The Philadelphia 76ers clinched the highest seed within the Jap Convention with a 122-97 win over the Orlando Magic on Friday night time. The final time, and solely different time, that the Sixers have been the East’s prime seed was in 2001 — when Allen Iverson was carrying a uniform for the franchise. In different phrases, it’s been some time. However, whereas the Sixers acknowledged the comparatively uncommon accomplishment, they don’t have an excessive amount of time to have fun. They’re properly conscious that there’s rather more work to be executed.
“It’s an accomplishment. I don’t wish to downplay it,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers mentioned of securing pole place after the victory over Orlando. “I informed our guys to take pleasure in, I don’t even wish to name it a second. I informed them to benefit from the second, as a result of it’s not what we wish. But it surely’s a part of what you may get in your solution to what you need. I believe for this staff, being as younger as we’re, to have homecourt benefit is basically necessary. It’s good to have. So, we must always really feel proud.”
Rivers is correct. The Sixers ought to really feel a way of delight, particularly when you think about the place they got here from. They have been a six seed that acquired swept within the first spherical of the playoffs final season, and so they’re nonetheless only a handful of years faraway from 5 consecutive lottery landings and ending with an general report of 10-72 in 2015-16 — one of many worst marks that the league has ever seen. However, whereas they need to really feel delight, they will’t let it swell into hubris, as a result of as Kobe Bryant as soon as famously mentioned “the job’s not completed.”
That Iverson-led 2001 staff went all the best way to the NBA Finals, and that’s a path that the present staff is hoping to observe, albeit with a distinct final ending.
“We had such a superb common season however on the finish of the day you’ve acquired to exit and show why you have been the No. 1 seed,” Joel Embiid mentioned. “You bought to enter the playoffs and beat these groups and win the entire thing.”
So, how was a staff that gave the impression to be missing path lower than a 12 months in the past flip issues round so shortly?
“We did it as a gaggle,” Embiid mentioned. “It felt like all people contributed… A terrific teaching workers, a terrific entrance workplace, the group that we’ve had this 12 months has been distinctive.”
Nothing is assured within the playoffs, however by securing the highest seed, Philadelphia’s path again to its first Finals look in 20 years turned simpler, on paper no less than. Not solely will the Sixers have homecourt benefit in each Jap Convention collection, they may even should play solely one of many second and third-seeded groups within the convention, quite than each.
The Sixers, Nets, and Bucks have clearly differentiated themselves as the category of the convention. Had the Sixers completed second, they might have doubtlessly needed to go towards each the Bucks and the Nets to advance out of the convention. The groups seeded second and third should face off towards one another within the second spherical, assuming each are capable of advance. Now it would solely be one or the opposite, and a possible matchup gained’t come till the convention finals. Not that the Sixers can afford to miss anybody within the convention, because the East is chock filled with gifted groups keen to tug off an upset. In any case, the Sixers can have a bullseye on their again as the highest seed.
“It’s what we needed. So, now the true work begins,” Ben Simmons mentioned. “We’re trying ahead to the playoffs… We put ourselves in a superb place, however we in the end wish to win a championship so we’re gonna take it every collection, one step at a time.”
Homecourt benefit figures to be an enormous boon for Philadelphia. The Sixers have arguably the most effective homecourt benefit in the complete NBA, and over the previous 4 seasons, they’ve had the league’s greatest residence successful share. Contemplating the truth that it’s been 20 years because the Sixers have been the highest staff within the East heading into postseason play, it’s protected to say that the Philadelphia devoted shall be past boisterous, even at 50 p.c capability.
“Being the highest seed helps rather a lot,” Embiid mentioned. “Homecourt benefit undoubtedly helps rather a lot, as we’ve been dominant at residence. We barely lose right here, and even the losses we did have we weren’t at full power. When we now have all people wholesome we barely lose right here. So it means rather a lot to have the primary seed.”
The Sixers have another regular-season sport remaining, however that’s only a formality at this level. By caring for enterprise towards Orlando on Friday night time, the Sixers ensured that their starters would have a full week to relaxation earlier than the beginning of the playoffs. Throughout that point they’ll discover out who their first-round opponent shall be and the true grind will start. However earlier than leaping forward and specializing in how far the staff nonetheless has to go to attain the final word objective, Sixers followers ought to take a second to understand simply how far the staff has come.
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