Why the 76ers could win the Eastern Conference
The Philadelphia 76ers (54-28) have as good of a chance to win the Eastern Conference as they have since The Process began in the early 2010s. Per OddsChecker, the 76ers currently have the third-best odds of winning the East.
Its roster is a championship-caliber one, headlined by probable MVP Joel Embiid. So long as he can avoid injury, a healthy and dominant Embiid (he averages 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists while serving as the dominant anchor for the 76ers' eighth-ranked defense), combined with ever-dynamic guard James Harden, gives Philly one of the best one-two punches in the entire NBA.
While Harden's scoring and playmaking averages are similar to those of last season, his efficiency has skyrocketed. He is averaging 21 points, 10.7 assists and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three (compared to 40.2 percent and 32.6 percent last season).
Harden has moved away from being a top-tier scoring threat into a facilitating-focused role. He's excellent at making sure Embiid gets the ball at his best spots and has been one of the best playmakers the past few seasons, leading the NBA in assists for the current campaign.
In the clutch, both Embiid and Harden have also shined, especially in some of their biggest games.
Philly's supporting cast is much improved from last season, with key additions such as De'Anthony Melton, PJ Tucker and Jalen McDaniels.
Tyreese Maxey has also had a fantastic third season, proving he can be Philly's third option behind Embiid and Harden. Maxey is averaging 20.3 points and 3.5 assists this season, with a 60.5 true shooting percentage.
The roster is so much better than it was a year ago, when Embiid led this team to the conference semifinals despite an orbital bone fracture, Harden's shooting struggles and a lackluster overall core following the team's Ben Simmons trade.
Looking closer at the team's main competition for the Eastern Conference, the 76ers will take on the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs. They have a clear talent advantage in their initial matchup following Brooklyn's trades of stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Barring a potential Mikal Bridges revenge tour against the team that drafted him, there is little reason to believe the Nets have a legitimate shot at the upset.
That brings us to the big boys -- the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. This season, Philly went 2-2 against the Bucks and 1-3 against the Celtics. Every game against Boston came within a 10-point margin. The Sixers have proven that they can compete with the best and neither the Bucks nor Celtics have had any success in slowing down the Harden-Embiid pick and roll/pop.
Philly's chances for the conference (and perhaps more), ultimately, will ride on just how great Embiid and Harden can be. With its reshaped roster and that elite combo, the 76ers have a great chance to take the East, though it could be a dogfight.
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