Sixers crowned NBA champions in The Athletic’s season preview

After years of tweaking their roster, the Sixers finally find themselves with a legitimate chance to compete for an NBA title. Between the star duo of Joel Embiid and James Harden, Tyrese Maxey’s emergence, and a bolstered supporting cast, all the pieces are in place for a deep postseason run in 2023.
Depth has always been an issue for the Sixers in the past, but Daryl Morey solved that problem this offseason. Bringing in players like De’Anthony Melton, P.J. Tucker, and Montrezl Harrell has surrounded the team’s core with an array of complementing pieces. Because of this, many people around the league view Philly as a legitimate threat to win it all this season.
John Hollinger picks Sixers to win NBA title in season preview
With the start of the regular season just around the corner, former executive and longtime analyst John Hollinger put together previews for each NBA team. When breaking down the Sixers, he picked them to be the last team standing when all is said and done. On top of his bold prediction, Hollinger is also picking Joel Embiid to finally secure the MVP award after finishing second the past two seasons.
Philly should finish in the top-three seeds without putting too much strain on its key players. Get them to a postseason series healthy, and I like how they match up against the Bucks, Celtics, and Nets.
So here goes: I’m picking Philly to win it all, and Embiid to win MVP. Check back in nine months for a good laugh.
Very rarely has a player won three-straight MVPs, opening the door for someone else to bring home the hardware this season. If Embiid can continue to be a nightly fixture in the Sixers’ lineup, he is sure to once again be a frontrunner.
With all the hype comes high expectations to perform when the lights get bright. That being said, if this team puts together, they have a real shot of going all the way.
Mandatory Credit: ESPN