The Philadelphia 76ers (49-23) have 10 games to go in this final stretch of the season. They are in good position with the playoffs right around the corner in terms of how they have grown as a team.
In the past, the Sixers would go up 20 or 25 points, collapse and lose. The 2022-23 season has been the opposite. They have done a good job of building leads and winning in addition to rallying from deficits. In the past, they would lose games in both instances.
After the win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, star big man Joel Embiid told Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that coach Doc Rivers deserves credit for the improved play to prepare for the postseason:
“When you look at my first couple of years, some games that we came back this year, there was no way we would have come back,” Embiid said. “We would lose one.”
“To come back and be able to jump a team early, a 20- to 25-point lead, they had no answers,” said Embiid, whose squad improved on keeping leads as the season progressed. “That just shows you the growth. Doc and the coaches deserve a lot of credit.
“They changed not necessarily the culture, but they’ve been on me from the beginning.”
Rivers has his flaws, as does everyone, but there is no question he has helped turn this team around. After a dreadful 2019-20 season, the future Hall of Fame coach has had Philadelphia in a great position to contend for a title. A clean bill of health in the 2023 playoffs would be helpful in their quest for the Larry O’Brien trophy.
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