Every part went nicely for the Boston Celtics to start their 2024-25 run on Opening Night time, however the identical can’t be stated for the Jap Convention rival Philadelphia 76ers.
Philadelphia’s largest stars Paul George (knee), who signed a $212 million contract with the Sixers this previous offseason in free company, and Joel Embiid (knee) weren’t wholesome sufficient to swimsuit up for Wednesday’s season opener towards the Milwaukee Bucks. Embiid is about to overlook Philadelphia’s first three video games of the yr as a result of harm administration, which is prompting the NBA to launch an investigation, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Embiid, final season’s reigning league MVP, was restricted to simply 39 video games as a result of knee accidents. He averaged 34.7 factors with 11 rebounds and 5.6 assists, however as soon as it got here time to face the New York Knicks within the first spherical of the playoffs, though current, Embiid wasn’t totally wholesome. When it got here time to affix Group USA for the Olympic Video games in Paris, Embiid managed to play six video games (5 begins) whereas averaging 11.2 factors and three.8 rebounds, serving to the star-studded squad end in gold medal trend.
“If I needed to guess, I might most likely by no means play back-to-backs the remainder of my profession,” Embiid advised ESPN’s Tim Bontemps earlier this month.
The plan behind Philadelphia’s load administration scheme is straightforward: hold Embiid recent for the playoffs. It’s develop into a continuing problem for Embiid to be able to go in time for the playoffs and with groups just like the Celtics, Bucks, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers wanting to contend, the Sixers can rapidly discover themselves left within the mud. Philadelphia’s entrance workplace invested quite a bit so as to add George, a nine-time All-Star, and to retain guard Tyrese Maxey — on a $204 million extension. Subsequently, contending from begin to end is crucial for the group.
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Boston kicked off its title protection with out Kristaps Porzingis, who’s anticipated to overlook the season’s first few months, by crushing the new-look Knicks. Milwaukee has its star Giannis Antetokounmpo again alongside Damian Lillard. Indiana, after falling quick within the convention finals, is looking for its newest stride led by Tyrese Haliburton — final yr’s NBA assists chief (10.9). It’ll be troublesome sufficient for head coach Nick Nurse to work with out Embiid — probably for half the season — however to get a new-look crew acclimated, that creates a good higher problem for Philadelphia to keep away from disappointment — once more.
“Pay attention, I don’t have any ideas on (the investigation),” Nurse advised reporters Wednesday, per CBS Philadelphia. “No one from our group has stated something to me about that. So, so far as the investigation, I don’t actually know.”
The Sixers began 13-year veteran Andre Drummond rather than Embiid on Opening Night time.
