Philadelphia 76ers: 3 pivotal subplots over the final 25 games

Currently on a season-high seven-game win streak, here are three key storylines to follow during the business end of the season for the Philadelphia 76ers.

With the All-Star festivities out the way, it’s back to the day-to-day grind of the NBA schedule.

One team that has hit the ground running since the break has been the Philadelphia 76ers

Riding high from a five-game winning streak entering the All-Star break, the Sixers have won their first two games since the break, taking their record to an impressive 32-25 and seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings. As a result, the Sixers find themselves in a prime position to make their first playoff appearance since 2012.

As is the case with any legitimate playoff contender, it all starts from the top. In the Sixers’ case, everything begins with center Joel Embiid. Recently named an All-Star for the first time, Embiid’s impact on the Sixers’ performance has been profound.

Not only has the Kansas product averaged 23.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 blocks per game, the Sixers have posted just a 3-8 record when Embiid has been sidelined due to rest or injury, thus clearly illustrating his vital importance to the franchise.

Then there is Ben Simmons, the rookie phenom who has taken the league by storm as a 6’10” point guard. In 56 games, Simmons has posted 16.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.9 steals in 34.8 minutes per game. Having missed just one game all season, Simmons’ durability has been tremendous after missing his entire debut season with a foot injury.

Then when you add in the contributions of fellow starters in J.J. Redick and Dario Saric, head coach Brett Brown has every reason to feel confident about his squad moving forward.

With this in mind, here are three key storylines to follow as we enter the home stretch of the season.