The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of locking down the third seed in the Eastern conference. The Sixers recently picked up a huge win against the Indiana Pacers to place them in the third seed for the time being.
That game also helped the Sixers clinch the tiebreaker over the Pacers if the two teams finish the regular season with the same record. Clinching the third seed for the Sixers is very important because of the Boston Celtics recent struggles. If the Sixers do not get the third seed, a 4-5 matchup against the Celtics awaits. The Celtics have owned for the Sixers as of late in the last four to five seasons.
As it stands now, a third seed berth would entail a first round matchup with either the Brooklyn Nets or the Detroit Pistons. There is a huge drop off between the Pistons or Nets and the Celtics. The Sixers must play well down the stretch of this season to make sure they do not slip to the fourth seed and face an incredibly streaky Boston team in the first round.
The Sixers are a team that have the potential to make the NBA Finals, but that could get cut short if they play poorly in the last month of the season. Joel Embiid recently missed eight games with knee soreness, but now that he is back there is no excuse for poor play.
The Sixers are the only team in the NBA where every starter averages at least 17 points per game. This is one of the most talented starting 5’s in the league, but their depth could be a concern come playoff time.
This postseasons outcome could potentially determine the future of Brett Brown’s coaching tenure in Philadelphia. If the Sixers fall short of the Eastern Conference finals, it is a real possibility that the Sixers could be searching for a new coach in the offseason. This postseason all starts with how the regular season ends.
