They came from 19 down to beat the Clippers tonight -- with Embiid and Simmons, their two brightest young stars, on the bench with injuries. Are they for real? After starting the year 4-18, they've won 9 of their last 12 and are now 16-27 and only 5.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the East. It's pretty obvious they've got a bright future if they can avoid injuries and surround Embiid and Simmons with solid talent, but do you think they'll get it done this year and make the playoffs? And if so, shouldn't Sam Hinkie get the bulk of the credit?
Basketball is a game of runs. NBA is a schedule of win streaks. Soon enough everyone will hit turbulence...or at least peak out of the clouds for a moment. The Lakers started hot. The Pelicans started like crap. It all evens out in the end.
I'd say they'd break the 20 win mark, but not make it to the playoffs this year. We'll see, I hope they surprise me. I'm more interested in what they get for Okafor and Noel by next season. Maybe a veteran, 15 to 20 ppg guard to play alongside Embiid and Simmons?
Dragic would work there IMO. He is unselfish enough to not get in the way of rising stars and Miami wants to unload him by end of the season. Of course I'd want him to be traded to a contender, but if he makes playoffs it's enough already haha
In order to make the playoffs they will probably have to get back to .500, or close to it. they started the season 7-24, that would mean they would have to go 34-17 to finish the season (which would be the 5th best winning% in the league). They are clearly much improved, I just doubt they can maintain this level of play. Having said that, they could very well end up winning around 35 games, adding Ben Simmons along the way, with some really good assets to trade, a ridiculous amount of cap space, and a market players won't mind playing in. If Embiid stays healthy (still a big if) and Simmons is even close to what people believe he will be (yet another big if), this team looks to have major potential.
if they decide they could very well make it, the question is do they want it? they were crazy good with embiid lately and only 4 Ls weaker record from bulls who are 8th in the east
If they actually want to, they could certainly make some trades to put them over the top. I'd be shocked if it came to that though. And as currently composed, I don't see them making it. But finishing ahead of the Knicks isn't out of the question!
i dont think they need to make trades, they are very good now that embiid acclimatized to nba, they lost several games early due to inexperience and not knowing how to close....now they found their groove and soon simmons is coming... currently they are only 4 losses out of 8th seed
Considering they definitely had a championship or bust attitude coming into the season, I would hope they at least made the playoffs.
I don't think they'll make it. Embiid is still restricted in playing time and 5.5 games is actually a huge gap with less than half a season to go. Maybe Simmons is for real and they can stay this hot, but that's a lot to ask out of a very young and inexperienced team. I hope this ends the argument that tanking for multiple years builds a culture of losing that a team can't get out of. One good draft pick can change the direction of a franchise dramatically. Embiid proved himself and suddenly the franchise has hope and is talking playoffs. The tanking is forgotten now.