With the Philadelphia sports scene currently burning down in flames, the Sixers maybe have an opportunity to provide a balm and become something of a favored son by comparison in the City of Brotherly
Love. However, to approach such status, they would have to buck the recent extreme injury trend of recent years. While preseason doesn’t ultimately matter in the big picture, tonight’s home debut against the Orlando Magic isn’t proving things are heading in a better direction.
Now, again, this is the preseason, and guys shouldn’t be playing unless they’re relatively 100 percent. Most of these guys were expected to be out. Joel Embiid and Paul George haven’t reached the top of the ramp yet. Jared McCain is in the post-surgery recovery stage. Venerable veteran Kyle Lowry presumably only has so much tread left on the tires and there’s no need to wear any of it down in an exhibition contest.
The other absences are somewhat disappointing to various degrees. Trendon Watford’s recent hamstring tweak is unfortunate for a player that had a potential path to a starting power forward role. We’d like to see Quentin Grimes back in action following the contract standoff, and while he kept in shape working out with former coach Kelvin Sampson at the University of Houston, we have to assume this DNP status is related to only being back on the NBA practice scene for about a week.
Then, VJ Edgecombe missing time with a hip issue eliminates the biggest source of new excitement for the roster. The Sixers reported he is only day-to-day and is expected to return the practice next week, so we would like to think this is simply a case of the team finally being prudent with an injury. Edgecombe did participate in morning shootaround, which is encouraging.
Regardless, Philadelphia’s first preseason contest on the home court has lost a lot of its luster. Tyrese Maxey is back to looking like the meme of Will Smith looking around at an empty living room, but at least he has plenty of experience in the role.
