Finals bound? LeBron pumps brakes despite 76ers' blistering start

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  Kris RhimNov 5, 2026, 12:38 AM ET

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  Kris Rhim is an NBA reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers, returning to his hometown to chronicle LeBron James' final chapter. Kris joined ESPN in 2023 and spent three seasons covering the Los Angeles Chargers before moving to the NBA.

DETROIT -- Fresh off another impressive win, Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James cautioned against any championship proclamations despite a blistering 8-1 start to the season and what that record usually means for a James-led team.

The previous five times James has started the season at least 7-1, his team has made the NBA Finals.

"It's too early to be talking about the Finals and things of that nature on November 4th," James said after the Sixers beat the Detroit Pistons 112-106 on Wednesday night. "So we'll continue just to buy into what we want to do. ... We got a good team. Guys vibe with one another, guys like each other, guys enjoy being around each other."

The victory over Detroit avenged Philadelphia's only loss of the season. It was one of forward Jaylen Brown's best games as a Sixer, as he finished with a season-high 30 points and a game-saving block on Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham. Joel Embiid added 26 points and 15 rebounds. ​

76ers coach Nick Nurse shared James's sentiment.

"I wouldn't read any super long-term stuff into anything, cause it's early," he said. "I think we feel like that was another game where it feels like we're getting a touch better. ...But the goal right now is to stretch out those good periods of play and minimize those bad periods of play."

​It's the Sixers' first time starting 4-0 on the road since 2000-01, their last NBA Finals appearance. This is also the fifth time in the last 50 seasons the 76ers have started 4-0 or better on the road. They made the NBA Finals in each of the previous four instances.

"Well, those teams just had consistency throughout the whole year and every day we wanted to get better, every day," James said. "We didn't want to take too many steps backwards. Like I said, it can happen throughout the course of a marathon, but we understood what the assignment was and we all held each other accountable. And I think early on I kind of see that here as well."

There was some injury concern for Sixers star Tyrese Maxey at the end of the win. The point guard injured his right pinky finger while attempting to split a double team in the game's final seconds. In the locker room postgame, a Sixers athletic trainer briefly looked at his swollen finger.

"I'll be fine," Maxey said, and when a reporter pointed out it looked swollen, he added: "You wouldn't believe me if I told you this is how my finger's looked all season since last year. But I'm fine."

There was also center Adem Bona, who exited the game in the fourth quarter with what Coach Nick Nurse said was a neck injury. Nurse said Bona appeared to be OK, but that he would have an official update on Thursday.

James finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. He'll return to where he began his career and won his first title when the Sixers play at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.