The Philadelphia 76ers are getting set to take on the Chicago Bulls as both teams will try to fight to remain atop the Eastern Conference. 

Despite both finishing within the bottom five teams in the conference last season, both teams currently sit with a 5-1 record, which is the best in the conference. To say that these hot starts from these two teams was unexpected would be an understatement, as they’ve simply looked incredible to start the season. 

Josh Giddey has led the way for Chicago, averaging an impressive 22.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 8.7 APG. While he’s shown flashes of being a great player in the past, this season he’s completely kicked into another gear. It may be a small sample size, but it’s undeniable how incredible he’s looked to start the season. 

For the Sixers, Tyrese Maxey has led the way with Joel Embiid playing limited minutes. Similarly to Giddey, Maxey has stepped up to a completely different level of play. Averaging 33.7 PPG and 9.0 APG through his first six games, Maxey has put himself into early MVP conversations. 

Embiid was out in Philadelphia’s last game against the Brooklyn Nets due to load management, but he will be returning to play against the Bulls in Chicago. While he will likely remain on a minutes restriction, he should still have a huge impact on the game. 

Throughout his career, Embiid has been particularly good against Chicago, averaging 34.0 PPG, 13.7 RPG, and 6.7 APG over his last three matchups with the Bulls. Though it’d be hard to expect a performance like this with his current state, it’s worth noting the amount of success he’s had against them in recent years.

We’ve said this repeatedly but due to the Sixers’ struggle to play well in all four quarters, it will be extremely important that Philadelphia can take advantage of Embiid’s early minutes so they don’t have to worry if they play poorly in the second or third quarter. 

Last game against the Nets was a great example of this, as despite only scoring 17 points in the third quarter, the Sixers had a 12-point lead going into the fourth quarter because they were up by 18 at halftime. It will certainly be more difficult to repeat success like this against a team like Chicago, but it’s not impossible by any means. 

Additionally, Jared McCain will be making his season debut as he will complete one of the best backcourts in the NBA. While he may not make a huge impact immediately, McCain will be incredibly important to this team's long-term success this season.

Maxey has been playing a league-leading 42.5 minutes per game this season, which isn't sustainable by any means. Fortunately, McCain's return will enable him to rest much more now that he has another backup who can control a game. 

People are quick to forget just how good McCain was last season, as he was the runaway favorite for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award before he got hurt. Furthermore, he adjusted extremely well to the NBA and proved himself as a player who can consistently be an elite scorer. 

If Embiid can continue to improve and return to his typical level of play, the Sixers will have a really good chance at advancing to 6-1. Maxey is also coming off a quiet performance for his standards this season, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him explode for another 40-point performance, even with McCain's return to the lineup.