Hero ball? Don't expect it

Philadelphia 76ers starters gelled quickly in their opener, and the early data is pushing back on the usual NBA skepticism around “hero ball” and too many stars. In a 106-100 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, every Sixer in the starting lineup recorded at least five assists, except VJ Edgecombe, who took the fewest field goal attempts among the five. The Sixers also committed fewer turnovers than the Knicks and scored 24 fast-break points to 16. The win wasn’t driven by a hot shooting night: Philadelphia made 28% of its threes. The focus now shifts to coaching minutes, with every starter playing at least 33 minutes, and to backup depth behind Joel Embiid after Ariel Hukporti was lost for the season before it began.