In their second straight home game, the Philadelphia 76ers will be taking on the Orlando Magic as they look to advance to 3-0 on the season. Coming off victories against the Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Hornets, the Sixers are 2-0 for the first time since the 2020-21 season. 

To say this is encouraging would be an understatement, as last season they didn’t pick up their second win until their ninth game. With the outlook of the team entering the season being relatively uncertain, it’s been a great sign that they’re showing that they’re not the same team as they were last season. 

Granted, last year they were riddled with injuries, but even before it all went down the drain, they didn’t appear to have the same fight as they do this year. They’ve had two fourth-quarter comebacks over their first two games, which isn’t great that they’ve been down late in both games, but it shows a lot of grit and determination to be able to claw back in each game. 

As they get set to take on the Magic, who currently sit with a 1-2 record, let’s take at what the Sixers need to do in order to secure a victory. 

Don’t Overthink it, Let the Backcourt Control the Game

This is the first game of the season in which Joel Embiid will be undergoing load management, which means the Sixers will have to find a way to win without their star big man. After the Celtics game, this seemed like it wouldn’t be an issue as they managed to win despite a poor performance from Embiid.

That said, he had a much better performance against the Hornets and the team appeared to struggle quite a bit without him on the floor. Thankfully, they’ll be coming into this matchup prepared to play without him. 

While it may be obvious, with Paul George remaining out and Embiid being sidelined for this game, the Sixers will need to take advantage of the talent that they have in the backcourt. Over the last two games, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes have combined for 151 points, or 75.5 PPG. 

If they want to have their third-straight victory to start the season, they’ll need to have a similar, if not better performance against Orlando. Fortunately, while they struggled without Embiid last game, Maxey was inefficient, shooting 7-20 from the field which is highly uncharacteristic. If he can get back on track shooting the ball, he shouldn’t have an issue leading the team to a victory as he’s averaging 34 PPG despite the poor shooting performance last game. 

Additionally, Edgecombe took a step back into more of a playmaker role against Charlotte, and he still scored 15 points. If he can go back to being an aggressive scorer against the Magic, he could have a similar performance to his 34-point debut. 

With all of the success they’ve had over the last two games, Philly needs to play it smart and continue with what’s been working for their offense.