep anymore.
The NBA could (and probably should) take the 76ers out of national television
Despite the putrid display they have put out all season long, the 76ers have tremendous clout and pull, and their national televsion slate is a big manifestation of that. In fact, as correctly pointed out by PhillyVoice’s Adam Aaronson, Philadelphia will still be the darling of the nation for six more games.
Yes, the same team that fell behind by as much as 50 points to the meager Chicago Bulls at home will still be a forced subject on national television six more times before the season ends.
The 76ers (and probably their fans) likely do not want a continued exposure of the failed product they currently boast. Joel Embiid is a shell of his usual self thanks to his nagging knee issues. Paul George has massively declined this season. The team cannot score, nor can they defend. Nick Nurse has gone way too shrewd beyond conventional basketball reason. The list goes on and on.
As a result, the NBA could very well take those national TV appearances away from the 76ers to end the season. The playoffs are inching closer, and a slew of teams are still jockeying for meaningful position to either get homecourt advantage or qualify for the postseason.
At this point, the Philadelphia 76ers should gladly take such renouncement. This season has been way too dismal to want to flash to the entire country. Hopefully, the NBA helps the team and the fanbase erase this season away from their memories.