My favorite part about this title is that we could be talking about either the Sixers or the Eagles. The Eagles have clinched a playoff birth and have won three straight games. The Sixers have won four straight games and are currently the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference. They also have a bunch of winnable games ahead of them. It is a fun time to be a Sixers and Eagles fan as both teams are overachieving.
The Eagles were supposed to be in a rebuilding year. They had a new head coach and a new quarterback. Vegas had odds that they would win 6.5 games. The team fought off a 2-5 start and have come together with a string of 3 straight wins. NFL teams are often so close in skill, confidence can be the difference between winning or losing. This win streak is showing the younger players that they can win. I do not see this team winning big in the playoffs, but they are young and have three first round draft picks for next year. This early success is a great foundation for what could be a strong team for the next few years.
The Sixers are in a completely different place. Coming into this season, they were a team with championship aspirations. Joel Embiid is one of the top 5 players in the NBA. Ben Simmons was a 3-time all-star and one of the best defensive players in the NBA. Tobias Harris was a borderline all-star and a great fit as a #3 option for a winning team. Unfortunately, Ben Simmons decided he wanted to be elsewhere. Losing such an integral part of the team would sink most teams. Fortunately for the Sixers, Joel Embiid has shown he can carry a team. He was the player of the month in December, and he has really done it all. Joel is still posting up and scoring, but he is also leading the break and setting up others to score. Joel has more triple doubles this year than he has ever had. In addition, each night a different player steps up. Tyrese Maxey came up big against the Nets. Tobias Harris was huge against the Wizards and the Raptors.
At this time, the Sixers are not ready to challenge the best teams in the NBA for a championship. Daryl Morey knows this and is taking advantage of this strong start to drive a hard bargain for Ben Simmons. As long as the Sixers can stay in the playoff hunt, they can wait until the last minute to make an impactful trade and bring in someone like Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, or Jaylen Brown.
Win streaks are fun and we need to celebrate them more than worry about who is playing well and who is not. Let’s hope these streaks continue through the weekend at least.
Posidelphia 