The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t wait around to settle into the LeBron James era. They’re sitting at 6-1 and alone atop the East, and that’s a sharp break from the slow starts that greeted James in Miami, Cleveland and Los Angeles.
That history matters because the pattern has been hard to miss. The Heat opened 9-8 with LeBron in 2010.
The Cavaliers were 19-20 after he returned in 2014. The Lakers began 4-6 in 2018.
Teams usually need time when a superstar who touches every part of the game arrives, and that’s especially true when the roster is still being sorted out around him.
Philadelphia, though, has come out of the gate with a different script. The schedule hasn’t exactly handed them anything, either.
They’ve beaten the Knicks twice, once on the road and once at home, and they also pulled off an impressive comeback win over the Cavaliers. Their lone defeat came against the Pistons in the second half of a back-to-back.
What makes the start even more notable is that James isn’t carrying the whole operation the way he did in those previous stops. The 76ers are still figuring out how to blend him with Jaylen Brown, while Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe are also adjusting to new teammates. This is still a work in progress, just not the kind that usually produces a 6-1 record.
James showed exactly why on Friday against New York, when Brown was out. He finished just shy of a triple-double with 20 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, one block and one steal in 34 minutes. The next night in Charlotte, he sat for injury management, another reminder that he can still impact a game in plenty of ways while also needing the kind of rest that comes with turning 42 next month.
It’s still October and November, and maybe even December before anyone should get too comfortable drawing conclusions. But Philadelphia’s early results say something real about the group already. The offense still needs to click, and the 76ers still need another center, but they’ve already shown they can win together.
LeBron knows how he wants his 24th season to end. Getting there will take time. For now, the 76ers have already done the part that so many teams around him have struggled to do: they’ve started winning before the league expected them to.
In Other News...
Nick Nurse Addressed Joel Embiids Late Exit Against The Bulls
Joel Embiids night against the Bulls ended early, but the bigger takeaway for the 76ers was the same one that has hovered over him since the foot issue surfaced: keeping him on the floor long enough to help, without pushing too far. Philadelphia handled Chicago 126-107, and Embiid logged 25 minutes before the team shut him down for the rest of the game as part of a minutes restriction. Tyrese Maxey picked up plenty of the offensive slack, finishing with 26 points and 11 assists in a win that looked comfortable long before the final buzzer.
After the game, Nick Nurse said Embiid was okay and made clear the late exit was a team decision tied to managing the injury. For the Sixers, that kind of night has become part of the larger balancing act, where the result matters but so does the long view with Embiid. The encouraging part is that Philadelphia still had enough firepower to control the game even with its centerpiece on a shortened leash, but the real question remains how the team handles that workload going forward. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Could Have A Veteran Answer To Their Backup Center Problem
The 76ers have been searching for ways to shore up their backup center spot, and Brook Lopez has emerged as a name worth watching. The veteran big man is reportedly a potential buyout candidate from the Clippers, a development that could put him on the market if Los Angeles decides to move on amid its struggles and his contract situation.
For Philadelphia, the appeal is obvious. Lopez brings experience and floor spacing, two traits that can help stabilize a second unit that has been viewed as a weakness, and the 76ers could explore adding him if he becomes available. Nothing is settled yet, but his fit is the kind of practical roster solution teams often circle once the buyout market opens. [Read more 🡒]
LeBrons Viral Moment At Sixers Game Is Already Sparking Debate
LeBron James turned a routine courtside moment into one of the nights biggest talking points during the 76ers home game against the Bulls, when he accidentally bumped a fan behind the basket and spilled the drink in the process. He then took a sip from the fans cup, and the whole sequence quickly spread well beyond the arena, with the drink reportedly being wine.
The reaction was immediate and split right down the middle, with some fans and commentators criticizing the move and others brushing it off as harmless. For the Sixers, it was the kind of viral detour that can follow a big-game atmosphere, even when the basketball itself is supposed to be the main event. [Read more 🡒]