The Philadelphia 76ers are 5-1. Here’s why you should pay attention to them this year

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Believe it or not, the Philadelphia 76ers are 5-1 this year. Some fans might have written them off before the season started, but with rookie VJ Edgecombe and potential MVP-candidate Tyrese Maxey, things are looking up.

“This year, we definitely plan on being better, and we’ve been working our tails off to be better,” Maxey said in September.

And don’t forget the “big fella” — Joel “The Process” Embiid. If you gave up on the Sixers last year, here’s why they’re worth watching this year.

They have young talent

Edgecombe, the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, is 20 years old. In his NBA debut, he dropped 34 points in the Sixers’ opening victory against rival Boston Celtics. Edgecombe’s shooting performance that day was third among rookies in NBA history.

And then there’s Maxey, 24, in his fifth NBA season. He’s racking up minutes while the Sixers await reinforcements, but he’s the type of player the Sixers can build around.

It’s no longer Embiid’s team – it’s Maxey’s

In just a few games so far this season, it’s clear that the energy has shifted — Maxey is in the driver’s seat. Embiid has been on a minutes restriction, but the big guy is still a vital piece if this team plans to compete in the playoffs.

This year, Maxey is who the team looks to for the final shot — most of the time, at least. The Sixers can’t rely on Embiid as a full-time player, and Maxey has stepped up; he scored 40 points in 41 minutes in the season opener.

Help is on the way

The Sixers have been decimated by injuries in the past few years. As of late, Sixers basketball has felt closer to the early years of “The Process” than a team that could actually compete for a championship.

When you’ve got a 7-foot center as a core piece of the team, health is always going to be a question mark. But Paul George and Jared McCain are close to returning from injury. And Dominick Barlow, sidelined by an elbow laceration, should be back soon, as well.

Coach Nick Nurse and the Sixers medical staff seem to have figured out that Embiid can’t play 40-plus minutes per game for 82 games. Embiid missed Sunday’s win against the Brooklyn Nets due to injury management. That’s good news if Sixers fans want to see Embiid in the playoffs in 2026.

“Just getting used to playing basketball again, but it looks better when you’re making shots,” Embiid said after a recent Sixers win over the Charlotte Hornets.

A big test to come

The Sixers play back-to-back games this week, facing the Chicago Bulls (5-1) on Tuesday and Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3) on Wednesday. Embiid will sit for one of those games, and it’s unlikely that George, McCain or Barlow will be ready.

The Sixers will have to rely on their talented backcourt of Maxey and Edgecombe if they plan to keep up the momentum.