It wasn’t very long ago that the major sports networks were showing the lowlights of the Philadelphia 76ers land counting down every loss as they approached the NBA all-time record to begin the season. Eventually, they fell just short as they registered their first win in their 18th game.
However, the 76ers are 7-13 following that start and more importantly, are playing an exciting brand of basketball that has made them worth watching again. Philadelphia is still a young team that is going to have to deal with bouts of inconsistency at times but they are no longer the NBA’s laughing stock (that honor now goes to the New York Knicks). Here are three reasons why they’ve moved up in the ranks.
They Play Well In Close Games
Don’t look now but the 76ers have won three of their last five games including victories over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers. The 76ers are no longer letting Eastern Conference teams push them around and the fact that they are winning games that could impact playoff scenarios is testament to the fact that they can’t be overlooked again.
Philadelphia is 0-21 in games that are decided by double figures but that should be expected of a team with so many young pieces in key roles. They often quit on games when they fall into a big hole. However, the 76ers are 7-8 in games decided by nine points or less and that means if they are in within arm’s reach, they are proving to be quite competitive. They are taking baby steps but this is one area where we’ve seen some noticeable improvement in the last month.
The Emergence Of Wroten
One of the main reasons it’s fun to watch Philadelphia is the play of Tony Wroten, who has emerged as their best player by far this season. The 21-year-old was drafted by Memphis in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft but never quite got a look in Memphis. He got his chance with the 76ers and the Grizzlies might be kicking themselves now as the young guard has emerged as a quality pure scorer. It turns out that’s exactly what Memphis needs: just a little bit more offense.
At any rate, Wroten has been lighting it up in Philadelphia and has proven to be quite entertaining at the offensive end of the floor. He has averaged a team-high 16.9 points per game along with 5.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds with plenty of flashy plays mixed in to his overall game. The fact that he is already playing at such a high level with just two years of NBA experience is testament to how quickly he has developed in to a quality player. The fact that he gets to play an average of nearly 30 minutes per game has been a big part of that.
The Young Core Is Coming Together
While their youth might hurt them at times against the true NBA title contenders around the league, it is also what makes the 76ers so much fun to watch against lesser teams. Wroten is slowly becoming a household name among NBA fans and so is a core that also features Michael Carter-Williams, Robert Covington, K.J. McDaniels, and Nerlens Noel. Many of these guys were high draft picks, so it’s fun to watch them come of age, but what’s more is that they look like a core that that could form into a quality team in a couple of years. Philadelphia decided to tank and start over from scratch in order to try to build a contender.
With so many key young pieces in place in a relatively mediocre conference, they might not be as far away as some people think if they can continue to add to their core this offseason. While many fans want them to continue to tank and get another high draft pick, the fact that they are already winning games now could lead them to accelerate the development process and help them take the next step.
