Philadelphia 76ers: 5 reasons they will make the playoffs in 2017-18

1. Joel Embiid sets the league on fire

If you haven’t already guessed, Joel Embiid is rather important for the Sixers’ prospects this upcoming season and beyond.

When Embiid was on the court last season, the Sixers led the league in defensive rating, and overall were a legitimate playoff contender. So much so, the Sixers posted a 10-5 record in January, before Embiid was unfortunately sidelined for the season on Jan. 27. Keep in mind, the Sixers won a total of 10 games for the entire 2015-16 season, therefore indicating the immense influence he exerted.

The amazing part of all this is that Embiid was on a minutes restriction for his entire 31-game campaign. On just one occasion did Embiid eclipse 30 minutes in a single game, yet the impact he had on both the team, and the league as whole, was simply phenomenal.

In his solitary 30 minute game, Embiid posted 25 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks. In this game alone, the discrepancy of Embiid on and off the court was remarkable. The Sixers had a net rating of 20.3 when was Embiid on the floor, while posting a net rating of -25.6 when resting.

For Embiid to be dominant, and make the desired impact, appearing in at least 60 games would be a minimum requirement. Taking into account his injury history, and the Sixers’ 14 scheduled back-to-back appearances, a 60-game season would seem a sensible and realistic proposition.

Next: Top 5 free agency destinations for LeBron James in 2018

Considering the impact Embiid had in just half that many games last season, combined with an improved bill of health, and a much-improved supporting cast, there is every season to believe the Sixers are capable of making their first playoff appearance since the 2011-12 season.