Everyone expects the 76ers to be near the top of the list, but you may be surprised who ESPN has ranked above them.
The Philadelphia 76ers are bound to be winners this season. ESPN has already come out and given their projected win total for the 76ers. Philadelphia has been expected to go 50-32 this season. Which is pretty funny, considering certain people with ESPN felt that it would be a reach for a LeBron James-led team to make it to 50 wins. The only real problem is who they have ranked above them.
ESPN has the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, and Cleveland Cavaliers all above Philadelphia. Now, this wouldn’t be a problem if the Cavs weren’t one of the teams ranked ahead of them. Cleveland isn’t a slouch, but to think they’re going to have more wins than them is a little confusing. It’s not a team versus team thing, so maybe that's where the frustration in this resides. But this team just isn’t better than Philadelphia. Detroit is a tough-nosed team that relies on defense to turn into offense. Not to mention, Cade Cunningham is coming back for revenge and hoping to repeat as the top team in not only the East but the entire NBA.
Believe it or not, the New York Knicks will probably have a down season contrary to what many believe. They’ve done nothing to improve their team besides taking an aging Andre Drummond from the 76ers. It’s very interesting to see how they view this 76ers team.
This is a team that has been hoisted as the real deal when you look at them on paper. It’s going to be the little things that change people’s minds. 50 wins is great, there’s no doubt about it, but it’s going to be about how they get those wins. Were there many blowout victories? Or was this team pushed to the brink on a regular basis? Even by the inferior teams.
That's where the chemistry comes in. It’s definitely going to be some hardships early, but it’ll help the team for the better. Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, LeBron James, VJ Edgecombe, and Jaylen Brown all have to learn to play alongside each other, and that’s exactly what these off-season workouts are for; it’ll help them reach that 5p-win mark.
The most wins the 76ers have had in a season with Embiid in the lineup is 45 during the 2021-2022 season. If this year's team can surpass that, they may go down as one of the best in franchise history.
