Three Goals for the Sixers Before the All-Star Break
Currently occupying the 6th seed in the East, the Philadelphia 76ers have a lot to do to climb in the standings.
To begin this journey to the top, they must first focus on what is ahead of them before the All-Star Break, which is in mid-February.
Before February 11, the Sixers have 14 games that all feel like must-win games. Technically this is not true, but if the Sixers want to dominate this tough conference, they must hop back in the win column. As of right now, January 15, the Sixers will be playing right different playoff teams in the next 14 games. That being said, they have a lot to prove over the next few weeks, as winning is the only thing the fans want to see.
There may be a trade or two as we approach the trade deadline, but this team must put winning as their number one focus. It will be beneficial to the team as well as the mindsets of the players if they make a dominant push approaching the break. Starting the unofficial second half as a high seed will show them how close they are. As they battle for the top seeds, it is important to not only win against top-tier teams but also to put away worse opponents. The Sixers have a trend to play down to their opponents, which frequently costs them an easier win.
Yes, all NBA teams are skilled since the players are in the most difficult basketball league in the world, but to have a starting lineup with five high-caliber players and a massive fanbase to back them up, losing shouldn’t be as familiar as it is.
The questions loom whether the problems within the organization are staff-wide or because of the roster, but one thing is true no matter what the accusations are. They must win. Since there are so many games in a season, it is common for teams to go through slumps as they focus on other things. It is now a crucial time to win games again and more importantly hop the teams above.
The Sixers are 10.5 games away from first, as Milwaukee continues to dominate the East, but only 3.5 games from the two seed. This shows that the top six seeds, excluding the Bucks, are all a few games away from each other meaning it is anyone’s year to achieve a high seed.
There is still more than enough time to make a jump in the standings with 41 games remaining for Philadelphia, but if things don’t change, they will lock up a low seed which could hurt them in the postseason. It is time for Brett Brown and the team to focus on that point and change mentalities in order to start dominating the league like they were expected to.
The fans have been putting up with mediocrity for many, many seasons and unless changes are made to both the team and the players’ mentalities, we will experience another short postseason ending in disappointment.
This Sixers team has to potential to win the league this year. They just have to show it.
Featured Image: LM Otero/AP Photo
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