The Philadelphia 76ers were all over the news in the offseason of the issues surrounding the Ben Simmons saga. Everyone was wondering if it would affect their play on the court whether Simmons eventually decides to suit up or just sit down for 82 games. In their first nine games of the season, the Sixers are sporting a 7-2 record highlighted by impressive victories over the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls.

Simmons is not the only player that has been missing games as reliable small forward Tobias Harris contracted COVID-19 and is currently quarantining. Even with all the negativity with the franchise, here are three reasons why the Sixers are excelling without their All-Star.

Role players are superseding expectations

Despite the absence of Harris, other wings like Matisse Thybulle and Georges Niang have provided the necessary production to help rack up victories for Philadelphia. Thybulle has continued possessing rare defensive abilities by locking down some of the best players in the Association, while Niang has converted a plethora of three-point shots this season.

Joel Embiid has not reached the peak level of his game yet, but others have not noticed that because of Andre Drummond's all-around contributions. After his abysmal season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers last year, Drummond just signed a minimum deal with the Sixers.

In one game that Embiid missed against a playoff contender in the Portland Trail Blazers, Drummond tallied 14 points, 15 boards, seven assists, and five steals. Even with Embiid suiting up, Drummond could easily record tremendous numbers in his limited playing time on the court.

Seth Curry's shooting and efficiency

Although the Sixers' role players have played like starters, it is still the excellent scoring and shooting of Seth Curry that have been the most impressive feat this season. Curry finally found a home in Philadelphia after he spent time with several teams over the early course of his career. He is averaging a career-high 17.8 PPG on a whopping 61.6% shooting from the field and 53.1% from behind the arc.

Even if it is insurmountable for him to keep up at this pace, Curry's efficiency has been admirable especially for a Sixers team in need of scoring production. Over their last three games that all resulted in victories, Curry has scored 23, 22, and 23, respectively. His efficiency may slide down to the mean in the next few weeks, but Curry will remain a consistent threat because of his phenomenal shooting accuracy and his ability to mix it up with a few drives and pull-up jumpers.

Joel Embiid has not reached his peak yet

With his MVP-caliber 2020-21 campaign, Embiid was looking to vastly elevate his game this year especially because of the issues surrounding Simmons. He has not been terrific yet as his point production has dropped by over eight points along with his decrease in rebounding as well, Additionally, the more concerning aspect is his field goal percentage is at 41.2% only and 32.1% from behind the arc.

As the legitimate leader on the Sixers, Embiid is still able to contribute to other facets of the game through his defensive prowess and floor general capabilities. Superstars do not always need to rack up the stat sheet, especially if individuals like Curry, Thybulle, and Niang are flourishing in their respective roles.

As the 76ers continue to play more games, Embiid will eventually find his rhythm and likely replicate his numbers over the last few seasons. Philadelphia is currently sitting atop the Eastern Conference once again, and if Embiid registers MVP numbers along with the reliable production of the role players, the Sixers could remain one of the top contenders in the East.