Are the Sixers Philadelphia’s vibes team now?

Past iterations of the Sixers have been successful on the court — but something’s always been off.

Whether with the drama of James Harden or of Ben Simmons before him, it’s seemed like there’s always been a distraction keeping the Sixers from capturing good locker room vibes.

This season feels different.

With the Eagles in free fall and the Phillies coming up short of another World Series appearance, the 18-8 Sixers, led by Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, aren’t just sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference, they’re also winning over fans with their positive vibes off the court.

New Sixer Patrick Beverley recently posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he wished he’d spent his entire career in Philadelphia. Beverley went viral for drinking beer in the locker room and at the podium after Sixers wins — and pledged to do it after every win this season and be drunk by the end of the year.

Kelly Oubre Jr. has similarly felt the love from fans during his recovery after his car accident. He’s another depth piece that’s shined since coming to Philadelphia.

“[Philadelphia’s] a place for dogs, honestly,” Oubre told the media last week. “It’s a place for you to come and be hard-nosed but be professional. Me and Pat [Beverley] are a lot the same. We operate on love, but we also operate on just going to get it, to get what we’re after. I think the city really appreciates that, and we appreciate them because we’re all one of a kind and it’s all love.”

But they’re not the only new additions helping to set the tone. Mo Bamba took over the team plane loudspeaker after a win over the Pistons to lead everyone in singing “Happy Birthday” for fellow newcomers Robert Covington and Nic Batum.

And of course, there’s Maxey, who’s emerged as a star on the court and as one of the league’s most likable players off of it, whether by singing and dancing during practice or messing with Embiid during shootaround.

Embiid, who is currently on pace to join Wilt Chamberlain as the only two players in NBA history to average more points than minutes per game, has been the Sixers leader for years now, but Maxey has noticed how the once-shy center has come out of his shell over the last few seasons.

“I’ve been here four years now,” Maxey said to Embiid on his podcast, Maxey on the Mic. “My rookie year, I don’t think you talked. I tell people all the time, we talked on the plane, I sat right in front of you, but very limited words came out of your mouth… Your leadership, then, was really good, you pushed me to be really good, but the way you lead now is so different, and I feel like it’s even better.”

The Sixers have the good vibes going now, but for Embiid, who’s the team’s longest tenured player, continuity between the core pieces has helped them gel.

Instead of bringing in new stars like Jimmy Butler, who only stayed with the team for a season, or James Harden, who demanded a trade after less than two full seasons here, the Sixers are now investing in Embiid, Maxey, who’s in his fourth year with the team, and Tobias Harris, who’s in his sixth. That shift has led Embiid to rediscover his love for the game after wanting to quit just a few years ago.

“A lot of credit goes to you, and the guys, because the environment also matters,” Embiid said. “2020, I wanted to quit basketball…That year, I was not playing basketball, I was just there because it was my job. It was frustrating. The year before, you can talk about Jimmy [Butler] and everybody that we brought in, but as you know, it’s harder when you don’t have continuity. You can’t just put guys together and be like, go win. It takes months, it takes years to make it happen…Denver just won a championship, those guys have been together for what, five, six years? …They just added a bunch of pieces that were great for them and helped them win a championship.”

Are the good vibes and added continuity among their core going to be enough to get the Sixers past the second round of the playoffs — or even to win a championship like those Nuggets? It’s too early to tell, but for now, the players (and the fans) are certainly having a good time trying.