76ers Veteran Confident Everything Will Pan Out After Slow Start

Every team needs a seasoned veteran around when times get tough. Following the Philadelphia 76ers’ final playoff game last season, All-Star center Joel Embiid mentioned they lacked a veteran with physical and mental toughness, citing PJ Tucker as the prototype for what they need.

Months later, Tucker opted out of his contract with the Miami Heat and hit the free agency market, landing with the Sixers on a multi-year deal. Embiid got his wish, but Tucker’s presence didn’t magically erase the issues from last season.

The Sixers opened up their year with a matchup on the road against the Boston Celtics. Coming up short of an NBA title, the Celtics were out to prove something against the Sixers and fired up their three-straight wins streak by taking out Philadelphia first.

Last Thursday, the Sixers started their homestand against the Milwaukee Bucks and came up short of a comeback victory. While Saturday’s game against a rebuilding San Antonio Spurs team looked like a prime opportunity for the 76ers to bounce back and pick up their first win, they were stunned and collected an upset loss instead.

Recognized as title contenders in the offseason, the Sixers are now viewed as a disappointment to start the year. Outsiders might see the slow start and begin to panic. Internally, Sixers veteran PJ Tucker is reminding everybody there is a long season ahead.

“Just being around long enough, you just know; You can start off hot and can’t get a win in the end and vice versa in the middle,” said Tucker. “The season is so long. It doesn’t seem like it in the beginning when you lose a few, but now we’ll look back at this in April and be like, ‘Man, what were we thinking?’ Like, it’s just how it goes.”

Being in the NBA since 2006, Tucker has seen it all. From not being in the playoffs until his sixth NBA season to winning the NBA Finals in 2021, Tucker knows what it takes to get to the top, and he knows how not to overreact to a few losses — especially as early as October.

Based on his expertise, Tucker is just trying to spread the message amongst his teammates to ensure nobody has hit the panic button quite yet.

“You just try to stay level-headed, keep everybody focused, and keep working,” Tucker continued. “It will all even out in the end, make sense in the end, and we’ll do better in the end. While you’re going through it, you just have to keep reminding yourself in times like this to keep playing, keep trying to get better, and encourage everybody else.”

On Monday night, the winless Sixers return to South Philly to host the Indiana Pacers. Once again, Philadelphia is expected to collect their first win of the year against a Pacers team that isn’t likely to compete in the East this season. Based on Saturday’s results, the Sixers are far from a lock to win on Monday. But as long as they follow Tucker’s advice and keep their focus, the Sixers are still in good shape moving forward.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.