NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia 76ers are struggling this season because they are a team built to complement star players not built to win without them. Daryl Morey did his job this offseason to surround Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey with the necessary pieces to be a team.
So far this season, the newly formed Big 3 has yet to take the floor together. Maxey has done his best to hold things down with an average of 27.6 points per game but other than Maxey, no Sixer is putting up All-Star-like numbers with their opportunity. That should have been expected but fans in Philly are asking for the impossible.
Kelly Oubre Jr is a complementary player. The same goes for Andre Drummond, Caleb Martin, Reggie Jackson, Kyle Lowry, and any other player in uniform.
This team was put together to be added pieces to their stars. Drummond is here to give Embiid a rest and grab rebounds. Martin is here to add defense and make perimeter shots when open. Lowry is here to add a veteran presence and run the offense. The same for Jackson. But with players out, these guys are being looked upon to become the next Stephen Curry and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It’s just not happening and the fact they people are expecting them to, well, that’s an insult to their basketball knowledge.
Yes, bringing in Paul George was to change things and give the Philadelphia 76ers a Big 3 but he has not seen the floor enough to make a huge impact. In 4 games, George is averaging 14.3 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.6 rebounds while shooting .389 percent from the floor. The bigger issue is that George can’t be relied upon to carry a team. In all fairness, he’s another complementary player himself.
This team needs to get healthy. Embiid is on his way back but Maxey is now out a few weeks. How long before this team is at full strength? Take a glance around the league and the teams that are winning, well, they are healthy. A team such as the Milwaukee Bucks is missing a key player like Khris Middleton. The Phoenix Suns were doing damage in the West but they recently lost Kevin Durant for a stretch.
Oklahoma City Thunder was burning through the league but with news that Chet Homgren will miss some time, one has to wonder if they can keep up their pace. The Denver Nuggets are dealing with injuries as well and that’s been the norm around the league. But the 76ers were picked to be contenders and with so many injuries, they find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. However, it’s still time for them to right the ship.
Fans must be patient. What they’re expecting is for these complementary players to become All-Stars overnight and that’s not their role. It hasn’t been throughout their careers. This team was built to become a unit and one with title hopes. A team that resembles championship winners like the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics.
Star players are surrounded by role players who do a specific job. Some can shoot, play defense, rebound, and lead. The heavy lifting was to be left to the 76ers’ top players such as Embiid and Maxey. But right now, they are struggling while being asked to do more than what they can. The season is not a total loss. Even with Embiid not planning on playing in back-to-back games. They still have enough to finish in the Top 10 in a weak conference.
The 76ers, like most of the teams in the NBA are dealing with everyday basketball issues such as health. This is a new team that Morey brought in. Nick Nurse has his hands full trying to fit square pieces in round holes. It takes time to hammer out the rough edges that don’t fit.
But when healthy, this team will gel and show their potential. It’s just a matter of them getting healthy. Star players and the role players are what make a champion. The Philadelphia 76ers have that, they just haven’t been on the floor as a complete unit to show it.
