The Philadelphia 76ers came out of the gates hot this season, jumping to a 4-0 start and winning five of their first six. But since then, the momentum has cooled - and now, sitting at 11-9 and ninth in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers are a team searching for answers.
And they’re not the only ones. Around the league, even the most seasoned analysts are scratching their heads.
Joel Embiid, the reigning MVP and the heartbeat of this franchise, has been at the center of the uncertainty - both literally and figuratively. He’s only played in seven games this season, and when he’s been on the court, he hasn’t quite looked like the dominant force we’re used to seeing.
On offense, he’s been “just okay,” and on defense, there’s been a noticeable lack of movement. It’s not about effort or desire - it’s about preservation.
Embiid has played just 58 regular-season games combined over the past two years, and the Sixers are clearly trying to manage his minutes and his health. But that caution has come at a cost.
This is the cycle Philadelphia seems stuck in: Embiid is either out, limited, or working his way back into form. And when your entire championship blueprint is built around a player whose availability is always in question, it’s hard to find stability - let alone build momentum.
Then there’s Paul George. The Sixers brought him in to be the perfect complement - a veteran scorer, a defensive anchor, a proven playoff performer.
But he’s only played six games so far. At 35, the team is understandably managing his workload, but it’s left the Sixers without two of their three stars for most of the season.
So where does that leave them? Right now, it leaves them leaning heavily - maybe too heavily - on Tyrese Maxey.
Maxey has been nothing short of sensational. He’s averaging 32.5 points per game and logging over 40 minutes a night.
That’s superstar production, but it’s also a massive burden for a young guard to carry over the course of a full season. If the Sixers want Maxey to be at his best when it matters most - in April, May, and hopefully June - they can’t afford to burn him out by February.
Sunday’s loss to the Hawks was the first time this season that Embiid, George, and Maxey all shared the court. It was a glimpse of what this trio could be, but also a reminder of how far they still have to go in terms of chemistry and cohesion.
They’re still learning each other’s tendencies, still figuring out how to play off one another. And with Embiid and George both on limited schedules, those opportunities to build continuity are few and far between.
So yes, it’s hard to know exactly what to make of this Sixers team right now. The talent is there.
The ceiling is high. But the questions are piling up - and the answers aren’t coming quickly.
This is a team still in search of its identity, still trying to stay healthy, still hoping its stars can align at the right time.
For now, the Sixers remain one of the league’s biggest question marks. And until Embiid and George can consistently share the floor - and Maxey gets the support he needs - that’s unlikely to change.