One of the most impactful developments coming out of the NBA trade deadline at the beginning of February was the Sixers’ acquisition of Tobias Harris from the Clippers. On paper, the new-look Philly team’s starting five is poised to rival the defending champs Warriors, with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, Harris, and JJ Redick, says NBA enthusiast Michael Volitich.
The Sixers, as of this writing, is sitting comfortably in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Ahead of them are the Bucks, Raptors, and Pacers. It should be easier for the Sixers to catch up with Indiana soon, as many experts believe the Pacers will have a hard time maintaining its run because of the injury to Victor Oladipo.
The arrival of Harris is lauded by many pundits because it gives the Sixers even more shooting from the perimeter and outside the arc to aid Redick. Harris is also a solid defender who can complement the two-way game of Butler. One of the main criticisms of the Philly team is Simmons’ inability to shoot from the outside, and now the team has found the solution for it.
Though the Raptors and Bucks are still ahead in the standings, there’s no doubt that the conferences’ attention is now focused on the Sixers, as they now have the depth and the combination of talent to roar into the lead. And even the teams in the West understand that, barring any injury to its core players in the remainder of the season, the Sixers are now committed to getting to the finals this year, adds Michael Volitich.
Michael Volitich is a Creative Writing student at the University of Florida. He is a sports writer and fanatic, lit geek, film buff, and occasional traveler. More on his hobbies and interests here.
Michael Volitich 