The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t need long to learn where the soft spot is.
In their season opener against the New York Knicks, the center rotation behind Joel Embiid looked exposed almost immediately. Embiid was in the lineup and looked sharp from the start, but the rest of Philadelphia’s big-man depth had a rough opening half, and the Knicks wasted no time making that obvious.
Andre Drummond, now with New York, came off the bench and controlled the paint in a way Philadelphia couldn’t answer. By halftime, he had 10 points and 12 rebounds, and he was repeatedly winning the battle inside against whatever Nick Nurse threw at him.
That included Adem Bona, who was coming back from injury after a lost preseason, and Jabari Walker. Bona logged just four minutes in the first half, while Walker played only three. Neither could slow Drummond’s momentum, and the Sixers’ lack of size showed up in a hurry.
Karl-Anthony Towns also landed in foul trouble early, but the Knicks still got the benefit of Drummond’s physical presence in the first half. With Dominick Barlow, Tacko Fall, and Dean Wade sidelined, Philadelphia’s options were thin enough that the team even used LeBron James at center for a stretch.
It’s just one game, so the early read comes with the usual caution. Still, the concern that Philadelphia might struggle at center once Embiid sits has been hanging over this team all summer, and the opener did nothing to quiet it.
If the Sixers keep running into teams with big, physical frontcourt players, that issue is going to keep getting put on display. The front office may already need to start looking for ways to shore up the five spot, because the bench looks shaky without a dependable anchor there.
Philadelphia needs a strong start, but if this weakness sticks, the losses could pile up fast.
In Other News...
Nick Nurse Still Has A Knicks Grudge The 76ers Havent Settled
The 76ers have already made their presence felt against New York once this season, walking out of Madison Square Garden with a 106-100 win that spoiled the Knicks ring and banner ceremony. For Philadelphia, it was more than just an early-season road victory. It was the kind of result that still carries some extra edge for a team that has spent time looking back at what happened against the Knicks in the playoffs.
Nick Nurse has not completely let go of that loss in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and the frustration around it still lingers as the two teams measure themselves again. Philadelphia has also reworked its roster with Jaylen Brown and LeBron James in the mix, giving the club more ways to navigate the season if Joel Embiid misses time. Even so, the Knicks remain a familiar source of unfinished business for a coach who clearly has not moved on from the last postseason meeting. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Just Reopened An Uncomfortable 76ers Debate
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For the 76ers, it reopened an uncomfortable question about what exactly went wrong during Georges time in Philadelphia. Injuries were part of the answer, but so were the team dynamics around him, which never seemed to let his game breathe in the way it did against his new backdrop. If this is the beginning of a resurgence, it only sharpens the sense that the Sixers may have watched a different version of George emerge just as he moved on. [Read more 🡒]
LeBron And VJ Edgecombe Gave Sixers Fans A First Real Glimpse
LeBron James got his first taste of Philadelphia as a 76er in the season opener, and the night came with plenty of stage-setting before the game even tipped off. The Knicks held their championship celebration, but the 76ers answered by turning the second half into their own showcase and leaving with a 106-100 win over New York, with James contributing across the board in his debut.
For Sixers fans, the more eye-catching part may have been the early chemistry between James and VJ Edgecombe, who shared a postgame handshake after the final buzzer. It was only one game, but it offered a first real glimpse of how a veteran centerpiece and a new teammate might fit together as Philadelphia tries to build momentum around its new-look roster. [Read more 🡒]