Philadelphia is 3-1 and holds the second seed, but Sunday's 106-93 loss to Detroit showed where the thin spots are. The numbers say the team is good and short-handed, not that it is a 62-win team.
How bad was the hole against Detroit?
Bad enough that the final score hides it. Detroit led 34-22 after one quarter and 56-44 at halftime. The Sixers never led and never tied, and their biggest lead was 0 against Detroit's 21. Philadelphia got it down to 79-75 early in the fourth, so the pulse was there. But Detroit was up 12-1 when the Sixers called their first timeout.
Does a 62-20 pace mean anything yet?
Very little. The projection comes from a 3-1 record with 78 games left. The ratings on file, 105.5 on offense and 102.4 on defense for a net of 3.1, rest on the same four games. A 3.1 net is good. It is not 62 wins. Anyone booking June off a four-game sample is doing arithmetic, not analysis.
Who is carrying the scoring load?
Maxey, and the Detroit game showed the cost. He scored 29 and put up 18 of them in the fourth quarter, after a scoreless first. Brown played 40 minutes and shot 5-20. Simons went 2-10. Starters produced 77 of the 93 points and the bench 16. Maxey is averaging 28.8 over four games, and the offense still needs a second source.
Is the $206.6M payroll buying enough?
Not yet, though four games settle nothing. The payroll sits above the $200.4M tax line, with Embiid at $58.1M, Brown at $57.1M and Maxey at $40.8M. Embiid has played three games, averaging 21.7 points and 9.7 rebounds, and is listed Day-To-Day with a return date of Oct. 28 at Indiana. The Inquirer's David Murphy wrote that the team still can't solve life without him.
What is the 76ers' record after the loss to Detroit?
Philadelphia is 3-1 and holds the second seed, after losing 106-93 to the Pistons on Oct. 25.
When do the 76ers play next?
They visit the Pacers on Oct. 28 on ESPN, then host the Knicks on Oct. 30 and visit the Hornets on Oct. 31.
