The Philadelphia 76ers entered the season as contenders, and early in the season, they are showing exactly why they are considered the favorites . With a dominant 126-107 victory over the Chicago Bulls , the 76ers extended their winning streak to four games, improving to 7-1 on the season.
Monday night's win was undoubtedly a group effort, but there were a few players who stood out more than others. The duo of Tyrese Maxey (26 PTS, 11 AST) and Jaylen Brown (25 PTS, 11 REB) led the charge for the 76ers on the offensive front, combining for 51 points. The double-double performances by Philadelphia's superstars undoubtedly gave the team a massive boost.
While the Bulls also had their fair share of strong performances, with the rookie Caleb Wilson leading Chicago's scorers with 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals on the night, his efforts weren't enough against a juggernaut like Philadelphia .
In all fairness, the 76ers' win could be attributed to several different reasons. Still, all things considered, here are the three key factors that made all the difference on Monday night:
As mentioned earlier, the 76ers entered the 2026-27 season as one of the most stacked teams in the NBA. With a star-studded core pushing the team forward, Philadelphia is considered an offensive powerhouse. This was put on full display against the Bulls.
Apart from the duo of Brown and Maxey, who led the charge for Philadelphia, there were other significant contributors in the starting lineup, too.
LeBron James stepped up to the plate, posting 15 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists on 6-13 shooting. Joel Embiid added another 15 points, eight rebounds, and three assists to the effort. To top things off, V.J. Edgecombe contributed a noteworthy 21 points, three rebounds, and five assists on an efficient 9-12 shooting from the field.
After opening the game with 30 points in the first quarter, the 76ers built upon their momentum, logging another 34 points in the second. Although their production dipped slightly to start the second half, they found their groove again in the fourth, ending the half with a total of 62 points. Given that the team shot 48-91 from the field (~53%) from the field, Philadelphia looked unstoppable.
A major reason behind Philadelphia's success on the offensive side of the ball was their willingness to share it. The 76ers' offense looked like a well-oiled machine because of how comfortable each player was with trusting the pass. Needless to say, this was reflected in the stat sheet, too.
In the first half alone, Philadelphia had notched a total of 23 assists, with Maxey and James combining for 14. By the second half, the rate of ball movement reduced marginally, with the team logging 13 overall to end the game with 36 assists in total. Still, when considering that even players like Brown and Edgecombe combined for 10 assists, the 76ers' rotation is clearly willing to make the right play.
This is an incredibly positive sign for Nick Nurse 's unit. Earlier in the offseason, the superstars touched on the importance of sacrifice and prioritizing making the right play. While there is a thin line between making a key pass and being too unselfish, Philadelphia tread that line perfectly on Monday.
Although the impact of veterans like LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown is certainly noteworthy, it is not possible to discuss Monday night's win without mentioning V.J. Edgecombe's impact.
After a phenomenal rookie season, the guard was asked to make dramatic adjustments to compensate for the influx of superstar talent this offseason. While many raised concerns about this shift and how it would affect his development , Edgecombe has been nothing short of impressive.
Edgecombe's motor and hustle were put on full display on Monday night. The sophomore guard came out firing, posting 15 points on a perfect 7-7 shooting from the field in just 17 minutes of action in the first half.
Even though his scoring production dropped in the second half, the 21-year-old continued to make key plays on both ends of the floor. In many ways, his hustle play to secure another offensive possession for the 76ers late in the third quarter perfectly captured his ability to impact games.
V.J. Edgecombe's ability to fulfill his role as the team's engine has been remarkable. While it wouldn't be appropriate to refer to him as the driving force behind the 76ers' success, it wouldn't be outrageous to say that he is already an irreplaceable cog in the system.
