The 76ers’ first two games have already sent a clear message: this group is going to be a problem.
Philadelphia opened the season by beating the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the early look at the starting five has only reinforced that idea. Then came Thursday night, when the Sixers pulled off something they had never done before in franchise history - they erased a 29-point deficit.
“On a team laden with stars, Maxey was the conductor of this raucous Philadelphia crowd, which followed his lead all night as the Sixers roared back to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106. The 29-point comeback was the Cavaliers' largest blown lead and the Sixers' largest comeback in the play-by-play era. It was also the largest comeback of James' 24-year career,” ESPN’s Kris Rhim wrote.
Even with that kind of start, Philadelphia is being careful with its top players. Joel Embiid and LeBron James are both working under minutes restrictions early in the season as the team tries to manage their workloads after recent injury issues.
“My understanding is Lebron James, Joel Embiid - the hope is within the first few weeks of the season limit them to around 30 minutes a game,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said.
That caution is already carrying into the back-to-back set this weekend. The 76ers will face the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks, and Embiid has made it clear he won’t be available for both.
“I’m not playing both games. I’m playing in 1 of them,” Embiid said.
James is expected to be handled the same way, though which game each player sits out still isn’t known. The coaching staff now has to map out the weekend carefully, and there’s at least a chance the two stars could miss different games.
If that happens, James could be asked to play center if Embiid is out, given Philadelphia’s lack of depth at the position. It’s a scenario that would make sense, and the answer should come soon.
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For New York, that matters because every dollar a rival team loses in maneuvering room can change the shape of a free-agency chase. If the Warriors are forced to trim their options, their ability to put together a competitive offer for Towns could take a hit, which would leave the Knicks in a stronger position to press their own case when the bidding gets serious. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Already Have A Worrying Early Problem Around Their Stars
The Knicks season-opening buzz has run into an early snag, and it showed again in the 111-102 loss to Orlando, their third straight defeat to start the year. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby gave them enough star power to hang around after a strong start, but the margins that usually decide games have been working against New York, especially from deep and with the second unit offering too little support.
Orlando kept applying pressure behind Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane, who combined for 45 points, and the Knicks never fully found the counterpunch. For a team built around high-end talent, the early concern is less about whether the stars can produce and more about whether the rest of the roster is doing enough to keep those efforts from being wasted. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks First Garden Loss Exposed A Problem Fans Wont Ignore
The first Garden loss of the season came with a familiar kind of sting for Knicks fans, one that was less about a bad bounce than a game slipping away in plain sight. Orlando erased multiple double-digit deficits on the way to a 111-102 win, leaning on a bench that changed the tone of the night and a better perimeter attack than the Knicks were able to answer.
Franz Wagner took over late with 21 points in the fourth quarter and nearly finished with a triple-double, while Anthony Black made an impact in his return from injury with 18 points and sharp shooting. For New York, the frustration was not just the result but how quickly control vanished once Orlando found its rhythm, a problem the home crowd had little trouble recognizing. [Read more 🡒]