PHILADEPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers' loss at home to the Miami Heat stings for several reasons. Not only did Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers blow a shot to pick up an easy win but they also lost the chance to head into an intimidating stretch of games with momentum. They have a remarkably tough schedule for the rest of the season.
The Sixers' gauntlet begins on Wednesday with a back-to-back against the Heat and Dallas Mavericks, the first two games in a five-game road trip that also includes a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks. After that, they have two home games (one against Damian Lillard, whose scoring is currently hotter than fish grease) before another three-game road trip that includes a matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then, they have a single home game before four straight away games, the final three of which come against the Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets.
That slate of games takes them through their next four weeks. After that, they still have to play the Mavericks, Boston Celtics and Bucks in Milwaukee again. It's easy to look at what's ahead and feel worried. The Sixers, though, are embracing the challenge of the final six weeks of the regular season.
“It's a good test for us,” James Harden said after the loss to the Heat. “I think every team has a test throughout some time in the season and this is gonna be one for us. It's coming at the right time. Tough opponents, on the road. It's gonna bring us together, even closer, and it's gonna prepare us for the playoffs. Things that we need to get better at consistently whether it's rebounding the basketball, limiting our turnovers, just defensively locking in for four quarters. So, it's gonna be good for us as a team.”
Overall, no team has a harder schedule the rest of the way than the Sixers. Their opponents are the toughest, they have a ton of road trips and they'll play more games than all but a few teams. Maxey, however, said that there is a sense of excitement because they'll get the chance to do what every good team is looking to do: “finding their rhythm heading into the playoffs.” Embiid, as he alluded to previously, sees it the same way.
“It's good for us, I think, because it prepares for the playoffs,” Joel Embiid said. “These types of games, we see what we can get better at…You know, I'm happy. I'm happy that we got a tough schedule. I just want to get better. I want us to get better. I want us to find ways to see what works and what doesn't.”
The Sixers acing the test in front of them can do wonders for them heading into the postseason, where the future direction of the franchise could very well be at stake. Of course, it remains to be seen if they're up for it.
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