The Sixers have played as well as expected this season and Tom Moore of Calkins Media wonders if Joel Embiid is the only star-caliber player on the roster. He admits that Michael Carter-Williams, Nerlens Noel and even Tony Wroten are serviceable NBA players, but none are likely to lead a team deep into the playoffs. At 4-27, Philadelphia currently owns the worst record in the league, which would guarantee the team a top four draft pick. You can follow our reverse standings to see which teams have the inside track to the top picks in the 2015 draft.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Chris Bosh didn’t foresee the Heat struggling this season but believes he can lead the team into the playoffs, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. “I wanted to see if I [was] able [to] have that increased role and still be successful. It’s out there in front of me and it’s out in front of this team. I just have to make sure I do my part in making sure we don’t lose track of what’s important,” Bosh said. The 11-year veteran has missed eight games this season due to injury and Miami is 11-14 with him in the lineup.
- Bulls fans can thank the sign-and-trade that sent Carlos Boozer to the Bulls for having Nikola Mirotic on the team, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune explains. The Jazz agreed to send a second-round pick to Chicago for allowing them to make Boozer’s departure a sign-and-trade. Then, the Bulls parlayed that second-rounder into the draft rights of Mirotic during the 2011 draft.
- The uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the Hawks hasn’t impacted the team on the court this season, writes Shaun Powell of NBA.com. The current owners of the Hawks have agreed to sell 100% of the team. Meanwhile, on the court, Atlanta sits atop the Eastern Conference with a record of 25-8.