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Philadelphia 76ers: 3 big questions following 2019 NBA All-Star break

By Alec Liebsch

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 13: Ben Simmons #25 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers smile during a game against the New York Knicks on February 13, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 13: Ben Simmons #25 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers smile during a game against the New York Knicks on February 13, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
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As the NBA schedule takes a short hiatus, it’s time to analyze what the Philadelphia 76ers have, and what they need to do through the end of the season.

The home stretch is finally here. Roughly two-thirds of the season is complete, and the Philadelphia 76ers are in prime position to strike.

General manager Elton Brand took a long, hard look after being promoted from within. His predecessor did little to surround the team’s pair of unicorns, which left a lot of work to be done.

After trading for Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris within the span of three months, one thing is clear: He is confident in his two young stars.

That’s right folks, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are ready. In just their second season together, they’ve proven that they can hang with some of the NBA’s best teams.

Those who have monitored the franchise since Sam Hinkie’s tenure as GM shouldn’t be surprised. Hinkie acutely described just how quickly a team can leap from mediocrity to greatness, via  Business Insider‘s Tony Manfred:

"“What we look at is, how do we add to what we’re doing in a way that gets us closer to our goal? We don’t think that it will necessarily be linear — that every year you will add five wins and after 10 years you will get to 50. That’s not the way we think about the world. We think that it comes at fits and starts, and you have to be prepared to put yourself in a position that you might be able to make big leaps.”"

Many would argue that leap happened last season; despite Embiid missing 19 games in his sophomore campaign, the Sixers rattled off 52 wins and reached the second round of the playoffs.

Combined with Brand’s in-season additions, the Sixers have amassed the most talented starting five in the Eastern Conference. Any opponent’s defensive liabilities can be exposed by one of J.J. Redick, Embiid, Simmons, Butler or Harris in myriad ways.

Yet there are several questions still to be answered as the playoffs loom closer.