Subscribe
Follow Us
The Philadelphia 76ers finally got the elephant out of the room. Accused as a liar (not once, but twice) halfway across the world, Sixers GM Daryl Morey finally granted the trade request of his disgruntled star James Harden in a midnight blockbuster with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers got rid of the dark cloud hovering over the franchise just in time for the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament.
The inaugural regular season tournament commences on November 3rd. The Sixers, meanwhile, play their first NBA In-Season Tournament game the week after, when they take on the Detroit Pistons. They play the Indiana Pacers and the Atlanta Hawks the following week and end their group play games on November 21 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It will be interesting to see how Philly will approach the NBA In-Season Tournament. This team has a lot to prove, especially to the guy who refused to show up and forced his way to Los Angeles. Joel Embiid, especially, has some naysayers to shut up after another underwhelming playoff run last season.
Despite losing Harden, the Sixers are still one of the top teams in the East. That's why it wouldn't be shocking if they emerged as the last team standing in Las Vegas, where the league will crown its first-ever In-Season Tournament champion. With that said, here is why the Sixers will win the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament after the James Harden trade.
Why Sixers will win the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament
Motivation
As mentioned, the Sixers could use the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament as motivation to prove that they are still legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference. Moreover, they could use the tournament as an avenue to prove to James Harden that he made a mistake in wanting out.
Everyone is all in 🏆
NBA In-Season Tournament action begins Friday, Nov. 3!
Catch all the action on ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV. pic.twitter.com/g9aT0sdBxf
— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2023
Unlike in previous seasons, not many perceive Philadelphia as real threats anymore. The East has become a two-way race between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks. It's those two in the S-Tier, then the Sixers and the rest of the East a notch below.
Still, Philly does still have the reigning NBA MVP at the helm. Joel Embiid is already in mid-season form with averages of 31.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 3.0 blocks through three games so far.
Tyrese Maxey has shown so far early in the season that he can be a legitimate Robin to Embiid's Batman. The fourth-year guard is averaging 30.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, while boasting an insane true shooting percentage of 68.8 percent in the first three games of the season.
It also helps that those two are playing with a chip on their shoulder. Embiid drew some warranted criticism for his poor 2023 NBA playoff run where his PPG average went down by nearly 10 points after averaging 33.1 PPG and winning MVP in the regular season. If he is able to lead Philly to the In-Season Tournament crown, at least some of the criticism will be alleviated.
Maxey is also someone who has something to prove. The 22-year-old is in the midst of a breakout campaign. With Harden's departure, he has the opportunity to really establish himself as a legitimate star in the NBA.
The Sixers should also be more motivated than the likes of Boston and Milwaukee. Those two teams know they're the cream of the crop in the Eastern Conference. A regular season trophy won't really mean much to them. With the added fuel, that could be the edge that puts them over the top of the two best teams in the conference.
