Does Philly Make the Playoffs in 2018?

[PhoSita]

There's a lot of excitement about the Sixers (around the league, not necessarily in these parts), and rightfully so.

We saw last year how exciting a talent Joel Embiid is when he can play.

Dario Saric is a fun young player, as well.

Now they've added maybe the best talent in this past draft, Markelle Fultz, along with veterans J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson.

Oh, and the best talent from last year's draft should be healthy and playing as well.


This has people wondering how good a lineup featuring Fultz, Redick, Simmons, Saric, and Embiid might be, with Amir Johnson, Rob Covington, Richaun Holmes, and T.J. McConnell off the bench.

Confident Philly fans are predicting the playoffs are a very strong possibility.


Here's my question -- when was the last time a team made the playoffs giving the vast majority of their offensive touches to players with a combined 30 or so games of NBA experience?

Joel Embiid had a 36% Usage Rate when he was on the floor last year.

Simmons is a primary playmaking type.  Fultz is an out-and-out scorer who figures to spend a lot of time on the ball.  Chances are, those three guys will be expected to generate the vast majority of the offense for the Sixers.

Of those three, only Embiid has even played in a regular season NBA game, and he only played 31 games last year.



So, is it reasonable to expect this team to make the playoffs?  Or will we once again see play out the age-old lesson that young players don't win NBA games even when they're super talented?

[Moranis]

Philly will likely be one of the four teams fighting for the last three playoff spots in the East along with Detroit, Miami, and Charlotte.  I think they edge at least one of those teams out and make the playoffs though I would expect them to be in the low 40's for wins. 

And it isn't all that uncommon for a top tier rookie to lead to an increase of 15 wins (they won 28 last year so 15 is 43) and they are adding two top tier rookies, get Embiid for more than 31 games (presumably), and are adding two quality vets in Reddick and Johnson. 

[konkmv]

Cavs Celtics raptors wizzards bucks heat are playoff teams...
Pistons hornets knicks Sixers bulls magic will fight for 2 spots
Pacers hawks and the nets are the worst teams in the east
So if the Knicks trade Carmelo, wade collapses and pistons and hornets get destroyed with injuries yes the Sixers have a chance...

[celticsclay]

There's a lot of excitement about the Sixers (around the league, not necessarily in these parts), and rightfully so.

We saw last year how exciting a talent Joel Embiid is when he can play.

Dario Saric is a fun young player, as well.

Now they've added maybe the best talent in this past draft, Markelle Fultz, along with veterans J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson.

Oh, and the best talent from last year's draft should be healthy and playing as well.


This has people wondering how good a lineup featuring Fultz, Redick, Simmons, Saric, and Embiid might be, with Amir Johnson, Rob Covington, Richaun Holmes, and T.J. McConnell off the bench.

Confident Philly fans are predicting the playoffs are a very strong possibility.


Here's my question -- when was the last time a team made the playoffs giving the vast majority of their offensive touches to players with a combined 30 or so games of NBA experience?

Joel Embiid had a 36% Usage Rate when he was on the floor last year.

Simmons is a primary playmaking type.  Fultz is an out-and-out scorer who figures to spend a lot of time on the ball.  Chances are, those three guys will be expected to generate the vast majority of the offense for the Sixers.

Of those three, only Embiid has even played in a regular season NBA game, and he only played 31 games last year.



So, is it reasonable to expect this team to make the playoffs?  Or will we once again see play out the age-old lesson that young players don't win NBA games even when they're super talented?

I think they could, but think it is more because the Bulls, Hawks and Pacers punted their seasons before they started. In a normal year they will have some growing pains and not win a lot of close games. Lebron and Shaq are really the only rookies I remember from the past 20 years completley putting a team on their back for 20 extra wins (I don't remember if their teams ended up making the playoffs, but know they were a lot better. I am sure there are a few other guys I am forgetting but don't really think Fultz or Simmons is in the same category as Shaq or Lebron.

[CelticsElite]

No

If I got a dollar for every sentence I saw with "embiid" followed by (if healthy), id be a millionaire

He was red flagged before Draft

[BitterJim]

No, because I can't see Embiid being healthy for enough games.  They'll win over half their games in the first few months and people will start to pencil them into the playoffs, but then Embiid will go down and they'll miss the playoffs by a few games.

There just isn't enough experience on that team to win when (not if) Embiid goes down

[Ilikesports17]

Im gonna lean towards yes. Most rookies dont help you win, but guys who miss their rookie years tend to be better than rookies and Fultz and Simmons are special rookies.

If they can get 45 wins out of Embiid they could sneak in as an 8 seed.

The back of the East isnt THAT bad. One of Charlotte, Detroit and Philly has got to miss it.

[ThePaintedArea]

So, is it reasonable to expect this team to make the playoffs?  Or will we once again see play out the age-old lesson that young players don't win NBA games even when they're super talented?

An even older lesson: if you want to win, you have to be on the court.

Their top three guys are well chosen, complementary, talented.  They made smart acquisitions over the summer and have good depth. If they have good health, they have a shot at the playoffs; but I'd bet against them because of injury concerns.

[Ilikesports17]

So, is it reasonable to expect this team to make the playoffs?  Or will we once again see play out the age-old lesson that young players don't win NBA games even when they're super talented?

An even older lesson: if you want to win, you have to be on the court.

Their top three guys are well chosen, complementary, talented.  They made smart acquisitions over the summer and have good depth. If they have good health, they have a shot at the playoffs; but I'd bet against them because of injury concerns.

The best ability is availability.

[PhoSita]

\

And it isn't all that uncommon for a top tier rookie to lead to an increase of 15 wins (they won 28 last year so 15 is 43) and they are adding two top tier rookies, get Embiid for more than 31 games (presumably), and are adding two quality vets in Reddick and Johnson.

We've seen teams have a jump in wins thanks in part to a high profile rookie (Spurs w/ Duncan).

We've seen teams make the playoffs with a high-profile rookie in a high-usage role (Bulls w/ Rose, Bucks w/ Jennings).


I'm not sure we've seen a team whose top guys are all very inexperienced, who will collectively be responsible for creating virtually all of the offense, win very many games or make the playoffs.

[PhoSita]

Cavs, Celts, Raps, Wiz, Bucks are a virtual lock for the playoffs, I would think.

I think the Hornets, Heat, Pistons have a better shot at making it than the Sixers.

[CelticsElite]

The heat probably make the playoffs. Olynyk fits well with that team. The pistons probably keep the sixers out

[tazzmaniac]

The Sixers won 28 games last season and that was with a 10 game tank job at the end of the season.  Their best starting lineup was probably McConnell, Henderson, Covington, Ilyasova and Embiid.  They've upgraded 3 starting positions and strengthened their bench.  Redick, Johnson and Bayless should significantly improve their veteran contribution.  Fultz and Simmons improve their passing immensely which should mean easier baskets and Embiid not having to work so hard on offense.   

Even so, the big factor is Embiid's health.  If he plays in 60+ games, they should be a top 10 defense and make the playoffs.  Embiid should benefit from the NBA lengthening the season.  So I think they'll make the playoffs and be a tough out in the 1st round. 

[GC003332]

As a general rule most first year players are way below par on the defensive end,especially 19 and 20 year olds. So if the Sixers are to be any hope of making the playoffs they are going to need Fultz and Simmons to as close to average on D regardless of Embiid covering for their mistakes or not.
If they get 30 plus minutes out of Embiid for 50 plus games they could win upwards of 35 games wins on the season.

[green_bballers13]

Philly gets close to making the playoffs. That's probably good enough to validate their decision to move forward with their young core and officially kiss the rebuilding decade(s?) goodbye.