4 Reasons Why the 76ers Will Be a Championship Contender for Years to Come

With a Game 7 coming up, trade rumors swirling and the NBA Finals approaching, the Philadelphia 76ers probably aren't thinking about the future right now.

Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner and Andre Iguodala have anchored a young, talented team that is on the brink of an Eastern Conference finals appearance. They beat the top-seeded Chicago Bulls and have split six games with the Celtics.

What they don't know is how bright the future is.

When a young team finds a way to make it this far in the playoffs, you know they'll be a power as long as they keep most of their players. Philadelphia has all the tools a team needs to win games, and they have what it takes to win it all.

Here are four reasons why the 76ers will be a power for years to come.

Young Talent

The 76ers have a very young team, and when their younger players reach their prime, this team will be hard to stop.

Jrue Holiday has established himself as a solid penetrating and defensive point guard. Evan Turner has established himself as a great perimeter defender. Lavoy Allen and Spencer Hawes have established themselves as solid post players and rebounders.

Oh, and Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young can shoot and drive off the bench.

Coach Doug Collins has pieced this team together very well, and as a result, they're succeeding. Players do their individual jobs, and as a result, the 76ers pick up a win.

By working together for 82 full games in 2012-13, the Sixers will get to know each other very well. And when they make the playoffs, they'll be a team nobody wants to face.

Defense

If you don't know Sixer basketball that well, you should know one thing: They play great defense.

Philadelphia plays good on-ball defense and good off-ball defense. They shut down the middle. They contest shots. They force turnovers.

Evan Turner and Andre Iguodala are great perimeter defenders, and they do not give up easy baskets. The offense has to work for every basket, and that's why the 76ers rarely ever give up 100-plus points.

Philadelphia is a good rebounding team, but they've struggled in the playoffs. If they can get a reliable big man, they'd be well on their way to an NBA Finals victory.

When Philadelphia executes on the defensive side of the ball, they are a scary team to play. In an time where teams score 100-plus points very frequently, teams will have a hard time adjusting to Philadelphia's defensive approach.

Which is why the Sixers will have a lot of success in the future.

Chemistry

Most people expected Philadelphia to last five games at most in the playoffs. However, thanks to one lucky injury and some great basketball, the 76ers have lasted 12 games and have a 7-5 playoff record.

Doug Collins has pieced this team together very well, and everybody trusts everybody and everybody knows what they must do. When you have a team like this, the possibilities are endless.

The 76ers have been having fun throughout this run, and at this point, they're probably more optimistic than the Celtics. They never give up, they fight for every rebound and loose ball, and they always seem to make the big plays.

Philadelphia uses a lot of players very frequently, and everyone on the team has a strength and the ability to fill a void well. In the regular season, when teams seem to come across these problems, Philadelphia won't have any problems.

On fast breaks, the 76ers will finish. When there's an opportunity, the 76ers will convert. When they need to make a shot, the 76ers will.

And in the future, when they need to win the finals, the 76ers will.

Late-Game Play

Philadelphia struggled throughout the regular season in close games, so many thought they were doomed against the Bulls, even when D-Rose got hurt.

However, as the fun and chemistry has gone up, so has the team's clutch ability.

Late in the game, everyone still believes in everyone. Every single Sixer knows how to make the big shot and what do to when the Sixers need a bucket. The same goes for the defense.

Nobody is afraid of the spotlight, and that's what makes this team so good. Even Andre Iguodala, who's had trouble making the big shot, made two huge free throws to lift the Sixers over the Bulls in Game 6 of the Sixers-Bulls first-round series.

Against inexperienced or struggling teams, the 76ers will definitely have the edge. Even against great teams like Chicago and Boston, the Sixers have forced turnovers and contested shots on defense and made the big shots on offense.

In the future, when the 76ers are in a tight game, don't bet against them. Because the 76ers don't fail when they need to succeed.