Philadelphia 76ers: 5 Signs East Studs Are Ready to Claim an NBA Title

One of the biggest stories of the season has been the play of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers are leading the Atlantic Division right now and seem like a good pick for a darkhorse team to watch in the playoffs. They play fundamental basketball which really is refreshing to watch in this day where star players basically try to go 1 on 5 in some instances.

The Sixers don't have a true star player, but they have several very good players and one of the best coaches in the league.

Here are five reasons why the Sixers could play themselves into June.

Doug Collins

This roster is basically the same roster that Eddie Jordan failed with.

Yes, maybe the players didn't want to buy into Jordan's philosophies and his Princeton offense. However, it was more than that.

Collins was able to get through to the young guys like Jrue Holiday and Lou Williams, and instill in them the confidence that Jordan wasn't able to.

He's the right coach for this group.

Great Defense

As of now, the Sixers have the top defense in the league, only giving up 88 points a game.

Their system isn't as flashy as Miami's, but they have solid wing defenders. Andre Iguodala has been one of the best perimeter defenders in the league for a while, and Thad Young can guard multiple positions with his length.

Jrue Holiday is showing potential to be a top defender at point guard.

They Take Care of the Ball

The Sixers average the fewest turnovers in the league at 10 a game.

This speaks to to Collins' approach of the fundamentals. The Sixers just are a team that won't beat themselves.

They may lose to teams with more talent, but they will always be in ball games because of their style.

Team-Oriented Basketball

The Sixers have six players averaging double figures, and two more at about nine points a game.

They share the ball, take good shots, and they are the type of team that could trouble Miami and Chicago if they aren't sharp.

Lou Williams, the Sixth Man of The Year to this point is really the key. If he scores 17 to 18 points a night, Philly could make a deep run in the playoffs.

Depth

Jrue Holiday may never be a top-five point guard like Doug Collins hopes, but he's a starter for the next decade.

Spencer Hawes has become a legit NBA big man. Elton Brand is clearly not the player he was a few years ago, but he is still capable of having a big game. Add in young players like Evan Turner and Nikola Vucevic, and Philly may be a mainstay at the top of the East for a while.