The Philadelphia 76ers wrapped up their five-game West Coast road trip with a thud, taking a tough loss in Portland that left a sour taste after what had started as a promising swing. Wins over the Clippers and Warriors had fans feeling optimistic, but back-to-back losses - first to the Lakers and then to the Trail Blazers - brought the momentum to a halt. And to make matters worse, that Lakers loss came on the same day as the NBA trade deadline, a day that left many Sixers fans frustrated and confused.
The team chose not to make a significant move at the deadline. Instead of adding firepower for a playoff push, Philadelphia offloaded rookie guard Jared McCain and didn’t flip the draft capital they received into a win-now piece. That decision - or lack thereof - didn’t sit well with a fanbase that’s been through its share of postseason heartbreak and was looking for a signal that the front office believed in this year’s squad.
Now, the Sixers return home to Xfinity Mobile Arena, and waiting for them is a familiar rival: the New York Knicks. Over the past few seasons, Knicks games in Philly have felt more like neutral-site matchups, with a sea of New York fans making the trip down I-95 and filling the stands. Wednesday night could be more of the same - but it doesn’t have to be.
The Knicks are currently sitting third in the Eastern Conference, just a half-game back of Boston. The conference standings are tightly packed: the Magic, in seventh, are only five losses behind the second-place teams. Philadelphia is right in the thick of that mix, and with so little separating teams two through seven, every game - and every missed opportunity to improve the roster - matters that much more.
At the top of the East? That would be the Detroit Pistons - yes, the same Pistons who haven’t won a playoff series since 2008.
No disrespect to Detroit, but they’re not exactly striking fear into the hearts of playoff contenders. That’s what made the Sixers’ trade deadline approach so puzzling.
In a conference that feels wide open, this could’ve been the moment to get aggressive, to lean into a season that’s already exceeded expectations.
And let’s be honest - there’s been a fair amount of fan fatigue in Philly. The early playoff exits, the chaos of last season - it’s taken a toll.
Many fans checked out before this season even began, and judging by the secondary ticket market, some still haven’t checked back in. Add in a deadline that felt more like a step back than a step forward, and it’s fair to wonder what exactly fans are supposed to rally around.
But here’s the thing: if you were frustrated the team didn’t add at the deadline, that means you believe there’s something worth building on. And there is.
Joel Embiid has been playing at an MVP-caliber level - again. Tyrese Maxey hasn’t just taken a leap; he’s become an All-Star starter.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe has stepped in and made an immediate impact, giving the team a jolt of energy and versatility. As for McCain, he wasn’t exactly lighting it up, and if the front office feels they sold high, they might not be wrong.
So why not lean into what this team is doing right? No, they’re probably not Finals-bound - not without another piece or two.
But they’re outperforming expectations, competing hard every night, and showing flashes of something real. That’s more than a lot of teams can say.
And if you’re tired of Knicks fans taking over your home arena? There’s a simple fix: show up.
Support a team that’s still in the fight. Because for all the frustrations - and there have been plenty - this Sixers squad is still very much alive in a wide-open East.