Sixers' Star-Studded Roster Looking To Meet City Of Philadelphia's High Expectations This Season
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The City of Philadelphia could be renamed the City of Great Expectations for 2019. As the Phillies and Eagles let down fans this year despite high expectations coming into their respective seasons, the 76ers are looking to carry the mantle and bring a championship parade back to Broad Street.
Many fans are saying this is the most anticipated basketball season in recent memory because the Sixers look to be a team that is ready to ascend to the upper echelon of the NBA. But there still are some questions fans have as the season tips off.
"Who will be 'the guy' when we need points at the end of games?" Joesph Hensley says.
"The biggest question for me is the team's shooting and their willingness to take three-pointers to prevent teams from packing the paint," Kevin Cannon says. "And I explicitly mean Ben [Simmons] and Joel [Embiid]. Combined, they need to average five or six three-pointers a game and shoot 30%. That's not asking too much, I don't think."
Even though those questions remain a concern for some fans, there is still a ton of optimism around this team. ESPN has the Sixers ranked third in their power rankings behind the Los Angeles Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
With fans and experts weighing in, there is one common notion -- the Sixers will be very good and All-Star center Joel Embiid is a big reason for that as he has become must-see TV.
"Every time he gets the ball, I'm glued. There's been nothing like him since [Allen] Iverson," Cannon says.
Cannon sees the team wining 58 games this season, which is around the number many fans and experts say is attainable.
That number would be something that will be music to Embiid's ears, after saying at the team's media day that "we really want that No. 1 seed and that's going to take 60 [wins] and over."
As fans settle in for another season of Philadelphia 76ers basketball, the goal is to end the season with a championship parade down Broad Street.
