The Philadelphia 76ers were once the laughing stock of the NBA. Having one of the longest losing streaks in NBA history at one point in time, many wondered if the Sixers would return to prominence again. Having a bunch of lottery picks, the Sixers used them on players like Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, Ben Simmons, and most recently Markelle Fultz. They told fans to "trust the process" as there have been many obstacles in their way. Their key draft picks finally took the floor together for their season opener against the Wizards on Wednesday. Even though they lost the game 120-115, fans see that the process does work as the Sixers look like a playoff team.
Impressive debuts
Two Sixers made their debut for the team on Wednesday night. Last year's first-round pick Ben Simmons played in his first NBA game after missing last season with a broken bone in his foot. Simmons played very well, finishing with 18 points, ten rebounds, and five assists. Simmons showed that he can finish in the paint with either hand and he can make the toughest passes even with a defender in his face.
Simmons talked about his first game in the NBA saying "It felt like I was playing 2k honestly."
The other debut for the Sixers was Markelle Fultz, their lottery pick from this past NBA draft. Fultz scored ten points off the bench, but his stats don't really acknowledge how good he played.
He made smart decisions with the ball, trusting Embiid and Simmons with much of the offensive load. Fultz is a young player who will need time to feel more comfortable in the offense, but it wasn't a bad debut for the rookie.
Love the Process
Joel Embiid was supposed to be on a minute restriction according to head coach Brett Brown.
He said he was going to play somewhere in the teens, but he exceeded those minutes today, finishing with almost 27 minutes logged. Embiid finished the game 18 points and 13 rebounds. Embiid has been the biggest part of the process for the Sixers as he missed his first two seasons but burst onto the scene last year with outstanding numbers.
Embiid embodies the phrase "the process" as he is the centerpiece for the Sixers in the future.
The Sixers have done a great job doing what they feel is right with their players. They have taken a lot of criticism with a lot of their decisions but hasn't deterred them. With offseason signees J.J Reddick and Jerryd Bayless providing veteran leadership, the Sixers' good mix of young and older talent puts them in the right spot to get a playoff spot in the east. It will take some time for the chemistry to work but the process has worked up to this point, and there are 81 more games in the young NBA season.
