76ers' No-Foul Games Are Having an Early Impact

Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers are playing tougher.

Oct 17, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) reacts to his three pointer against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia 76ers wanted to turn up the intensity heading into their training camp ahead of the 2025-2026 NBA season. Hosting no-foul games at the practice facility in Camden, New Jersey, was a way the Sixers prepared to battle through physicality.

While the games might’ve created some unfortunate habits, as Tyrese Maxey jokingly pointed out on Monday night, the offseason prep seems to be working its magic so far.

“Okay, so, Quentin Grimes… Six fouls. I had five fouls… No, I’m playing!” Maxey said after Monday’s win against the Orlando Magic at home.

“It just made us tougher,” Maxey explained. “I think that was the biggest thing that it did. Made us tougher.”

Oct 25, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Sixers failed to create an identity last season. They believed they were championship contenders heading into the season, and their plans fell flat once most of the core members suffered injuries. The setbacks piled on to the point where the Sixers’ season derailed.

Outside of the physical setbacks, the Sixers found themselves getting overly frustrated with a lack of calls throughout the 2024-2025 season. Instead of consistently stating their case for foul calls when on the court, Maxey and the Sixers attempted to embrace the physicality that might come with the game.

“You got to play through some of those hits, offensively and then defensively, you got to be aggressive, go out there and guard your yard sometimes.,” Maxey added.

The Sixers are playing a different brand of basketball. It’s quick, aggressive, and can be physical. It might not always be perfect, but it wins games. So far, the Sixers are 3-0 on the year, after their recent win against the Orlando Magic on Monday night.

make that 3 in a row!@cryptocom pic.twitter.com/jlgVNDeM76

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 28, 2025

Philly out-fouled the Magic and even lost the standout reserve Quentin Grimes in the second half after six fouls, but they still knew how to close out the game while missing some core pieces. A 136-124 win in Philadelphia was just another example of who the Sixers could be throughout the year.

The Sixers will be put through another test on Tuesday night, when they take on the Washington Wizards on the road for their first back-to-back set of the year. Last season, the Wizards snapped a six-game losing streak against Philadelphia, but the Sixers still won the season series 2-1. The slate is wiped clean in late October, as the 76ers search for a path to get to 4-0.