After a promising start to February with strong wins over the Clippers and Warriors, the Sixers hit a wall-and hit it hard. Since that Feb. 3 victory in Golden State, Philadelphia has managed just one win, stumbling into the All-Star break on the heels of blowout losses to Portland and New York. Add in a trade deadline that left more questions than answers, and you’ve got a fan base wondering what exactly this team is trying to be.
But here’s the thing: the season isn’t over, and the Sixers are still very much in the mix. At 30-24, they’re positioned well enough to make a run at avoiding the play-in tournament altogether.
The schedule coming out of the break offers a bit of a soft landing, with matchups against Atlanta, New Orleans, and Indiana-all teams sitting below .500. March opens with a home game against Utah and another crack at Atlanta.
It’s not a murderer's row, and for a team trying to regain its footing, that’s a gift.
Let’s zoom out for a second. Most sportsbooks pegged Philly’s preseason win total at 42.5.
Unless the bottom completely falls out over the next two months, they’re going to clear that bar. A finish in the mid-40s win column-say, 44 to 46-should be enough to land them a top-six seed in the East, which would mean avoiding the play-in and giving themselves a fighting chance in the first round.
That’s not nothing.
Now, if you’re a Sixers fan, you’ve probably been here before. The second-round exits, the promising starts that fizzle out, the “what if” seasons-they’ve all blurred together over the last decade.
So it’s understandable if optimism feels like a trap. But here’s the twist: this year, expectations were already low.
And in a strange way, that might work in their favor.
For all the chaos, there have been bright spots-none brighter than rookie VJ Edgecombe. The Rising Stars Challenge gave him another moment in the spotlight, and he’s earned it.
He’s looked like one of the most NBA-ready rookies in the 2025-26 class, and the upcoming stretch against some of the league’s lesser teams could be a real proving ground. These are the kinds of games where young players get to show they’re more than just rotation fillers-they’re part of the future.
Edgecombe isn’t alone, either. With injuries and roster shuffling, several of Philly’s younger pieces have seen extended minutes.
That experience matters, especially when the games start to carry more weight in March and April. These next few weeks are a chance for them to grow, to build chemistry, and to get used to the grind that comes with chasing playoff position down the stretch.
If you’re wondering what kind of buzz these games are generating, the secondary ticket market tells the story-prices are low, interest is lukewarm. That’s what happens when a team hovers just above average and the fanbase is still licking its wounds from past postseason heartbreaks.
But the Sixers don’t need a sellout crowd to find their rhythm again. They just need wins.
And right now, they’ve got a golden opportunity to stack a few.
Sure, beating teams like Atlanta or Utah in February doesn’t move the national needle. It’s not going to change the narrative around this team.
But it can restore confidence, create momentum, and maybe-just maybe-lay the groundwork for a playoff run that exceeds expectations. And in a season where expectations were never sky-high to begin with, that’s a win in itself.
So no, this isn’t about crowning the Sixers as title contenders. It’s about recognizing the reality of where they are and what they can still accomplish.
The bar might not be set as high as it’s been in years past, but that doesn’t make the climb any less meaningful. The second half starts now-and for Philly, it’s about building something, even if it’s not a championship just yet.