Atlantic Notes: Barrett, Poeltl, Brunson, Hart, Embiid, George, Hauser
The Raptors are optimistic that forward RJ Barrett will be able to return to action soon, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Barrett has missed 21 of the past 27 games due to a knee injury and a sprained ankle, but Grange states that he “showed no ill effects” after a hard workout prior to Sunday’s contest. There’s hope that he can be back on the court at some point during the current road trip, possibly by Wednesday’s game at Sacramento.
The team is less optimistic about center Jakob Poeltl, who has made just one brief appearance since December 15 because of a lower back strain. Poeltl also went through a pregame workout on Sunday, but Grange said it wasn’t nearly at full game speed. Toronto has reportedly explored Poeltl’s value on the trade market, but the lingering injury could make it tough to move him before the deadline.
Rookie forward Collin Murray-Boyles has been seeing time at center during Poeltl’s absence, but he had to leave Sunday’s game in the third quarter after being hit on the hand by Luka Doncic. X-rays were negative, and Murray-Boyles was diagnosed with a bruised thumb.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart were able to participate Sunday in the Knicks‘ off-day workout, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Both players are listed as questionable for today’s game against Dallas, with Brunson recovering from a right ankle sprain he suffered last Wednesday and Hart dealing with right ankle soreness.
- Joel Embiid and Paul George are listed as questionable to play as the Sixers prepare to host Indiana tonight, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Both players may be held out due to left knee injury management.
- Sam Hauser fell just short on Saturday in his attempt to break the Celtics‘ record for most made three-pointers in a game, writes Jay King of The Athletic. There was plenty of time remaining when Hauser hit his 10th three, one away from Marcus Smart‘s record of 11, but he misfired on his final six attempts. “At that point, it was just like, let’s get them up. Let’s see what happens,” Hauser said. “And then I got dead tired. The last couple, they were on (target), they were just way short. So it is what it is.”
Atlantic Notes: Brown, Embiid, Lowry, Shead
Jaylen Brown is set to return for the Celtics‘ matchup with the Heat on Thursday after missing Monday’s loss in Indiana due to back spasms, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes (Twitter link). The Celtics have lost two consecutive games after winning nine of their previous 11 contests.
Brown believes that the Celtics have not been getting the whistle they should from the referees, Jay King writes in an article for The Athletic. He was fined $35K earlier in the week for criticizing the officiating after a game against the Spurs, which he expected.
“I think something had to be said,” Brown said. “As a team, we get to the free-throw line the least in the league. So just protecting our guys and myself. I think that we deserve a little bit of more respect.”
King points out that the Celtics are the only team in the league averaging fewer than 20 free throw attempts per game, and that Brown is 15th in attempts, despite driving more than anyone in the league other than Deni Avdija and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who both rank in the top four in free throw attempts.
Brown says he’s studied what referees look for and doesn’t believe that the whistle he and the team receive is consistent with the calls other teams get.
“They just pick and choose who they like to call it on. That’s the part that pisses me off,” Brown said. “It should just be everybody should just get reffed evenly and consistently, but it just seems like there’s an agenda where some guys they choose to call certain fouls for, some guys they don’t. So I don’t know what goes into that decision-making, but it’s kind of clear that certain guys on certain teams, certain markets or certain profiles get preferential treatment versus others when it should just be basketball.”
Head coach Joe Mazzulla agreed with his star player’s assessment, though he cautioned against getting too caught up in it.
“We can’t put ourselves in a situation where other people are allowed to control the outcome of the game,” Mazzulla said. “So we have to get better.”
We have more from around the Atlantic Division:
- Joel Embiid is the healthiest he’s been in two years, Tony Jones writes for The Athletic. His body responding the way he wants it to has helped bring him a newfound sense of joy to the Sixers. “I can’t sit here and say that I thought this would happen again. I was skeptical that I would have a chance of being this consistent,” Embiid said. “That’s why I’m kind of emotional about it. I think there were a lot of people that thought this would never be possible again. So, I’m happy that I’m getting the chance to play again and be consistent again. I just want to keep playing, and keep trying to get better every single night.” Embiid isn’t as explosive as he once was, as evidenced by his recording his first dunk of the season in a recent win over the Knicks, but he has been able to play with fluidity and intention, Jones writes. “What we love is that he looks happy,” said teammate Tyrese Maxey. “We want him to be happy, more than anything. And he looks healthy. I think the thing that I’m most proud of is that he’s staying on top of his treatment. He’s staying on top of getting ice and seeing the training staff. Just seeing him healthy, that is the stuff that really matters.”
- Kyle Lowry got to experience a special moment at the end of the Sixers‘ win against the Raptors on Monday, writes Ian Harrison of The Associated Press. With just under two minutes to go in the fourth quarter and the road crowd chanting his name, Lowry was inserted into the game and was greeted with an enthusiastic standing ovation. The game marked what could be the point guard’s last appearance in Toronto, six-and-a-half years after he helped bring the city its lone NBA championship. “I got an opportunity to experience probably one of the greatest basketball moments of my personal career,” Lowry said after the game. Coach Nick Nurse heard the crowd chanting, “We want Lowry,” and gave them what they wanted. “I thought they didn’t think I was really going to do it, but I was planning on it there and got a good moment to do it,” Nurse said. “It was nice to be able to kind of bring him in on his own there.” Lowry emphasized after the game that his retirement plan still involves signing a one-day contract with the Raptors to retire with the team he spent nine seasons playing for.
- Jamal Shead has been one of the standout performers for the Raptors this season, Eric Koreen writes in his midseason report card for The Athletic (subscriber link). Shead is one of two players, along with Scottie Barnes, whom Koreen awards an A grade, writing that the guard’s defense and ability to get downhill have earned him coach Darko Rajakovic‘s trust late in games. Koreen also notes that in Shead’s clutch-time minutes, the Raptors outscore their opponents by 26.2 points per 100 possessions.
Peyton Watson, Scottie Barnes Named Players Of Week
Nuggets wing Peyton Watson and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).
Watson led the depleted Nuggets to a 3-1 record during the week of January 5-11, posting averages of 24.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game while making 70% of his three-point attempts (14-of-20).
The fourth-year swingman entered Denver’s starting lineup in November due to injuries and is enjoying a career year ahead of his restricted free agency. This is the first Player of the Week award of his career.
The Raptors also had a 3-1 record last week with Barnes averaging 22.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists — he sat out the team’s loss to Boston on Friday due to a right knee sprain, so Toronto was 3-0 when he played.
Barnes’ best game of the week came in an overtime victory over Philadelphia on Sunday — he racked up 31 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, and was a +15 in a game the Raptors won by a single point.
It’s the second time Barnes has earned Player of the Week honors in his career.
Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers), Devin Booker (Suns), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other Western Conference nominees, while Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Joel Embiid (Sixers), Darius Garland (Cavaliers), Jalen Johnson (Hawks) and Andrew Nembhard (Pacers) were also nominated in the East.
Sixers Notes: Lowry, Oubre, Barlow, Embiid
Kyle Lowry didn’t see any playing time Sunday night as he made possibly the final Toronto appearance of his long NBA career, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Lowry is still a beloved figure in the city, where he spent nine years and helped the Raptors win their only NBA title. But the Sixers guard has moved into a player-coach role in his 20th NBA season, logging 43 total minutes in five appearances. Head coach Nick Nurse refers to him a “middle man” who serves as a liaison between the coaching staff and the other players.
“Sometimes, I try to talk to those guys as a coach,” Lowry said of his younger teammates, especially Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. “As a player, I wish I could say certain things or say, ‘Do this or do that.’ It’s that balance of I know I’m not on the court, so I can’t yell at them or curse at them. But I can say, ‘Hey, here are the things I see. Let’s try to do that.’”
It’s an unexpected role for Lowry, who was known for his hyper-competitive approach to the game during his prime, Koreen adds. But the wisdom he gathered during his two decades in the league and the influence of other players have prepared him to be a mentor.
“Throughout my career I had the opportunity to be around a guy like Fred VanVleet,” Lowry added. “That kind of (told me), ‘Why not try to continue to do that and help a guy like Tyrese Maxey.’ And then, you get fortunate enough and they draft a guy like VJ. You got two young guys. And Jared McCain. Sometimes, the game gives you something you have to do.”
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Kelly Oubre Jr. shot a combined 1-of-9 from the field in his first two games after returning from a long injury absence, but he rediscovered his scoring touch on Sunday, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer notes in a subscriber-only story. He contributed 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting while setting season highs with four steals and three blocks. “It definitely felt good,” Oubre said. “It’s just, I think I could be better. I got blocked because I’m not trusting myself and the work that I put in. So you know, just watching film, continue to just show up every day and get better. That’s all I can do. But it definitely felt good to get some run.”
- Oubre and Dominick Barlow were both in the starting lineup on Sunday because Paul George was a late scratch with left knee soreness, but Nurse will eventually face a difficult lineup decision, Pompey states in a mailbag column. Although it’s a close call, Pompey suggests the team is better with Barlow starting because that means George doesn’t have to play power forward and it’s easier for him to defend on the perimeter.
- Joel Embiid has an interesting case for an All-Star spot, Pompey adds in the same piece. Embiid has only appeared in 19 of the team’s 37 games — and was held out Sunday for left knee injury management and left groin soreness — but he’s been outstanding when he does play and his scoring average of 23.5 PPG tops all Eastern Conference centers. Embiid offered his opinion after Friday’s game, telling reporters, “Am I going to make it? I think I should. I don’t think we’re pushing it enough. I think I got pretty good stats. So, maybe you guys should put the word out that Joel Embiid is back.”
Sixers Notes: Healthy Starters, Embiid, Maxey, Edgecombe
Improved health is turning the Sixers into a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. During a three-game road winning streak that moved Philadelphia to within three games of second place, the biggest news surrounding the team is that Joel Embiid and Paul George were both in the starting lineup for all three contests. They’re pairing with the explosive backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe to make the Sixers a difficult challenge for opposing defenses.
“For three games, we have had the same players in our starting lineup,” coach Nick Nurse said. “For three games, we have started the same five people. I don’t think I’ve been able to say that very much, since I’ve been here. You guys (the reporters) would have to go and check your notes on that. It’s been good to finally have some continuity.”
The most significant development is the health of Embiid, who is showing flashes of his MVP form in recent games. He posted 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Saturday’s win at New York and is proving that he’s still among the NBA’s best centers. Jones notes that he’s also figuring out how to benefit from playing with the team’s high-scoring guards after that relationship looked “clunky” earlier in the season.
“I’m just super happy to see Joel and Tyrese and PG on the floor and healthy,” Edgecombe said. “I’m super happy, man. It’s like the little kid in me, playing alongside the superstars that I watched growing up. Yeah, man, this is great.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- Embiid’s performance on Saturday included his first dunk of the season, which is a sign that his troublesome right knee could be feeling better, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Embiid was nonchalant about the achievement, but his teammates were excited. “I was so happy,” Maxey said. “So now, it’s my fault because the play before, I dropped him off a pass, thinking he wasn’t going to dunk it. Now he’s telling me to throw him a lob. So I’m going to throw him a lob, and we’re going to see how that goes.”
- Maxey’s scoring numbers have made him a contender for first-team All-NBA honors, but Nurse is equally impressed by his improved defense, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Maxey ranks fourth in the league in steals at 1.8 per game and has already blocked 28 shots, which is five away from his single-season career high. “He’s been much better this year, I think the whole way,” Nurse said. “I think you’d agree that he’s into the ball, he’s over screens, getting his share of pick-sixes, getting his share of turnovers. So he’s been really alert on that end of the floor, I think all season. He just keeps getting better.”
- There was some debate heading into the draft about who the Sixers should take with the No. 3 pick, but Edgecombe is showing they made the right choice, Pompey adds in the same piece. The rookie guard is proving there’s a lot more to his game than the highlights he displayed at Baylor. “He’s been awesome,” Nurse said. “I think just, again, the composure. I think that he has it just so steady out there. He plays like a 10-year vet with his composure. He just kind of keeps making plays. He does a little bit of everything, which is great.”
Sixers Notes: Oubre, Power Forward, Grimes, Embiid
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said earlier this week that forward Kelly Oubre Jr., who has been sidelined since November 14 due to a sprained left knee, could return to action during the team’s current road trip. That trip will wrap up on Saturday in New York, and Oubre’s chances of playing against the Knicks may hinge on whether he can take part in a five-on-five scrimmage on Friday, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Oubre participated in a three-on-three scrimmage on Monday and a four-on-four session on Wednesday, Pompey notes. If he plays five-on-five and his body responds well, his return should be imminent, though the 30-year-old declined to speculate on that subject, indicating he’s leaving the decision up to the experts.
“I’m just going off what the trainers and the docs say,” Oubre said. “So for me, I don’t feel any pain, any shortness after workouts, and things like that, which is a good sign. So I take that as a positive and just continue to build from there and get stronger. But I’m leaving it to the docs and the trainers.”
While the 76ers have been hit hard by injuries over the past year-and-a-half, they’re close to getting fully healthy, with both Oubre and Trendon Watford (adductor) in the final stage of their respective recovery processes.
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- Even when Oubre returns, Nurse says he envisions Paul George “mostly” as a three, according to Pompey. So who will handle the primary power forward duties? Nurse suggested he may take a committee approach to the position. “I think it’s Paul. I think it’s (Dominick) Barlow. Could be a little Oubre. Could be a little (Adem) Bona,” the Sixers’ coach said. “But I think it just depends on who we’re playing. Hopefully, we can be versatile enough to figure out what we are doing in all those different lineups. That’s what’s going to take some time.”
- Quentin Grimes averaged 11.8 shot attempts per game in his first 24 outings of the season, but that numbers has dipped to 7.5 per game in his past six contests. As long as Joel Embiid, George, and Tyrese Maxey are healthy and available, that trend may continue, but Grimes can continue to provide value with his defensive effort and by making the most of the opportunities he does get on offense, Pompey writes for The Inquirer. “He’s kind of a good wild card for us,” Maxey said of Grimes. “He can get hot. He can make threes. He can drive the ball. He can play defensively, too. That’s what’s really good for us. He can play with a lot of lineups too.”
- While Embiid’s offensive production has increased as of late – he has averaged 29.2 points per game in his past six starts – the former MVP says he believes his improving health is more evident on the other end of the court, per Pompey. “Physically, where I felt most (like myself) is defensively,” Embiid explained. “I’m getting back to that level of (protecting the rim), blocking shots and being that defensive presence.”
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Maxey, George, Beauchamp, Oubre
The Sixers are counting on Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George to be their team leaders, but they haven’t been on the court together long enough to build any kind of chemistry, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Friday’s game against Chicago marked just the fourth time this season that all three players have been available. They each turned in fine individual performances, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 109-102 loss that gave them an 0-4 record in those games.
“I’d like to see them have 10, or 15, or 20 games together,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I think the issue here is that there have been so many injuries that there just hasn’t been enough time for them to get onto the floor together.”
Jones points out that the Sixers have to determine how they’re going to run the offense when Embiid, Maxey and George are on the floor at the same time. Embiid has been an offensive force throughout his career whose production has only been limited by his frequent injury issues. However, Maxey is one of the NBA’s top scorers this season at 30.8 PPG, and giving the ball to Embiid to operate in the post limits Maxey’s opportunities.
Jones adds that the Sixers were successful early in the season because they played at a fast pace with Maxey and rookie guard VJ Edgecombe leading the attack. Once Embiid began to play more regularly, the offense slowed down and that weapon was taken away.
“What’s tough is that we haven’t been able to have much practice time with all three of us on the floor,” Maxey said. “And that’s something we need to deal with because the games are different. They are much different. We missed a lot of shots that we know we should have made. Those things happen. But we have to figure it out, quick.”
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Embiid is coming off one of his best games of the season with 31 points and five rebounds in 32 minutes at Chicago. However, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer observes in a subscriber-only story that Embiid’s movement was limited due to pain in his right knee. Pompey believes the Bulls repeatedly targeted Embiid on defense, although Nurse disagreed. “I don’t know about that,” Nurse said. “I got to look at that first (on film). I thought he had some really good possessions by him defensively. But let me look at the film first before I comment. I don’t think that.”
- MarJon Beauchamp, who signed a two-way contract on Friday, feels fortunate that his latest NBA opportunity is coming with the Sixers, Pompey states in a separate story. “Guys are injured,” Beauchamp said. “I feel like I can help the team with my length, my defensive abilities, and my shooting abilities. I shot well in the G League this year. I feel like I can bring a lot to the team, and just my young energy, and bring good energy around the team. So I just feel like it’s a great opportunity.”
- Kelly Oubre Jr., who has been sidelined with a left knee ligament sprain since November 14, is getting “much closer” to returning, Jones tweets. Oubre was heavily involved in individual work at Saturday’s practice, Jones adds, focusing on starting and stopping and changing direction at full speed.
Sixers Notes: Walker, Edgecombe, Embiid, Barlow
Head coach Nick Nurse stuck with the same five players through the entire fourth quarter Saturday night in the Sixers‘ win over Dallas, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Reserve Jared McCain joined Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in a three-guard lineup alongside backup big men Jabari Walker and Adem Bona. That group held the Mavericks to 30.4% shooting from the field in the final 12 minutes to reclaim control of a game that appeared to be slipping away in the third quarter.
Maxey had 16 points in the closing quarter, and Nurse believed all three guards were having a positive impact. He was also confident in the contributions he was getting from Walker and Bona.
“As far as the two bigs, I felt Jabari was playing (Cooper) Flagg super physical,” Nurse said. “And the other thing, we started doing some switching between the four and five. Jabari also would get switched onto (Anthony) Davis and was playing him physically to get him off the block and battle him. I don’t know how many rebounds Jabari got. But it sure seems like he snatched a bunch of them down there, that was also critical.”
Walker pulled down six of his eight rebounds in the fourth quarter while playing effective defense on Flagg, helping to hold the star rookie to four points in the quarter on 2-of-6 shooting. Walker, who has been a valuable contributor after signing a two-way contract during the summer, credited “a great scout report” for the defensive effort against Flagg.
“I think (Dominick Barlow) started off on him. Big credit to him,” Walker said. “He had a great night tonight, also. I want to show him some love with that. I think either one of us could have finished the game. We both understand that about each other. So, some games it is going to be (like that). So I just tried to feed off the energy he had tonight.”
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Saturday’s game featured two of the top selections in June’s draft, with Edgecombe (26 points, six rebounds, four assists), who was chosen at No. 3, slightly outperforming the top pick Flagg (24 points, four rebounds, three assists). Nurse marveled at the ability of both players to be able to contribute right away, Pompey states in the same piece. “The rookies that have impacted in a big way is really something,” he said. “Especially considering those two guys are really young. I guess they’re really good. I think most rookies, you will see flashes. You will see one great game, then six go by. These guys are starting to do it like night in, night out. And to me, that’s like what the NBA is.”
- Joel Embiid sat out both weekend games due to right knee injury management and an illness, Pompey adds. He’s now up to 16 missed games for the season and will almost certainly fall short of the 65-game requirement to qualify for postseason awards. “He just didn’t have a great week with the illness and a little bit of soreness in the right knee,” Nurse said. “And fortunately, we can get through the week and … get another couple of days, and hopefully get him going.”
- Barlow, another two-way offseason addition, was more aggressive than usual in attacking the basket against Dallas, observes Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (subscription required). The fourth-year forward finished with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, taking advantage of his matchup with Klay Thompson and the Mavs’ defensive focus on Maxey. “If he’s scoring the ball the way he does, they’re gonna over-help on that. Or if they’re switching they’re not gonna worry as much about me as they are him, and that makes a lot of sense,” Barlow explained. “Just being aggressive on that, to make them where they have to respect me, guarding the ball, knowing that I will do that (drive), will make his life easier.”
Injury Notes: Poeltl, Barrett, Dante, Sixers, Bradley, Brown
Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, who has been dealing with a back issue this season, will miss a second straight game on Saturday as Toronto hosts the Celtics, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.
“We have a long-term plan for him,” head coach Darko Rajakovic said, “which consists of managing this injury and which consists of building his strength, which consists of him playing through a certain level of discomfort.
“But we’re not concerned at all. It’s just something that we are dealing (with) in the middle of the season. If we were in the offseason and you shut him down for two weeks, he would be completely fine, but it’s something we’re really trying to manage day to day. At this point, it’s not to that point that we just need to shut him down. It’s not that serious.”
Meanwhile, Raptors forward RJ Barrett will miss a 12th consecutive game on Saturday due to his right knee sprain, but he’s making progress toward a return. According to Grange (Twitter link), Barrett has resumed on-court activities. The plan is for him to do live work against coaches in the coming days, then participate in practice and scrimmage with teammates.
Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- Hawks center N’Faly Dante may have sustained a serious knee injury while playing in the G League for the College Park Skyhawks on Friday. According to John Hollinger (Bluesky links), Dante was in significant pain after awkwardly twisting his right knee following a rebound and had to be carried off the court. It was the big man’s first game since he entered the concussion protocol on December 2, tweets Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com.
- Sixers center Joel Embiid (illness and right knee injury management) will miss a second consecutive game on Saturday vs. Dallas, while forward Paul George (left knee injury management) has also been ruled out, tweets Marc Stein. George hasn’t played both ends of a back-to-back set yet this season, so his absence comes as no surprise after he suited up for Friday’s win over New York.
- Pacers center Tony Bradley suffered a fracture on the tip of his thumb, according to head coach Rick Carlisle, who referred to the thumb as “partially functional” with a splint on it, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter links). While it sounds like Bradley will remain active, the decision to sign James Wiseman to a 10-day contract was directly related to that injury, Carlisle said (Twitter link via Dopirak). While Wiseman will give the team some additional depth, he’s probably not in NBA game shape quite yet, Carlisle admitted.
- The Celtics will be without top scorer Jaylen Brown when they take on the Raptors on Saturday night. Brown, who played in 26 of Boston’s first 27 games, has been ruled out due to an illness, per the team (Twitter link).
Sixers Notes: George, Embiid, Maxey, Oubre
Paul George turned in his best game of the season — and one of his best since signing with the Sixers in the summer of 2024 — in Sunday’s loss at Atlanta, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). George didn’t seem to be bothered by the left knee issue that forced him to miss the first 12 games of the season as he went 7-of-10 from three-point range on his way to a 35-point night.
“I’m getting more and more comfortable within the system, within the offense,” he said. “At that point, now, I can kind of just be myself. Just allow the game to come to me, find my moment. And be aggressive in those.”
Injuries limited George to 41 games last season, which played a major role in Philadelphia’s collapse. The decision to give him a four-year, $211.6MM contract at age 34 was widely questioned, but now he’s hoping to change the perception of that deal.
“Last year was a lot going on,” he said. “I was just trying to patch up stuff. This year, I’m a lot healthier. I’m able. I feel like I can play my game. I feel like I can be myself. There’s still some things that got to come back. I’m not all the way 100 (percent). But I’m more myself than I was last year. So that’s the positive that I can take. And everything else is, with time, I’m just going to continue to get better.”
There’s more on the Sixers:
- After playing both Friday and Sunday, Joel Embiid said he needs less time between games to prepare his knees, Pompey adds in the same piece. Earlier in the season, he required at least two full days off between games, but the knee pain has eased and he was able to perform effectively on Sunday, finishing with 22 points, a season-high 14 rebounds and two blocked shots. “I feel OK,” Embiid said. “I was a little tired out there. But I feel good. I’ll take it. I came out pretty good either way. So I’ll take it. Obviously, I would have felt better if we got the win. But that didn’t happen. … We’ll see how it feels tomorrow. But it was good things.”
- Philadelphia played its second straight game without Tyrese Maxey, who is sidelined due to an illness, Pompey states in a separate story. There’s hope that Maxey, who ranks third in the scoring race at 31.5 PPG, will return for Friday’s contest at New York. “We’re concerned because he’s sick, and he wasn’t well enough to get on the floor here for a couple of games,” coach Nick Nurse said. “After Friday’s game, we thought he’d be at the plane to come with us but didn’t make it. I talked to him last night, and he said he’d see me at practice Tuesday. I said, ‘I’m not sure we’re practicing Tuesday, but I’ll be there. Me and you, man. I’ll see you there.’”
- Kelly Oubre Jr. was reevaluated last week for the left knee ligament sprain that has sidelined him since November 14, but Nurse didn’t have an update on his condition, Pompey adds in a mailbag column. Oubre was able to do his first on-court individualized workout since the injury before Sunday’s game, but he hasn’t been cleared for practice yet. “Nothing new,” Nurse said. “He’s out there walking around a bit. He’s on the court a bit. I’m hoping there’s some. … It looks like there’s some progress there. And just like you, I want him out there ASAP and then back.”