5 Reasons The 76ers Will Make The Playoffs
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Don't look now.
The Philadelphia 76ers have won 10 of their last 13 games, five of their last six, and six straight at home to propel to 17-27 -- 4.5 games back of the eighth seed in the east and just 5.0 games back of the sixth seed.
It's time to seriously start talking playoffs.
Here are five reasons why the Sixers will make the postseason.
5. Confidence
As this team continues to win, they're confidence continues to grow. And for streaky shooters and key contributors like Nik Stauskas and Robert Covington, confidence is monstrous.
Stauskas is shooting a career-best 37.5-percent from three with an effective field-goal percentage (a statistic that adjusts for the fact that three's are worth more than two's) of 52.1-percent.
Covington has struggled shooting this season, shooting a career-worst 30.5-percent from downtown. However, in January, RoCo is shooting 41.6-percent from three-point range (52-125) with an effective FG percentage of 51.6-percent.
4. Joel Embiid
Embiid is playing lights out basketball and should hopefully continue to get healthier (and see more minutes?) and more comfortable as the year goes on. His per-36 numbers are in historic company.
Related: 5 Reasons Joel Embiid Should Be An All-Star
3. Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons is expected to return around the all-star break. My guess? February 24th, a Friday night home game against the Wizards. I know what you're thinking: He's going to have to get acclimated with the team and they will take a step back.
Related: Ben Simmons' Scan Shows No Setbacks
Nope, not with a player-like Simmons. He's too intelligent, too athletically gifted, too driven, too unselfish, and just too darn good to not fit in almost immediately. Finding the right rotation for Brett Brown might take a game or two, but the reward for having Simmons back in the lineup will be net positive from day one.
2. Just eight back-to-back's remain
Back-to-back situations for the Sixers are not good because that means they have to rest Embiid, and eventually Simmons. The good news is there are only eight more of those remaining on their schedule.
Related: Embiid, Okafor, Saric To Play In Rising Stars Game
Twice, the second half of the back-to-back is against a bad Magic team. Another one of those situations is two straight home games against the Knicks and Pistons.
And at the struggling Chicago Bulls on Sunday and then home against the lowly Kings on Monday is far from terrifying.
1. The other teams
The main reason the Sixers can make the playoffs, other than they're improved play of course, is the rest of the eastern conference. After the fifth-seeded Washington Wizards there is a major drop off.
The 6th placed Hornets (23-23) and the 13th placed Magic (18-29) are separated by just 5.5 games. The Sixers are one spot ahead of the Magic at 17-27.
With 38 games left to play, you never know.
A 23-15 clip the rest of the way will get the Sixers to 40-42, sniffing that playoff berth.
