The Philadelphia 76ers have clinched a playoff spot, but with eight games left they could rise to the second seed or stay put as the sixth seed. Philadelphia finds itself on neutral ground with the NBA finishing the regular season in Orlando, an unfortunate scenario in their case. The team is 10-24 away from home this year, and this new setting could hamper their success.
August 1st vs. Indiana Pacers: Loss
The Philadelphia 76ers have two major weaknesses going into August. First of all, they’re not a volume shooting team. The three pointer is one of their biggest weaknesses, and their starters are among the worst outside shooters in the NBA. Their second weakness is their team chemistry, which could suffer due to the hiatus. Both of these factors will result in a loss in their first game.
August 3rd vs. San Antonio Spurs: Win
The Spurs should have no motivation to win during this restart because doing so would only hurt their draft stock. San Antonio could even opt to develop their young players during these eight games, which would offer up an easy win for Philly.
August 5th vs. Washington Wizards: Win
The Wizards don’t have the height or athleticism to keep up with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Embiid should dominate this game, as the Wizards lack much talent outside of Bradley Beal and Rui Hachimura.
August 7th vs. Orlando Magic: Loss
This upset win will allow Orlando to keep their playoff spot, hurting Philly in the standings and potentially keep them from progressing past the sixth seed. The Magic have a ton of young talent, and they won’t need to guard the Sixers heavily on the perimeter.
August 9th vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Loss
During this eight-game regular season, the 76ers will show their true colors as a team. By this point, chemistry will either be at an all-time high or an all-time low. Head coach Brett Brown might lose control of the locker room after this game, which would indicate his departure in the off-season. Lillard and McCollum will dominate this game as they attempt to save their own season.
August 11th vs. Phoenix Suns: Win
This will be an easier matchup for the Sixers, with the Suns outmatched and out-classed throughout the game. The 76ers have major issues, but the talent on their team alone should win them this game against the young and inexperienced Suns.
August 12th vs. Toronto Raptors: Loss
The 76ers struggled against top seeds during the first part of the regular season, and it seems unlikely that they’ll be able to start beating higher-seeded teams in August. This loss could demoralize Philly and ruin their morale going into the playoffs.
August 14th vs. Houston Rockets: Win
This game could go either way, but Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons should have a field day against the Rockets’ atypical starting lineup. The Sixers should out-rebound and outscore the Rockets in the paint by a wide margin.
The 76ers will finish the season with a mediocre 4-4 record. The chemistry and lack of shooting on this team will spell the end of their season. If the Sixers don’t improve upon their current seeding, it will be another early exit for them.
