By the Numbers: The -0.1 the Sixers Are Trying to Erase

By the 76ers Nightly Desk · Monday, October 5

The 76ers open preseason at 0-0, still carrying last season's -0.1 scoring margin, Maxey's 28.3-point season and Embiid's 38 games played into a new year. None of those numbers move until October 20, when the Knicks rematch finally counts.

76ers Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Why does -0.1 matter when the record doesn't show it?

Philadelphia finished 45-37 last season, but net rating of -0.1 put the roster 18th in the league, with offense and defense each ranked 16th of 30. That gap between record and point differential was part of why Daryl Morey was fired in May. What nobody can answer yet is whether the reshaped roster changes that number this season.

What does 28.3 points a night actually tell you about Maxey?

Maxey averaged 28.3 points last season on 36.7 percent shooting from three, career highs across the board, even as the roster finished with a losing scoring margin. That number shows he can carry a full offensive season. It does not show what his role looks like now that Jaylen Brown and LeBron James also need touches.

Why does 38 follow Embiid everywhere?

Embiid played only 38 games last season, scoring 26.9 points a night when he was out there. The per-game number says he is still a top center on the floor. The games-played number says availability, not production, is the real question hanging over his tenth season in Philadelphia.

What does the Knicks' 6.4 have to do with tonight?

New York finished 53-29 last season with a scoring margin of 6.4, nine points better than Philadelphia's -0.1. That gap is most of why the Knicks swept the Sixers out of the second round in May. Tonight's preseason opener on NBA TV won't settle anything, but it's the first time these two rosters share a floor since that sweep.

Does 0-0 mean anything yet?

Both teams sit at 0-0, and tonight's meeting is preseason, not a result that counts anywhere. No scoring margin, no shooting split, no record is official until the October 20 opener at New York. Every number above comes from last season for a reason: this year hasn't produced one yet.

The verdictEvery number that matters right now - -0.1, 28.3, 38, 6.4 - belongs to a season that's over. The one that decides anything starts October 20, against the Knicks, for real this time.

What is the 76ers' record this season?

0-0. Tonight's preseason game against the Knicks doesn't count; the regular season opens October 20 at New York.

What was the 76ers' net rating last season?

-0.1, which ranked 18th in the league, with offense and defense each ranked 16th of 30 teams.