The Sixers are doing the same thing they did last year, and it's going to end just as poorly this time

It's been a rough start for the 2024-25 Philadelphia 76ers. They were run out of their own building on Opening Night by the Milwaukee Bucks, and then followed that up by losing by eight points on the road against a rebuilding Toronto Raptors team. They are one of just five NBA teams to start this season 0-2.

The Sixers have obvious excuses for their slow start. Their roster has several new additions like Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, and Eric Gordon, to name a few. Giving them time to gel makes sense. Additionally, the Sixers are without two of their stars with Joel Embiid and Paul George both missing each of the first two games of the season due to injury. Most teams would struggle mightily in games without two All-Stars.

While their 0-2 start can be excused to an extent, it's hard for Sixers fans not to think that this season will be Déjà vu all over again.

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Sixers slow start feels destined to have familiar ending

How long Embiid and George sit out remains to be seen, but any games that they miss, especially when they're out at the same time, will hurt the team tremendously as we've seen. That can have an impact over the course of the entirety of the regular season.

Even when Embiid and George do return, how sure are we that they'll be able to stay healthy over the course of the remainder of the regular season? Embiid has already said he won't be participating in back-to-backs, and given George's lengthy injury history, another stint on the sidelines after this one can't be ruled out.

Again, games that don't feature Embiid and George will be tough for Philadelphia to win. Since their time together will be limited at best over the course of the regular season, the losses can stack up rather quickly.

Last season, the Sixers felt like one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference thanks to Embiid playing like an MVP candidate, Tyrese Maxey being a budding star, and the team having a slew of solid complimentary pieces, but they only finished with a 47-35 regular season record. That had them as the No. 7 seed. Embiid being limited to only 39 games played obviously played a huge role in that lackluster record.

This team might've been capable of making a deeper playoff run had they not been a No. 7 seed, but that result forced them to play against the No. 2-seeded New York Knicks. They were sent home in six games.

If Embiid and George are going to be shuffling in and out of the lineup, how many games will they win this season? They might be more prepared to make a deep run in the playoffs by having a more limited regular season output in terms of games played with their bodies fresher, but how much damage can they do if they're the No. 7 seed again?

On paper, this team with Embiid, George, and Maxey should be one of the best in the Eastern Conference. They're realistically one of only a small handful of teams with a puncher's chance at upsetting the Boston Celtics. They'll have their best shot of actually making a deep run if they get a higher seed in the Eastern Conference standings. Given their lackluster start and the injury histories of Embiid and George, the odds of them even clinching a top-four seed feel low right now.

Things can change, obviously, but until they do, it's hard not to feel Déjà vu.