Can the 76ers finally get back to the East finals? Their health may tell the tale

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia 76ers haven't made it to the conference finals since Allen Iverson took them to the NBA Finals in 2001.

Joel Embiid has won an MVP with Philadelphia, and the 76ers have been seeded in the top three in the East playoffs four times in the last six years, but they haven't made it past round two.

Embiid is working his way back from knee surgery, and Philadelphia would be in the play-in tournament if the season ended now. So the 76ers face a daunting path if they're finally going to return to the NBA's final four.

Philadelphia has been close recently, losing in Game 7 of the second round last year, in 2021 and in 2019,