Depending on which night you catch them, the 2025-26 Philadelphia 76ers can look like a team ready to make serious noise in the East-or one still searching for its identity. Tuesday night’s wire-to-wire win over the Milwaukee Bucks?
That was the former. A reminder of the potential this group has when things click.
But after some of their losses this season, it’s been easy to wonder if those flashes of brilliance are more mirage than momentum.
The Sixers are a tough team to pin down, even for those watching every dribble. From a league-wide view? They're a full-blown puzzle.
Let’s take a look at where things stand nationally, and what the numbers-and the eye test-are telling us about Philly.
NBA.com Power Rankings: 14th (down one spot)
John Schuhmann highlighted a stat that cuts right to the heart of Philly’s season so far: the Sixers are just 8-13 against Eastern Conference teams with winning records. In those 21 games, they’ve managed just 113.3 points per 100 possessions-well below what you'd expect from a team with this much offensive talent.
Still, they’re hanging on to sixth place in the East, partly because teams like Orlando have hit a rough patch. But the message is clear: if the Sixers want to be taken seriously as a contender, they’ve got to start beating the teams they might see in May and June.
That’s what made Tuesday’s win over Milwaukee so encouraging. It wasn’t just a win-it was a statement. Now, with two more home games coming up against the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans, the Sixers have a chance to build some momentum before hitting the road.
ESPN’s Take: Embiid’s Resurgence and the Continuity Challenge
Tim Bontemps pointed out the duality of the Sixers’ current situation. On the bright side, Joel Embiid has looked more like himself lately. After a rocky, injury-limited start to the season, the reigning MVP is rounding into form-good enough that his name is starting to creep back into All-Star conversations.
Tyrese Maxey certainly thinks Embiid deserves a spot. He made that clear last week, using the tail end of a media session to publicly stump for his big man.
And he’s got a point. Over the past month, Embiid has been as impactful as any center in the East.
But the flip side is that the Sixers haven’t had any kind of lineup stability. Injuries and rotation changes have made it tough for this team to build rhythm. Even Embiid has acknowledged that the lack of continuity has made it harder to find consistency.
The Athletic: Still in the Middle of the Pack
The Athletic also has the Sixers slotted at No. 14, holding steady from last week. Law Murray gave Philly a "B" for the second quarter of the season-fitting for a team that’s been good, but not great. That said, there are signs this group is starting to gel.
Between December 6 and January 20, the Sixers got 136 minutes out of a lineup featuring Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Paul George, Dominick Barlow, and Joel Embiid. That unit outscored opponents by 9.1 points per 100 possessions-a strong number that suggests real synergy.
But that lineup is no more. Head coach Nick Nurse recently made a change, swapping Barlow out and sliding Kelly Oubre Jr. back into the starting five. The move adds offensive punch, but it comes at the cost of size and rebounding-areas where Barlow had been contributing.
Where Do They Go From Here?
The Sixers are a team in flux, but not without promise. They’ve shown they can hang with top-tier teams when they’re locked in. The question is whether they can do it consistently-and whether this version of the rotation can hold up over the long haul.
With Embiid heating up and Maxey continuing his ascent, the star power is there. Now it’s about finding the right mix around them-and proving they can beat the best when it counts.