Following their latest victory over a fellow Eastern Conference contender in Orlando, the Philadelphia 76ers have now racked up three straight wins to launch their campaign. As of writing, they are one of only four teams still parading an unblemished win-loss card alongside the reigning champions Oklahoma City Thunder, the upstart San Antonio Spurs, and the surprising Chicago Bulls.
Having said that, an argument could be made that the 76ers’ win streak has been the most impressive. After all, while all of those teams are missing key players themselves, Philly has more rotation players out, and their schedule has not exactly been a cakewalk, either.
Most noticeable through three games is the fact that the team seems to have embraced its newfound identity as a backcourt-supercharged squad. The offense has revolved around their lethal crop of guards, which is definitely a drastic change from what the team had implemented during the Joel Embiid era.
Embiid, whose load is still being managed, has become a secondary to tertiary option. The 76ers are not primarily operating through him anymore. Instead, the coaching staff has accorded both Maxey and Edgecombe full liberty to mobilize the offense, even in the half court. And so far, the initial returns have been encouraging.
The 76ers are finally deliberately playing through their guards
Maxey is already one of the league’s most radioactive three-level scorers, so his eye-popping numbers should surprise no one. However, unlike last season where he was operating as a lone wolf when it comes to triggering their scoring attack, he now has a reliable companion in the form of Edgecombe, who has been sensational in his first three games as a pro.
Together, Philadelphia is playing a brand of basketball that is more dynamic and less predictable than what has been entrenched in previous years. Of course, it is way too early to make a pronouncement that it is better than their previous offensive design, but the implication of this shift is everything the franchise needs moving forward.
With the coaching staff slowly reducing or streamlining Embiid’s role moving forward, it is sensible to get the team acclimated to a style of play that is not dependent on the former Most Valuable Player. After all, this roster is packed with talented guards, and while the team is not necessarily playing at a breakneck pace, it is still faster and more explosive than before.
This is what fans have always wanted, and so far, it’s been working wonders for the 76ers. Hopefully, this offensive design is here to stay in order for them to be able to maximize their edge in the backcourt.