Taking A Look At The Sixers

Embiid can't focus solely on the MVP race. He needs to concentrate on being the best he can be and help the team achieve their best. After all, what good are award honors? In 2001, Iverson was the MVP, Mutombo was named the Defensive Player of the Year, and McKie was the Sixth Man of the Year. Yet, the Sixers lost in the finals, 4 to 1. Did the MVPs and other awards do them any good? The three of them would have easily traded their awards for a championship ring any day. That's the prize, and that's what every player on the Sixers should keep focused on.

I like what Rick Carlisle, the Pacers coach, said in Keith Pompey's article in the Inquirer today: that Embiid has elevated his game and is basically unstoppable. It's clear that Embiid is experimenting with different roles, including rim protector, point center, scorer, dunker, and elbow assassin. But what impresses me most is that when Maxey made a long pass down the court and a Pacers player got tangled up trying to corral it, Embiid was right there, all the way down the court, to pick up the boy and talk to him. He wouldn't have expended the same effort in years past, but now he's becoming more of a leader by example, and his teammates are taking notice.

Much has been written about Harden embracing his role as a facilitator, which has been crucial as well. Maxey's play speaks for itself, and the bench is coming around. When Milton and Melton combine for over 15 points, the Sixers have a good chance of winning. You can't always count on the young players, but they're certainly a welcome contribution.

The puzzle is Harris. Sometimes he seems lost, and his role has not been clearly defined. In my opinion, Doc needs to clearly communicate with him and assign him a specific role. For example, "Your role is to be the sixth man and create energy and offense when you go in. You should shoot when you have space." It's surprising that Doc has not formulated a clear role for Harris at this late stage, but fortunately, it's not too late to do so.

Things are looking up for the Sixers. Even an old, weathered, cynical Philadelphia fan like me can start to have hope. However, I won't get too excited until I see how they perform against the top teams in their next ten games or so.