Entering the All-Star break, the Philadelphia 76ers control the number one seed in the Eastern Conference and come off a statement victory over leading NBA Jazz. However, the Sixers are only half a game ahead of the Nets and two games ahead of the Bucks, who have both been playing good basketball lately.
While the Sixers’ success of the season will be defined by the playoffs, Daryl Morey and Doc Rivers should be pushing hard for the number one seed.
There are three major benefits of getting the number one seed. First, the Sixers are elite at home and just plain poor on the road. Much has been said about the Sixers’ home success and road issues over the past few seasons, and that has continued this year. The Sixers are 16-3 at home with a 6.6 points differential, but are only 8-9 on the road with a net zero point differential.
Getting the number one seed would ensure an advantage on the pitch until the final, which would come in handy in potential showdowns against the Nets or Bucks. A critical seven game at home against on the road could make the difference in a series victory. Could home court advantage have tipped the Sixers’ seven-game series loss to the Raptors two seasons ago? This is a very strong possibility, so the Sixers should guarantee that it doesn’t happen again by getting the one seed.
Second, assuming the Nets and Bucks stay in the two and three slots, the Sixers could avoid both until the conference finals if they get the number one seed. The path to the final becomes much easier if the Sixers only have to beat one of those two teams. The Nets and Bucks are very good teams, but in an ideal world, the Bucks would beat the Nets in a tough second-round streak that would exhaust the Bucks.
The Sixers can certainly beat either of these teams in a seven-game series, but beating both in back-to-back rounds would be tough and exhausting. The Sixers are still set to play one of the Celtics, Heat or Raptors in the second round, but those teams are a level below the Bucks and Nets.
Third, the seed would offer the easiest game in the first round. It’s not as bad for the one-seeded as it is for the two-seeded, as the seventh and eight seeds in the East won’t be too scary. Falling down to third would be tough as the Sixers would likely play one of the Celtics, Heat or Raptors in the first round, it’s not really playoff warm-up material.
The Pacers, Knicks, Bulls, Hornets and Hawks are all in contention for the seventh and eight seeds, and neither of those teams should worry the Sixers. Trae Young and the Hawks have given the Sixers a bit of trouble over the past two years, but the Sixers have generally performed well against the other teams on this list.
If securing the seed in the East is a priority for this team, Morey should look to improve the depth of the team. The Sixers could use a lot more depth down the front, especially a backup striker and another cross if the team plans to rest Joel Embiid every now and then after the All-Star’s break.
The Sixers still fall apart when Embiid isn’t playing. Dwight Howard is a completely solid replacement but shouldn’t play for more than 20-25 minutes a night, even without Embiid. Getting a third center to close the gap and give Embiid a rest would help the Sixers get the seed and Embiid stay healthy for the playoffs.
Additionally, there is still a chance that Covid-related absences could return, so any additional depth would be ideal. The Sixers could fill the edges of the roster without giving up any real strengths. Without mortgaging the future or the health of the players for the playoffs, the Sixers should do whatever it takes to secure the seed in the East.
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