Sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers are one of many contenders gearing up for what they hope is a deep playoff run. With Joel Embiid playing at an MVP level and James Harden returning to form, the pieces are in place to finally break through this season. That being said, here are three major questions as the Sixers hope to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in over two decades.
Can the Sixers make it work with their best five-man lineup?
The Sixers made an array of changes to the roster this past offseason. Among the key additions were P.J. Tucker and De’Anthony Melton. With new complementing pieces coming in, Doc Rivers has done some experimenting with his lineups.
One of the major decisions he’s made recently is putting Melton in the starting lineup and making Tyrese Maxey the sixth man. This decision was made for defensive purposes, as Maxey and Harden are both average at best on that end of the floor.
This move might work in the regular season, but the Sixers need to find a way to be sustainable with their best five-man lineup. Melton has been great this season, but in the postseason, the Sixers will need Maxey’s ballhandling and scoring punch on the floor late in games.
Defensive struggles aside, the lineup of Harden-Maxey-Harris-Tucker-Embiid is the best the Sixers can roll out. If they want to take down other contenders in a playoff series, that group must play extended minutes.
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Can the backup center platoon get it done on the big stage?
Only in Philadelphia does the backup center role get talked about so much. It has been a major point of emphasis throughout the entire Embiid era.
This year, Doc Rivers has multiple options to use behind his All-Star big man. There are veterans Montrezl Harrell and Dewayne Dedmon, plus fan-favorite Paul Reed. Each player has their positives and negatives, leaving Rivers with a tough decision to make come the playoffs.
The Sixers have seen what can happen with a lackluster backup center in the past. Even with Joel Embiid playing more minutes now, it will still be something to monitor. If they manage to simply break even when he’s resting, it could be a huge difference-maker.
Harrell and Dedmon have their defensive concerns, and while Reed has shown nice flashes, his fouling is still an issue. How Rivers plans to navigate this role in the coming weeks will be a key thing to watch during this ramp-up for the postseason.
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Are Joel Embiid and James Harden ready to finally break through?
When it comes to NBA stars that have come up short in the postseason, Joel Embiid and James Harden are two names commonly mentioned. The former MVP has had multiple forgettable playoff performances, while Embiid has failed to make it past the second round.
With a full season together under their belt, the pressure is on for the star duo to deliver on the big stage. Heading into the playoffs, the Sixers’ biggest question is whether their stars are ready to lead the charge.
At the end of the day, teams only go as far as their stars can take them. The Sixers have great depth pieces, but everything ultimately comes down to the play of Embiid and Harden. If the Sixers are going to make a deep run, they will need these two playing at a high level.
For the Sixers to reach the finals, they will have to get through stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum. The only way they do that is if the Sixers’ stars can outperform them across a seven-game series.
We’ve seen how lethal of a duo Embiid and Harden can be. Now it’s time for them to elevate their game when the lights are brightest. How they perform down the stretch will be a major indicator of if Philly should be seen as a legitimate title threat.