NBA Midseason Media Survey: No Love for the Philadelphia 76ers
We have officially arrived to the midpoint of the 2022-23 NBA season. NBA.com has released their annual report cards which surveys 30 beat reporters or columnists that represent each NBA market, including two reporters from New York and two in Los Angeles. Each reporter responded to questions about the best teams, players, and coaches at the halfway mark.
The Philadelphia 76ers received a total of 117 votes in the 10 Best Teams in the NBA right now poll, the highest being the 4th best, with 7 total votes.
The Philadelphia 76ers received little-to-no votes in pretty much every other category
Note: I removed the questions that weren’t relevant to the Sixers. You can read the full survey results here.
Which team is poised to make a big second-half run?
1. Golden State – 43%
2. LA Clippers – 27%
T-3. Memphis – 7%
T-3. Miami – 7%
T-3. Milwaukee – 7%
T-6. Boston – 3%
T-6. Brooklyn – 3%
T-6. Cleveland – 3%
My Thoughts…
The first question is really the only one that I find puzzling given the fact that Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey still haven’t played enough games together to really understand what the complete package will look like for the Sixers this season.
Embiid and Harden specifically have only appeared in 19 games together this season. The Sixers are 11-8 in those games compared to 13-7 when one or neither plays together. Embiid and Harden have teamed up for only 519 minutes out of Philadelphia’s 9,485, which is good for just 5.5%.
It’s not like anyone thinks Embiid and Harden aren’t elite players in the NBA, so the fact that they aren’t listed as a team that’s poised to make a second-half run just doesn’t really make sense.
Which team will represent the East in the NBA Finals?
1. Boston – 57%
2. Milwaukee – 33%
3. Brooklyn -10%
Who will win the 2023 NBA Finals?
1. Boston – 57%
2. Milwaukee – 30%
3. Brooklyn – 10%
4. LA Clippers – 3%
Based on what you’ve seen so far, which team made the best overall personnel moves last summer?
1. Cleveland – 67%
2. Utah – 10%
T-3. Boston – 7%
T-3. Denver -7%
» Also receiving votes: Brooklyn, Sacramento, Philadelphia
Who is on track to win the Kia MVP award this season?
1. Luka Doncic, Dallas – 43%
2. Nikola Jokic, Denver – 40%
T-3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee – 7%
T-3. Jayson Tatum, Boston – 7%
» Also receiving votes: Kevin Durant, Brooklyn – 3%
My Thoughts…
Ah yes. The MVP voting. A tale as old as time here in Philadelphia. If you’d like to read my thoughts on the NBA MVP where I try to make sense of why the national media never gives respect to Joel Embiid, you can do so right here.
Who is on track to win Kia Defensive Player of the Year?
1. Brook Lopez, Milwaukee – 37%
2. Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis – 27%
3. Jarrett Allen, Cleveland – 10%
» Also receiving votes: OG Anunoby, Toronto; Joel Embiid, Philadelphia; Bam Adebayo, Miami; Dillon Brooks, Memphis; Draymond Green, Golden State
Who has been the best center this season?
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver – 86%
2. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia – 14%
Who is the best international player in the league?
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver – 38%
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee – 34%
3. Luka Doncic, Dallas – 28%
No Votes: Joel Embiid, Cameroon
Who is the best passer in the league?
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver – 65%
2. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers – 14%
T-3. Luka Doncic, Dallas – 7%
T-3. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana – 7%
T-3. Chris Paul, Phoenix – 7%
No Votes: James Harden, who is second in the NBA (10.3 APG) behind Chris Paul (10.8 APG)
Needless to say, Doc Rivers did not come anywhere close to ranking in the Coaches Survey.
