The NBA’s Play-In Tournament began in the bubble, since then teams have nearly four full seasons since to get used to it. We’ve got archetypes, we have we have.
THE LIMPER: PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
(36-30, No. 7 in the East, half-game behind Indiana)
Previous examples: Brooklyn in 2022, New Orleans in 2022, the 2021 Lakers and 2022 Warriors.
It looked like the Sixers’ year, if you ignore leprechauns (and you should). Or at least the club’s best year at havin’ a year.
The ball moved and the players defended in James Harden’s absence, but Joel Embiid’s nutrageous output (35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.8 blocks per game) was no match for human knees. We paid for our fun. The Sixers have been rather grotty (7-17) since Embiid scored 70, injuring his MVP self in the next game after two full days off (save for a flight from Philly to Indianapolis).