Philadelphia 76ers See a Nice Jump on Recent NBA Power Rankings

Before the NBA released the final eight-game regular-season schedule for the restart of the 2019-2020 season, many considered the Philadelphia 76ers a mystery team. While the Sixers were at the top of the league when it came to winning games at home this year, they were quite underwhelming on the road.

Now, it's unclear just how well they will do in a neutral setting without fans in attendance. While every NBA team is in the same position, CBS Sports' latest NBA Power Rankings indicated that Philly might see this current situation as beneficial as away games aren't the same, and the team is now healthy once again.

Biggest Jump in the Ranks?

Out of 22 total teams attending the NBA's bubble city in Orlando, Florida, CBS Sports ranks the 76ers as No. 7 in the NBA right now. That's a three-spot jump from the latest power rankings issued by them. As the circumstances are drastically different, and the final eight-game schedule is out for all to see, it is believed the Sixers have one of the easier schedules left, which could help them improve their spot in the playoffs.

"The Sixers hit the schedule jackpot, which should give them every opportunity to move up from the No. 6 spot in the East. They lead off with the Pacers, who may or may not have Victor Oladipo, then they get a run of five straight teams under .500. This means that Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and the Sixers could start their Orlando season at 6-0 and build some serious momentum heading into the playoffs." (h/t Colin Ward-Henninger of CBS Sports)

Unfortunately for Philly, the Eastern Conference is still very much competitive heading into the season's restart. Ahead of Philly is the Boston Celtics (No. 4), Toronto Raptors (No. 5), and the Milwaukee Bucks (No. 1). While the three of those Eastern Conference teams ahead of the Sixers have proven they deserve a spot in the top five, for now, the Sixers have also shown they can compete with the best of them throughout the year.

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