(Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
The Sixers have had the three seed in the east all but wrapped up for the last few weeks. In the meantime, Embiid, Simmons, and Butler have all gotten some time off. It is clear the Sixers are looking at the big picture here. They are valuing the health and rest of their top players over the chemistry they stand to gain by playing out the end of the season together. They need to look to get Redick and Tobias some rest days as the season winds down as well. Especially Redick, who at 34 years old, doesn’t have the legs he once had.
While the rest is important, I also don’t want the Sixers to go into the playoffs rusty and not playing good basketball. I would like to see the Sixers’ starters play two of the final three games on the schedule and try to build some momentum heading into the playoffs. Two of the final three games shouldn’t be an issue with the rest that they have gotten lately. I am never a fan of limping into the playoffs. However, the Eagles and Nick Foles limped into the playoffs and won a Super Bowl so what do I know.
The 2019 playoffs are the most crucial for the Sixers since the early 2000’s. There is a lot riding on the success of the Sixers in April and May. The coach’s future rides on it. Butler and Harris re-signing with the team in the off-season could depend largely on the teams postseason success. It is so important and the Sixers need to push all the right buttons as they prepare for the playoffs in two weeks. There is too much at stake for them not to. If they don’t, we could be looking at a lot of changes come the summer time.
