Philadelphia 76ers: Can They Pass Last Year’s Win Total?

The Philadelphia 76ers have arguably been the easiest team to designate any basketball related jokes toward this season. It took them 18 games to finally get their first win of the season, they’re the worst offensive team in the entire NBA and on any given night, being able to name more than a handful of the guys suited up could be considered an accomplishment.

That’s what buying completely into the future and allowing the present to suffer as a result feels like. When you’re at the very bottom, the only place to go is up and as the season trudges on for Philly, Brett Brown’s youthful group that simply competes on every possession is starting to look more and more like a real NBA team.

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Over the course of the last 20 games for Philadelphia, the Sixers have compiled a respectable record of 8-12, and have done so without their leading scorer, Tony Wroten, who averaged 16.9 points per game for Philly before suffering from a partially torn ACL in his right knee that’s sidelined him for the last 15 games.

Additionally, Michael Carter-Williams has missed three games over this stretch, which has left a shorthanded Sixers’ club with some underwhelming options at point guard, with Larry Drew II and Tim Frazier both getting some quick looks with 10-day contracts.

From a sheer talent standpoint, the odds haven’t been in Philadelphia’s favor from the very first game of the season. Factor in the crucial injuries at crucial positions and you come out with a very feisty and resilient Sixers team that has managed to play considerably well since the turn of the New Year.

Jan 23, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown gives a thumbs up to his players during the second half of a game against the Toronto Raptors at Wells Fargo Center. The Raptors defeated the 76ers 91-86. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Now of course, going 8-12 in 20 games isn’t something that should really beg for any praise, but again, we are talking about the tanking 76ers. For perspective, let’s take a look at the recent 20-game stretches for nearly half of the NBA, which shows how well the Sixers stand against some of the other not-so-dominant teams in this great league.

Of the 13 teams in the ballpark of recent mediocrity and embarrassment, Philly has a better 20-game record than the Miami Heat (7-13), Brooklyn Nets (7-13), Denver Nuggets (6-14), Minnesota Timberwolves (6-14), Sacramento Kings (5-15), New York Knicks (5-15), Orlando Magic (4-16) and the Los Angeles Lakers (4-16).

Philly’s 8-12 stretch was good enough to match that of the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz, while falling one game short of Portland’s and Chicago’s 9-11 stretches. Five teams currently in the playoff hunt are included in this, which speaks volumes to how well a team that was once predicted to be the worst in NBA history has fared over their most recent 20 games.

The 76ers currently have 30 games remaining before they can finally put this season behind them, add another early lottery pick and come back next season with the hopes of fighting for a playoff spot in a historically weak Eastern Conference.

But for now, the Sixers should set their sights on surpassing last season’s win total of 19. They’re only seven games away from tying that mark and have 15 matchups with teams that are currently on the outside of the playoff race looking in. They’ve played well over their last 20, now it’s time to see if they can win seven of their final 20 games and exceed last season’s 19-63 record with an even more talent-strapped roster.

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