NBA Insider Sounds Off on Sixers’ Chances: ‘I’m Starting to Worry’

Knock on wood, throw salt over your shoulder, and say all your prayers before bedtime for what I’m about to say: Philadelphia sports might be heading for a major high. The Philadelphia 76ers are set to begin the preseason with its deepest roster in recent memory.

But it’s not just basketball. The Philadelphia Eagles are undefeated through the first month of play. The Phillies could end a 10-year postseason drought with one more win. The Union are in first place in the MLS’ Eastern Conference. If only the Flyers entered the season with more than a 3% chance to make the playoffs to round things out.

Could we be heading for a Philadelphia “renaissance”? According to longtime NBA insider Bill Simmons, the stars are beginning to align for Philadelphia as a sports destination.

“I’m starting to worry that Philly might be the new Boston. Where, the Eagles, they’re going to be in the mix. I think the Sixers are going to be really good this year. I hate to say it. But I like their team. And maybe there’s going to be some sort of Philly thing that’s happening over the next nine months, starting with the Eagles, moving in with the Sixers. The Sixers I think have kind of the juiciest odds. They’re in that second-tier contender but I don’t think they should be. I think they should be at least up, especially if Harden’s going to be in shape. So there might be a Philadelphia renaissance.

One city being the epicenter of the sports world isn’t a new phenomenon. Every city usually rotates in its dominance.

Recent Championship Runs By Cities

Simmons’ reference to Philadelphia becoming the “new Boston” refers to Boston’s incredible run in the mid-2000s and early-2010s that saw the Patriots, Bruins, Red Sox, and Celtics each win a championship in their respective sports.

And more recently, Los Angeles has been city of the moment. The Los Angeles Lakers won the Bubble Playoffs in 2020 and the Dodgers bested the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series that year, as well. And in 2022, the Los Angeles Rams beat out the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl.

For Philadelphia, fans have to go back much further to find a similar stretch.

Philadelphia Giving 1980s Vibes in 2022

While Boston has plenty of recent history to be proud of, Philadelphia fans need to turn back the calendar a little further to find a similar run. Sure, the Phillies won the World Series in 2008 and the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018. And though they didn’t win the Stanley Cup, the Flyers were perennial hockey powers in the late-2000s.

But the last time there was a serious Philadelphia sports moment clicking at the same time? It harkens back to 1980 — something of a magical year for Philadelphia sports.

While no city has ever won all four championships in men’s sports in a single year, the 1980 Philadelphia teams came close. The Phillies won the World Series, while the Eagles, Sixers, and Flyers all went to their respective finals, falling just short in the ultimate game.

Look, a lot would need to go right for Philadelphia to send its teams to their respective championship games. The Flyers are almost surely looking at a postseason-less season. The Sixers have yet to play a single game of competitive basketball together. The Phillies are limping into the playoffs, but have the one-two pitching punch to compete with almost anyone. And we’re still three months away from playoff football in Philadelphia.

But for now, fans should revel in the good vibes until the inevitable other shoe drops.