Are the Sixers pretenders or contenders following the All-Star break?

Through the NBA commerce deadline, the Philadelphia Sixers opted to go all-in on a deal to usher in James Harden.

The Sixers are a crew that’s more likely to be there on the finish of the playoffs with a duo as terrifying as Joel Embiid and James Harden, if they’ll mesh the best way they need to.

Let’s check out a number of the causes the Sixers are each contenders and pretenders.

Successful an NBA title isn’t straightforward. As we now have seen with the previous 20 champions, each crew goes to wish one thing important to go their means. Whether or not that’s an unlucky harm to somebody, or having guys on the roster step up greater than they ever have. There’s a purpose why successful a championship is so arduous, and a purpose why we now have seen loopy upsets up to now. If a crew goes to win a title, they’re going to wish everybody on their roster to be enjoying the most effective basketball they probably can, and even generally that isn’t sufficient to get the job achieved.

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Sixers pretenders or contenders?

Contenders

2. Embiid and Harden are an unbeatable duo, in the event that they match correctly

No one likes to talk about the doable troubles which will come up between Joel Embiid and James Harden, however there may very well be a couple of cases the place this duo doesn’t carry out as Philadelphia hopes. The actual fact is that each of those guys have a reasonably massive ego, and each of them could grow to be irritate with one another when issues don’t go their means.

Then again, if Joel Embiid and James Harden don’t idiot round for the Sixers, they’ll be the most effective duo within the league. The problem now’s whether or not they can each stay wholesome and play effectively sufficient to assist them win the championship that Philadelphia has been ready for.

It’ll be intriguing to look at how they match up, however the pick-and-roll that each of them are going to run could also be virtually unstoppable in the event that they’re each on their recreation. Provided that he has been both the most effective or second greatest participant within the NBA by the primary 60 video games, there must be little question Embiid will proceed to play at this stage. There are nonetheless some doubts about James Harden after his poor efficiency this season, however with a brand new crew, he could possibly return to his earlier methods.

1. Isn’t it true that you need to climb over the hump sooner or later?

There’s no doubting that the Philadelphia Sixers’ latest seasons haven’t ended the best way any of their followers or gamers had hoped. Individuals wish to level the finger at Ben Simmons, and though he was a giant a part of it, you additionally must blame guys like Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris for not enjoying nice basketball within the playoffs.

It received’t be straightforward for Philadelphia to climb over this hump all through the season, as they are going to nonetheless must face groups just like the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, and different robust opponents that can make it troublesome for Philadelphia in the event that they don’t play their greatest basketball.

Pretenders

2. Within the playoffs, Doc Rivers, Joel Embiid, and James Harden have a horrible monitor document.

Having Doc Rivers as a coach for Joel Embiid and James Harden may backfire for this Sixers membership. Doc has blown many leads within the playoffs, and that is one thing Philadelphia should deal with. By his first few seasons with the Sixers, he has achieved a good job, however there’ll at all times be questions on whether or not he can actually get the job achieved.

Joel Embiid and James Harden have a number of post-season failures similar to Doc Rivers does. Each of those gamers have by no means received an NBA championship, and with two stars as gifted as them, it’s a difficulty that they’ve by no means accomplished the duty. There will certainly be some doubts about this crew’s means to win within the playoffs and achieve their objectives, on condition that their three most essential guys, their head coach and two stars, have little postseason success.

1. Can Joel keep wholesome?

If Joel Embiid is harm, the Philadelphia Sixers will transition from contenders to pretenders. Sadly for him, he has needed to take care of a number of accidents all through his profession, and it looks like it’s a difficulty that he has to take care of each season since he’s entered the league.

The Sixers have little probability of successful an NBA championship if he doesn’t stay wholesome. If James Harden is harm, Philadelphia’s odds of successful the NBA title are slim, however they’re higher than if Joel Embiid is sidelined. Philadelphia would clearly hope that each of them keep wholesome throughout the playoffs, and in the event that they do, they need to be capable to obtain the success that they’ve been looking for for the last few seasons.