Six years ago, when the 76ers played the playoffs for the last time, the captain was Andrew Igdala; Five years ago, 76 people hired Sam Sinclair as the general manager; Four years ago, 76 people chose Embiid in the draft; Three years ago, "this process" was regarded as a disgrace to the whole alliance; Two years ago, octyl left in a hurry; Now, the 76ers are finally back in the game in the playoffs.
Six years later, the 76ers finally accepted this fact. No one wants to meet the current 76 ers in the playoffs.
Of course, this doesn't mean that they immediately become the favourites to win the championship, and have surpassed the traditional top four in the East (yes, we count the wizards among them), but this 76ers team can't be underestimated. They are tall and tough, and have a super starting five tigers who have not yet tapped their full potential. It can be said that it is entirely possible for them to go out in the first round, but it is also possible to go to the Eastern Conference finals.
There is no doubt about this now: the process that Philadelphia people believed in has borne fruit. It's just that so far, we haven't seen any definite results from it. /kloc-dominate the east in 0/0? Win the NBA championship? Even more than one? No one knows, but it is worth looking forward to.
Let's start with the five starters of the 76 ers. They are also the main reason why the 76ers can succeed this season. When joel embiid, Ben Simmons, JJ Lei Dike, Dario saric and Robert Covernton were present at the same time, the 76ers could beat their opponents by 20.7 points per 100 round and 252 points in 586 minutes. This is also the best and most stable lineup in the league. Even if their ability to finish the game in the fourth quarter is still lacking, they can still achieve a net efficiency of +5.5 points at the last moment.
Embiid is the core of this team, both in terms of position and tactics. He is not only a popular candidate for defensive player of the year, but also contributes 23 points per game and has a good offensive efficiency. No other player has played more back-to-back singles than Embiid this season. He averaged nearly 10 low-post back-to-back attacks per game, scored almost half the time, and shot as high as 50.3%. Don't forget, he is only 24 years old, he has played less than 100 games in his career, and most teams have adopted double-team tactics against him, so he can handle it well.
Statistics show that after Embiid left the game, the 76ers showed a significant decline in both offensive and defensive ends. But after the All-Star Game, Simmons and other 76ers gradually changed this situation. According to the statistics of NBA official website, after the All-Star Game, with Simmons present and Embiid absent, the 76ers can beat their opponents by 6.7 points per 100 round, which is a huge improvement compared with before the All-Star Game and the main reason why they can win 12 and lose 5 during this period.
Simmons still needs to improve his jump shot accuracy in the next time, but even now, his game is amazing enough. How many defenders have the ability to stop a player who is 2.08 meters tall and has guard skills? And he knows exactly when to give the ball to the deadly players around him. Saric is also a very good player. Covington is still underestimated to some extent. Lei Dike has strong attack power and valuable experience. As a veteran who has never missed the playoffs, he knows what it takes.
In the past month, the 76ers have successively introduced Berinelli and Ilyasova, making their second lineup more balanced. For most of this season, the 76ers' bench has fluctuated because of the presence or absence of Embiid. Of course, the 76ers have welcomed Markelle Fultz back, but how much help he can bring is still unknown.
The starting players of the 76ers are so excellent that the youthful vitality of this team is even more exciting. Although Lei Dike is not in their future plans, they have Fultz and the first round of signing for many years to come. If you stay healthy, it's hard to imagine that this team can't become the dominant player in the East in the future.
At present, the 76 ers are only behind the Cavaliers 1 game in the standings. If they want to win the third place in the East, then the home game against the Cavaliers on April 7 will be a key battle that must be won. This is an invaluable game for both sides.
Suppose the 76ers win and climb to the third place in the East, then they will face the wizards who are currently ranked sixth. This is a headache opponent, and the 76ers' season is likely to end. Pacers and bucks may be easier to deal with than wizards with multiple hard hands.
If the 76ers can win from the first round, they may face Celtic in the next round. At present, the injuries of Carey Owen and marcus smart are still unclear. If they can't recover by then, it will definitely be a big plus for the 76 ers. No one in Celtic can match Embiid. If Embiid can handle Stevens' double-team strategy well, then the 76ers will benefit from it.
In the Eastern Conference finals, the 76ers will undoubtedly be losers, whether they meet the Raptors or the Cavaliers with James. I believe everyone will agree with this. But are the Raptors and Cavaliers willing to face the 76ers? I believe that for the boys of 76 people, at this time, as long as they let go of their hands and feet and do their best, there will always be good results waiting for them.
No team wants to play against the 76ers, and no one wants to play against Embiid, especially since his playing time has increased to 35 minutes per game. Regardless of their future, at this moment, the 76ers can make any opponent in the East feel scared.
This is called "the process of believing", and it has blossomed slowly.