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A Manchester City Fan’s Guide To the NBA Playoffs

By Dan Larsen

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: The Tottenham Hotspur fans create a Tifo display prior to the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 09, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: The Tottenham Hotspur fans create a Tifo display prior to the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 09, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /
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Led by one of the league’s most entertaining personalities, and a tortured past, the Philadelphia 76ers will make for exciting viewing this post-season.

MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 09: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena on April 09, 2019 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 09: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena on April 09, 2019 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

A second team that may appeal to Manchester City fans is the Philadelphia 76ers.

Led by, arguably, the most entertaining personality in the NBA today in Joel Embiid, the 76ers will be one of the most watchable sides in this year’s NBA playoffs.

Like Manchester City, the 76ers are one of their league’s oldest teams. The Sixers were founded all the way back in 1946 in Syracuse. They were one of the founding members of the league that eventually merged with another to become NBA in 1949.

The Sixers have reached some incredible heights, winning three NBA titles since their founding (1955, 1967, 1983).

Philly would acquire one of the greatest NBA players of all-time, Wilt Chamberlain, in 1964 via trade. With him as their leading star, the Sixers would take down their arch rivals, the Boston Celtics, in the 1966-67 NBA Finals. Their win ended the longest title winning run in the history of American sports.

They followed that period, however, with a rapid decline. Philly would blow a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals the following season to Boston. That off-season, they traded Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers. This sparked a major downturn in the teams fortunes. They would spend the next decade going through several losing seasons, including one of the worst in NBA history.

The Sixers would peak again after buying Hall-of-Famer Julius Erving off of the New York Nets in 1976. They would make the playoffs in every season from 1975 to 1987, including making two NBA Finals appearances in 1982 and 1983, the latter of which they won.

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They followed this period, however, with chaos. Despite having another Hall-of-Famer on their roster, Charles Barkley, the Sixers would either miss the playoffs, or lose before the Conference Finals during his tenure as their leading star. Barkley was then traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1992. This sparked another incredible period of misery for the Sixers until they landed Allen Iverson with the first pick in 1996.

With Iverson guiding them, the Sixers would return to the Finals in 2001, but get rolled by the Los Angeles Lakers. They stayed around the playoffs until 2013, when they went into a full rebuild that became known as “The Process.” Philly would endure several of the worst seasons in NBA history while trying to hit the jackpot in the draft.

Things are looking much brighter in Philadelphia now.

Philly has one of the best rosters in the league.

Their star big-man, Joel Embiid, is an incredibly entertaining personality and is one of the most unstoppable players in the league. Embiid is reminiscent of Mario Balotelli, though he’s not had the volatility to his play or the considerable baggage that Balotelli had in his City tenure.

The 76ers have several other exciting players too. Ben Simmons is among the best young players in the league, and possesses immense potential. Jimmy Butler, another volatile personality, can be a dominant player at his best. Tobias Harris has been a solid contributor throughout his career. J.J. Redick can shoot the lights out.

Philly’s team is very similar to the Manchester City sides we saw in the immediate years following the takeover in 2008. The team has a collection of incredible talent, but it’s unclear whether they’re a good fit on the same roster.

There’s other similarities too.

There’s question marks about the quality of their coach, Brett Brown, a man who was their coach during their dark years of “The Process.”

Ben Simmons can’t shoot, and NBA teams have figured out how to defend against his greatest strengths.

Butler and Harris were acquired during the season, and it’s unclear if they’ll find their best role in time to for the team to a make a run.

Embiid, who’s great when healthy, has had his fair share of injury problems and he may not be healthy heading into the playoffs this year.

Regardless, Philadelphia is still a dangerous team. They proved that when they finally broke out last season and made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. If it all clicks, it’s not a stretch to imagine Philadelphia being in the Finals come this June.

Next, let’s take a look at the two sides who are the prohibitive favorites to win their respective conferences.