Philadelphia 76ers Power Rankings Roundup: Can Tyrese Maxey Carry the Team to Stardom?
The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a promising start in the 2025-26 season, boasting a 7-4 record. However, beneath their early-season success lies significant concerns surrounding the team's injury-plagued roster and its highest-paid players.
For ESPN, national media voices rank the Sixers 13th overall, still reeling from the aftermath of Tuesday night's thrilling win over the Boston Celtics. Injuries to Joel Embiid (right knee) and Paul George (left knee) remain a pressing issue, with George still awaiting his season debut after undergoing offseason surgery. Head coach Nick Nurse provided some updates on the star duo, but it remains to be seen if they will suit up for Friday night's NBA Cup Group Play game against the Pistons in Detroit.
Meanwhile, The Athletic has Tyrese Maxey at the forefront of their power rankings, hailing him as a "superstar" with career-high averages. Maxey is putting up MVP-caliber numbers, averaging 32.1 points per game while playing over 40 minutes per contest – a feat that eerily echoes Allen Iverson's prime years. However, this unprecedented workload has raised questions about the team's ability to find relief for their burgeoning superstar.
CBS Sports takes a different approach, ranking the Sixers 10th overall and highlighting VJ Edgecombe as another player logging excessive minutes. The rookie's unprecedented work schedule has sparked concerns about burnout, with veteran center Andre Drummond suggesting he take an extended break during the team's off-day on Monday.
As the season progresses, the Sixers will need to address these lingering injury concerns and find ways to balance Maxey's workload with the rest of the roster. Can they continue to ride this wave of momentum, or are there underlying issues waiting to be exposed? Only time will tell.
The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a promising start in the 2025-26 season, boasting a 7-4 record. However, beneath their early-season success lies significant concerns surrounding the team's injury-plagued roster and its highest-paid players.
For ESPN, national media voices rank the Sixers 13th overall, still reeling from the aftermath of Tuesday night's thrilling win over the Boston Celtics. Injuries to Joel Embiid (right knee) and Paul George (left knee) remain a pressing issue, with George still awaiting his season debut after undergoing offseason surgery. Head coach Nick Nurse provided some updates on the star duo, but it remains to be seen if they will suit up for Friday night's NBA Cup Group Play game against the Pistons in Detroit.
Meanwhile, The Athletic has Tyrese Maxey at the forefront of their power rankings, hailing him as a "superstar" with career-high averages. Maxey is putting up MVP-caliber numbers, averaging 32.1 points per game while playing over 40 minutes per contest – a feat that eerily echoes Allen Iverson's prime years. However, this unprecedented workload has raised questions about the team's ability to find relief for their burgeoning superstar.
CBS Sports takes a different approach, ranking the Sixers 10th overall and highlighting VJ Edgecombe as another player logging excessive minutes. The rookie's unprecedented work schedule has sparked concerns about burnout, with veteran center Andre Drummond suggesting he take an extended break during the team's off-day on Monday.
As the season progresses, the Sixers will need to address these lingering injury concerns and find ways to balance Maxey's workload with the rest of the roster. Can they continue to ride this wave of momentum, or are there underlying issues waiting to be exposed? Only time will tell.
! He's on fire 
and I love how he's taking it upon himself to carry the team to stardom 
. But, like, what about everyone else tho? VJ Edgecombe is putting in some serious minutes and I'm worried about burnout 
. We need some depth on this roster ASAP! 
The 76ers are gonna need to get their act together if they wanna make a real run for it 
. Can't wait to see how it all plays out, though - one thing's for sure: Maxey is the real MVP of the moment 
. Maybe they can get George and Embiid healthy enough to share the load? 
If the 76ers can address their injuries and distribute playing time more evenly, they might just ride this wave of momentum to stardom! 
. I mean, it's great for the fans to see him shine, but at what cost to his health? He can't keep playing like this all season if they wanna make a deep playoff run 
. The coaching staff needs to find a way to balance his workload with the rest of the roster before he ends up burning out 
. The Sixers are still relying on their superstar to carry the team, which is not sustainable in the long run.
. And don't even get me started on Andre Drummond suggesting extended breaks for players... it sounds like they're just sweeping their problems under the rug 
.
.