Have the Philadelphia 76ers turned a corner in January?
For the first few months of the 2025-26 campaign, the Philadelphia 76ers looked like a team sleepwalking through a recurring nightmare of nagging injuries and disjointed chemistry. The "Big Three" experiment seemed to be stalling before it could even truly begin. However, since the calendar flipped to 2026, the mood inside the Wells Fargo Center has shifted dramatically.
The Sixers have opened the new year with a stellar 5-2 record, a run that has vaulted them back into serious contention in the Eastern Conference. Perhaps more impressive than the wins themselves is *how* they are winning. Philadelphia currently boasts a top-five rating in both offensive and defensive efficiency for the month of January, a balance that eluded them throughout November and December. Their only blemishes in this stretch were two heartbreaking one-point losses in overtime, suggesting this team is mere possessions away from a perfect month.
The catalyst, unsurprisingly, is a healthy and engaged Joel Embiid. After a frustrating start to the season limited by knee management, Embiid has appeared in six of the team’s seven January contests. The former MVP is averaging 26.2 points and 8.0 rebounds in the new year, but the eye test tells a more important story. His lateral movement and defensive rim protection have returned to elite levels, with Embiid noting recently that he finally feels like he is "getting back to himself" physically.
He isn't doing it alone. Tyrese Maxey continues to pour in points at an All-NBA clip, while Paul George has finally stabilized his rotation minutes, averaging 32.5 minutes per game in January compared to just 23.0 in November. Even rookie V.J. Edgecombe has emerged as a reliable spark, providing the youthful energy this veteran-laden roster desperately needed.
Currently sitting fifth in the East and just 1.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for the third seed, Philadelphia is rapidly erasing the deficit created by their slow start. If Embiid remains available and this chemistry holds, the Sixers haven't just turned a corner—they may have finally found the straightaway.
The Sixers have opened the new year with a stellar 5-2 record, a run that has vaulted them back into serious contention in the Eastern Conference. Perhaps more impressive than the wins themselves is *how* they are winning. Philadelphia currently boasts a top-five rating in both offensive and defensive efficiency for the month of January, a balance that eluded them throughout November and December. Their only blemishes in this stretch were two heartbreaking one-point losses in overtime, suggesting this team is mere possessions away from a perfect month.
The catalyst, unsurprisingly, is a healthy and engaged Joel Embiid. After a frustrating start to the season limited by knee management, Embiid has appeared in six of the team’s seven January contests. The former MVP is averaging 26.2 points and 8.0 rebounds in the new year, but the eye test tells a more important story. His lateral movement and defensive rim protection have returned to elite levels, with Embiid noting recently that he finally feels like he is "getting back to himself" physically.
He isn't doing it alone. Tyrese Maxey continues to pour in points at an All-NBA clip, while Paul George has finally stabilized his rotation minutes, averaging 32.5 minutes per game in January compared to just 23.0 in November. Even rookie V.J. Edgecombe has emerged as a reliable spark, providing the youthful energy this veteran-laden roster desperately needed.
Currently sitting fifth in the East and just 1.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for the third seed, Philadelphia is rapidly erasing the deficit created by their slow start. If Embiid remains available and this chemistry holds, the Sixers haven't just turned a corner—they may have finally found the straightaway.
