After signing Paul George in the offseason, the 76ers expected to start the season all guns blazing, but they’ve been misfiring so far. They are 1-6 and sit at the foot of the Eastern Conference standings. Injuries to George and Joel Embiid did not help their cause and now Tyrese Maxey has been ruled out for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury. Despite the disastrous start, Vince Carter believes there’s no reason for the franchise to panic.
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On the Run It Back podcast, the Hall of Famer advised the 76ers to prioritize their health and ensure the entire roster is fit and firing by the midway point of the regular season. He said,
“If you’re going to have these injuries and everybody down, have the first part of the season where you get everybody back healthy. If you’re going to take time do that. Halfway, 41 games in, we gotta make a run.”
“I do think (the 76ers) have time and enough to turn it around. I really do… I wish (Joel Embiid) didn’t say anything about sitting back-to-backs because it’s brought so much attention to this team.” – @mrvincecarter15
▶️ https://t.co/KN19USdPWF pic.twitter.com/XY9AHNNy6K
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) November 8, 2024
George missed the first five games of the season after hyperextending his knee in a preseason game, while Embiid was nursing a knee injury and is now fit but is serving a three-game suspension for an altercation with a reporter. The 76ers were hoping they could get their first glimpse at George, Embiid, and Maxey operating as a trio on the court after the center’s return, but the guard’s hamstring injury has delayed that until December.
Philadelphia is hoping that their ‘Big 3’ will be able to dig them out of the hole they have dug for themselves, which could deepen a lot in the next week or two.
Sixers’ underwhelming start to the season
The 76ers have been a tough watch in the absence of their star trio. Their offensive rating of 108.1 ranks 27th and their defensive rating of 116.5 is the ninth-worst in the league. Only the Pelicans and the Jazz have a worse net rating than Philadelphia’s -8.5.
The role players on the roster have struggled to keep the team afloat. The underlying numbers are alarming and highlight how heavily the 76ers will rely on Maxey, George, and Embiid to carry the team this season.
However, the forward and the center’s extensive injury history suggests they will miss several more games this season, putting the onus on the role players to step up, which they haven’t done so far. The signs are ominous for Philadelphia, but they’ll continue believing their ‘Big 3’ will take care of matters once they are healthy.
