This is not a good sign to start the season in Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid and Paul George were both ruled out for the 76ers season opener against the Bucks on Wednesday.
Embiid will be out for the first week of the season as he continues to deal with a sore left knee, something that has plagued him (and he’s played through) since meniscus surgery on that knee last February. Embiid was held back by it during the playoffs — but still averaged 33 and 10 — as well as during the Paris Olympics, when his role was limited. Embiid hasn’t played at all this preseasonwhich means he might need a practice or two, and some 5-on-5 scrimmages, before he’s ready to return to the court.
Embiid will not only be out on Wednesday, but also Friday’s game in Toronto and Sunday’s game in Indiana.
George has a bone bruise in his left knee after hyperextending it during a Philadelphia preseason game. While there was no structural damage from the incident, the 76ers wanted to make sure he was healthy before putting him back on the court. He will be reevaluated later this week, his status for the Philadelphia games this weekend is unclear.
While neither is long-term, Philadelphia’s stars missed the chance to build on-court chemistry during the preseason, something they’ll need to work on now during the regular season. While it’s a long NBA season and there’s plenty of time to build that chemistry, it could mean a slower start to the season with a lot on Tyrese Maxey’s shoulders.
