National Basketball Association

What's Gotten Into The Philadelphia 76ers?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:45 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Bret Stuter/FanSided via The Sixer Sense

From Dr.Jeckyl to Mr. Hyde? The Philadelphia 76ers have been on a rampage recently. But let’s be honest, this surprised everyone. What’s gotten into the Philadelphia 76ers?

After the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Utah Jazz on December 29, 2016 to the score of 100-83, they had fallen to a 7-24 record, and were in discussions for the top draft pick of the 2017 NBA Draft.  We had our post-game analysis. Fans had another chapter of hopeful NBA team interested in our center. But the closest thing to a clue that this team, and the supportive fans who have stood so loyally behind them, had was the memory of the claim from Jerry Colangelo  that this team would be awfully competitive in three years.

Memories, trades, and a post game article that sucked the optimism out of even the most optimistic of us.

But the team had three things going for it:  Joel Embiid was delivering far better than even his overhyped debut predicted, Joel Embiid was running a national campaign to be voted into the NBA All-Star Game, and due to injuries to both Gerald Henderson and Sergio Rodriguez, head coach Brett Brown had to start T.J. McConnell and Nik Stauskas.

And it was as though Emeril, or Embiid,  had just taken it up another notch:

From what I’ve seen, that pretty much describes what happened.

The Secret Sauce

So what is in the secret sauce that has the Philadelphia 76ers so good? Would you believe…. the perfect storm of all three elements? Hey, if it’s a secret sauce, how do I know the ingredients? Okay, I don’t “know”. But I have observed, analyzed, and followed up on the works of others.

Okay, that may seem confusing. But let’s break it down for you.  The Philadelphia 76ers were playing pretty ho-hum basketball. But Joel Embiid’s performance began to turn up the heat on the team. But it was not until the All-Star rally which began to bring the city’s fans back into the mix. Now with a basketball star, and cheering fans, players stepped up.

More from The Sixer Sense

Too simple?   I can elaborate a little.  The pieces to this team have been assembled for some time. But like any puzzle, the pieces were scattered, each individual didn’t really connect with teammates due to unfamiliarity.

But head coach Brett Brown built the team around the love of the game.  That way, win or lose, they would come back for more. Oh did they lose. But surprisingly, they finished hard in each game and came back for more.

What’s the Recipe?

Each player on this team was like a train car.. waiting for that one special talent to get everyone moving in the right direction. When Joel Embiid arrived, all spotlights turned to him. He was a phenom on the basketball court. He was Mr. Popularity in the #NBAVote-ing.

But the 76ers were still losing until the team defeated the Brooklyn Nets:

That win elevated the 76ers to 9-25. That interview did something far greater.  The team whose name had become synonymous with “tanking” just had an NBA rookie star publicly state that the team could win games.

Joel Embiid is a sponge. He sees everything around him.  And whatever he sees, he can imitate. And he watched former 76ers president Sam Hinkie risk his career to ensure Embiid would have an opportunity to play in the NBA.  He saw sacrifice.  Then he imitated the act.

Jan 20, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (33) and center Joel Embiid (21) celebrate after the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers won the game 93-92. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports

Rally Around The Big Guy

Nobody could have predicted what happened next.  Players who felt alone with just an optimistic head coach suddenly had someone with a very bright future in the NBA place his reputation on the line. Joel Embiid instantly became the brunt of jokes in the NBA, again.

But Embiid knew what he was doing. The team needed to kickstart focus. Players were rumored to be key participants in every NBA trade being tossed around. Players were focusing on playing minutes and box stats.

From the moment Embiid said playoffs, the team has kicked it up a notch.

Sometimes a single snowflake can start the avalanche

Oct 15, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown talks to Philadelphia 76ers guard T.J. McConnell (1) during the first quarter of the preseason game against the Detroit Pistons at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports

Sage Wisdom

Joel Embiid is a rookie, but plays the role of a ten-year veteran. He knows the buttons to push with his teammates and with the fans.  He understands the fight in the stands around him, and in the hearts of each of his teammates.

The fight has always been there. He just harnessed it. He gave the team and fans something to fight for – a playoff position – and something to fight – the NBA.  After years of taunting, trolling, decrying and berating, the fans and players of the Philadelphia 76ers have been burning to fight back.

And now they are.

This is not some flame out.  This is not a flash of a dying light bulb. This is a controlled burn of the rage in the hearts of each player who suffered through losses, who had a team give up on them, who have been lazily grouped into an unflattering pool of “never be” basketball hopefuls.

In the end, nothing has gotten into the Philadelphia 76ers at all.  It’s been there all this time. Joel Embiid simply showed the fans and players how powerful they can be when the all work towards the same goal.

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