March 18, 2026
Eric Hartline/Imagn Images
Can 20-year-old rookie VJ Edgecombe keep the Sixers afloat for however long their stars are sidelined?
Another day, another wholly uncompetitive Sixers loss.
If you did not stay up as Tuesday night became Wednesday morning, the Sixers suffered a wire-to-wire thrashing at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, with their makeshift rotation exploited on both ends of the floor. The Sixers have been blown out a half-dozen times since the beginning of February, and during games like Tuesday night's, it is hard to see the vision for this team. Luckily, the Sixers will finish their three-game Western Conference road trip facing a pair of teams incentivized to lose.
Before the Sixers look to notch a winning road swing in Sacramento and Utah, a look at where national experts are at on this team in our weekly power ranking roundup:
The Sixers swept a weekend back-to-back despite some ghastly three-point shooting. John Schuhmann, in power rankings released before the Sixers shot horribly in Tuesday's game in Denver, pointed out just how pronounced the team's struggles have been from beyond the arc lately:
"The Sixers have made no more than 11 3-pointers in each of their last eight games, even the one (Tuesday vs. Memphis) where Cam Payne made eight 3s by himself. Their 3-for-25 (12%) from beyond the arc against Brooklyn on Saturday was the worst 3-point shooting game for any team this season … and they won, outscoring Brooklyn by 20 points in the paint and by seven at the free throw line. [NBA.com]"
It is ironic that a team crafted by Daryl Morey has begun to struggle mightily when it comes to generating quality looks from long range. Morey, perhaps known best for helping revolutionize the way teams value three-point shots, pivoted to betting on youth, athleticism and rebounding this season. And, to be fair, the signings of Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker on two-way deals were massive successes.
MORE: Could Sixers pivot to tanking again to protect 2026 first-rounder?
This week, ESPN's panelists were tasked with tabbing an unsung hero on every roster. Tim Bontemps went with Adem Bona, the Sixers' second-year backup center:
"With Joel Embiid playing just 33 games this season due to a mix of injuries and load management, Adem Bona has developed into a serviceable rotation center for Philadelphia in his second NBA season, shooting 58.2% from the field with 1.2 blocks per game in what primarily has been a depth role behind either Embiid or Andre Drummond."[ESPN]
Bona has made more strides in his sophomore campaign after showing both flashes of brilliance and signs of youth as a rookie. His timing as a shot-blocker has improved, as has his ability to stay out of foul trouble (though that remains a work in progress). Bona has benefitted from a simplified role; head coach Nick Nurse just wants him protecting the rim, screening and pursuing rebounds.
MORE: Best win of March, checking in on Jared McCain, Rockets first-round pick watch
Law Murray pays special attention to each team's rookie class this week, and after detailing the Sixers' extensive list of sidelined players, he pivots to the Sixers' only healthy rookie, VJ Edgecombe:
"The last man standing is Edgecombe, who is also clocking 35 minutes per game. There are only 10 players in the entire league playing at least that many minutes, and now Edgecombe is seeing attention from defenses he has never seen before for a team still trying to stay out of the Play-In Tournament." [The Athletic]
Edgecombe has been open and honest in recent days about the challenges he now faces getting double-teamed and blitzed as the Sixers' primary ball-handler. Over the weekend he claimed he had never been doubled like this in his basketball life. He has leaned on watching film and trusting the pass. Perhaps Tyrese Maxey can give him a tip or two.
MORE: Nick Nurse's performance as head coach; where is this actually leading?
Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
