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Sixers Notes: McCain, Gordon, Embiid, George

December 17th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Jared McCain‘s unexpected early-season emergence as a productive rotation player had been one of the only positive stories for the Sixers this fall, so his teammates are understandably disappointed that the rookie’s progress will be halted by a meniscus tear, which will sideline him indefinitely.

“You hate it for him,” Sixers forward Caleb Martin said, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “He’s playing at such a high level, man. He’s such a great kid, and brings such good energy, and you know that does really hurt. Everybody feels for him and really, really hates that for him. It just (stinks).”

“I think it’s definitely going to be hard (to replace him),” big man Guerschon Yabusele added. “I think Jared is one of a kind, a kid with a lot of energy, no fear, being able to bring so many good things for us on offense. I think it’s going to be hard.”

The Sixers announced that McCain will require surgery, but it remains unclear what kind of procedure he’ll undergo. As Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes tweets, the location of a meniscus tear determines whether the cartilage can be repaired or if it must be removed. The recovery timeline for a removal is often measured in weeks, whereas a full repair typically sidelines a player for multiple months.

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Veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon, an offseason free agent addition, fell out of Philadelphia’s rotation after struggling early in the season, but played 26 minutes and made three 3-pointers on Monday in his first appearance since November 30. Head coach Nick Nurse suggested prior to Monday’s game that Gordon was “one of the candidates” to play more minutes as a result of McCain’s injury. “I think the first step is if somebody is out of the rotation, what are they doing to try to get themselves back in, right?” Nurse said, per Pompey. “Eric has come in here (on Saturday) and had a great workout. He’s trying to get himself back in there. He’s trying to stay ready and be ready to go.”
Joel Embiid‘s sinus fracture is “not nearly as severe” as the two orbital bone fractures the star center previously sustained, Nurse said on Monday, according to Steve Reed of The Associated Press. While Nurse acknowledged Embiid’s “breathing isn’t going to be easy for a little bit” and the Sixers ruled him out for at least one week, it’s possible his absence won’t extend much beyond that. According to Stotts (Twitter link), Embiid’s first orbital fracture sidelined him for 22 days, while the second kept him out for eight days, though in each of those cases he returned in the postseason, which likely sped up his timeline.
Paul George‘s performance in Monday’s win over Charlotte was very encouraging, according to Pompey, who says the star forward was moving as well as he has all season, having shed his bulky knee brace. George’s involvement in the offense – or lack thereof – has been a concern as of late, but his 33 points and 20 field goal attempts vs. the Hornets both represented season highs.

Eastern Notes: Pistons Defense, Embiid, George, Ball

December 15th, 2024 at 5:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons have lost four of their last five games and eight of their last 11. That’s due to defensive issues that they are trying to clean up after playing just one game this past week.

“We’ve had some slippage because we haven’t had a ton of practice time,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff told Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “This week has been really, really good for us to be able to get that practice time. And then obviously you play good offensive teams like we’ve played through this stretch, that’s gonna have an impact on it also.”

Guarding the perimeter has been their biggest problem. They’ve dropped to the bottom five in the league in defensive three-point field goal percentage (37.7 percent). They’ll look to bounce back against Miami on Monday.

“You notice and try to recognize things that are trending,” Bickerstaff said. “I think our three-point defense has slipped as of late as far as the quality of shots we’re giving up, the percentages that teams are making from those spots, and the breakdowns that are leading to those. I think we have shown some pretty consistent stretches of it, but we haven’t put together the four quarters that we’re looking for.”

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Sixers star center Joel Embiid has officially been listed as out for their game against Charlotte on Monday due to a sinus fracture, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Embiid’s injury occurred during Philadelphia’s game against Indiana on Friday when he was struck in the face by Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin.
The Sixers need to get Paul George more involved in the offense, Pompey writes. He is averaging 15.9 points per game while shooting just 31.7% from deep. George has averaged at least 21.5 PPG every year since the 2015/16 season. “I think just moving a little more, just finding my way of moving,” George said. “Running the floor a little bit better. “I think we got to allow each other to create space. So I have to cut to the nail sometimes to allow Tyrese (Maxey) to play in the open court, then I got to do it. But I think for sure, just more clarity for myself.”
Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball appears to be on the verge of returning to action, having been listed as questionable to play on Monday vs. Philadelphia due to a left calf injury, according to Charlotte’s PR department (Twitter link). Ball hasn’t played since November 27.

Atlantic Notes: George, Oubre, Cui, Knicks

December 15th, 2024 at 11:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Paul George‘s first season with the Sixers has been a disappointment so far, and not just because of the team’s 7-16 record, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Adding George in free agency was the team’s major move of the summer, but he has struggled to find his role in the offense since returning from an early-season injury. Joel Embiid‘s sinus fracture may force George to take on more of the scoring, but the Sixers have to find a way to get everyone involved when he, Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are on the court together.

“I think just moving a little more, just finding my way of moving,” George responded when asked about improving his production. “Running the floor a little bit better. I think we got to allow each other to create space. So I have to cut to the nail sometimes to allow Tyrese to play in the open court, then I got to do it. But I think for sure, just more clarity for myself.”

Pompey states that George was virtually a “bystander” for much of Friday’s loss to Indiana, finishing the first half with just three points on three shots. Coach Nick Nurse acknowledged the need to get George more involved, but he said the Pacers’ aggressive defense disrupted his team’s normal attack.

“We weren’t very good in the first half,” Nurse said. “Some of the up-court pressure took us out of better execution, right? We really got to look at that and get better. It’s just full-court man-to-man, pick-up pressure. It’s not like it’s a trapping thing. It’s just you still got to be able to ball down the first and get into our stuff and execute stuff.”

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Although the Sixers are still in 12th place in the East, Kelly Oubre believes they have solved some of their early-season issues, Pompey adds in a separate story. “We’ve been taking strides in the right direction,” Oubre said after the team had its two-game winning streak snapped. “I think tonight was a little step back. But at the end of the day, we cannot define or determine us because we are getting better. Our last ten games have been really good for us. We just have to learn from this one. I wouldn’t say forget it or wash it at all because, obviously, we have enough of those losses that we can do that with, but every game is more and more important. We need to win these. So continue to stay confident and get back to who we are, figure that out, and keep getting better off of that.”
The Nets will waive rookie wing Yongxi Cui to open up a two-way spot for Reece Beekman, who’s being acquired from the Warriors in the Dennis Schröder trade, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Cui will miss the rest of the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee.
The Knicks‘ trade options will be limited this season because they’re about $500K away from their second-apron hard cap, notes Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper considers Mitchell Robinson to be the team’s most valuable trade piece, as the arrival of Karl-Anthony Towns may have made Robinson expendable.

Eastern Notes: Knicks/Raptors Dispute, Hornets, Banchero, Holland, Sixers

December 13th, 2024 at 6:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks and Raptors were required to update the court on the status of the arbitration process of their legal dispute on Friday, but agreed in a joint filing that there’s nothing to report, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Post relays.

The Knicks filed a lawsuit in August 2023 alleging that former video coordinator Ikechukwu Azotam illegally took thousands of proprietary files with him to his new position with the Raptors and shared them with his new club. The Raptors, referring to the suit as “baseless,” argued that the issue ought to be resolved through the NBA’s arbitration process rather than in court, while the Knicks contended that commissioner Adam Silver wouldn’t be impartial.

A U.S. District Court judge ultimately sided with the Raptors and sent the matter back to the NBA, but with no movement yet toward arbitration, the Knicks didn’t miss the opportunity to fire another shot at Silver.

“We’ve been waiting for any direction from the NBA on next steps in this matter for months — proving our point that the NBA is not capable of appropriately and fairly handling this serious theft of proprietary and confidential files,” an MSG Sports spokesperson said in a statement, per Bondy. “Unfortunately, because of the clear conflict of interest between the Commissioner and the Chairman of the NBA, there has been complete silence from the league.”

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Two injured Hornets players have been cleared to return to action on Friday in Chicago, with Miles Bridges (right knee bone bruise) and Tidjane Salaun (left ankle sprain) deemed available, per the team (Twitter link). Bridges, who last played on November 19, has missed Charlotte’s past 10 games, while Salaun has been sidelined since last Thursday.
Magic forward Paolo Banchero stated in mid-November that he hoped to be back to the court by Christmas, but his return from a torn oblique doesn’t appear close, as Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel relays. “He’s doing the same ball-handling, a little light movement on the floor, and then just trying to find ways to get the cardio up without applying too much pressure,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said on Friday. “But again, he’s just slowly moving his way to touching the court.”
Pistons rookie Ron Holland entered Thursday’s game in Boston having averaged 5.6 points per game on .425/.180/.786 shooting through his first 25 NBA games. But with Detroit facing a 25-point deficit on Thursday, Holland got a chance to play the entire fourth quarter and showed glimpses of what he could become, finishing the game with 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting. While most of those points came in garbage time, the Pistons were encouraged by what they saw from the No. 5 overall pick. “It’s still against NBA players,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “Against a team who has a great system on both sides of the ball, and they understand what they’re doing. And it proved that he can be successful versus that. Hopefully, that leads to the confidence that kind of unlocks him a little bit and now he goes and he continues to build off of this.”
Sixers forward Paul George can identify first-hand with what teammate Joel Embiid is going through. After Embiid admitted that his knee issues have been “extremely depressing,” George – who has an extensive injury history of his own – said that dealing with health problems is the “toughest part of the game,” writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “We build ourselves up so much. The media builds us up. The community builds us up,” George said. “Then you face an injury that you know you’re not yourself. You’re not the same, but you are expected to be yourself when you get on that floor. So, mentally, it is tough.”

Embiid: Ongoing Knee Issues “Extremely Depressing”

December 8th, 2024 at 8:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Joel Embiid made a triumphant return to action on Sunday but he was far from jubilant afterward. The Sixers superstar center expressed exasperation to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps over his ongoing left knee issues that have kept him out of action most of the season.

“Depressing. Just trying to figure it out. There’s no injury. Just between the swelling … we’ve got to get it figured out. That’s it,” he said. “I’ve been saying it for the last few months. It’s been extremely depressing. It’s something that hasn’t been figured out, and it’s been extremely annoying, because I would love to play every single game.”

In uniform for just the fifth time this season and the first time since Nov. 20, Embiid logged 33 minutes against Chicago and contributed 31 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

It was just the second time this season that Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George played in the same game. During their 26 minutes on the court together, the Sixers outscored the Bulls by 14 points.

“It’s easier, man. There’s a lot more space out there,” Maxey said of Embiid’s return. “I felt like today, even when he’s out there and I’m not out there, it’s harder to maybe trap or whatever. They can’t trap ball screens, you know what I mean? Either or if they don’t drive, then I can score or shoot 3 or if they drop too much and help too much for me, I’m pocket passing to him and he’s getting a layup or a [midrange jumper] … it makes the game easier.”

Embiid signed a three-year max extension in September and recent reports have detailed the extensive medical testing he underwent prior to the extension agreement. The team had anticipated Embiid’s issues would be manageable and were surprised by the early absences as he continued the rehab process.

“It felt good to have the guys on the floor. I believe if we’re healthy, and we’re on the floor, we have a chance against anybody, and I like what we have,” Embiid said. “I think the whole thing is about health … that’s what it comes down to. I wish I could have been playing from the beginning. I would love to play every single game, every single minute, but sometimes your body just says, ‘No,’ and you can’t do nothing about it. All you can do is just keep working to fix it and get better.”

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Officiating, George, Yabusele

December 5th, 2024 at 11:00am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers insist they did their due diligence throughout the year before handing Joel Embiid a three-year max extension in September, according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). Following up on an ESPN report that the team and Embiid sought out a half-dozen medical opinions about his health prior to the extension, Neubeck details that a group of five-to-seven doctors did extensive testing and evaluating of Embiid’s left knee during three periods — following his injury in January, before his return late in the regular season, and again before the extension.

While there was a wide range of outcomes based on those evaluations, the opinions were generally optimistic that his knee issues were manageable. The staff and management was surprised when Embiid missed the opener and subsequent games while he continued to rehab and ramp up. The crux of the problem is that only Embiid knows how the knee feels on a daily basis and it has taken a mental toll on him.

Coach Nick Nurse said Embiid could suit up for Friday’s game against Orlando, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Embiid has only appeared in four games so far this fall.

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Nurse and the team were upset about two no-calls in the late stages of their four-point loss to Orlando on Wednesday. One of those could have sent Tyrese Maxey to the foul line with a chance to tie after he missed a 3-point attempt. “That’s what the video showed — it should have been three free throws. It would have been a great play, right?” Nurse told Pompey and other media members.
Paul George, who is managing his own knee issues, sat out the tail end of a back-to-back after posting 29 points and eight assists in a win over Charlotte on Tuesday. George is expecting to play on Friday and his improved health and production is a source of optimism for the club, Pompey writes. “He had the ball a lot and, he made some late. I think he gives our guys confidence, especially Tyrese, to have somebody else that he can go back and forth with a little bit. I think that gives us a lot of confidence,” Nurse said.
Guerschon Yabusele hadn’t been in the league since the 2018/19 season until Philadelphia signed him as a free agent during the offseason. Kelly Oubre Jr. said it was immediately apparent that NBA teams made a mistake by not bringing him back from Europe sooner. “From day one when we got together as a team, I noticed that there’s no way he should have been out of the league,” Oubre told Pompey. “But at the end of the day, he’s back and he’s taken full advantage of his opportunity, and he’ll be here for a long time.”

Injury Notes: Cavs, Durant, Mann, George, Embiid, Reaves

December 4th, 2024 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (shoulder) and Darius Garland (head) appear to have avoided major injuries after suffering scares in Tuesday’s win over Washington, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).

While Garland, who took a hit to the back of his head in the third quarter and sat out the rest of the game, may have to clear the NBA’s concussion protocol before he can play again, head coach Kenny Atkinson sounded optimistic about his status.

“He looked fine in the locker room,” Atkinson said of Garland, per Fedor. “Doesn’t look like anything that’ll hold him out. He gave me the thumbs up, and I don’t think he’ll miss any time at all. I think he’s fine.”

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Suns star Kevin Durant exited Tuesday’s win over San Antonio shortly before halftime and didn’t return due to a sprained left ankle, per ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. Head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters after the game that Durant had yet to undergo an MRI and that he didn’t have any information yet on whether the veteran forward will miss time. “I think he stepped on somebody’s foot in transition, and I think at halftime it stiffened up,” Budenholzer said. “We will have to evaluate him again in the morning, see how he feels coming out of it, see how he does overnight. I don’t really know a whole lot more than the report at halftime.”
Clippers guard/forward Terance Mann fractured the middle finger on his left hand in Tuesday’s win over Portland, according to the team (Twitter link via Mark Medina of Sportskeeda). The Clippers indicated that Mann will be reevaluated on Wednesday, so we should have more information on his outlook once that evaluation has been completed.
After playing a season-high 37 minutes and scoring 29 points in Tuesday’s win over Charlotte, Sixers forward Paul George will sit out Wednesday’s game vs. Orlando, tweets ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. That’s no surprise, given that it’s the second night of a back-to-back and George has dealt with a knee injury this season. As for Joel Embiid, the Sixers’ star center has also been ruled out for the Orlando game, but he’s getting back on the court and starting his ramp-up process, says Bontemps.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who has missed the past two games with a left pelvic contusion, was a partial participant in today’s shootaround and is still considered questionable to play in Wednesday’s game vs. Miami, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Sixers Notes: KJ Martin, Council, George, Drummond, Trade Options

December 2nd, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Plagued with a team that has looked old and slow during a disastrous start, Sixers coach Nick Nurse has begun experimenting with younger options, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. KJ Martin and Ricky Council, who are both 23, have seen expanded playing time in the last two games, and Pompey believes they’re earning larger roles.

Martin posted a season-high 19 points, along with six rebounds and three 3-pointers in Saturday’s win at Detroit. He logged more than 27 minutes while shooting 7-of-8 from the field.

“He brought athleticism, obviously,” Nurse said. “He’s able to switch out onto pretty much anybody on the perimeter, keep them in front with some physicality. He made some timely cuts to the rim, made a couple of threes, and just was on the glass. He was doing a good job on everything.”

Council put up similar numbers with 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting in nearly 27 minutes. That followed a 12-point, 10-rebound performance Wednesday against Houston.

“You saw Ricky Council for the second night in a row now, when he got in the game … he knew, ‘I’m supposed to play hard,’” Tyrese Maxey said. “‘I’m supposed to crash. I’m supposed to guard and defend the best offensive player out there. And I do what I do in transition, score the ball.’ Now you’ve got an open spot.”

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Paul George said he felt good in his return Saturday after missing three games with a bone bruise on his left knee, Pompey states in a separate story. George concentrated on being a play-maker, setting up open shots for teammates against a collapsing Detroit defense. “That’s just the mindset I’m shifting to just be a play-maker,” he said. “Scoring will happen. Shots will fall. I just want to make winning plays. And I think that the way we want to do is kind of attack, create, open the floor up, and everybody makes plays for one another.”
The Sixers were relieved following an injury scare involving Andre Drummond, Pompey adds. The veteran center wasn’t able to put any weight on his right ankle after collapsing to the court following a put-back basket early in the game, but he escaped a major injury. “They did all the X-rays and stuff and it is just a sprain,” Nurse said. “There’s nothing else there. He’s going to be in a boot, yeah, I say a minute. I think I heard Simon [Rice, the Sixers’ vice president of athlete care] say something like it’s maybe not as bad as it looked. But again, it’s a screen. He’s a big guy, all that kind of stuff.” Drummond will miss three games before being reevaluated this weekend, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Martin’s contract, which includes a non-guaranteed $8MM salary for next season, makes him the team’s top trade candidate, Scotto adds in a full story. Caleb Martin and Kelly Oubre are in the same salary range, but sources tell Scotto that they’re still considered to be valuable parts of the Sixers’ rotation. Scotto suggests that KJ Martin might be packaged with a future first-round pick or two in exchange for an immediate upgrade.

Injury Notes: Sixers, Gordon, Powell, Richards, Bronny

November 30th, 2024 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Joel Embiid (left knee injury management and personal reasons) will miss a fourth straight game on Saturday when the Sixers face the Pistons in Detroit, while Kyle Lowry (right hip strain) will sit out for a fifth in a row, according to Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The good news for the 76ers is that Paul George, who has been out since November 20 due to a left knee bone bruise, has been upgraded to questionable and appears on track to be a game-time decision.

“We did do a good amount of contact and playing as well, so it was good to see,” head coach Nick Nurse said after George participated in Friday’s practice. “He looked pretty good out there.”

As for the status of Embiid’s knee? “The swelling’s gone down a bit,” Nurse said. “Still some soreness there. That’s about all I can say.”

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon participated in Saturday’s practice and is nearing a return, head coach Michael Malone said today (Twitter link via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette). Gordon has been on the shelf for Denver’s past 10 games as he recovers from a right calf strain. His return will be a boon for the Nuggets, who have a +10.3 net rating in Gordon’s 212 minutes on the court this season.
Clippers swingman Norman Powell has missed the team’s past six games due to a left hamstring issue but is expected to return for the four-game homestand that begins on Sunday vs. Denver, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Powell is the Clippers’ leading scorer so far this season with an average of 23.3 points per game.
Hornets center Nick Richards will be available to play on Saturday against Atlanta for the first time since November 1 after recovering from a broken rib, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. With Mark Williams unavailable so far this fall, Richards was Charlotte’s starting center prior to his injury.
Lakers guard Bronny James, who hasn’t played in either the NBA or the G League since November 17 due to a left heel contusion, will begin his ramp-up process after team doctors determined in a Friday exam that the injury is healing, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James will be reevaluated in one week.

Atlantic Notes: George, Embiid, Anunoby, Boucher

November 26th, 2024 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers stars Paul George (left knee bone bruise) and Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) will remain out for the team’s game on Wednesday vs. Houston, as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays (Twitter link).

While George was a partial participant in Tuesday’s practice, Embiid, Kyle Lowry (right hip strain), and Caleb Martin (low back soreness) didn’t take part at all. Lowry will join Embiid and George as unavailable for Wednesday’s contest; Martin will be listed as questionable to suit up.

George told reporters, including Pompey (Twitter link), that he hopes to return within the next week. After hosting the Rockets on Wednesday, the 76ers will head out on a brief two-game road trip to Detroit on Saturday and Charlotte on Tuesday before returning home next Wednesday to face Orlando. Based on George’s comments, it sounds like he’ll try to make it back for one of those back-to-back games next Tuesday and Wednesday.

A return timeline for Embiid remains unclear.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Sixers signed Embiid to a three-year, maximum-salary extension this past offseason that will keep him under contract through at least 2028, with a 2028/29 player option projected to be worth north of $69MM. The move was viewed by the 76ers at the time as a “no-brainer,” writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, but given the way this season has played out so far, it’s fair to wonder if the club will come to regret that investment, Pompey acknowledges.
On Saturday, OG Anunoby scored 27 points, his highest total since joining the Knicks nearly a year ago. On Monday, he dwarfed that total by pouring in a career-high 40 points in a win over Denver. “I’ve never been on a team like this before,” Anunoby said after New York scored 145 points and tied a franchise record with 45 assists, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. “… It’s cool to score 40 points, but it’s better to win. What did we win by, 20-something? I’m happier about that.” Anunoby spoke earlier this month about wanting to be known as a standout “two-way player” rather than just a defender. His recent performances have certainly helped make that case.
Within a grab-bag article about various Raptors-related topics, Eric Koreen of The Athletic considers whether big man Chris Boucher will have any value as an in-season trade chip. Boucher is averaging 11.2 points per game, the second-best mark of his career, and the team is 4.4 points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the court. Koreen suggests that Boucher, who is earning $10.81MM on an expiring contract, could potentially bring back a second-round pick or two, along with matching salary.