We aren’t telling 76ers fans to start panicking yet…
but we’d definitely be a little concerned by now.
Philly Stumbles Concerning?
What Happened: Are the 76ers being given too much credit at this point in the season?
Taking a look at ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, there are four teams currently listed with a 90% chance of a top-6 finish in their conference: the Celtics, Cavaliers, Thunder, and Sixers.
The three non-Philly teams are a combined 22-1; the Sixers are 1-5 and above only Milwaukee in the Eastern standings.
Why It Matters: Well, it’s early in the season, but still, that is a lot of optimism around a team with a few unknowns.
In addition to scheduled days off to maintain health, Joel Embiid just got hit with a three-game suspension from the league, knocking off another few games he’s available for. Paul George made his season debut on Monday in a loss and was self-admittedly “rusty”.
Also important to remember: this was a play-in team last season! The 76ers ended the 2023-24 campaign as the seventh seed in the East and got bounced in Round 1 by the Knicks.
Philadelphia has the third-best odds to win the East outright, trailing only Boston (+120) and New York (+380).
It would be shocking for the playoffs to start without Embiid and the Sixers being involved, even with their rough start to the season. But October and November games count just as much in the standings as ones in March and April do; if the 76ers don’t start showing themselves as one of the conference’s better teams soon, it will be harder and harder to believe that’s what they are.
What We’re Watching Today
Warriors at Celtics (7:30 PM ET) – The Celtics picked up right where they left off last season, starting this campaign with seven wins in eight tries. Golden State is the surprise here with its 6-1 start and perfect 4-0 road record. Tonight will be a good test for Steph Curry and this new-look lineup.
Red Wings at Blackhawks (8:00 PM ET) – Neither of these teams is what we’d call “good”, but it’s still an Original Six matchup and you won’t find a game that features two better uniforms. The threads will be aesthetically pleasing, even if the play isn’t.
76ers at Clippers (10:00 PM ET) – Paul George revenge game? The new 76er scored 15 points on a dreadful 4-of-14 shooting on Monday and is listed as “probable” to play against his old team tonight.
The Look Ahead
Jayson Tatum P+R+A – Tatum has showed no signs of slowing down after last season’s title win, looking like an MVP candidate in leading Boston to a 7-1 start to the season. Back at home at the Garden and facing off against the man who couldn’t find much playing time for Tatum during the Olympics, 43.5 is a big number to hit, but Tatum is gonna wanna show Steve Kerr what kind of player he had stapled to the bench in Paris.
