What happened: The Philadelphia 76ers enter the final stretch of the 2026-27 NBA preseason positioned as the projected favorite to win the Eastern Conference. Joe Vardon of The Athletic assessed Philadelphia's standing atop the conference hierarchy heading into opening night.

Why it matters: Carrying favorite status places immediate pressure on a reshaped Philadelphia roster to secure top-seed positioning in a crowded conference tier. Preseason projections establish the benchmark for how the 76ers' early-season rotation and execution will be measured.

What to watch: Philadelphia concludes its preseason schedule before the 2026-27 regular season tips off later this month.