One of the biggest surprises of the season has been the Philadelphia 76ers. After a disastrous summer, and an ongoing saga that has not yet seen a conclusion, expectations were low coming into the new campaign.
Couple that with the absence of Ben Simmons on the floor, and it makes sense why folks were assuming that Philly would struggle out of the gate.
Instead, they’ve been among the best teams in the East. Solid on both ends, they currently hold an 8-2 record, second-best in the NBA.
Embiid is obviously a major reason for Philly’s success, but so too is Georges Niang, a career 5.3 point per game scorer, who seems to be at the start of a breakout season.
Joel Embiid spoke about him in a recent chat with the media:
“I used to think he sucked, honestly. Obviously, on this team he’s doing way more than [shooting 3s]. What I’m impressed with is he’s a competitor. He brings so much joy to all of us, on and off the court. I’m just glad I have him.”
Through 10 games so far this season, Niang is averaging 11.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game — all career-high numbers for the 28-year-old forward.
And while he is no star, it’s guys like him and Seth Curry who have rallied to help lift the Sixers to wins. According to Embiid, the team is more complete than they’ve ever been.
‘The chemistry that we have is very different from the previous years,” Embiid said. ”We’re complete. We’re on the same page.
”Everybody feels like they have something to prove.”
It remains to be seen if this level of play is sustainable for the Sixers. Without Ben Simmons, there is reason to question where their ceiling lies.
But, for now, the Sixers continue to impress and show the world that they’re not quite ready to give up on competing for a title.
