The Philadelphia 76ers head into Friday night’s matchup with the New York Knicks carrying a fresh concern: Jaylen Brown has been downgraded to “questionable” because of left knee soreness.
That comes as the Sixers and Knicks prepare to meet for the second time this season, with Friday’s game also serving as the opener for the NBA Cup. Their first meeting came on Opening Night, when New York celebrated ring night and raised its championship banner at Madison Square Garden. For Philadelphia, it marked the beginning of a new era - one that has started with a 4-1 record.
A big part of that start has been the play of Tyrese Maxey, who is averaging 28.4 points per game, and Joel Embiid, who has so far been a constant presence for the team, always a notable development given his injury history. Brown has also been a major factor for Philadelphia, giving the fan base plenty to cheer about with 20.6 points per game on 44.2 percent shooting from the field. The former Boston Celtics star has looked like a clean fit next to Maxey’s game.
Brown did have a strong showing against New York on Opening Night, but his status for the rematch is now in question. If he can’t go, it would be his first missed game of the season and would leave Philadelphia with a significant gap to cover.
Even so, Nick Nurse has options if Brown sits. VJ Edgecombe, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Anfernee Simons, and rookie Labaron Philon Jr. are all candidates to help fill the minutes in the backcourt alongside Maxey.
Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. EST on Friday.
In Other News...
76ers Suddenly Face A Starting Five Dilemma In Charlotte
After taking care of the Knicks, the 76ers now have to solve a different kind of problem in Charlotte: how to piece together a starting group without LeBron James and Joel Embiid for the second night of a back-to-back. Nick Nurse is already weighing his options, and the decision could shape everything from the opening tip to how Philadelphia matches up across the floor.
One path would be to lean into size and give Adem Bona and Dean Wade a look in the first five, while another would be to go smaller and use Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to help cover the gaps. Jaylen Brown is also questionable, and the Hornets own availability questions around Jabari Walker and Tacko Fall could add another wrinkle to a game that already looks like it may come down to lineup math as much as execution. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Let Another Tight Game Slip As Tempers Boil Late
A tight game in Charlotte turned into another frustrating finish for the Hornets, who watched Philadelphia pull away late in a 109-104 loss at Spectrum Center. The 76ers were without Joel Embiid and LeBron James, but Tyrese Maxey carried the scoring load with 38 points as Philadelphia steadied itself down the stretch and kept climbing in the standings.
For Charlotte, the bigger concern was not just the result but the way the night unraveled as emotions flared late in a game the Hornets had a chance to grab. Philadelphia moved to six wins on the season and into the top seed in the Western Conference, while the Hornets were left to sort through another close call that slipped away in front of their home crowd. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Momentum Gets Tested As Philly Heads To Charlotte Short-Handed
The 76ers trip to Charlotte comes with a very different look than the one fans had in mind, as the team has already ruled out LeBron James and Joel Embiid for injury management. James is dealing with low back and sciatica issues, while Embiid continues to work through a right foot plantar fascia injury, leaving Philadelphia to navigate another game without two of its biggest names.
The injury list does not stop there, either, with Dominick Barlow and Ariel Hukporti also out and Jaylen Brown listed as questionable. For a team trying to keep its momentum intact, the challenge now is less about star power and more about how deep the rotation can hold up in a game that suddenly looks a lot less straightforward. [Read more 🡒]