76ers 2024-25 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

The Philadelphia 76ers entered this offseason singing a familiar, and unhappy, tune.

Yet again, the Sixers were coming off a disappointing early playoff exit. Yet again, Joel Embiid's health played a huge role in the team not making a deeper run. And yet again, there was major question marks about the roster around Embiid.

But the summer brought instant optimism and hope.

Paul George signed a massive four-year, $211.5 million contract. Tyrese Maxey stuck around on a five-year, $203.8 million deal. The Sixers rounded out the supporting cast by adding players like Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon and Reggie Jackson in free agency, re-signed Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kyle Lowry and drafted Jared McCain.

Suddenly, the Sixers looked like legitimate threats to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Below, we'll break down the schedule they'll face as they look to finally get Embiid past the second round.

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2024-25 76ers Schedule Details

Season Opener: Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Championship Odds: +900 (bet $100 to win $900), per FanDuel

Full Schedule: The full schedule is available on NBA.com.

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Top Matchups

Boston Celtics

The Eastern Conference runs through Boston, and the Celtics have given the Sixers fits over the years, knocking them out of the playoffs three times in the Embiid era. The Sixers have long struggled to match the wing play of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, though having George will help in that regard.

The Sixers do possess something few other teams have when facing Boston—a legitimate matchup issue for the Celtics. Embiid is a tough cover for Boston, able to bully Kristaps Porziņģis down low and well past his previous struggles against Al Horford.

The Sixers also boast arguably better depth than Boston, though these matchups will ultimately come down to the play of the stars. This longtime rivalry has the potential to be a preview of this season's Eastern Conference Finals.

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New York Knicks

The Knicks eliminated the Sixers in the first round of the playoffs last year, one of the best series in the entire postseason. New York then became the de facto top challenger for the Celtics after re-signing OG Anunoby and trading for Mikal Bridges, though the George signing ultimately overshadowed those moves.

The Sixers, Celtics, Knicks and possibly Milwaukee Bucks look like the strongest contenders to jockey for the top overall seed in the playoffs, and Philadelphia and New York in particular benefit from a rowdy home-court advantage.

That will make these matchups particularly interesting, and important, as the regular season progresses, with both teams looking to host as many playoff series as possible.

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Season Forecast

On paper, the Sixers look like one of the best teams in basketball. A few practical realities could stand in their way, however.

The most obvious one is the health of both Embiid and George, two players who have struggled with injuries in their past. Getting them each to the postseason, healthy, will be the biggest key to Philly achieving its lofty ambitions.

But it also takes time for newly constructed teams to acclimate and jell. Embiid and Maxey already form a superb two-man game, and in theory George is the sort of versatile, scheme-agnostic weapon who should blend in perfectly.

Still, it will take time to work out the kinks. The Sixers added a lot of new faces this offseason. Finding the best rotations will be a major task for Nick Nurse.

The Sixers legitimately have a championship ceiling with this roster. Maximizing the opportunity is another battle entirely.

Prediction: 55-27