PHILADELPHIA, PA — In a groundbreaking feat of linguistic dexterity and world-class deflection, the Philadelphia 76ers have officially set the NBA record for the highest number of "It's still early in the season" quotes uttered by players, coaches, and front office staff — and they’ve done it before November.

The milestone was reached during a team press conference Tuesday, where head coach Nick Nurse, fresh off a disheartening home loss, reassured reporters, "Look, it's still early in the season. We’ve barely even seen the guys gel yet." The statement was quickly echoed by star center Joel Embiid, who added, "Ask me in March, not October."

According to NBA historian Vince Harlan, the Sixers have been averaging a staggering 3.6 "still early" quotes per media session, far surpassing the previous record set by the 2014 New York Knicks, who managed a respectable 2.9 per session until their record-breaking losing streak forced them to switch to "Let's focus on the positives" statements.

The Sixers' record-breaking barrage of early-season deflections reportedly began right after their opener, where Embiid stated, "This is only game one. Rome wasn’t built in a day," as teammates murmured in agreement and nodded in perfect sync.

Assistant coach Brian Walsh, asked about the mounting losses, reportedly sighed deeply and said, "I mean, it's basically like preseason. Have you seen how few practices we’ve had?" This was, incidentally, the 87th “it’s still early” defense of the month, shattering the record previously held by “We’re still figuring out the rotations.”

Analysts, however, are starting to wonder if the Sixers are perhaps a bit too committed to the "early-season pass" approach. In a particularly brazen moment, forward Tobias Harris allegedly attempted to reassure fans by stating, "We're not even sure the ball is fully inflated yet. It’s that early."

Still, the Sixers remain unperturbed. "People just don’t understand how little October means," remarked a visibly unbothered Embiid. "Do you think a tree judges itself in spring? No, it waits for summer," he added, attempting to reach a new spiritual plane where wins are only hypothetical.

Analysts across the league agree: the Sixers have created a revolutionary feedback loop where “early in the season” has extended to the All-Star break, March, and in some cases, the opening game of the playoffs.

Still, one team official, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested the strategy may indeed have its limits. “If we’re still saying ‘It’s early’ by June,” they said with a nervous laugh, “we may have to rethink our messaging.”

In a final act of pre-November deflection, Coach Nurse concluded his latest press appearance with a tantalizing reminder: “Hey, it’s still early in my tenure too.”

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