If you’re looking for a reason for optimism as the Sixers return to the court following the All-Star break, one model is awfully high on them.
According to FiveThirtyEight, the Sixers have the third-best chance to win the NBA Finals — an even higher percentage than the NBA-best Bucks.
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It shouldn’t be surprising that the Lakers and Clippers have the best chances, but it’s certainly a shock to see Milwaukee fourth. You can see in the chart above that while the Sixers have a better chance to win the Finals, the Bucks actually have a better chance to make it there.
FiveThirtyEight’s RAPTOR player ratings have been high on the Sixers since the beginning of the season. For most of the year, the Sixers have actually been favored to win the title over both L.A. teams. You can learn more about how the ratings work on their site.
The Sixers currently sit fifth in the East with 27 games left to play. They have basically no chance of catching the Bucks for the top spot and are six games behind the Raptors for the second seed.
Considering they’re just 9-19 on the road, making the Finals as a fifth seed would be an awfully big ask, but if you’re looking for hope, maybe this model will help.
NBA
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