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The Philadelphia 76ers headed into the NBA All-Star Break at 38-19, three games behind the Boston Celtics and two and a half games behind the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite that, ESPN’s Zach Lowe explained why he considers the Sixers beneath their two conference rivals.
“Most analysis of the East has Boston and Milwaukee in their own tier. They are the two best teams. Fair enough. Philadelphia does not deserve the benefit of the doubt. Harden’s track record in the highest-stakes games speaks (poorly) for itself. The Sixers have blown two golden chances — two seasons in which the brackets broke right for them — to make their first conference finals since prime Allen Iverson,” Lowe said.
Lowe also added that there’s a chance that the Cleveland Cavaliers could potentially usurp the Sixers for the no. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
“Their respective schedules suggest the Cleveland Cavaliers still have something like a 50-50 shot to jump ahead of Philly into the no. 3 spot — despite the Sixers’ critical head-to-head win over Cleveland on Wednesday.”
Though he has his criticisms, Lowe believes the Sixers have what it takes to take that next step.
“All that said, the Sixers should be insulted by their placement in this discussion. They have everything they need to take the next step — including a complementary star duo.”
Ex-Sixer Explains Possible Consequences for Playoff Failures
On NBA Countdown, former Sixer JJ Reick explained that consequences can come to the Sixers if they fail to reach their goals much like it has for other teams in the league.
“In the NBA, there are consequences to not reaching expectations,” Redick said. “Is James Harden opting out? It’s potential front office and coaching changes. That’s the reality of our league. The question is, can the 76ers actually see the fruition of the process? It’s something that we thought maybe would have happened by now, and it hasn’t.”
Redick then outlined how the Sixers’ moves last offseason signaled that they better see some improvements or some changes could be in order.
“When you trade for a player like James Harden, and you go out and reload, and you get De’Anthony Melton, and you get P.J. Tucker, and you re-sign James Harden on a cheaper contract, and he has an option to opt-out in July, that sets the stage for ‘results better happen or there will be changes.’”
Insider Previews James Harden’s Potential Free Agency
On the February 16 episode of “Clap Your Hands,” Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice said that Harden’s performance this season will not only lead to him opting out this summer but that the Sixers will risk losing him if they don’t pay him the max.
“The big story might be less about this season and more about that guy is opting out and asking for the full max and you either giving it to him or he’s leaving because he is worth that in this current form and I don’t think he’s taking less than that if I had to guess.,” Neubeck said.
How the Sixers do in the postseason could potentially do with Harden. Paying him that much money as he approaches his mid-to-late 30s could be worth it if they are able to get over that hump and reach their goals of winning a title. The situation could get much more complicated if they fail to progress any further than they have in the past.
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Analyst Places 2 Conference Rivals Ahead of Sixers for 1 Reason