Philly Front Office

It’s a difficult struggle to cheer against effort, to see your favorite team do all the little things you want them to do while knowing it goes against your best interest. I watched, not happy, not angry, and certainly not enjoying myself. The Sixers built a 25-point lead and looked like they were playing against …well, the Sixers actually. Houston was terrible, like they figured victory was in hand long before they even stepped on the court. Thankfully that 88-63 lead eventually became a 137-144 OT loss.

The comeback was completely improbable, and I’m not even talking about the 25-point deficit erasing 3rd quarter. Houston was down AGAIN in the 4th, 8 points with a minute left and Quentin Grimes getting whatever he wanted. Tari Eason was ejected. Fred Van Vleet was ejected. There was almost a fight. Houston looked like the petulant rich team losing to the kids from the other side of the tracks in a Disney movie. A steal and a missed free throw putback later, overtime, and that’s a wrap. The game was surely a win until it wasn’t. Games like this are how tanks are made.

I’m not someone who likes a good game. Give me a Super Bowl 59 over a Super Bowl 52 any day. But as far as great outcomes in a lost season go, it doesn’t get much better than last night. These outmatched and center-less Sixers tried so damn hard and Quentin Grimes was so damn good, thankfully those performances were spoiled with a great loss.

Lottery Odds

[Stevie Winwood voice] Back in the 5th seed again!

It was an awful 24 hours in the 6th seed, but we are back in our rightful place, tied with the Nets and .5 games ahead of the vile Raptors.

1 – 9.8%

2 – 9.9%

3 – 10.0%

4 – 10.1%

5 – 2.2%

6 – 20.1% (Odds split due to tiebreaker)

Total – 62.1 % chance to keep the pick

Playoff Odds

The Heat have entered the discussion as their disastrous post-Jimmy Butler run continues. Losers of 8 in a row, they are now 10 games under .500 and tied with the Bulls, 6 games ahead of the Sixers. The Magic Elimination number is down to 9.

(Note: If the Sixers qualify for the play-in but don’t end up making the playoffs, they still have a chance to win the lottery)

Per Basketball Reference, our current odds to finish in each place are:

10 or better – 1.3%

11 or worse – 98.7%

Odds of winning the play-in and making the playoffs – .3%

For those who just want to watch the world burn:

37.6% chance of missing the playoffs AND not keeping a draft pick

Games to Follow Coming Up

Numbers in parenthesis is the number of games ahead and behind the Sixers in the standings. Sixers record is 23-45 with 14 games to play.

March 18

• Brooklyn (EVEN) at Boston – Brooklyn almost pulled it out last time. Do not expect the same drama this time around

March 19

• Sixers at Oklahoma City – A lunch pail kind of game. Clock in, do your work, get the L, clock out.