Philadelphia have won its last 4 games, including wins over the Lakers and Cavaliers.
When the 76ers retooled their roster over the summer, Philadelphia didn’t envision a 19-27 record as January neared its end. The frequent absences of Joel Embiid and Paul George seemingly derailed the initial expectations.
Additionally, key role players Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond have each missed significant time. Not to mention, the loss of rookie Jared McCain to a season-ending meniscus tear. McCain was putting up Kia Rookie of the Year numbers before being sidelines.
However, the tides are turning in the City of Brotherly Love. As disappointing as the 76ers’ 19-27 record appears on the surface, their recent play is reason for optimism that this may not be a lost season after all.
Philadelphia is amid a four-game winning streak, with impressive victories over the Cavaliers, Lakers, Kings and the Bulls, as they work to climb into the playoff picture.
At the heart of the potential turnaround is the superb play of Tyrese Maxey. The 24-year-old is averaging 33.3 points on 53% shooting and 6.5 assists per game during the winning streak.
While his impact has been key, the 76ers have had timely contributions from their supporting cast. Whether it be Kyle Lowry’s 13-point effort against Sacramento Wednesday night, which also included a season-high 8 assists, there’s also been Justin Edwards, who joined Philadelphia on a two-way contract after going undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. He poured in 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds off the bench against Cleveland. Eric Gordon has also been a steady source of offense, scoring at least 13 points over the last four games. Ricky Council has scored a combined 29 points in his last two games.
But the bulk of the effort has come from Kelly Oubre Jr. and Guerschon Yabusele. Oubre has been on a tear, averaging 19.8 points on 48.4% shooting, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game during the win streak. While Yabusele’s contributions don’t always show up in the box score, his energizing play boosts the team, and his tenacity tends to create opportunities for others. His impact may not have been more on display than their victory against the Lakers on Tuesday, when he scored 10 points in the first quarter, as Philadelphia struggled to find offense.
With Paul George (finger) and Joel Embiid (knee) expected to return soon, the 76ers look to ride the momentum of their recent play. They currently sit No. 11 in the Eastern Conference, and are just four games back of the No. 6 seed Orlando Magic. They have a chance to gain ground in the standings with 36 games left on their schedule.
Philadelphia’s recent turnaround delivers some hope that they could still meet expectations set before this season’s campaign, which seemed like an almost impossible hill to climb even a week ago.
The 76ers will try to continue their strong play Friday when they host the Nuggets (7:30 ET, ESPN).
