It's no secret that the Philadelphia 76ers have one of the best starting fives in the NBA on paper.
After the Sixers swapped out Paul George for Jaylen Brown, it placed three players who are currently All-Star-caliber in the same lineup, along with the young veteran guard VJ Edgecombe. You would think it couldn't get any better, but it did. LeBron James joined the action on a veteran's minimum deal, and made the Sixers' starting five a potential juggernaut.
Considering the 76ers started the first week of the 2026-2027 NBA season with a 3-1 record, it's easy to say that things are going well. As for the starting group, you could say it's going great. Through the first week of the season, the 76ers' starting lineup has scored 84% of the team's points, which is the highest rate in the NBA this season so far, according to ESPN.
Not only does it currently lead the NBA, but it's a historical pace. According to ESPN Insights, only one team has finished higher than that over a full season: The 1986-1987 Boston Celtics, who finished at 85%.
Four games is too small of a sample size to claim that this group will make history but it shows that they have the potential to do so. The Sixers should be happy with those results so far, but there are pros and cons to it.
What's good about the stat?
The starting five is thriving, obviously. No coach or front office should complain about outscoring teams and collecting wins. If it the points come from the starters... Great! They get paid the big bucks to lead the way.
Even with the legendary LeBron James on a discount, the Sixers are still dishing out a lot of dollars in 2026-2027. Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown are each making $57 million this season. Tyrese Maxey is collecting $40 million, while Edgecombe's rookie contract has him earning $11 million. The 76ers aren't out of line with the spending in the slightest, but it warrants the results they are getting.
Best of all? This group certainly hasn't come close to its expectations offensively. These guys haven't shot the ball efficiently. Maxey is a 37.6% shooter from three, and he's knocking down shots from deep at a 30.0% clip. LeBron James is a 50.7% shooter from the field, and he's hitting 42.9% of his shots. Jaylen Brown? A 47.8% shooter who is hitting 42.5% from the field. There are years and years of evidence that says shots will start falling at a better rate, and that will certainly pose a problem for defenses.
There are cons
With all of that said, there are some cons. As good as the starting unit has been, the Sixers want to have a reliable bench so they aren't too heavy up top. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been as good as advertised, but Anfernee Simons is struggling, and Dean Wade hasn't been healthy. With time, the 76ers hope to see more contributions across the board, especially if availability concerns start to test them.
Joel Embiid hasn't played in over 40 games in over three seasons. That's at least 21 points per game right there. LeBron James crossed 70 games in two of the last three seasons, but he played in just 60 last year. He's currently averaging 16.3 points with the 76ers. Maxey hasn't missed a ton of time throughout his career, but he has battled some concerning injuries over the past two seasons. Currently, he's the 76ers' leading scorer with nearly 30 points per game.
It's a long season, and there is a lot of basketball left to be played, but the Sixers are certainly going to want a lot more out of their reserves.
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