Can it’s 40 years since Maurice Cheeks dunked and punctuated the Philadelphia 76ers’ sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers to win the 1983 NBA championship? Forty years since Moses Malone predicted a four-game sweep? Forty years since Julius Erving danced throughout a parade down Broad Street?
Since then, the 76ers have endured and trusted the Process. Charles Barkley got here and went, so did Allen Iverson. There had been some fairly good seasons, however principally forgettable ones. The group hasn’t superior previous the second spherical of the Eastern Conference playoffs since 2001.
Dr. J took notice and through a speech final month at a ceremony honoring the 1983 group, he instructed a packed home that the championship gamers had been there not simply to be acknowledged, however to “challenge this year’s team to make it happen.” The basketball Hall of Famer added: “Forty years is way too long.”
Joel Embiid, James Harden and the remainder of the 54-win Sixers will attempt to snap the drought beginning Saturday in Philly in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets of their first-round playoff sequence.
Though the 45-win Nets are anticipated to be nothing greater than a speedbump for the Sixers, the second spherical will doubtless current a extra urgent problem ought to the Boston Celtics additionally advance.
Coach Doc Rivers stated the third-seeded Sixers anticipate greater than a second-round sequence win to think about their season a hit.
“We’re focused on trying to win the finals,” Rivers stated. “That’s pressure.”
Rivers has coached the Sixers in two straight second-round exits, together with the notorious loss because the No. 1 seed in 2021 after they blew a 3-1 sequence result in Atlanta and misplaced Game 7 at dwelling.
Rivers insisted the Sixers are targeted solely on this season’s outcomes and never how earlier failures may have an effect on the group.
“If you set a high goal for yourself, there’s not a person alive that can say there’s no pressure to that,” Rivers stated. “It should be and we talked about that. Embrace it. Like this is a good thing. You have played yourself on a team that has pressure because I can name a bunch of teams that have no pressure. You know where you’re at right now? Golfing, on the beach.”
Philly is a metropolis shifting previous its historical past of sports activities mediocrity, contemplating the Phillies, Eagles and Union all reached their championship rounds this previous season.
The Sixers may face an offseason of change in the event that they don’t match their professional brethren and at the least make the NBA Finals. Harden may decline an choice in his contact and pursue a max contract through free company. Rivers could possibly be on the new seat. And who is aware of what number of extra respectable probabilities the 29-year-old Embiid would get to win a title.
End the streak at 40 years and the 76ers received’t have a lot fear about what’s forward.
BIG SCORER, BIG ASSISTER
Embiid was the NBA’s scoring champion for a second consecutive 12 months, averaging 33.1 factors per sport.
Harden reclaimed the help title, averaging 10.7 per sport this season. It’s his second time ending because the chief in assists per sport; he additionally did it in 2016-17 when he was with Houston.
Both gamers say they’re prepared for the playoffs after preventing accidents late within the season.
“I’m extremely prepared to play 40 minutes,” Harden stated.
BRIDGES GOES BACK
The Nets’ Mikal Bridges attended Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, simply outdoors Philadelphia, then performed three seasons at Villanova. He was then drafted by the 76ers with the No. 10 decide within the 2018 draft, however they dealt his rights to Phoenix.
He stated enjoying his hometown group doesn’t imply something further.
“No, it’s just playoffs and it’s time to lock in and take it up another notch no matter who it is,” Bridges stated. “Obviously I’m back home, played in that gym a lot, but no, I would have the same energy, same aggressiveness no matter what team we played.”
