The Boston Celtics are already acting like they won the trade before the season even gets hot. Fans on the other side are pushing a narrative that Jaylen Brown is simply better than Paul George right now. This is a dangerous trap for Philadelphia to fall into, and the 76ers need to shut down that talk immediately. The numbers show a different story when you look at the full picture rather than just the first few weeks.
The Real Numbers Don’t Lie
It is easy to get caught up in the current standings. The Sixers sit at the top of the Eastern Conference with a 7-1 record, while the Celtics are 5-2. Per The Sixer Sense, the team in Boston wants fans to believe they got the better end of the deal by swapping players. They point out that Brown is putting up 20.6 points per game while shooting 41.9% from deep in his first seven games. George averaged 16.7 points and 37.5% field-goal shooting while in Philadelphia.
But those small sample sizes do not tell the whole truth about the contract or the history. The front office in Philly paid $211 million for a nine-time All-Star who missed more than half the games over the last two seasons. Just last year, Brown earned All-NBA honors and MVP consideration while playing for the Celtics. That pedigree matters more than a few weeks of early-season stats. The Sixers paid for a star, and they cannot let a short slump define the entire trade.
The LeBron Factor Changes Everything
The 76ers landed Brown, and everything suddenly changed in the race for a superstar. Per The Sixer Sense, James is far and away Philly’s best facilitator and most influential presence right now. He joined the team as part of the swing for Brown. Before this swap, the Sixers were not even in the running for the veteran guard.
Rumors had him heading to the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, or Miami Heat instead. Absent that move, the squad would have likely returned with a roster incapable of advancing past the second round. The Celtics have not yet played the Sixers, with the first matchup scheduled for November 10. The regular season does not end until April 11, so there is plenty of time for the real story to unfold.
Both teams have strong starts, but the Sixers hold a 1.5-game lead over Boston in the standings. George is bought into the system in Boston, but the foundation in Philadelphia is built on something much bigger than a few games of stats. The 76ers must ignore the noise and focus on the long haul.
