The Philadelphia 76ers have gone through years of upheaval. From the losing and constant player movement of the process years to a roster that was revamped in-season last year as Elton Brand pushed the accelerator on the team’s push to contention, nothing has stayed the same for very long in the Sixers’ world.
Now, that has changed. The team has settled on the core roster construction it hopes will take it to the promised land, and every member of that core is under contract for the foreseeable future. And now, finally, the team has the opportunity to build the type of chemistry that can make the difference when teams find themselves in difficult circumstances like, for instance, tight playoff games/series.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe took a deep dive into the current state of the Sixers in which he shared some interesting tidbits regarding just how the team is going about building that chemistry.
Lowe notes the team celebration that occurred the night of Furkan Korkmaz’s game-winner against the Trail Blazers and how three nights later, in Utah, Ben Simmons joined Joel Embiid and some team staff to watch a Bulls-Lakers game in the hotel lounge. Simmons is noticing a difference. “The chemistry is much better. Guys are giving up their time to bond,” he told ESPN.
Lowe indicates that Al Horford and Tobias Harris have taken the lead in organizing team dinners, with Harris identifying the best steakhouse in each city they visit to please Embiid. Horford stresses the importance of such gatherings, and the team seems to be responding if you consider attendance a reliable indication.
Harris, meanwhile, has noticed a change in the reaction to losses, with the team taking on a much angrier mood in defeat. That, too, is a positive sign.
As the new-look Sixers try to find their way, a strong bond and getting to know each other off the court can only help that process along. On the court, there have been hiccups in this young season, and that will likely continue for a while longer. But news that the team is working to build camaraderie off the court, and finding success, is great news for the Sixers going forward and will only help to further serve the on-court goals. [lawrence-related id=19822,19579]