76ers Have an Unconventional Formula To Win the Eastern Conference

This Philadelphia 76ers team is built on toughness. 

They’ll need every bit of that toughness if they want to get through a physical conference like the Eastern Conference. The way this team is built is that they will have to move in a more unconventional way. Compared to the Western Conference, who rely on their offense to win games, the Eastern Conference goes for the more defensive approach. Unfortunately for the 76ers, it doesn’t seem that this will be their route of execution.

The 76ers offense is the point of emphasis for this team. Just look at the way they are constructed. The three best defensive players on this team are Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe, and then you could make it a toss up between Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The funny thing is, even though this may not be a high ranked defensive team, they may have just enough balance to be in the top five of the conference.

When they take the floor for the first time, it’ll be against the New York Knicks, a team that won the NBA Championship because of their defense. What’s so funny about their victory is that they played against a San Antonio Spurs team that hung their hat on defense and throughout the course of the series, the Spurs dominated through three quarters. Then all of a sudden, the Knicks kicked it into gear and made defensive stops that led to easy points, and they managed to overcome all of that to win. 

That could be the thing that gives the 76ers the edge not just in their game against the Knicks, but in any game that they play. This offense can shoot you out of the gym, while when the defense has to get it together they can put together a string of plays that results in a chaotic series for their opponent. That’s what makes this team so unpredictable and dangerous. 

Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe can set the defensive tone, while Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James and Joel Embiid can be the more opportunistic players and look to find ways to initiate a fastbreak. That’s the kind of balance that can drive a team crazy.  This is what makes it so unconventional, it could be done in so many different ways. Through all the turmoil that a season can present, the one constant is the fast-paced offense that can result in amplified defense. 

It may sound confusing to some, but just wait. When they step on that court, everyone will see how a high-powered offense can be the driving force of an opportunistic defense like the 76ers.