The Sixers Aren't in Last Place Anymore

Before the Sixers season started, many fans bought tickets to last night’s game thinking they would catch a glimpse of the LeBron James-led Cavaliers, likely as they whooped the home team. But instead of seeing one of the game’s greats (LeBron was out with an injury, as was Kyrie Irving), they saw a Sixers win. Joel Embiid loved it. It was their first home win since April, and it did a funny thing to the division standings:

The Sixers aren’t in last place anymore. That distinction belongs to the Knicks, whose payroll (even as they’re now now J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert-less) still doubles that of the Sixers. Additionally, the Sixers have the same record as the Timberwolves, and those teams will likely be your competition for that top lottery spot.

It remains to be seen if the now full-tank Knicks will get the same treatment the Sixers have been getting from the media all year, but one thing is for sure: If Melo wanted wins, he definitely made the wrong call.