Sixers star expected to miss preseason debut vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Philadelphia 76ers continue their preseason campaign on Monday night against the Brooklyn Nets in New York City, where they will be without Joel Embiid.

The Sixers are 0-2 in the preseason so far, but were expecting a major, 7-foot lift against the Nets, with Embiid scheduled to make his preseason debut on Monday, according to head coach Nick Nurse.

From Nick Nurse:

Joel Embiid expected to play tomorrow in Brooklyn.

As James Harden said Friday, aim is for him to play in preseason finale.

Furkan Korkmaz unlikely to go. He continues to make progress returning from leg strain.

— Noah Levick (@NoahLevick) October 15, 2023

The status of Joel Embiid for Monday night’s preseason game has changed, and he is now officially ruled out. The exact reason for his absence has not been disclosed.

Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, has yet to make an appearance in the preseason for the Sixers. This was anticipated as an opportunity for fans to get a glimpse of Nurse’s plans for utilizing him this season and how the team’s offense would revolve around him. However, fans will have to wait until at least Friday when the Sixers host their final preseason game to witness this.

In addition to Embiid, James Harden will also be absent on Monday, with the intention of having him start his season for the Sixers in the preseason finale on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks. Danuel House and Furkan Korkmaz will also be missing from the lineup, with Korkmaz still recovering from a leg strain.

 

 

During this preseason, promising performances have been observed from Jaden Springer, Paul Reed, and Kelly Oubre Jr. We will closely monitor their development within the Sixers’ system.

While it’s important to remember that it’s only the preseason, there have been impressive displays of skill from several of the young players on the team as we approach the start of the regular season. These young talents, along with Tyrese Maxey, will have another opportunity to take the lead on the court without Joel Embiid as the focal point.

For the Nets, the spotlight will be on Ben Simmons as he faces his former team, and fans are eager to see how his training has progressed over the past few months. Nets head coach Jacques Vaughn has already played Simmons and other starters in their first postseason outing, and we can also anticipate watching Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Spencer Dinwiddie. Nevertheless, the majority of the attention will likely be on Simmons and how he performs against his former team.

In a previous preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Simmons scored 10 points with three assists and a rebound in 14 minutes of play.

The game between the Sixers and the Nets is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. EST in Brooklyn.