LeBron James didn’t need much time after the 76ers wrapped up their first road trip to zoom out and remind everyone where this season stands.
Philadelphia came home from a three-game swing with a 2-1 record, and while the trip included a strong win over the Detroit Pistons, it also featured the Sixers’ worst game of the 2026-2027 NBA season by a mile. The loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers carried extra weight because NBA Cup implications were attached to it, a stumble that could have hurt more than the standings usually show this early in November.
Still, the Sixers steadied themselves in Chicago. They went into the Bulls’ building and finished the trip with a win, even if it wasn’t the kind of clean, comfortable result fans may have wanted against a team that is now 1-8. James gave Chicago credit for being one of those young teams that is inexperienced but hungry to win, and he made it clear that the record matters more than the style points right now.
After Sunday’s game, James laid out the bigger picture for reporters. “We’re a new group, so we’re still learning, we’re still getting acclimated, we’re still getting comfortable with every single game,” James said, according to Sixers Wire. “A road trip definitely helps.”
That message fits with what James warned about during the offseason, when he pointed to the possibility of a slow start for a team that had to figure out a lot on the fly. The Sixers have been working through those early adjustments as a new group and as a team that entered the “superteam” category, but the results have still been encouraging. They return to Philadelphia at 9-2 and sitting atop the Eastern Conference.
James has also been delivering exactly what Philadelphia signed up for. Sunday was his ninth game of the season, and he’s averaging 32.9 minutes per game while filling up the box score in all the ways that matter.
He isn’t there to chase an MVP scoring title. He’s there to give the Sixers whatever they need on any given night, and so far that has meant 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game.
In Other News...
Sixers Leave Chicago With A Bigger Concern Than The Win
The Sixers left Chicago with another win in hand, but the bigger takeaway from a 127-121 finish was how much they had to lean on a short-handed rotation to get there. Philadelphia closed out a 2-1 road trip and moved to 9-2, with Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James all topping 20 points while Joel Embiid chipped in 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Even with the result secured, the way the game unfolded offered a reminder of how thin the margin can be when injuries start piling up. Philadelphia had to survive a late Bulls push in the final minutes, and the fact that the Sixers needed so much from their top names just to hold on may matter more than the standings column for now. [Read more 🡒]
Two Former 76ers Camp Hopefuls Just Made Phillys Two-Way Call Look Tough
The Delaware Blue Coats opened their season with an eye-catching 147-point outburst against the Capital City Go-Go, and the biggest reason was a pair of familiar names to anyone who followed 76ers training camp. Jameer Nelson Jr. poured in a game-high 39 points while also filling the box score with assists, rebounds and steals, and Saint Thomas matched him with 39 points of his own.
Thomas added 10 rebounds for a double-double, giving the Blue Coats a front-line presence to go with the scoring barrage. For the 76ers, it was a reminder that the two-way competition in camp was not an easy call, because both players showed the kind of production that can make a team look twice at what it passed on. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Suddenly Face Two Rotation Questions Against Philly
Chicago is heading into its matchup with Philadelphia with its frontcourt and wing depth still in flux, even as help is on the way. Nic Claxton is expected to make his Bulls debut after missing time with a hamstring injury, though he will be on a minutes restriction, while Jalen Smith is listed as probable despite dealing with a finger issue.
The Bulls also have a pair of rotation spots hanging in the balance, with Norman Powell questionable because of a shoulder injury and Tobe Awaka questionable with an MCL issue. Zach Collins and Dailyn Swain have already been ruled out, leaving Chicago to sort through a patchwork lineup before facing a 76ers team that can punish any thin bench in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]