Overview
- The Sixers will field their projected starting lineup of LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid in Thursday’s preseason game at Barclays Center.
- Coach Nick Nurse said he will limit and stagger minutes across the four exhibitions so key players appear in two to three games for conditioning and contact control.
- Philadelphia lost Ariel Hukporti to a ruptured Achilles that will sideline him for the year and Nurse listed Anfernee Simons, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona and Tacko Fall as unavailable for the Nets game.
- With several conventional bigs out, backup center minutes after Embiid are likely to go to Jabari Walker or Dean Wade and may include unconventional choices such as LeBron at the 5.
- LeBron’s chronic left-foot arthritis and sciatica and Embiid’s usual load-management profile are factors in Nurse’s cautious plan, and the team will continue evaluations in two tune-ups against Boston.