2 Things We Learned About 76ers in 3rd Game of Season

Three games, three straight wins for the Philadelphia 76ers to start the 2026-27 NBA season.

The Sixers moved to 3-0 on the young season with an impressive 127-116 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night. It was a well-rounded outing from Philly, as they had five different players finish in double figures, led by Joel Embiid who tallied the 10th triple-double of his career with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

But, while it was a promising performance, the Sixers won't have long to linger on it, as they'll be right back in action for the second leg of a back-to-back against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Before moving on to that game, though, let's look at two things we learned about the Sixers in the win over Milwaukee.

The new-look 76ers can win without LeBron James

LeBron James missed his first game of the season against the Bucks due to lower back and sciatica management. Over the first two games we learned that the new-look Sixers could win with James, and in the third game of the season we learned that they can win without him, too.

Obviously, James was missed out on the court given the enormous impact that he still has. But several Sixers were able to step up and replace the production that James would have provided. Embiid stepped up as a playmaker in James' absence and tallied his season-high 10 assists. Meanwhile, VJ Edgecombe stepped it up on the glass by grabbing a season-high 13 rebounds, including two on the offensive glass. Embiid (28 points), Jaylen Brown (27 points) and Tyrese Maxey (26 points) all contributed to pick up the scoring slack.

The Bucks don't look like a contender this season, but a win is a win, and from a mental standpoint, it's good for the Sixers to know that they can find success, even when the most accomplished player on the team isn't out on the floor.

VJ Edgecombe didn't forget how to shoot

Second-year guard VJ Edgecombe struggled mightily from beyond the arc over the first two games of the season. Edgecombe went 0-for-3 from distance in the season opener against the New York Knicks and he followed that up by going 1-of-4 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Philly's home opener. I was starting to worry that the Monstars came down and robbed Edgecombe of his shooting ability over the offseason.

Luckily, that isn't the case, as Edgecombe bounced back in a big way from 3-point range against Milwaukee. He knocked down five of his 10 attempts from distance in the game, including a pair of timely triples in the fourth quarter. He shot with confidence, especially on catch-and-shoot opportunities.

Over the course of the campaign, it will be imperative that Edgecombe keeps opposing defenses honest by consistently converting outside shots. He did just that in Philadelphia's third game of the season against Milwaukee.

Get 76ers On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.