Help is on the way

The Sixers have been decimated by injuries in the past few years. As of late, Sixers basketball has felt closer to the early years of “The Process” than a team that could actually compete for a championship.

When you’ve got a 7-foot center as a core piece of the team, health is always going to be a question mark. But Paul George and Jared McCain are close to returning from injury. And Dominick Barlow, sidelined by an elbow laceration, should be back soon, as well.

Coach Nick Nurse and the Sixers medical staff seem to have figured out that Embiid can’t play 40-plus minutes per game for 82 games. Embiid missed Sunday’s win against the Brooklyn Nets due to injury management. That’s good news if Sixers fans want to see Embiid in the playoffs in 2026.

“Just getting used to playing basketball again, but it looks better when you’re making shots,” Embiid said after a recent Sixers win over the Charlotte Hornets.

A big test to come

The Sixers play back-to-back games this week, facing the Chicago Bulls (5-1) on Tuesday and Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3) on Wednesday. Embiid will sit for one of those games, and it’s unlikely that George, McCain or Barlow will be ready.

The Sixers will have to rely on their talented backcourt of Maxey and Edgecombe if they plan to keep up the momentum.