Philadelphia 76ers season preview: Joel Embiid's playmaking, Tyrese Maxey's growth key to a successful season

Sixers basketball!

For many following this team, the enthusiasm expressed above might come off as insincere. Despite coming off of a 54-28 season, and despite having the reigning MVP in Joel Embiid, enthusiasm for the team is lower than it's been in quite a few years, with the James Harden situation casting an even darker cloud over a team that was already frustrating fans with a long string of playoff disappointments on their resume.

But basketball is back, and for that I am grateful. My cynicism will disappear the first time Tyrese Maxey hurls himself down the lane at a hundred miles per hour, or when he pulls up for a seemingly impossible 30-foot 3-pointer off the dribble and cans...