5 76ers who must step up for team to avoid Play-In Tournament

The new-look Philadelphia 76ers entered the 2023-24 season with promise and optimism, and rightfully so. The team got rid of a locker room distraction in James Harden, while also adding one of the best coaches in the league in Nick Nurse.

However, injuries have ravished their season, as they've been forced to adapt to life without Joel Embiid, one of the game's top five players. At 37-30, Philadelphia currently sits eighth in the Eastern Conference, making it highly likely that they make the play--in tournament. 

On the other hand, the Sixers are just a half game back from the sixth-place Indiana Pacers. So the team could easily climb out of the tournament.

Doing that will require several players to perform better than they have of late. Let's take a look at who needs to play better for the team to avoid the play-in tournament. 

5. Kyle Lowry

Kyle Lowry was a good addition by Daryl Morey and the Sixers' brass, for several reasons. For starters, the team desperately needed a true playmaker/facilitator and he's a reliable outside shooter.

Not to mention his ability to shoot, which has been a deficit for the Sixers. And it doesn't hurt that he won a championship under Nick Nurse. 

He's had limited scoring opportunities, however, and his efficiency hasn't quite been anything worth writing home about. When he gets in the paint, however, he poses problems for defenses.

He's done a pretty good job taking care of the ball, showing how much better off the Sixers are when he's in control of the offense. 

And it seems like he makes the most timely 3-pointers. Lowry is clearly not the same player of old, so some of his limitations are understandable.

Father Time is undefeated. 

But his basketball IQ is still good enough to help the Sixers climb out of the hole that they've fallen into.