ESPN predicts Sixers to finish 50-32, third in the Eastern Conference
The Philadelphia 76ers earned the No. 1 seed in the 2020-21 season for the first time since the Allen Iverson days as Joel Embiid put on an MVP-caliber season and Ben Simmons continued to do what he does with his impact on the floor.
As the Sixers prepare for the 2021-22 season, they will most likely not have Simmons on the roster as Philadelphia looks to accommodate his trade request. That means that the pressure will fall mostly on Embiid and Tobias Harris in order for the Sixers to be in the mix for the Eastern Conference title.
Philadelphia plays in a tough conference as they have to contend with the loaded Brooklyn Nets as well as the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks to go along with an up-and-coming team like the Atlanta Hawks. There are also some old mainstays in the form of the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics who will be tough all season.
ESPN gave their predictions for the 2021-22 season and they have the Sixers finishing third in the conference and with a 50-32 record. They predictably have the Nets and the Bucks finishing with the top spots in the East:
It is after those two juggernauts where things get a lot more interesting, as the teams listed Nos. 3 to 6 in the forecast — the 76ers, Heat, Hawks and Celtics — are separated by a combined five games in our projected standings.
First up are the Sixers, who will enter training camp waiting to see if All-Star point guard Ben Simmons will follow through on his pledge to not show up if he hasn’t been traded by training camp.
It is tough to predict what the Sixers will look like when the season tips off in October. The Simmons situation still hangs over this franchise right now and until president Daryl Morey makes a move there, then Philadelphia will be a question mark. It will be interesting to see the haul they receive for the embattled star.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
List
Sixers 3 goals: Aaron Henry will have to develop his game in G League
