The Sixers are 7-4, and their wins early on in the 2025-26 season have come in different ways. The latest example: a rock fight against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night in which the Sixers emerged victorious as time expired, thanks in large part to a heroic effort from hometown hero Justin Edwards.
After a miserable 2024-25 campaign in which the entire operation failed to ever get off the ground, these Sixers have already created early momentum for themselves on multiple occasions. But that does not mean there are not significant concerns surrounding the roster and its highest-paid pieces.
Checking in on how national media voices feel about the Sixers in another power ranking roundup:
ESPN: 13 (-7 from last week)
Even in the wake of their thrilling win over Boston on Tuesday night, many injury-related concerns loomed large. As Tim Bontemps points out, it is impossible to ignore:
"It wouldn't be a 76ers season if there weren't nonstop injury questions. Joel Embiid and Paul George have uncertain timelines to return to the court with knee issues, as George still has yet to make his season debut after offseason surgery." [ESPN]
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse provided some updates on both Embiid (right knee) and George (left knee) after the game, including whether or not the two stars could suit up in Friday night's NBA Cup Group Play game against the Pistons in Detroit.
MORE: Paul George and Joel Embiid injury updates
The Athletic: 13 (-6 from last week)
Law Murray has added himself to the list of NBA voices to marvel at what Tyrese Maxey is doing right now:
"Twenty years ago, Allen Iverson averaged a career-high 33.0 points per game while leading the NBA in minutes at 43.1 per game. Now, Maxey is wearing the black threads Iverson wore while averaging 33.2 points per game, the only player in the league averaging 40 minutes. The Sixers are going to need to find Maxey some relief at some point, but for now, he is putting up the numbers of an MVP." [The Athletic]
Leading into Tuesday's game, the Sixers had been getting shredded whenever Maxey was off the floor. Nurse had no option but to play his burgeoning superstar more minutes than any other player in the league. But against Boston, Maxey played a season-low 33 minutes – he had logged at least 36 minutes in every game to that point – and it was enabled by a strong +8 effort from his teammates during his rest. Justin Edwards going nuclear as a shooter might have helped, too.
MORE: Edwards stays ready, 'the work shows' in win vs. Celtics
CBS Sports: 10 (no change from last week)
Brad Botkin also draws a comparison between Maxey and Allen Iverson before shifting his attention to another Sixer racking up plenty of minutes:
"Tyrese Maxey is doing his best Allen Iverson impression — averaging 32.1 PPG as the only player in the league playing over 40 minutes a night. Who's second in minutes per game? Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe." [CBS Sports]
It is almost unprecedented for a rookie to log this many minutes on a winning team, but Edgecombe is not a typical 20-year-old. But he has been open about the challenges that come with a rigorous NBA schedule. After Friday's loss to the Pistons on the second leg of a back-to-back, veteran center Andre Drummond suggested that Edgecombe stay in bed until at least 6:00 p.m. on Monday's off day.
On Tuesday, Edgecombe revealed he came pretty close to pulling it off. He slept until noon or 1:00 p.m., he said, and then went right back to bed a few hours later.
MORE: Is it time to worry about Jared McCain?
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