The Philadelphia 76ers' ceiling in the postseason is rather low according to NBA champion guard Iman Shumpert.
The Philadelphia 76ers are not considered by most to be a serious title contender, even in the wide-open Eastern Conference.
This is largely because of the health concerns surrounding superstar center Joel Embiid and veteran forward Paul George. Although the good news for Philadelphia is Embiid is playing more like his MVP self in recent months. In 2026, the seven-time All-Star is averaging 29.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on 53.5% shooting in 17 games played.
Still, NBA champion guard turned analyst Iman Shumpert believes the 76ers' playoff ceiling is quite low.
"A second-round exit, and that'll be a pretty good season for them," Shumpert said on First Take. "Just because of that big question mark with Embiid. Like, when Embiid's playing well, listen, if he had one of his regular, normal seasons where he didn't have a bunch of injuries and he was just playing consistent, pair him up with Maxey and Edgecombe, and I do not want to see the 76ers. If there's a healthy Paul George, I don't want to see the 76ers."
Embiid missed two consecutive games entering the All-Star break with right knee soreness, but 76ers coach Nick Nurse told reporters there is "not a ton of concern."
Shumpert continued, "But when you're dealing with playoff basketball, the health issue is real, and when you talk about it being real, you just can't find it in yourself as a basketball fan right now to say the Sixers can push past some of these teams."
The Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks make up the top three seeds in the East.
Detroit is the least experienced in the postseason, but it is led by the All-Star duo of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren. It's tough to imagine the 76ers emerging victorious in a seven-game series against this 40-13 Pistons team. However, if Embiid is healthy, he'd be the best player on the floor in this matchup.
The Celtics are arguably the scariest of the group because they are sitting as the No. 2 seed without Jayson Tatum in the mix yet. Meanwhile, the Knicks blew out a shorthanded Philadelphia team by nearly 50 points prior to the All-Star break.
While the chances of the 76ers reaching the biggest stage are slim, a healthy Philadelphia roster is a terrifying matchup for opponents.
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