Fansided

How many NBA teams have a real chance to win the Eastern Conference?

By Bryan Toporek

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 14: Tobias Harris #12, Joel Embiid #21, Tyrese Maxey #0, and Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on against the Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center on January 14, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Heat 125-108. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 14: Tobias Harris #12, Joel Embiid #21, Tyrese Maxey #0, and Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on against the Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center on January 14, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Heat 125-108. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

2. Philadelphia 76ers

All it took was one offseason makeover for the Philadelphia 76ers to finally begin living up to their potential.

New team president Daryl Morey overhauled the Sixers’ roster, sending out Josh Richardson and Al Horford and adding much-needed shooting in the form of Seth Curry and Danny Green. Meanwhile, new head coach Doc Rivers is maximizing his star players by playing to each of their strengths.

Joel Embiid has established himself as one of the MVP front-runners, as he’s smashing his previous career highs in points (29.3), field-goal percentage (55.3), 3-point shooting percentage (39.0) and steals (1.3) in only 31.8 minutes per game. He’s been particularly automatic from the mid-range, where he’s knocking down 55.7 percent of his shots from between 10-16 feet away from the basket and 64.4 percent (!) of his shots between 16 feet and the 3-point arc.

Ben Simmons is having a down year scoring-wise, but he remains one of the league’s most versatile, disruptive defenders and is the engine that maximizes the Sixers’ offense. Meanwhile, Tobias Harris is averaging a career-high 20.2 points on 51.4 percent shooting to go with 7.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists, which should put him in the mix for his first All-Star Game nod.

The Sixers own the best record in the East at 17-7, and they have the league’s fourth-best defense. It’s unclear whether they have enough high-level shot creation to win a title, but they can’t be counted out with Embiid playing as well as he is.

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