The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a 12-9 start to the season, with three wins in their past four games. The lone loss during that stretch was a double-overtime thriller against the Atlanta Hawks that could've gone either way at virtually ever turn.
For as brilliant as Tyrese Maxey has been as the 76ers' go-to player, it's the unsung heroes who have embraced a next man up mentality and helped their team perform at a postseason pace.
The 76ers entered their current stretch needing to dig deep after enduring an embarrassing 144-103 loss to the Orlando Magic in Philadelphia. Thankfully, they responded with a 115-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets that saw Maxey post a team-high 22 points, as well as nine rebounds and seven assists.
Maxey was one of six 76ers players who scored at least 10 points, with the list including defensive-minded contributors Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona.
Another six players scored in double figures when Philadelphia defeated the Washington Wizards 121-102. VJ Edgecombe and Justin Edwards each scored nine points, thus displaying how balanced the scoring efforts truly were in one of the more impressive team wins of the year.
The 76ers put the finishing touches on their strong stretch with a 99-98 victory over the Golden State Warriors that was all about defense—and seven players scoring at least seven points.
76ers are winning with balance and a selfless mentality
It's come to the point where fans and skeptics alike expect Edgecombe, Joel Embiid, Paul George, Maxey, and Jared McCain to excel when healthy. Injuries have been an issue early in 2025-26, however, and supporting players have stepped up to help lighten the burden that Maxey carries as the go-to scoring option and primary facilitator.
Quentin Grimes is a shining example of that development as a player whose past three appearances have run the proverbial gamut as far as his approach and contributions are concerned.
Grimes tallied 19 points and a team-high nine assists in the win over Brooklyn, 28 points and 10 rebounds against Atlanta, and 12 points and a team-high six assists versus Golden State. Though not the traditional point guard, he's happily embraced a role as a trusted facilitator.
In the process, a player who was once typecast as a 3-and-D wing has become the perfect complement to Maxey in that he can take pressure off of him in multiple phases of the game.
McCain, meanwhile, had 20 points and five steals against Brooklyn and 14 points and five assists against the Wizards. Dominick Barlow had scored in double figures in four straight games when he happily attempted just six shots and instead focused on pulling down 14 rebounds in the win over the Warriors.
Edwards overcame a recent tough shooting stretch by playing 55 crucial minutes between Philadelphia's past two wins and burying five of his 11 three-point field goal attempts.
76ers' stars are following the supporting cast by putting the team first
It's the type of balanced and varying production that most teams can only dream of from a supporting cast. Egos don't seem to be a factor in Philadelphia, as players are instead focused on doing the job that will best help the team win.
Thankfully, Embiid and George have embraced a similar mentality as they work to overcome injuries that have cost them much of the 2025-26 season.
George took 17 shots in 28 minutes against Atlanta before returning to his minutes restriction against Washington and taking just 10. Embiid opted not to mess with a winning formula against the Warriors, putting up 13 field goals and clearing a path for a team-oriented win.
With a commitment to winning no matter who the hot hand may be or how a role might change from one game to the next, the 76ers have positioned themselves to silence the stars' critics by prioritizing the team.