NBA Analysts Snub Sixers in Eastern Conference Contenders Debate

Sixers get overlooked amid discussion of East's top contenders.

Nov 8, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives against Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) in the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Following a busy offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers have managed to build a roster with both star power and depth. Despite the collection of talent they've managed to bring in, some analysts overlooked them while breaking down some of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

Fresh off of winning the NBA title last season, the Boston Celtics find themselves in a strong position to repeat as champions. While their roster is a year older, they've retained their starting five that was one of the best units in all of basketball.

Before the 2025 season gets underway, a panel of analysts on NBA TV touched on teams who dethrone the Celtics. Multiple teams were mentioned, but neither were the Sixers. Dennis Scott kicked things off by sharing his thoughts. He went with the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks.

"I think the Knicks are going to make a strong push and make some noise," Scott said. "If Giannis is healthy, I put Milwaukee back in the mix."

Next up was former NBA head coach Sam Mitchell. He picked a squad not brought up as much as squads like the Knicks and Bucks, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"I'm going to step outside the box a little bit, I'm going to talk about Cleveland," Mitchell said. "They did a good job of re-signing their players, getting Donovan Mitchell under contract...They got the band back together. My only question for Cleveland is how that Donovan Mitchell/Darius Garland backcourt gonna work."

The Philadelphia 76ers on SI show is available on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon streaming platforms.

All the teams mentioned have an abundance of talent on them, but the Sixers should be viewed in their tier or better. For starters, Philly might have the most star power in the East outside of the Celtics. The Knicks have depth, but Jalen Brunson is viewed as their lone star. Milwaukee has Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, but their aging core poses doubt that they can survive a long playoff run.

Even though it will be this roster's first season together, they belong in the mix of teams who are capable of going toe-to-toe with the defending champs.