Philadelphia 76ers fans are, quite frankly, a tortured group of people. Time and time again, they were teased with the possibility of a Sixers team destined to make a deep run in the playoffs, only for the team to erupt in ways so strange that 29 other franchises couldn’t even comprehend it.
So yeah, it’s hard for fans to trust that Joel Embiid’s dominant streak over the past few games is sustainable.
But… Him really and truly look dominant. Almost suspiciously dominant. Embiid is averaging over 25 points per game since early December and his efficiency has increased dramatically in recent weeks.
To be honest, he doesn’t look like his MVP self. Embiid has his First dunk of the season on Saturday (en celebrated accordingly), although his shot graph looks more or less the same as it has in the past. Maybe he doesn’t have the lift he used to, but if he plays like he has this past week, it’s hard to argue he’s lost a step. That seems like a semi-miracle if you ask me.
Sixers fans are afraid to believe in another promising team
Sixers fans are probably exhausted from getting their hopes up. At this point, they have been injured too many times. But Joel Embiid’s return to form could make them feel that dreaded hope again.
Furthermore, having hope in this version of the Sixers is different than having hope in previous versions because these Sixers are not solely dependent on Embiid’s dominance. In fact, Embiid playing this well could be house money for the Sixers in a weak East. Tyrese Maxey is clearly the team’s No. 1 option, and the supporting cast is figuring out how to play without Embiid and learning how to integrate him back into the rotation when he does play.
Embiid not having the weight of the world (by world I mean the city of Philadelphia, which is the same thing) on his shoulders or knees might be exactly what this franchise needs to break through. A terrible conference helps too.
After years of acting like an NBA 2K franchise (not a compliment), the Sixers finally have a balanced roster, a reliable superstar, and a version of Joel Embiid who can still take over games, but doesn’t need so the team can succeed.
What if this time is really different? No, really. No, really. I’m not trying to be toxic by telling you to just give your problematic ex another chance, but… The Sixers can change!
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