The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t advance to the NBA Cup’s knockout rounds for the third consecutive season after finishing fourth place in East: Group B with a 1-3 record. Philadelphia resultantly has four days of rest as the NBA Cup’s final stages unfold throughout the week, before facing the Indiana Pacers on December 12th at 7 p.m. EST.
With a four-day intermission, here are four intriguing stats from the 76ers’ last four games:
1st in defensive rating
Philadelphia held the best defensive rating in the NBA through its last four games, allowing just 103.3 points per 100 possessions. The 76ers' success on the defensive end stemmed from their ability to turn teams over and capitalize on them, which they’ve accomplished by navigating screens and reading passing lanes.
A bonus stat: Philadelphia also ranks first league-wide in points off turnovers in this four-game sample size, with 23.5. Nick Nurse’s philosophy entails defensive playmaking to create transition opportunities, which the 76ers have done well lately. Although recent box scores don’t reflect it, Paul George’s guarding multiple positions and help-defending instincts added a much-needed layer to Philadelphia’s defense.
Granted, the 76ers’ only formidable challenge was the Los Angeles Lakers, who defeated them 112-108 on Sunday. Otherwise, Philadelphia faced the 3-19 Washington Wizards, the Golden State Warriors without Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler and a Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks.
The 76ers must maintain their defensive tenacity against teams of a higher caliber, which may be a challenge due to their lack of rim protection that the Lakers exploited.
Top 3 in total rebounding
Philadelphia is tied with the Detroit Pistons for third place in total rebounds per game throughout its past four contests with 48.5. The margin reflects a larger development for the 76ers, as they rank top 10 in the league in total rebounds this season, accumulating 44.9 each game.
Their frontcourt has experienced a revitalization off the glass, with Andre Drummond headlining the effort. The 14-year veteran’s rebounding talent has limited opposing second-chance opportunities and allowed Philadelphia to transition into its offense. Drummond leads the team with 9.4 rebounds while Dominick Barlow, who has showcased similar traits, hauls in 5.6.
But, it’s VJ Edgecombe who ranks second-best on the 76ers with 5.7 boards, as they’ve lacked back-court glass-cleaning since Ben Simmons’ departure in 2021-22. Heading into the 2025-26 season, Philadelphia placed bottom 10 league-wide in total rebounds per game since then. With improved front-court size and wings crashing the boards, the 76ers have evolved into one of the league’s better rebounding teams.
3rd-worst in true-shooting percentage
Philadelphia’s offense has been a point of contention in the fandom, but its increasingly poor efficiency is undeniable. The 76ers rank 28th in the league in true-shooting percentage through their last four contests at 54.2% – a decrease from 22nd place on the season. Their subpar production derives from two issues: injuries and poor second halves.
Joel Embiid (knee), Paul George (knee) and Quentin Grimes (calf) all missed one of Philadelphia’s past four outings while Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) and Trendon Watford (adductor) were absent for every game. The 76ers’ short-handedness disrupted their offensive process, overburdening Grimes and Tyrese Maxey, leaving Jared McCain sporadically underutilized in the midst of matters.
Philadelphia continues to search for offensive consistency with Embiid and George cycling in and out of the lineup, forcing Maxey to shoulder most responsibility each game. Teams have used halftime to make defensive adjustments to stagnate a 76ers offense that becomes heliocentric more times than not.
Opponents out-scored Philadelphia in the second half of three of its last four games, most notably Golden State, which nearly handed the 76ers a loss where they gave up a 24-point lead on Thursday.
Jabari Walker’s last 4 games
Walker’s recent play was one of the highlights of Philadelphia winning three of its last four contests. He averaged 9.8 points on 46.2% shooting from the field and 44.4% accuracy from three-point range in his previous four outings. The 23-year-old pitched in 5.8 rebounds as well.
Similar to Barlow – a fellow two-way contract player – Walker executes marginal aspects of the game at a quality level. He offers size at power forward, crashing the glass and delivering help rotations in the paint. Walker thrives without the ball, scoring off back-door cuts and spotting up from beyond the arc. He had a season-high 18 points on 4-8 shooting from three in the 76ers’ 116-101 win against the Bucks on Friday.
Philadelphia unearthed hidden gems in Barlow and Walker, whom it must attempt to keep when they run out of two-way eligibility. Barlow has 36 games left while Walker possesses 27, as the 76ers currently hold one open roster spot.