The Philadelphia 76ers began their five-game road trip losing to the Chicago Bulls 109-102 on December 26th. Philadelphia was disjointed and fans questioned its status as an Eastern Conference contender. Eight days later, the 76ers concluded their getaway by defeating the New York Knicks 130-119 to expand their win streak to three. Now, the fandom is more optimistic than they’ve been in years.
Philadelphia finished its road swing with a 3-2 record, compiling wins against New York, the Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks while falling to Chicago and the Oklahoma City Thunder. It saw multiple pivotal developments such as Joel Embiid’s resurgence, VJ Edgcombe’s continued success and proof that its trio of Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George can work.