Pressure
While pressure always falls on the coach, for the Philadelphia 76ers, the light is shining bright on the players as well. The 76ers finally shed the stigma of “The Process” and have done so with good results. However, they have yet to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals the last two seasons despite being the most talented team in the East.
The 76ers are led by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Their time together as teammates have been met with joy and pressure. While teams are winning with vets, the 76ers have built from the ground up. However, this season they took a different approach when free agency stuck.
Simmons and Embiid are only 2.5 seasons in as teammates and are still learning the NBA game and each other. This offseason brought new changes which resulted in struggles throughout most of the year before the league suspension.
But what happens if they don’t win this year? What happens if they can’t make it past the second round again? There’s no denying the team is loaded. Quite possibly the best in the East but they have yet to figure it out. During the NBA Trade Deadline, there were whispers that Elton Brand was ready to break up the core.
The time off should have provided the 76ers with time to reflect and regain their hunger. The City of Philadelphia is crying for a NBA Championship and this team has all the makings of one. Some players are built to handle pressure and some are not. Where do the 76ers fall?
