"The Cavs, Heat, Bulls and Nets are all coming back" - Ric Bucher refuses to get on the Philadelphia 76ers hype train despite the James Harden trade
The Philadelphia 76ers have been off to a great start post the All-Star break, winning both games they have featured by a significant margin. The James Harden-Joel Embiid combo seems to be paying off, as both players have combined for 127 points, 37 rebounds and 33 assists in just two appearances.
While they have now become one of the favorites to clinch the championship title over the past week, NBA sports analyst Ric Bucher isn't quite sold on that notion just yet.
Appearing on the Fox Sports 1 show "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," Bucher suggested that it is still too early to tell and that we should revisit the situation "in a week or two."
"No, I'm sorry, I'm not going to be a prisoner of the moment. I picked the Bucks to repeat as Champions and I'm sticking with it. They've got the Cavs, the Heat, the Bulls and the Nets coming back. Let's revisit it in a week or two and see if we're still thinking the same thing." - Said Bucher
.@RicBucher on whether adding James Harden makes the 76ers the favorite in the East:
"No, I'm not going to be a prisoner of the moment. The Cavs, Bulls, Bucks, Heat and Nets are all coming back. I picked the Bucks to repeat as Champions and I'm sticking with it." https://t.co/kijaaLST9b
Philadelphia 76ers are becoming fast favorites in the Eastern Conference
The James Harden trade has been the most talked about trade in a long while and it comes bearing fruit. Harden has been a phenomenal addition to the Philadelphia 76ers as he has proved in his last two outings for the franchise.
In the game against the New York Knicks, he recorded a triple-double posting 29 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists. He has been fierce on both the offensive and defensive end, making a total of 17 defensive rebounds and five steals in two appearances so far. His input alongside the unguardable Joel Embiid has the 76ers firing on all cylinders.
29 points, 10 boards, 16 dimes, 5 steals for @JHarden13.
37 points, 9 boards, 4 blocks for @JoelEmbiid.
in only their 2nd game together 🤯 https://t.co/juOEm61ecy
While still speaking on "Undisputed," Bucher, however, believes that the basis of the 76ers' hype is without merit. This is because of their recent opposition in the form of the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New York Knicks, who are the 15th and 17th ranked defenses in the league respecitvely.
Instead, he considers sides such as the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls to be ahead of them on either side of the ball. Bucher also went as far as to peg the Miami Heat as the possible favorites coming out of the Eastern Conference.
"Two games! Two games against the play-in Minnesota Timberwolves and the 12tb place New York Knicks. The 15th and 17th ranked defenses in the league. When I look at them (76ers) offensively as much as they have shown, I've got the Bulls, the Bucks, the Heat and the Brooklyn Nets all ahead of them offensively. I've got the Cavs and the Heat ahead of them defensively. If we're going to say that anybody should be the favorites in the Eastern Conference, should be the Miami Heat. Philadelphia 76ers after two games against two teams they should beat." - Bucher remarked.