The Sixers were supposed to be better.
The Sixers are 0-3.
Fans are beginning to regress to their mid “The Process” fears as they watch their team struggle, yet again, despite having what most expected to be a potential playoff contender.
Joel Embiid, after having an impressive season debut in Washington, had the worst game of his entire career in the home opener against the Celtics last week and — adding insult to injury — was not allowed to play in the second game of a back-to-back, this one a putridly ugly blowout loss to the Raptors. Sixers fans have also had to endure questions about the No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz and his strange free throw issues whilst getting less than expected from veteran signees Amir Johnson and J.J. Redick.
Philly has faced three of the four best teams in the East to kick off the season and it doesn’t get any easier from there.
Monday in Detroit the Sixers face a Pistons team fresh off two wins in three games after a down season in 2016-17. The only winnable game perhaps this entire month, Philly will host the newly renovated Rockets before two games in Texas against Dallas and Houston.
A two-game homestand against some finally mediocre competition in the Hawks and Pacers offer the only potential respite before philly heads out west to face five playoff teams in nine days.
They’ll be welcomes home on November 18 by the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
Thankfully, it gets easier from there. And Ben Simmons looks like a potential Rookie of the Year.
“I feel that his first game was really exceptional. Really, really exceptional,” Sixers’ head coach Brett Brown said. “Physically, we all see what he is as an athlete, and I think that his growth path, his improvement scale, I think it can be off the charts.”
It’s only been three games, but Sixers fans should be prepared to hunker down for a difficult fall.
