Could Sixers-Suns be an NBA Finals preview? | Off the Dribble

If somebody suggested in December that Wednesday’s Sixers-Suns game at the Wells Fargo Center could be an NBA championship preview, they likely would have been laughed out of the arena.

The Suns haven’t been to the postseason since 2010. The Sixers last appeared in the NBA finals in 2000-2001.

Neither team was picked to play Christmas Day, when the NBA likes to have its top attractions competing in five games.

Yet the Sixers (39-18) are the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference, and the Suns (41-16) are No. 2 in the West.

At the least, Wednesday’s game will provide a look at two NBA title contenders and two of the top three teams in our Inquirer NBA power rankings.

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— Marc Narducci (offthedribble@inquirer.com)

There is the perception that the Suns are playing over their heads and that come playoff time this relatively young team will struggle.

From this vantage point, that is not a believable narrative.

What has made the Suns so effective is that they have been strong offensively and defensively.

Their net rating (a team’s point deferential per 100 possessions) is 6.6, which is third in the NBA. The Sixers are sixth at 4.9, according to NBA.com stats.

Like the Sixers, the Suns have an MVP candidate.

While Sixers center Joel Embiid is widely hailed as a major MVP contender, less of the chatter goes to Suns point guard Chris Paul.

Here is the best argument in Paul’s favor:

Last season’s Suns record after 57 games: 23-34

This season: 41-16.

Paul won’t win the MVP because, unlike Embiid, who is averaging 29.9 points and 11.2 rebounds, the Suns’ point guard is averaging 15.7 points and 8.8 assists. Paul’s best contribution has been his leadership.

“He’s improved the winning mentality,” Suns coach Monty Williams said of Paul during his postgame Zoom conference call following Monday’s 128-127 overtime win at Milwaukee. “All the guys want to win, but when you see a guy that has done it from afar, and then you look at how he does it, from his diet, his exercise routine he has every day, and then in-game where he’s able to be in those situations and really lift the level of our team, it’s just pretty cool to watch.”

The All-Star backcourt of Paul and Devin Booker is among the best in the league. In third-year center Deandre Ayton (15.2 ppg., 10.8 rpg.), the Suns have a big man who can match up with Embiid. Nobody can stop Embiid, but Ayton, at least, can attempt to make things rough.

Former Villanova star Mikal Bridges is not only a defensive stopper, he is hitting 41.7% of his three-point attempts.

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The Suns won the earlier meeting, 120-111, in Phoenix on Feb. 13. Both teams had all their starters. Embiid produced 35 points and eight rebounds, but the Sixers couldn’t stop Booker, who scored 36 points. Paul had 18 points and 10 assists, and former Sixer Dario Saric added 15 points.

Under Williams, the former Sixers player and assistant coach who is in his second season as the Suns’ head coach, Phoenix is 3-0 against the Sixers.

At the least, this should be a quality game. One has to wonder if it will be the last time these teams meet this year.

After Steph Curry scored 49 points against the Sixers for his 11th straight game with 30 or more points, Ed Barkowitz broke down into historical context what the Golden State Warriors seven-time All-Star is accomplishing.

Keith Pompey offers his best/worst awards from the Sixers’ loss on Monday to Golden State, and there is little suspense who got the best award.

An early-season meeting last year with Williams changed the NBA career of former Villanova star Mikal Bridges.

Even though George Hill had to shake off some rust in his first game with the Sixers, Doc Rivers liked what he saw and is excited about the future with the veteran guard.

Pompey writes that it is all about staying healthy as teams prepare for the playoffs, and it’s more important to have players 100% healthy then to push for a higher seed and risk injury.

Count Sixers coach Doc Rivers as a fan of the NBA’s play-in format to determine the final two playoff teams in each conference.

“It is new, and I know there are people who don’t like it. But I think it is fantastic,” Rivers said on Monday. “It keeps more teams involved. I think it is a good change.”

The play-in tournament involves the seventh- through 10th-place teams in each conference competing for the final two spots. The seventh- and eighth-place teams have to win just one game to qualify. The ninth- and 10th-place teams have to win twice.

Team No. 7 in each conference hosts team No. 8. The winner earns the No. 7 seed. The ninth- and 10th-place teams in each conference will also meet.

The loser of the 7-8 game hosts the winner of the 9-10 game. That winner earns the No. 8 seed.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr has a vested interest because his team is currently seeded No. 9 in the Western Conference.

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“If we are lucky enough to move up to seventh or eighth, I will blast the play-in tournament. But right now, being ninth or 10th, it is a wonderful idea,” Kerr said.

The best thing about the play-in is that it gives more teams meaningful games down the stretch. It also gives teams urgency to earn one of the top six seeds so as not to have to compete in the play-in.

It gives the 72-game (or usually 82-game) schedule more meaning for more teams.

Wednesday: Phoenix Suns at Sixers, 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA TV

Thursday: Sixers at Milwaukee Bucks, 7 p.m., Fiserv Forum, TNT

Saturday: Sixers at Milwaukee Bucks, 3:30 p.m., Fiserv Forum, ESPN

Monday: Oklahoma City Thunder at Sixers, 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, NBC Sports Philadelphia

Next Wednesday: Atlanta Hawks at Sixers, 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, NBC Sports Philadelphia

Question: If everyone is healthy come playoff time (a big if, obviously), how deep will Doc Rivers’ bench be during the postseason? Korkmaz, Thybulle, Hill, Howard, yes. After that, spot minutes for Maxey, others, I presume. — Andrew Spiegler @aspiegler11 on Twitter

Answer: Thanks for the question, Andrew. You forgot Shake Milton, although one would like to see him pick it up. Milton is averaging 13.4 ppg. this season but just 9.4 points in his last seven games. The Sixers need somebody who can provide instant offense, and Milton has the ability but has to be more consistent.

One has to wonder how much George Hill will cut into Milton’s minutes. I think one thing is clear. Rivers is comfortable with Hill, and I can see him possibly being in the 25-minute range. Matisse Thybulle and Dwight Howard are givens, but if Embiid plays more, which is expected, Howard’s minutes (17.4 per game) should also decrease.

Furkan Korkmaz is the wild card. He has averaged 14.1 points in his last seven games, which includes three as a starter. I can’t see Maxey (although I would consider using him) unless there is real foul trouble or an injury. I also don’t see a big role for Mike Scott, again, unless there is an injury. Rivers has some tough decisions, which is a pleasant problem but still one that will be difficult.

Send questions by email to mnarducci@inquirer.com or @sjnard on Twitter.