Philadelphia plays five times between tonight and November 6, three of them on the road, with a Saturday trip to Charlotte stacked right behind the Knicks. Four frontcourt players are sidelined, and the only team to beat this group is waiting in Detroit on Wednesday.
What does the schedule actually ask of this team?
Five games in eight days. Tonight it's the Knicks at home in an Emirates NBA Cup game, carried by Prime Video. Tomorrow it's the Hornets in Charlotte on NBA TV. The Bulls visit Monday, November 2, with no national broadcast. Then come road stops in Detroit on Wednesday (ESPN) and Cleveland on Friday, with Prime Video back for that one. Philly has already played three times in the past seven days.
Why do the Knicks matter more than a 2-3 record suggests?
New York swept Philadelphia in the second round in May, and that series cost Daryl Morey his job. The Knicks have won two straight. Jalen Brunson is scoring 25.8 a night, and Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 21.8 with 13.8 boards. Philly won the October 20 meeting 106-100 on the road. Watch the tempo: the Sixers play at 104.0 possessions per game, New York at 99.0. The Knicks will be without Jose Alvarado, who has an ankle injury.
Will Jaylen Brown play, and who else is missing?
Brown's knee issue lists a return date of today, and Liberty Ballers reported him questionable for the Knicks, with LeBron James and Joel Embiid not listed. Losing Brown would cost 20.6 points and a 40.9 percent three-point stroke. Jabari Walker (left knee) is projected back Saturday. Dominick Barlow (back) and Tacko Fall (left quadriceps) are targeting Wednesday. Ariel Hukporti's right Achilles has him projected for October 2027.
Is Detroit the game circled on the calendar?
It should be. The Pistons gave Philly its only loss, 106-93 on October 25, on a night when Maxey scored 29 and James 18 while Embiid sat with a right heel issue. Wednesday is the first look at Detroit with the stars available, as long as Brown's knee holds up. Barlow and Fall could also be back by then, which would let Nick Nurse stop rationing big-man minutes.
Is 4-1 real, or a mirage built on a friendly start?
The Sixer Sense argued the record may be misleading, and the numbers split the difference. A 3.3 net rating is good, not dominant, and the 66-16 pace is fun arithmetic and nothing more. Defense has carried this team, at 103.3 points allowed per 100 possessions against a 106.5 offense. Maxey's 28.4 points hide 32.4 percent shooting from three, and Embiid is at 17.6 from deep. Friday in Cleveland is a fairer test.
When do the 76ers play the Knicks in the NBA Cup?
Friday, October 30, in Philadelphia, televised by Prime Video. The Sixers won the teams' October 20 meeting 106-100.
Is Jaylen Brown playing against the Knicks?
He is uncertain with a knee issue that lists a return date of October 30. Liberty Ballers reported him questionable.
