76ers 2015-16 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions
The Philadelphia 76ers are entering the third year of their rebuild under the guidance of head coach Brett Brown, but the playoffs continue to be a pipe dream in the City of Brotherly Love.
However, that doesn't mean organic growth can't help set the stage for an eventual jump as the team preps for its long-awaited return to the postseason.
As the 2014-15 season exemplified, that's a reasonable goal.
While the Sixers' win total decreased from 19 to 18 last year, the team's defense made a major leap despite fielding a roster filled with D-League-caliber stand-ins.
Specifically, Philadelphia finished the season ranked 12th in defensive rating (102.1)—ahead of playoff teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans.
That said, the Sixers still have tons of work to do if they want to progress into the realm of league-average offenses. With Joel Embiid expected to miss his second straight season after undergoing a second surgery on his troublesome right foot, the team is short on helpful solutions as it seeks to avoid nearly historic offensive futility once again.
No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor can help cure some of the woes that led Philadelphia to finish dead-last in offensive efficiency (93 points per 100 possessions) a year ago, but the team will need to find more stability in the backcourt to make sizable strides.
Not surprisingly, the Sixers' 250-1 title odds are tied for the worst in the NBA with the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets, according to Odds Shark.
But with the 2015-16 schedule officially released, it's time to see if the Sixers can improve upon some of last season's discouraging numbers and accelerate their developmental timeline.
You can view the Sixers' entire 2015-16 slate here, courtesy of NBA.com.
Analyzing Marquee Matchups
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers
When: December 1
For months it appeared as though the Sixers were destined to land Ohio State point guard D'Angelo Russell with the third pick in the NBA draft, but the Los Angeles Lakers thwarted that plan by sneaking in and selecting him at No. 2 overall.
As a result, the Sixers pivoted to Okafor, who was long believed to be the apple of L.A.'s eye.
On Dec. 1, the two will get a chance to dance in regular-season action after clashing at Las Vegas Summer League.
During that brief encounter, Okafor got the best of Russell:
Any time two of the league's Rookie of the Year contenders square off, the spotlight's going to intensify. Okafor and Russell should bring their A-games with a chance at early bragging rights on the line.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Philadelphia 76ers
When: January 4
The Minnesota Timberwolves aren't a conventional opponent to look out for, but when it comes to the Sixers, they absolutely should be.
Like Philly's showdown with the Lakers, a matchup with the Timberwolves will offer fans an extended opportunity to watch some of the league's brightest young talents do battle.
And while 2014-15 Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins will be the center of attention as he continues his ascent up the league's superstar ladder, a head-to-head clash between Okafor and No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns should be an aesthetic delight.
Towns' versatility vaulted him up draft boards despite collegiate production that paled in comparison to Okafor's. And now, the first meeting between the two will offer the Sixers center a chance to prove the traditional low-post center still has a place in the NBA.
Record Prediction
The 2014-15 Sixers tied the 1995-96 squad for the second-worst record (18-64) in franchise history, and it's hard to imagine them sinking further with Okafor in the fold alongside Nerlens Noel.
Although it's going to take some time for the Duke product to adjust to the speed of the pro game, he already possesses the polished low-post skills necessary to become an impact player.
"Okafor is a mortal lock for NBA Rookie of the Year," Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding wrote. "Michael Carter-Williams, with his candidacy bolstered by the talent-poor, low-salary 76ers' dependence on him, won it with practically half of Okafor's size and skill."
For a 19-year-old, Okafor's footwork is awfully polished, and his ability to carve up defenses on the low blocks with nimble moves should open up the rest of the floor for Philadelphia's shooters, as Sixers.com's Max Rappaport noted on Twitter, citing recent examples:
"My role is to dominate," Okafor said, according to the Washington Post's Michael Lee. "I'm one of the centerpieces of the team, so my role is the same."
Flanking Okafor will be sharpshooters Robert Covington and Nik Stauskas—the former No. 10 overall pick acquired in a July 2 trade with the Sacramento Kings—and they'll be put in prime position to capitalize on better floor spacing brought on by opponents' willingness to double-team the big man.
Last season, Covington hit 39.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes—shots that accounted for 49.3 percent of his total attempts last season.
And while Stauskas shot just 32.2 percent from three during his rookie season, he closed out the year by drilling 41.8 percent of those long-range looks after the All-Star break.
However, the Sixers are still devoid of a true point guard. Tony Wroten is coming off of a partially torn ACL and Isaiah Canaan and Pierre Jackson are shooting guards trapped in point guards' bodies.
Furthermore, Noel's offensive repertoire is still a major work in progress. While he came into his own a bit after the All-Star break and averaged 13.1 points and 10 rebounds, Noel remained a liability outside of the restricted area.
During his rookie season, he shot 66.2 percent inside of three feet, but that number plummeted to 28.8 percent between three and 10 feet and 30.9 percent between 10 and 16 feet.
The former Kentucky Wildcat will continue to anchor the team's defense after joining David Robinson as the only rookies in league history to average 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks, but his jump shot is going to fall under the microscope again as the Sixers search for sources of consistent scoring.
Brown's squad is in a better place personnel-wise than it was a year ago, but growing pains will dominate the process as the Sixers look to establish an identity during Year 3 of the NBA's most divisive rebuild.
Drastic improvement is still a year or two away, so expect incremental gains—at best—for the Sixers as they get ready to make another trip to the draft lottery.
Regular-Season Record Prediction: 22-60
All statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com unless noted otherwise.
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