76ers Start 8-1 as Rivers Calls Them Best
Philadelphia's early-season surge has drawn praise from former coach Doc Rivers, who now leads the Milwaukee Bucks.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Basketball
The Philadelphia 76ers have started the season 8-1, and former 76ers coach Doc Rivers said the team is the best in the NBA. The 76ers' lineup features LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Why it matters
The strong start gives Philadelphia an early look at a roster built around several established stars. Rivers' comments carry weight given his prior history with the franchise.
The 76ers have opened 8-1 while allowing 105.1 points per game and posting a 105.4 defensive rating. Whether these defensive figures will hold through a longer stretch of the schedule remains to be seen.
The players
Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers is a veteran NBA coach who led the 76ers from 2020 to 2023 before coaching the Milwaukee Bucks from 2024 to 2026.
Nick Nurse
Nick Nurse is the 76ers' head coach overseeing the team's offensive and defensive operations this season.
Tyrese Maxey
Tyrese Maxey is a 76ers guard who has become the team's go-to performer in clutch situations.
The details
Rivers coached the 76ers from 2020 to 2023, compiling a 154-82 record and a 20-15 playoff mark that included three straight first-round exits before he was fired in 2023. Head coach Nick Nurse is now directing the team's offense and defense, while Maxey has emerged as the club's clutch performer in crunch time.
Timeline
- 2020 to 2023: Doc Rivers coaches the 76ers.
- 2023: The 76ers fire Doc Rivers.
- 2024 to 2026: Rivers coaches the Milwaukee Bucks, who finish 2026 at 32-50.
- Friday, 6:30 p.m. CST: The 76ers play the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road.
- Sunday, 2:30 p.m. CST: The 76ers play the Chicago Bulls.
Season Trajectory
Rivers' 154-82 regular-season mark with the 76ers stands in contrast to the three straight first-round playoff exits that followed, making the team's 8-1 start a test of whether the current roster can translate regular-season success into postseason results. The early season will show whether the defensive numbers allowing 105.1 points per game can sustain a contender's pace in the Eastern Conference.
The Friday road game in Cleveland and the Sunday home-style matchup against the Bulls will offer fantasy managers and local fans the next checkpoints on Maxey, Embiid and the rest of the rotation. Maintaining the early-season win pace will depend on how the 76ers handle these back-to-back contests.
The takeaway
Early-season records can shift quickly, so the 76ers' 8-1 start is best read as a sign of promise rather than proof of a deep playoff run. Watching how the defense and Maxey perform in close games will reveal more about the team's staying power than the opening record alone.
What happens next
The 76ers play the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road on Friday and the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, the next two scheduled tests for the team's 8-1 start.
Further reading
Follow the latest from the Basketball section for more on how Philadelphia's early-season start compares across the league.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ClutchPoints.
