NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The motto for the Philadelphia 76ers this season is simple. No egos allowed. This season is about winning a championship. It sounds easy and hard at the same time, but this is not a young team looking to get over the hump. This is a veteran-led team, and for the most part, some of these vets know how to win.
No matter what’s said about Joel Embiid, we know he’s a warrior. Although he’s never been to a Conference Finals, Embiid has plenty of playoff experience. Tyrese Maxey fits in that boat as well. As for VJ Edgecomb, this is just his 2nd season, and he has playoff experience under his belt.
Then you add in the experience that Jaylen Brown and LeBron James add to this unit, it’s hard not to have them penciled in to at least the Conference Finals. And if they make it there, what team in the league can match their pedigree?
And the championship experience does not end with the players. The front office has it as well as the sideline with Nick Nurse. The same Nurse who watched as a star player come in for one season and lead his Toronto Raptors squad to a title. However, this 76ers team is built differently.
Much like any team vying for a championship, it’s all about chemistry. This team has to first learn to get along with one another. That should be easy as long as Embiid understands he’s no longer that player. What I mean by that is, it’s not his team. Nurse has to preach this during camp. This team belongs to everyone wearing that Philadelphia 76ers uniform.
No egos allowed. This season will come down to is: how big is that chip on their shoulders? Embiid has one, as he’s trying to erase the loud talk that he can’t stay healthy enough to lead a team to a title. This is the put up or shut up season for the former MVP.
Maxey is a breakout star. Name a player faster than him in the NBA. Even with Embiid on the court, Maxey took strides to become the face of the franchise. Now he must step back and play within a winning system. Edgecomb is just in his 2nd season, and with the talent around him, he can now focus on being one of the best defenders in the league while improving his three-point shot.
Then you have the two players who were brought here to push these players over the top. Name another 2 players in the NBA who have bigger chips than James and Brown. Even at his age, James is still chasing at least another title. His resume needs this, no matter if her admits it or not. He wants to prove to the Los Angeles Lakers they maybe were to hasty to give the crown away to Luka Doncic.
Brown is the player with the biggest chip. The Boston Celtics gave him away for an older, more injured player and did so within the division and to a rival. That had to be a slap in the face to a player who has given his all and was on the short list of MVP candidates last season.
This entire team has something to prove, and that’s what makes them scary. The Philadelphia 76ers must block out all the noise and focus on team success. They have at least 4 players who can give them 25 points a night, but is that needed? James can easily lead the league in assists. Embiid can focus on rebounding and defense, while Brown and Maxey can take turns scoring 30+, and Edgecomb can become the next Scottie Pippen.
No matter what, there will be no title unless all egos are checked early on. The media will do their part to cause a divide. All season, the talk will focus on who the leader of the Philadelphia 76ers is. Who takes the last shot with the game on the line? Who does the blame and success go to? Brown had to deal with that in Boston with Jason Tatum. James had to deal with that in LA with Luka. Hell, Embiid and Maxey are dealing with it now. This is nothing new to either of them.
Right now is the time to stop all that chatter. The main goal is winning. The outside noise should not matter. These players have been in the NBA long enough to understand what comes with the territory. The 76ers are no longer the hunters, they are the hunted.
