It’s tough to say the Philadelphia 76ers are back, but they are in a much better place than last season. At 24-21, they are at least not lurking in the lottery and in danger of giving up their pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Plus, they are the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and are only four games behind the Boston Celtics for the No. 2 seed. There were better times in the Joel Embiid era, but at least they’ve proven that it’s not over for them yet.
76ers Need Joel Embiid To Step Up To Make Noise in the East
76ers alum and three-time NBA Champion Danny Green believes they could be among the best of the best, but there’s still something they need to prove. On the “No Fouls Given” Podcast, Green revealed what the 76ers will have to do to really make their mark on the Eastern Conference.
“I believe Philly could be a sleeper in the East,” Green said. “If (Embiid) is playing like this and he stays well. But for some odd reason, I feel like there’s always something that happens to him right before the playoffs… I like that they’re picking up the minutes right now. I want to see him play some good heavy minutes in March, but I feel like toward the end of March, April, I feel like you gotta keep him fresh.”
Danny Green says he thinks Philly could be a sleeper team in the east
“If Embiid is playing like this and he stays healthy. But for some odd reason I feel like there always something that happens to him right before the playoffs”
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Embiid has shown that he is injury-prone. However, besides him playing hurt, another reason he and the 76ers have not had much playoff success is that referees let players play through more contact. Part of the 2023 MVP’s skill set is drawing fouls, so when no fouls are called, he becomes easier to guard.
As a whole, Embiid’s playoff numbers may not look too bad, but they are a far cry from his regular-season numbers. In 59 postseason games in his career, he has averaged almost 25 points, almost 11 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting nearly 46% from the field and almost 29% from three. Many of the 76ers’ playoff failures have stemmed from his inability to step up when they needed him most.
Have the injuries played a part in that? Yes, but he’s played in enough postseasons for many to wonder if he’ll ever get over that hump legitimately. The 76ers have the talent to make some noise, but their consistency could kill them. It also doesn’t help that the 76ers were blitzed by the Charlotte Hornets earlier today, losing 130-93.
