For the first time in 2012, the Philadelphia 76ers are in the playoffs. They are currently the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and have a chance to move up to third as the season comes to a close.

It is a relatively young team led by 21-year-old wunderkind Ben Simmons and 24-year-old monster Joel Embiid. Most analysts believe that it will take an additional three to four years for the Sixers to reach their peak and become a legitimate playoff contender.

However, for Tim Legler of ESPN, the Sixers are capable of making it to the NBA Finals this year.

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In part, Legler said of the Sixers' streak and how it has helped them gain confidence:

“Everybody else in the Eastern Conference, Philly's coming for. I mean they're 17-5 in the last 22 games. And their schedule has helped. If you're going to get this many bottomfeeders in a row, you're gonna run of a good number of wins but their confidence level is so high right now.”

While his comments may seem atrocious to some, it has some credibility in it after taking a peek at the standings in the Eastern Conference. The win-loss column is rather tight and anything can happen come playoff time.

For the past several years, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers have dominated the conference. With the way they are performing now, it seems that the conference title is up for grabs. The Celtics and the Raptors have consistently stumbled in the playoffs in the past. If they're hungry enough, the Sixers can knock these teams off easily.