NBA insider Brian Windhorst evaluated the Philadelphia 76ers' chances of emerging from the Eastern Conference victorious.
Despite losing three of their last five games, there is optimism in the air for the Philadelphia 76ers.
As the halfway point of the regular season passes, the Sixers are the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 24-19. Much credit belongs to All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, who has played at an MVP level since the start of the year. Meanwhile, center Joel Embiid is seemingly improving his game with each passing day.
After a stellar overtime win over the Houston Rockets Thursday, where Embiid recorded a 32-point triple-double, NBA insider Brian Windhorst made his feelings clear on if he believes Philadelphia can emerge from the Eastern Conference victorious.
"Well, you look at this game, okay? Triple-double, awesome, amazing, ninth of his career, but I'm looking at 46 minutes," Windhorst said on NBA Today. "They go to overtime, and they're like, 'Joel, just keep playing,' which means that he is feeling good. We've seen the dunks start to come up over the last couple weeks, and he's also trolling people on social media, so you know he's on his game when he is playing that many minutes."
Embiid finished the game against the Rockets with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists on 52.6% shooting in the 46 minutes of action Windhorst made mention of.
Windhorst continued, "Let's just be honest: I have no idea whether it can last. I hope it can last, but if you've got [Joel] Embiid playing like this and you've got [Tyrese] Maxey playing like an All-NBA player, and the supporting cast they have, the Eastern Conference is gettable for them."
Embiid has already played in five more games this season (24) than he did during the 2024-2025 campaign (19). This is a huge step in the right direction for the seven-time All-Star, as he continues to work himself back to his MVP form.
Maxey is having the consensus best year of his career at age 25, as he's averaging 30.1 points, 6.8 assists, and 2.1 steals on 47.1% shooting and 39.1% shooting from three-point range. The victory over the Rockets proved when Embiid and Maxey are on the floor together, the NBA has few duos that are better than them.
The supporting cast Windhorst referenced is led by veteran All-Star Paul George and rookie phenom V.J. Edgecombe, along with Kelly Oubre Jr., Dominick Barlow, Quentin Grimes, and others.
While the Sixers do have quite a bit of depth, an acquisition or two at the trade deadline could be the key to getting over the hump in the wide-open East.
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