January 14, 2026
The Sixers, winners of six of their last eight games, are surging as they reach something resembling full health.
Joel Embiid has played in all six of those wins; he has only missed one game in two weeks. Embiid is peaking, and he is not the only member of the Sixers finding his form. Tyrese Maxey continues to perform at a superstar level, with Paul George and VJ Edgecombe filling in many of the wider gaps in between the two best players on the team. For the first time in over two years, the Sixers look like they could be as good as the sum of their parts. It is a jarring and pleasant surprise.
As we do every Wednesday, let's take a look at where the Sixers land in various power rankings around the league:
Who will be the Sixers' fifth starter around Maxey, Edgecombe, George and Embiid? Kelly Oubre Jr. thrived as a starter in the first few weeks of the season, but Dominick Barlow's surge has continued and the 22-year-old's fit alongside Embiid in the frontcourt remains pristine. John Schuhmann points out the continued success of the starting five with Barlow included:
"Oubre started in George’s place on Sunday and might eventually get his permanent job back. But the Sixers’ lineup with Dominick Barlow at the four cracked the 100-minute mark last week and has outscored opponents by 12.0 points per 100 possessions." [NBA.com]
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse recently indicated that his preference has been to have a more fluid approach, where matchups could determine his starting lineup. It is not something Nurse has often been able to do with the Sixers – in 202 games with the team, Nurse has only had his full complement of players 13 times – but it could be the best way to maximize the valuable skillsets of both Oubre and Barlow.
MORE: Why this Sixers season has been different than last
ESPN was higher on the Sixers than our other two outlets entering the week, so the Sixers' strong play did not force them to adjust their ranking of the team. But Tim Bontemps points out the importance of the team's upcoming stretch at home:
"The next couple of weeks could be pivotal for the 76ers, who play nine of their next 10 games at home beginning Wednesday. Philadelphia will then have only 13 of its final 34 games at home after that, meaning this is an opportunity to try to pull into the top four in the East and is a necessary stretch to capitalize on before spending a lot of time away from home late in the season." [ESPN]
Bontemps is right about the importance of this upcoming stretch, but the fact that so many games are at home in the near future does not inherently mean it is a light stretch. The Sixers will welcome some tough visitors in the weeks ahead, including the Cleveland Cavaliers twice, the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets.
MORE: Sixers beat Raptors in what might be Kyle Lowry's final trip to Toronto
After pointing out that the Sixers are on pace to handily outperform their preseason over/under win total, Law Murray marvels at the workload Maxey has handled and how valuable he has become to this team:
"Tyrese Maxey is still carrying a heavy load for this team as well. I don’t want to think about where the Sixers would be if Maxey had to miss the kind of time that Joel Embiid and Paul George miss." [The Athletic]
What is perhaps just as impressive as Maxey's enormous workload in terms of shots, touches and minutes is that he has not allowed it to stop him from making a substantial leap as a defender for the second straight season. Most players with major burdens on the offensive end become turnstiles on defense, but Maxey has done the exact opposite. It is another example of his remarkable endurance.
MORE: 'Seven Sixers' recall when 'everything was weird' as Maxey began his ascent
Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
