Philadelphia 76ers Considered One of the 'Biggest Sleeper Teams'

When the Philadelphia 76ers tip-off to resume the 2019-2020 season in Orlando, Florida, next month, nobody truly knows what to expect. Before the season even began, nobody anticipated a multi-month hiatus to occur a month before playoffs. Also, the idea of having every team play in the same arena without any fans in attendance was unheard of. Yet, here we are.

Soon enough, the Sixers will join 21 other teams in Orlando for three scrimmages, eight regular-season games, and a standard playoff format. Before the season was suspended, the Sixers were one of the NBA's most disappointing teams. At home, Philly was nearly flawless as they only had two losses in South Philly. On the road, though, the story was much different.

Overall, the Sixers were ranked as the sixth-best team in the Eastern Conference with a record of 39-26. Many assumed that since the 76ers only won ten games away from home this year, they are doomed heading into the empty bubble. However, Sports Illustrated's own Elizabeth Swinton makes a case for Philly to be one of the biggest sleeper teams during this year's strange postseason.

The Case for the Sleeper Sixers:

"There is an argument to be made that the 76ers can shock the NBA in Orlando. Ben Simmons is expected to be healthy after dealing with a back injury, while Joel Embiid has had more rest time following his rehabbed shoulder. Both players are expected to be available, but as coach Brett Brown told SI's Chris Mannix, Simmons is not expected to perform at full speed."

"The 76ers—sixth in the East (39-26)—will have the opportunity to get a leg up on teams with their defensive effort. Teams who rely on shooting may suffer from being out of rhythm following the season's suspension, giving Philadelphia the potential to take advantage. . . Philadelphia has the potential to be a sleeper team in Orlando with a healthier roster, but it is yet to be seen if existing chemistry issues will be too much to overcome."

As pointed out above, health was an issue throughout the 2019-2020 season for the Sixers. By the time the playoffs roll around, the 76ers should have a healthy roster on deck, depending on how the revamped regular season goes.

[RELATED: Charles Barkley Calls 76ers Sleeper Team for NBA Playoffs]

While questions surrounding the Sixers' chemistry and offensive production are warranted, it's necessary to note that things were beginning to click for the Embiid-Simmons-led Sixers before the NBA's All-Star break this year. Unfortunately, injuries derailed the short-lived progress. The 76ers are considered a mystery squad for next month and beyond -- rightfully so. At the same time, though, considering Philly a sleeper for this season's strange playoff situation isn't crazy.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_