Is it way too early to talk winners and losers when It comes to the NBA Playoffs this year? I certainly don’t think so. The Philadelphia 76ers are a team that seems destined to make the NBA Finals this year.
The trade for Jimmy Butler is already paying huge dividends
Jimmy Buckets Butler has been with the team for little over a month and already has three game-winning three-point shots. He has become the Sixers second-best defensive player after Joel Embiid and requests a lot of double teams when on offense. His winning attitude meshes very well with the city he now resides in and the team he knows plays basketball for. Butler is clutch and certainly enjoys being on a winning team that has an excellent chance to contend this year, and beyond.
Ben Simmons has finally developed a jump shot
Sixers point guard Ben Simmons has always been a talented player on both ends of the floor. Now after spending hours tirelessly perfecting a mid-range fadeaway jumper, there is just too much of the 6ft 10 player to guard effectively when he’s determined to score. He’s also one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever seen play the game. If he’s having a cold night he’ll rack up the
assists rather than worry about his own personal statistics. The jump shot still needs work but is a welcome surprise. If he ever adds a three-point shot to his game The Sixers could become a dynasty. A big if, but hey I thought him swishing a few fadeaway jumpers per game as he’s been doing this year was a pretty big if last season so who knows?
Sixers New GM Elton Brand is better at his job than his predecessor
Brand is bold in a very good way. His trade for Johnny Buckets Butler may have been a no-brainer, but nobody saw him pulling off the trade that brought Tobias Harris to the team. This is a great move for both the short term and long term in my opinion. Despite the fact that Jimmy Butler is helping the 76ers this season, and fits well within the organization it still wouldn’t surprise me if he left for a bigger payday than The Sixers can match after this season. While the Sixers will try to retain both players, and possibly could Tobias Harris is more likely to resign in my opinion. As well as Butler fits, Harris simply fits even better. if the team has to pick one after this season expect Tobias Harris to be the main priority. The way that Harris provides spacing, along with an excellent mid-range and 3 point jump shot will be a huge asset for this team for many years to come.
The player the Sixers got in the trade for Tobias Harris that nobody is talking about: Center Boban Marjanovic
The teams need for a reliable backup center hasn’t been an obvious one given the talent of Joel Embiid. I’d say it was always an underrated need that certainly benefits the team in several ways. Embiid is the team’s best player as well as one of the best players in all of the NBA and is certainly the best Center in the league. That said even Joel Embiid needs some rest here and there, and Boban makes that a possibility without being a liability like other players they have tried to sub in for Embiid
in the past. Boban is without a doubt the best backup Center that the Sixers have had in the last ten years. While not Joel, he is a scoring rebounding machine and a much better defender on this team than he was on prior rosters. Against The Miami Heat recently he put up 19 points and 9 rebounds in just 15 minutes of playing time. Boban is another key player that I expect to be resigned by The Sixers after this season. Philadelphia sports fans already love the 7 ft 3 Serbian monster. I’ve also noticed that he actually dishes out assists well when playing alongside 3 point specialist J.J. Redick.
The Sixers found a way to build their basketball team around star Center Joel Embiid
Building a team around a Center is no small feat, but when it is done correctly can turn that team into a contender. that is exactly what The Sixers have been able to do. Joel Embiid is the 7 ft Center with a pension for dropping threes whenever the team needs him to while also excelling in the paint. He is averaging 33.3 points per game this season which in his third year in the league is the highest of his career. He has the best all-around game of any Center in the league. While the best player on his team no one man can win it all alone. This Sixers brass already knew this and selected Simmons the year after they drafted Embiid. Then this year they as noted above did nothing but surround him with even more all-star talent. Every player in the teams starting 5 has either been an all-star or has all-star potential. This team reminds me of Those San Antonio Spurs teams of old lead by Tim Duncan, and Tony Parker with Manu Ginobili doing a bit of everything. The Sixers have the best roster in The East. It is theirs to lose come playoff time. Here’s hoping they win it along with The NBA title this year for the first time since Dr. J (Julius Erving) led the franchise to their third NBA Championship victory beating the Celtics to get there back in 1983. I believe that a dynasty could be brewing with this team.
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