LeBron James' Impact on 76ers Is Already Bigger Than the Box Score

It’s only been one game for the Philadelphia 76ers, and LeBron James has already changed the attitude for the team. 

One could look at his stat sheet and see that he may not have been impactful with only 14 points, and they’d be dead wrong. James' influence has always been felt in locker rooms; the only difference is that this one has a positive impact on the team. Against the Knicks, James took on the challenge of playing center, and it may have been the best decision for the team to get a win. 

The suggestion was brought up by Embiid, who felt that James had a better chance against him considering he had three fouls at that point. The fact that James has the capability to play this position in year 24 is amazing. But this moment shows how Embiid is willing to delegate for the betterment of the team. 

The 76ers offense intensified as the game went on, and some of that was due to James. The  playmaking of James may have been the statement of the night in that Knicks game. Leading the team in assists with seven, and each one of them ignited a run that either kept the team in it or helped them pull away. One player that James was high on from the moment he joined the 76ers was Tyrese Maxey, and he proved everyone exactly why that is. 

Maxey led the way with 28 points and did it on his own. James knew who to get the ball to, and he made sure Maxey was involved every chance that he could. This speaks to that attitude and mentality that this 76ers team looks to have. Even Jaylen Brown, who struggled, made sure to keep playing, and his defense turned into offense by just staying with his player, making things difficult. 

These sound like individual things, but it boils down to the communication amongst the team. James is part of that. Whether it’s defensive switches or identifying where the ball is going or how to cut off the passing lanes and stop a driving player, these are the things that help a team get a victory. 

James isn’t the only thing that has helped this team improve, but it’s obvious that his knowledge of the game is a major factor in how this team is going to be moving forward. It’s only one game, but there will be many opportunities for this team to show how everyone can be better.