The Philadelphia 76ers are back–thank Daryl Morey and Doc Rivers for that–and I couldn’t be more excited as a fan.
The 76ers have improved in every aspect, and that’s why they are sitting atop the East. How did a team who got swept in the first round of the playoffs as a 6-seed last year make such a leap? It took a series of excellent organizational moves to finish “the process.”
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Daryl Morey came into the 76ers organization and instantly made his mark. The 76ers traded for Seth Curry and Danny Green–two above-average three-point shooters, essential in the current NBA. He also brought in Dwight Howard and made an excellent draft choice in Tyrese Maxey in the first round.
The 76ers finally had a General Manager willing to build around the young stars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. But Morey didn’t stop with player acquisitions. He needed a head coach who willing to utilize all the talent on this roster, and that person wasn’t Brett Brown. That man is Doc Rivers.
Doc made his mark in LA but was surprisingly fired just one year into the Kawhi and George combo. The Clippers’ loss is the 76’s gain. There was never any doubt that Doc would be up to the challenge in Philly. And challenging it was, too. The 76ers overhauled the roster. Then, Ben Simmons’s name was in constant trade rumors. But both matters have been overcome.
Consider Simmons’s play. His numbers have been consistent throughout his career but, this year, he looks like a new player–now that he has four shooters around him. He assists on the 3-ball, runs the offense to near perfection, and is arguably the defensive player of the year. Scoring is the least of Ben’s concerns. But when he needs to, he can turn up and drop a casual 42. Yes, 42, without taking a single jump shot!
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Then there is Tobias Harris. Playing at a nearly all-star level, Tobias is having the best year of his career. His next closest season was 2017-2018, when he played for Rivers in LA. Tobias has stepped into the second scorer’s role for the 76ers and looks like a force on the court. Especially valuable when Embiid and Simmons had injury troubles, Tobias looks to be the perfect player to be paired with those two.
And plenty can be said about EMVPIID!. Joel is playing the best basketball of his career, and that can be accredited to Doc and his system. The 76ers’ offensive system allows Embiid to get the ball constantly. A dominant force, Embiid has a chance to be the first center to lead the league in PPG since Shaq did it back in 2000. Not only is Embiid dominating in points, but looks amazing on the boards. Finally, he’s in physical shape, which is a big reason he plays so well.
The bottom line? It’s Daryl Morey and Doc Rivers. Rivers has changed this team for the better, and Daryl Morey gave him the players he needs to win. Of course, only time will tell if everything I’ve mentioned translates into a lengthy playoff run. But, if you are a Philly fan, you can’t wait for the playoffs to begin!
