One of the most popular theories surrounding the stacked 76ers during the 2026-2027 NBA offseason was that there is only one ball.
How could the 76ers have that much star power and not run into any issues? The saying "too many cooks in the kitchen" could surely apply here, but nobody has seen it yet.
It makes sense. LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown have all been high-usage players throughout their careers. James is the only one who played with a true superteam multiple times throughout his career.
The NBA has seen its fair share of successful examples. In recent times, there have been plenty of failed examples as well. When LeBron and Jaylen Brown united with Maxey and Embiid in Philadelphia, most believed that the "one ball theory" would be too challenging to overcome. The Sixers would surely land in the latter scenario.
A 7-1 record to begin the season says otherwise. The Sixers' offense might have its flaws, but Monday's action against the Chicago Bulls was the finest example of what the 76ers can bring to the table.
Sixers' starting five dazzles
Granted, the 76ers were playing the Bulls, who had just one win heading into the night, but the way the Sixers spread the wealth shouldn't be overlooked.
Nick Nurse rolled out a nine-man rotation before garbage time. The entire starting five notched double-digit scoring, with each player reaching at least 15 points. The Sixers tallied 36 total assists during the game.
LeBron James once again teased a triple-double for the 76ers. He notched 15 points, while producing nine assists, and coming down with seven rebounds. Joel Embiid, while on a restriction, notched 15 points and three assists in just 24 minutes of action.
Tyrese Maxey continued to lead the 76ers in scoring by dropping a game-high 26 points. He also tacked on 11 assists to secure a double-double. His backcourt co-star, VJ Edgecombe, had his first scoring outburst of the year with a season-high 21-point showing. Edgecombe also produced five assists.
Lastly, Jaylen Brown dropped 25 points while producing five assists. Brown also secured a double-double on the night by coming down with 11 rebounds in the frontcourt. Lately, Brown's knee has been causing him issues, but he didn't have any issues stuffing the stat sheet on Monday.
The 76ers secured a blowout 126-107 victory over the Bulls on Monday to move to 7-1 on the season. One game doesn't erase the skepticism caused by the "one ball theory," but the Sixers' ball movement through the first few weeks of action is surely challenging it.
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