The silver lining saving the 76ers from complete disaster without Embiid, George

The Philadelphia 76ers are beginning the 2024-25 season in an undeniably frustrating manner. Beyond the 1-2 record through three games is the simple fact that two of the team's three star players have yet to play, and there will be many more absences ahead of them.

The silver lining emerging from the early frustration, however, is that the 76ers' supporting cast appears to be stronger than anticipated.

With Joel Embiid and Paul George sidelined, the 76ers have inevitably turned to Tyrese Maxey and a cast of role players for relief. The 1-2 record may not inspire much faith, but Philadelphia's second unit has taken a step forward from a season ago.

That's an essential development when one considers the fact that Philadelphia ranked No. 23 in bench scoring during the 2023-24 season.

The context, of course, is that a revolving door of players who will anchor the second unit are currently starting in Embiid and George's place. That means center Andre Drummond and some combination of early starters Eric Gordon, Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, and Kelly Oubre Jr. will return to the bench once the stars are healthy.

Once that happens, the 76ers should benefit from a strength that eluded it in previous seasons: Quality depth.

The 76ers suddenly have strength in numbers—when healthy

Maxey erupted for 45 points during the 76ers' first win of the season, a 118-114 road victory over the Indiana Pacers. The most promising aspect of the win, however, was the impact of the players beyond Philadelphia's All-Star guard.

Even with two potentially vital reserves forced into the starting lineup, the 76ers' bench produced 27 points—not an astonishing amount, but context is key.

Eric Gordon led the charge with 15 points off the bench, while KJ Martin added eight points and two offensive boards. Guerschon Yabusele failed to score a point, but he still tallied six rebounds and four assists—a testament to his versatility.

It's also worth noting that Yabusele scored 10 points in 26 minutes during the season opener and posted nine in just 17 minutes the next time out.

Drummond, who will return to the bench once Embiid returns, has thus far averaged 10.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. Lowry has been picking his spots and shooting the lights out in a prominent role, as well, while Martin is producing positively despite his poor shooting.

Statistics only count for so much, but the 76ers are seeing what their reserves can do without two players who will make the game significantly easier for them—and the results have been positive.

Wins may be tough to come by without two of the three best players on the roster, but that would be the case for any team. All Philadelphia can hope for at this stage is that the supporting cast can gain reps and establish their value ahead of Embiid and George's return.

Silver linings are all the 76ers can search for with yet another season coming to be defined by injury news, but that doesn't mean they're any less significant.