The Sixers’ first back-to-back of the season already has a familiar preseason feel: some names on the injury report, a little uncertainty, and Joel Embiid making it clear he’s not planning to play both games.
LeBron James was listed as questionable for Saturday’s game against the Bucks with the official designation of “low back/sciatica management.” The Sixers said they’ll be mindful of the 41-year-old’s workload during the regular season, with the playoffs in mind.
Dean Wade also showed up as questionable because of a left ankle sprain. Wade went through a workout on the Xfinity Mobile Arena floor Thursday before the 2-0 Sixers’ comeback win over the Cavaliers, but he still didn’t make his regular-season Sixers debut. The 29-year-old forward hurt his ankle a week earlier in the team’s preseason finale.
The other names on the injury report stayed the same: Dominick Barlow, dealing with a lower back stress reaction; Tacko Fall, with a left quadriceps strain; and Ariel Hukporti, who remains out with a right Achilles tendon tear.
Embiid, meanwhile, was not on the report Friday night. Still, he said late Thursday that he expects to sit out one of the two games, either the Bucks matchup or Sunday’s meeting with the Pistons. He played 34 minutes against Cleveland, finishing with 24 points on 8-for-16 shooting and seven rebounds.
“I’m not playing both games,” Embiid said. “I’m playing one of them.
I don’t know. They’re going to tell me.
But I feel good. Whatever they tell me, I’ll do it.
“I might not agree with it, I might fight it, but I might not win. I kind of give them the freedom to do whatever they want.”
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Sixers Home Opener Just Put VJ Edgecombe And LeBron To The Test
The Sixers home opener against Cleveland carried the usual early-season buzz, but one of the nights most memorable moments came in the third quarter when VJ Edgecombe ran into LeBron James and came away with a bloody nose. Edgecombe stayed on the floor, and the game kept its edge as Philadelphia tried to settle in at home against a Cavaliers team that brought plenty of star power with it.
By the fourth quarter, the margin was still tight, with Philadelphia holding a slim lead as both James and Edgecombe had already made their presence felt. It was the kind of opener that felt physical from the start, and for the Sixers it also served as an early test of how their young pieces handle a matchup that can turn chippy in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
LeBron And The Sixers Just Reopened A Painful Cavaliers What-If
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Kenny Atkinsons offseason disappointment over missing out on LeBron adds another layer to the result for a Cavaliers team still chasing the kind of stability and star power that can prevent collapses like this one. For the Sixers, it was a useful road win and a sharp response after trailing big, but for Cleveland it also reopened a familiar what-if that never seems to go away. [Read more 🡒]
LeBron Just Revealed How Close The Sixers Came To Losing Him
LeBron James added a little more context to one of the offseasons biggest moves, saying he sat down with the Cavaliers front office as he weighed his options before ultimately landing with the 76ers on a two-year deal. Clevelands championship hopes were part of what made the conversation worthwhile, which underscores just how wide open his decision really was before Philadelphia secured him.
For the 76ers, the revelation is another reminder that their summer swing came with real competition and real risk. James has already started paying it off on the floor, helping Philadelphia rally for a comeback win over Cleveland, and the early returns suggest the Sixers were as close to losing him as they were to landing a major piece for their push forward. [Read more 🡒]