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ESPN: 9th
Previously Ranked: 10th
After finishing dead last in turnover rate each of the past two seasons, it looked as if these Sixers had kicked the habit, as they entered Sunday ranked a respectable 18th in turnover rate ... then there was Sunday’s loss at Brooklyn. Philadelphia turned over possession 27 times, the most in any single game by a team this season. The Sixers are now unbeaten at home and winless on the road. — Kevin Arnovitz
The Athletic (Zach Harper): 10th
Previously Ranked: 11th
Did you know the Philadelphia 76ers are equally as bad as the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road so far this season? Both teams post a net rating of minus-14.4 points per 100 possessions in road games. Neither team has a win. The Cavs are 0-4 and the Sixers are 0-5 away from home. All of their losses are justifiable, except maybe getting demolished by the Nets on Sunday. The loss is acceptable, just not the way they lost. They’ve also dropped games in Boston, in Detroit, in Milwaukee, and in Toronto.
It’s worth noting the Sixers are the eighth best team in home games. They just have no idea what they’re doing on the road right now. Maybe they don’t have a routine. Maybe they got locked out of their Netflix account and can’t remember the email they used to sign up (I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN A BURNER ACCOUNT JOKE FOR BRYAN COLANGELO). Whatever the reason, the Sixers look nothing like the team we saw at the end of last season. Free JJ Redick as a starter and let the Sixers get their wiggle back.
Sports Illustrated (Khadrice Rollins): 8th
Previously Ranked: 7th
Embiid can’t stop putting up 30 and 10 until he’s either put one person from every team on a poster or his Instagram. It’s the same level of embarrassment for the victim, but sometimes there isn’t a specific play to get shared on social media. Either way, there’s a clever caption to go with the photo and some jabroni from Philadelphia clogging up your mentions reminding you to Trust the Process.
CBS Sports (Reid Forgrave): 10th
Previously Ranked: 11th
Hard to not feel slightly let down by the 76ers so far. Joel Embiid has been electric. Ben Simmons has been inconsistent (and the 11-turnover game against the Raptors last week was brutal). And Markelle Fultz has been ... better than last year, I guess? The Sixers still don’t have a road win. Big prove-it test coming up Wednesday on the road against the Pacers
Bleacher Report (Grant Hughes): 12th
Previously Ranked: 10th
Dario Saric can’t hit a shot, Ben Simmons turned the ball over 11 times against the Raptors on Tuesday and Markelle Fultz is still starting, which limits the minutes last season’s best five-man unit (Simmons, JJ Redick, Robert Covington, Saric and Joel Embiid) share the floor.
Scan Philly’s game log, and you’ll find losses to the Celtics, Raptors and Bucks—all by 15 or more points.
That about settles it until something changes: The Sixers can roll over the majority of the league, but they just aren’t at the level of the East’s elite.
NBA.com (John Schuhmann): 13th
Previously Ranked: 14th
The Sixers are 6-0 at home after wins over the Clippers and Pistons in which Joel Embiid totaled 80 points and 30 rebounds. The Sixers are also 0-5 on the road after losses in Toronto and Brooklyn (both the second game of back-to-backs) in which they totaled 51 turnovers. 51! Dario Saric hasn’t shot well at home (effective field goal percentage of 36 percent) or on the road (45 percent), one reason why (beyond the Markelle Fultz thing) the starting lineup has struggled, why Mike Muscala was on the floor late against the Clips and Pistons, and why Wilson Chandler’s return (he played Saturday) was noteworthy. The Brooklyn loss was the start of a stretch where they’re playing six of eight on the road.