LeBron James admits 76ers are still struggling to find chemistry ahead of season opener originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia 76ers enter the 2026-27 NBA season with championship expectations, but LeBron James admits the team’s star-studded lineup remains a work in progress.
Following Philadelphia’s 125-120 preseason loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday, James acknowledged that the Sixers are still developing chemistry as Tuesday’s season opener against the defending champion New York Knicks approaches.
“We’re getting there,” James said, according to ESPN. “I mean, obviously we are a couple of weeks in, so we’re still working on our rhythm, working on our kinks, and it’s not going to be perfect.”
The 41-year-old superstar joined Philadelphia during the offseason, giving the franchise another championship-caliber player alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and newly acquired Jaylen Brown.
However, assembling talented players doesn’t automatically translate into immediate success.
Friday’s preseason finale provided another example of the challenges facing head coach Nick Nurse.
Despite playing against Boston’s reserves, Philadelphia struggled to establish offensive consistency. Brown pointed to spacing problems that contributed to turnovers and disrupted the team’s rhythm.
“We’re not where we want to be yet,” Brown said. “So that’s just a part of it. It’s a part of coming together, a new group with a bunch of guys, different style, but we just got to keep getting better every day.”
Joel Embiid rejects idea of sacrificing individual roles
While questions remain about how Philadelphia’s stars will share offensive responsibilities, Embiid believes everyone can succeed without abandoning their strengths.
“I’m against the concept of sacrificing,” Embiid said. “I think the way I explained it was you do what you do best, and we’re going to support you.”
Embiid delivered an encouraging performance against Boston, finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
His production represented a significant improvement after struggling against the Brooklyn Nets earlier in the preseason.
Meanwhile, second-year guard VJ Edgecombe missed Friday’s contest for precautionary reasons, preventing Philadelphia from evaluating its complete starting lineup.
The Sixers will face their biggest early challenge Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks will celebrate last season’s NBA championship.
For James, the immediate priority isn’t perfection. It’s developing enough chemistry to turn Philadelphia’s impressive collection of talent into a legitimate championship contender.
The expectations are enormous, but the Sixers understand that building a winning identity will require patience.
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