The Eastern Conference is a tough division this season, and while everyone seems to be focused on the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers have rapidly climbed the standings.

The 76ers currently sit second in the Eastern Conference with a 30-16 record, just 4.5 games behind the Celtics. They’ve only lost two games out of 11 in the month of January, with their worst days seemingly behind them.

At the beginning of the season, the Sixers certainly didn’t look like contenders. Both James Harden and Joel Embiid had to miss a little bit of time, and other players had to step up to fill in the holes.

Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris certainly didn’t disappoint during that time, and the struggles helped the 76ers come back much stronger than before.

While they likely won’t pass the Celtics in the standings, they could sneak their way to the finals if the Celtics aren’t at their fullest potential and the 76ers are during the playoffs.

Philadelphia 76ers have a Legitimate Shot at the NBA Finals

Looking at performance now, it’s not overly surprising to think the Sixers could make it far in the playoffs. However, when looking at the season as a whole, it just didn’t seem likely they’d get to this point. There were lots of mistakes and overall sloppy plays, but the team has certainly found their rhythm as of late.

Philadelphia hasn’t made it past the Conference Semi-Finals since the 2000-2001 season, and they haven’t beat the Celtics in the playoffs since the 1981-82 season. Their playoff history isn’t strong, and they’re undoubtedly hungry for a championship.

It’s a very likely possibility for the 76ers with so many great players. It certainly wouldn’t be easy as the division poses several tough matches and the Western Conference’s Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies would be tough teams to beat as well, but it’s not a bizarre possibility.

*Photo Courtesy of Forbes*