The Philadelphia 76ers can shrug off a preseason loss, but the rebounding numbers from their latest meeting with the Boston Celtics are hard to ignore.
Boston controlled the glass in a way that jumped off the page, finishing with 63 rebounds while Philadelphia managed only 34. The Celtics also came close to winning by 40, and while that kind of preseason result does not have to trigger alarms, the gap on the boards is the sort of thing the 76ers have to keep front and center with the regular season so close.
That was not just a bad night in a vacuum. Rebounding has been a problem for Philadelphia for a while now, and last season it was the team’s weakest area. The 76ers were a bottom-third club in rebounding percentage, and their work on the defensive glass was even worse, as they finished as the fifth-worst team in that category.
The front office acknowledged the issue heading into the offseason, making rebounding a stated point of emphasis. But the roster changes did not exactly produce a clean answer.
Andre Drummond, Philadelphia’s best rebounder from a year ago, left in free agency and signed with the Knicks after the 76ers did not go after him aggressively. Kelly Oubre Jr., the team’s most effective rebounding perimeter player last season, also departed in free agency and landed with the Pacers.
That leaves Philadelphia leaning on a group that still raises questions. Joel Embiid may be the team’s best rebounder right now, which is not the most encouraging setup given the visible decline in his vertical leap and lateral movement.
Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow are not strong rebounders, either. Jabari Walker might even be the better board-crasher than Embiid, but he is undersized for some lineup looks and cannot be treated as the automatic answer in every situation.
Ariel Hukporti, a true seven-footer, is not out for the season after his brutal Achilles injury.
Boston’s frontcourt is built to punish teams on the glass, but that kind of challenge is hardly unique in the East. Philadelphia is going to face plenty of opponents with serious rebounding muscle, and if the 76ers keep getting beaten badly in that area, both their offense and defense will have less room for error.
That is why this preseason game matters more as a warning than as a result. The 76ers just got a very clear reminder of how much work still sits in front of them on the boards.
In Other News...
Joel Embiid Faces An Awkward New Question About LeBron In Philly
A strange little NBA side story followed Joel Embiid into the spotlight this week when an ESPN broadcast report suggested LeBron James had once confronted him for being late to practice. The claim was quickly denied by both James and Embiid, turning what sounded like a simple practice gripe into one of those odd locker-room anecdotes that takes on a life of its own.
The wrinkle for Philadelphia is less about the old report itself than what it says about the way stars are perceived around the league, especially when one of them is still trying to fit into a new setting with the 76ers. Former NBA player Olden Polynice added to the conversation by questioning the denials and pointing to the dynamic between James and Embiid, keeping the topic alive even after the original accusation was walked back. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Are Running Out Of Time To Get Two Key Pieces Ready
The early part of camp has already made the Sixers wait on two newcomers they would rather be integrating on the fly than monitoring from the sideline. Adem Bona and Anfernee Simons have not yet appeared in preseason action, leaving Philadelphia without a chance to get a first real look at how each fits before games start counting for real.
Bona is working back from a foot injury, while Simons is dealing with a hamstring issue, and both were listed as partial participants in Mondays training camp session. The hope inside the team is still to get one last preseason look at them, whether that comes in the final exhibition or simply in time for the regular-season opener, but the clock is starting to shrink. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Suddenly Have A Surprising LeBron Lineup Question
With the 76ers still sorting through their frontcourt depth, Nick Nurse has had to think a little differently about how to patch together lineups around Joel Embiid. The teams thin options behind him have already forced some creativity, and Nurse recently pointed to LeBron James as a theoretical backup center option, a quirky idea that says as much about Philadelphias roster puzzle as it does about James versatility.
James has done time at center before, most notably with the Lakers during the 2021-22 season, so the thought is not as far-fetched as it sounds at first blush. Still, it has not been put into action, and the appeal comes with obvious risk for a player of his age and with the physical wear that spot demands, which is why this remains more of a conversation starter than a solution. [Read more 🡒]