3. Playoff demons
The Sixers have seemingly always been unable to make serious noise in the playoffs. Sure, they make it past their opening round match-up, but it usually stops there.
There's always something.
Last season they failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, due to letdowns from James Harden and Joel Embiid (not to mention a poor coaching performance from Doc Rivers). The year before, they were eliminated by the Miami Heat, due to much of the same.
In 2021, they were bounced due to an inability to contain Trae Young, not to mention Ben Simmons' unwillingness inability to rise to the occasion.
They came eerily close to reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, but got bounced in the waning moments of Game 7 of the Semis, due to a wonder-shot by Kawhi Leonard at the buzzer.
And that team loaded up and added Jimmy Butler.
Again, there's always something.
The Sixers haven't been to the NBA Finals since 2000-01, when Allen Iverson absolutely carried them to the Finals.
There's always a first for everything, but the past often shapes expectations for the future.