Heading into the 2014-15 season, there wasn’t any doubt that the ever-tanking Philadelphia 76ers were going to be the laughing stock of the NBA en route to another very early lottery pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
It was pretty much as far out of the question as it gets that the talent Sam Hinkie built around his reigning Rookie of the Year, Michael Carter-Williams, would be able to compete on a consistent basis on the highest level, but what will almost surely be the Sixers’ 10th straight loss on the season while still having no victories brings the question of when will Philly finally steal their first win on the season.
I won’t even begin to pretend Philadelphia has a shot at breaking that winless streak Monday in San Antonio, but I guess anything is possible so if Gregg Popovich did decide to rest his vets and the Sixers come to play, then stealing a win before breaking double digit losses could potentially happen. But that’s a long shot in itself with San Antonio only one game above .500, as Pop knows this should be an easy win for his club.
But the Sixers could be in luck when the Boston Celtics come to Philly Wednesday night. Boston is another one of the teams struggling to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference. This will be the first of four meetings between the division rivals and with a healthy MCW leading a roster of misfits that leave everything they have on the court every night, facing a team that’s still struggling to find their way as well could prove to be the night Philly finally breaks their winless barrier.
Nobody expects the Sixers to knock off the Phoenix Suns next Friday, although, the struggling and chemistry-less New York Knicks will welcome Philly on Saturday. Despite not having the talent level of New York, Philly is a team that constantly competes, which can usually outlast a team that plays selfishly. That makes for another team that the 76ers could steal their first win against.
The Sixers can expect a four-game skid from there as they’ll play the Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, but if Philly is still winless at this point, a three-game stretch where they face the Minnesota Timberwolves, the injury-ridden Oklahoma City Thunder back home in Philly and the Detroit Pistons on the road will likely be the last chance the Sixers have to snag a win before entering another tough stretch of their schedule.
So when can the 76ers expect their first win?
I would say no later than their Dec. 6 matchup with the Pistons. Like I mentioned earlier, this Sixers team competes on almost every possession and will continue to do so with a majority of the guys on the roster literally playing for their livelihood and future in the NBA. Between their games with Boston, New York, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Detroit, it’s hard to imagine even the winless Sixers failing to register a single win and sitting with a 0-20 record.