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.
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.”
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, George, Martin, Wolf, Demin
Joel Embiid has produced well below his career rates for most of the season, but he flashed his former Most Valuable Player form on Friday, pouring in 39 points in the Sixers‘ 10-point win over Indiana.
“He’s worked at it,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said, per Tony Jones of The Athletic. “The practices this week have helped. His own individual work away from practice has helped. I think him being able to do all of that is a great sign that he’s starting to feel good. I have always said that he’s best when he’s driving. I think he drove a lot to draw fouls early. The best thing was his variety. The 39 points were great, but they came with him scoring through a lot of different schemes. He read the different stuff most of the night, pretty good.”
Friday’s game was the Sixers first in five days, and Embiid believes his knees have held up better when he has more time in between appearances.
“I feel good,” Embiid said. “I’ve been able to be consistent, and that’s the big thing. I’ve been able to do the same thing over and over again this week and not have to take a break. I’ve talked about this before, but the plan of having me play a game and then having two days off seems to be working. So, I’ve been able to get on the court and do a lot of work.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Nurse has increasingly used Paul George as a point forward, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. George has racked up 13 assists over the last three games. “I’m comfortable with the ball,” George said. “I think more than anything, it’s just continue to prove to myself and remain confident as I continue to trust my body and gain confidence on the floor that my body can still produce. So it’s just adding to the confidence, and just chipping away at the work put into this season so far to get ready for this season.”
- Earlier this week, Raptors two-way player Alijah Martin is the G League’s most recent Player of the Week, per the NBA (Twitter link). Martin averaged 26.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in three Raptors 905 wins. This year’s No. 39 overall pick has appeared in just two games with the NBA team.
- Nets rookie big man Danny Wolf had 17 points and seven rebounds in a loss to Dallas on Friday. He’s averaging 13.5 PPG in his last six outings. Wolf benefited from a stint in the G League, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “When he had the opportunity to play with Long Island, he took advantage of his minutes,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “And now that he’s in the rotation, he’s taking advantage of his minutes. So I’m very happy with him. He’s a special player because at his size he can do so many different things. And still trying to figure it out because he’s showing me what he’s capable of doing. He’s capable of doing a lot of things — good things.”
- Another Nets rookie, Egor Demin, only played two-plus minutes in the fourth quarter on Friday as the team fell apart in crunch time, Lewis notes. “He was trying to fix mistakes by trying to make things happen. And this is not how you want to do things,” Fernandez said. “I need him to play with better readiness and better physicality. And this is not the way that the team needs him to play. So, he’s got to be better. Otherwise, the minutes are going to go down, and somebody else will take advantage. I know he cares; he’s always responded and punched back. So, he’s way better than what he performed.”
Sixers Notes: Maxey, Embiid, George, McCain, Oubre
Entering Thursday’s game vs. Golden State, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey was off to the third-best scoring start in franchise history through 20 games, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Maxey’s 649 points this fall trailed only Allen Iverson‘s 681 in 2005/06 and Wilt Chamberlain‘s 661 in 1965/66 in terms of the best all-time 20-game starts among 76ers players.
Over the course of those 20 contests, Maxey also led the NBA in minutes per game (40.2) and field goal attempts per game (23.1). Head coach Nick Nurse, who has been leaning heavily on the star guard this fall, suggested he wouldn’t have a problem with Maxey playing an even larger role on offense.
“What did he take, 26 shots tonight?” Nurse said after Tuesday’s win over Washington. “He should shoot even more. That’s the big thing. Nobody is stopping him from doing what he wants to do.”
On Thursday, Maxey took Nurse’s advice, taking 27 shots from the floor and making 13 of them. He also went 5-of-5 from the free throw line and finished with 35 points to increase his scoring average to 32.6 PPG. However, his biggest moment of the night came on the defensive end, as he made an incredible chase-down block on a De’Anthony Melton layup attempt at the final buzzer to preserve a 99-98 victory for Philadelphia following a VJ Edgecombe basket with 0.9 seconds left (video link via NBA.com).
“The block was amazing,” teammate Joel Embiid said, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “I almost forgot where we actually made the game-winning layup. I had to ask after. I was like, ‘Wait, who made a game-winning layup?’ That’s how good the block was.”
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- Embiid wasn’t on the court during the game’s final moments after reaching his 25-minute limit in the third quarter, and he won’t play on Friday vs. Milwaukee in the second end of a back-to-back set, notes Bontemps. The star center, who has appeared in just eight games this season due to knee issues, said it’s actually easier on his body to hit his minutes limit earlier in the night rather than being saved for crunch time. “I just think after last game I sat too long, and I think that’s happened in the past, earlier in the season, sitting too long and coming back in the fourth,” Embiid said. “Until I’m able to bump that up or they’ll allow me to play more, I think I just got to not sit too long, just play basketball and that’s also the best way to get in a rhythm because obviously, being in and out and obviously not playing back-to-backs and playing, basically playing every two days, that’s how you get in rhythm.”
- Embiid didn’t make a major impact when he was on the court on Thursday, contributing 12 points and six rebounds while shooting just 5-of-13 from the floor. As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer notes, the 76ers will need more from the former MVP if they hope to have a legitimate chance to make a postseason run in the spring.
- After playing three games in a row, forward Paul George sat out on Thursday due to what the Sixers called left knee injury recovery, but he’s trending toward being active for Friday’s game, says Bontemps. In other words, it appears the team is just being careful with George in back-to-backs following his offseason knee surgery, and he didn’t experience a setback.
- Second-year guard Jared McCain got off to a very slow start last month after returning from a lengthy injury layoff, but he’s rounding into form as of late, with 12.7 points in 25.8 minutes per game on .453/.419/.833 shooting in his past six outings. “I feel like I’m back to myself,” McCain said, according to Pompey. “… I remember in the beginning when I first came back, I was like, ‘Dang, am I ever going to get this burst back at all?’ But just trusting the process, and now I’m here.”
- After being ruled out for at least one more week due to a sprained LCL in his left knee, Sixers wing Kelly Oubre Jr. admitted that it has been frustrating to remain sidelined, as Pompey relays. “It sucks,” said Oubre, who last played on November 14. “Listen, man, I’m trying to stay above water, keep my head about it. Trying to fight the depression and all that stuff that comes with not being able to do your job and fulfill your purpose. So it’s a different challenge, and I’m up for the challenge, and I think the reward at the other side will be great just because I’m trying to take it day by day.”
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Edgecombe, George, Barlow
Sixers center Joel Embiid played a season-high 30 minutes as he returned to the court Sunday night for the first time in three weeks, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Embiid finished with 18 points and four rebounds while shooting 6-of-14 from the field, but he was held out of the second overtime as Philadelphia lost to the Hawks.
“I thought the first half was pretty good,” he said. “When it’s been almost a month and you’ve only had about two court sessions, going up and down, it’s going to be tough. I’m just happy that I got a chance to play the game of basketball, build on it and go from there. … I don’t really judge myself based on shots falling. Tonight is all about how I moved laterally, jumping and all that stuff. Tonight was a good step towards that.”
It was only the seventh game of the season for Embiid as the Sixers have been cautious about putting too much strain on the injured left knee that forced him to miss most of last season, while he has also dealt with right knee soreness. He was originally listed as unavailable for Sunday’s contest, but his condition was upgraded throughout the day. Embiid has been effective in his limited appearances, averaging 19.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 24.3 minutes per night.
Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe also returned Sunday after missing the past three games with a calf issue, Bontemps adds. He scored seven points in 21 minutes, but wasn’t used after regulation, while Paul George, who was playing for just the fifth time this season, was held out of the second overtime.
“That was just kind of about as much as they had, to be honest,” coach Nick Nurse told reporters.
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- George said he felt some back tightness during the game, but he didn’t appear worried (Twitter video link from PHLY Sixers). He finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists and five steals in 28 minutes. “But that’s gonna happen,” he said of the back issue. “That was the most minutes I’ve played consecutively. It’s good. It’s nothing to be concerned with. I felt good. I asked for more minutes out there, just how the game was going, how my body was feeling. I think I’m the bird, leaving the nest, getting to fly and flap my wings a little bit more. It feels good to kinda be on the healthy side.”
- Former Hawks forward Dominick Barlow is getting consistent rotation minutes for the first time in his career after signing a two-way contract with the Sixers over the summer. He was on a two-way deal with Atlanta last season, and his ex-coach, Quin Snyder, isn’t surprised by his level of success, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). “He really knows how to play,” Snyder said. “And he gave us, in a stretch where we really needed someone to come in and not only give us good minutes, but kind of connect as a team. And I think it’s unusual for a player in (a two-way) position to have that kind of impact on the group. … He’s got a great feel for the game, can pass, handle, just a smart player. Very committed to helping the team in any way he can.”
- In a mailbag column, Pompey examines the possibility of trading George or Embiid, who’ve both dealt with significant injuries since signing hefty contracts last year.
Sixers’ Drummond Day-To-Day With Right Knee Sprain
November 29: Drummond underwent an MRI on Saturday morning which revealed no structural damage, the Sixers announced (Twitter link via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports). The veteran big man is feeling better today, per the team, and an official update will come at 4:00 pm CT.
Scotto reports (via Twitter) that Drummond is considered day-to-day.
November 28: Sixers center Andre Drummond sustained a right knee sprain in the first half of Friday’s game at Brooklyn and will not return, the team announced (Twitter link via Tony Jones of The Athletic).
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link), the initial diagnosis on Drummond is a hyperextended knee, though he will almost certainly undergo additional testing to confirm that diagnosis and determine the severity of the injury.
Drummond appeared to be knocked off balance in the air by teammate Kyle Lowry as he was attempting to corral a defensive rebound. The 32-year-old was unable to put weight on his right leg, according to Jones (Twitter link), and had to be helped off the court, ultimately leaving in a wheelchair.
Second-year big man Adem Bona, who returned to action on Friday after missing the past five games with a right ankle sprain, started the second half with Drummond out, Jones adds (via Twitter).
It’s an unfortunate development for both Drummond and the 76ers, who also had Paul George back on Friday following a one-game absence due to his own right ankle sprain.
A two-time All-Star and four-time rebounding champion in the early portion of his career, Drummond opened the season playing a modest role for Philadelphia but had started each of the past eight games heading into Friday with Joel Embiid continuing to miss time with a sore right knee. Drummond averaged a double-double (10.9 points and 13.8 rebounds) over that stretch while also incorporating a three-point shot into his game — entering Friday, he was 9-of-22 (40.9%) from deep on the season.
Drummond, who is earning $5MM in the final year of his contract, will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Bona, Dominick Barlow, Jabari Walker and Johni Broome are all candidates for more playing time with Drummond out.
Sixers Notes: Maxey, Embiid, George, Edgecombe
After they made a total of 60 combined appearances last season, availability has been an issue again this fall for Sixers stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, who have played in six and three games, respectively, and have yet to share the court.
However, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, Embiid’s and George’s health issues haven’t been as devastating for Philadelphia this fall as they were last season, due in large part to the team’s increasingly dynamic backcourt. The 76ers used the No. 3 overall pick in June’s draft to add VJ Edgecombe to a group headlined by breakout star Tyrese Maxey.
“These guys give them the ability to move on from the Embiid and George era,” one Western Conference executive told Bontemps.
“It just looks like there is more energy,” an Eastern Conference exec added. “They may not be good enough, but it’s not just waiting around for Paul and Joel [to get healthy] like it’s been in the past.”
According to Bontemps, head coach Nick Nurse and the Sixers made more of an effort entering this season not to be so dependent on Embiid offensively. Maxey has become the club’s offensive engine and is thriving in that role, with career-high averages of 32.2 points and 7.5 assists per game through 17 contests. His shooting percentages (.470/.409/.878) are also above his career rates.
“He’s a legitimate first- or second-team All-NBA player now,” one East scout told ESPN. “Even with Embiid’s injury issues, they could still be in the conversation for a top-six spot in the East, because Maxey is really that good.”
Here’s more from Bontemps on the Sixers:
- While Embiid may no longer be the focal point of the Sixers’ present and future, he’s still an important part of the roster, Bontemps writes. One executive suggested the club will have to figure out how to maximize Embiid “in a strategic way” when he’s available this season, while a scout pointed out that Philadelphia still needs him on the other end of the court. “They’re not good enough defensively [without him],” that scout said. “That’s why I have a hard time believing in them.”
- Sources who spoke to Bontemps believe Embiid will get more comfortable as the season goes in with his surgically repaired left knee, but his current nine-game absence is related to soreness in his right knee, underscoring the fact that the Sixers can’t necessarily rely on having him on the floor with any consistency. And even when he is available, the increased pace of games could be a concern for the big man. “You look at where the league is heading, with the pace and the speed the game is being played,” a scout told Bontemps. “He was having trouble keeping up with it when he was healthy, let alone now.”
- There’s a belief among Bontemps’ sources that a healthy version of George would be an ideal fit alongside the team’s guards, even if he’s not as dynamic or explosive as he was earlier in his career. “He can be a floor-spacing [power forward],” an Eastern Conference scout said of George. “Better to not have him handling the ball as much anymore. You can run some pick-and-rolls with him as the screener to take advantage of his shooting and ability to attack mismatches. Will he accept that role? I’ll be curious to see.”
- Donovan Mitchell and peak Victor Oladipo were among the players that came up multiple times when scouts pointed to comparables for Edgecombe, according to Bontemps. “I didn’t think VJ would be as good as he’s been,” one scout admitted. “Yes, there’s imperfections, but if they keep pushing him — because he can do lots of different things — he will be a special player.” There’s also a sense that Edgecombe won’t have any problem coexisting with Maxey long-term. “Those guys are pretty good together,” a Western Conference scout told Bontemps. “They work well together because they can both do a bit of everything.”
Injury Notes: Giannis, AD, Bulls, Sixers
Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been listed as questionable for Friday’s game in New York, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Antetokounmpo is dealing with a strained left adductor, which is part of the groin.
The two-time MVP has missed the past four games — and most of a fifth — after suffering the injury on November 17 at Cleveland. Milwaukee lost all five games without its best player and has dropped six straight overall.
Antetokounmpo, who turns 31 years old on Dec. 6, was also considered questionable for Wednesday’s game in Miami before being ruled out. Head coach Doc Rivers said the nine-time All-NBA forward hasn’t experienced a setback, according to Nehm (Twitter link).
“No,” Rivers said. “I was not in favor (of him playing Wednesday). I was very happy we decided what we decided. I was very uncomfortable with it. He really wanted to push and that’s who Giannis is. I was very happy with our medical team today. They decided at the end of the day, let’s wait. … We just thought it was the right thing to do. We gotta protect him sometimes.”
We have more injury updates from around the NBA:
- As expected, Mavericks forward/center Anthony Davis is questionable for Friday’s matchup at the Lakers, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays (via Twitter). The star big man has missed the past 14 games with a left calf strain. Davis, who practiced on Wednesday, said it was “surprising” and “definitely tough” to see former head of basketball operations Nico Harrison get fired, but downplayed the trade chatter surrounding him in the wake of Harrison’s dismissal. “This is basketball,” Davis said, per Christian Clark of The Athletic. “This is what comes with it. I think everybody in their career has been involved in trade talks. Been traded. Or some type of move. That doesn’t affect me. I’ve been in trade talks for a while. My job is to do what I do on the floor. Play basketball. Try to lead this team. I do have an open line of communication with the front office. I’m just ready to get back on the floor.”
- The Bulls have a lengthy injury report ahead of Friday’s contest in Charlotte, notes Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link). Kevin Huerter (left pelvic contusion), Dalen Terry (left calf strain), Nikola Vucevic (right patellofemoral syndrome), Coby White (right calf strain injury management), and Patrick Williams (left wrist sprain) are all questionable, while Isaac Okoro is doubtful to suit up because of left lumbar radiculopathy.
- In addition to Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford, who are sidelined with knee and adductor injuries, respectively, Sixers center Joel Embiid has been ruled out of his ninth consecutive game on Friday against Brooklyn due to right knee injury management (Twitter link via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer). Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness) is also out for the third straight game, while forward Paul George is questionable with a right ankle sprain. George was inactive for Tuesday’s 41-point loss to Orlando, though he did practice on Wednesday.