As of writing, there are only four teams left undefeated at this early juncture of the season, and the Philadelphia 76ers are one of them. Yes, despite the team still missing two of their core pieces in Paul George and Jared McCain, last season’s most disappointing ball club has managed to race out to a spotless start to the campaign, slowly silencing their loud naysayers.
However, while the 76ers have racked up four straight wins, they did not really dominate the opposition. That is precisely because they have only managed to outscore all of their foes thus far, and while basketball is a game determined by the final score, it is defense which gives teams an actual shot at glory.
At present, Philadelphia has the fifth-worst defensive rating in the NBA, although their second-ranked offense has tuned that out for now. Still, Nick Nurse and the coaching staff cannot possibly be glad about that fact even though their record still stands unblemished.
The 76ers remain one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA despite their hot start
Led by Tyrese Maxey, who is leading the NBA in scoring, as well as VJ Edgecombe, who has been an absolute dud in his first four games as a pro, the 76ers have emerged as a very lethal offense-oriented squad. The solid play from Quentin Grimes, as well as Joel Embiid — who has since bounced back from his forgettable season debut — has only solidified their scoring attack, which looks more potent than ever before.
However, if the 76ers want to secure their place in the playoffs and make it far therein, they will have to embrace being a team that is capable of preventing their opponents from bleeding points. Year after year, that has remained an immovable formula for teams that want to contend. And those that go all the way have always had rock-solid defenses.
Last season, Philly clocked in as one of the easiest teams to score on, especially in the paint. That made it difficult for this squad to keep playing competitive basketball in light of the revolving door of injuries that dawned upon them.
Of course, the 76ers should not do away with whatever is working for them on offense. They are firing on all cylinders on that end. However, they have to strike a better balance between imposing their will and talent on the scoring end while also priding themselves on getting stops against anyone and any team.
If they can do that, the rest of the league has to watch out. After all, this 76ers team already has the tools to be wildly successful this season, and playing better defense will only shoot their chances up.