Other pieces ‘scattered’ for Sixers team dealing with injury woes beyond Embiid

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Other pieces ‘scattered’ for Sixers team dealing with injury woes beyond Embiid originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse’s post-practice media session Friday naturally drifted toward existential territory at times.

After starting the season with lofty expectations and three All-Star players, the Sixers embarked Friday on a three-game road trip to Indiana, Milwaukee and Denver. They are 15-24 and have lost four games in a row. Joel Embiid’s missed the last six and is again dealing with left knee swelling.

As Nurse acknowledged — with candor, and also with a laugh here and there — it’s not the sort of situation anyone would be thrilled to walk into day after day.

“First of all, no matter what’s happening, you’ve got to try to keep the group together,” Nurse said. “And it isn’t just, ‘Come on, guys, let’s stick together.’ It’s a thought process, and the plan and the film. … You’re trying to keep that all glued together.

“And I think (the Embiid update) helps them a little bit clarity-wise. At least they can kind of process it for 24 hours rather than 35 minutes. … Again, you’re trying to work on the chemistry and the rhythm of what it’s going to look like. It does give them some clarity.

“But yeah, over the long haul, it’s taken some dings, and we’ve just got to make sure we stay together, stay strong, stay positive. That’s what I try to do. I try to stay positive and go to work — really work. I’m sure you have the same days too where you’re like, ‘Goddamn it, I’d rather not have to go practice.’ But you’ve got to snap out of it, get out on the floor, zip up the zipper and get ready to go, man. And staying positive is a big key for all of us.”

For the first game of the Sixers’ trip, Nurse knows he’ll still be without Embiid, Caleb Martin (right hip sprain), KJ Martin (left foot stress reaction), Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain) and Jared McCain (season-ending left lateral meniscus surgery).

Nurse expected Andre Drummond to return from a six-game absence with a toe injury. The Sixers officially listed the veteran…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/other-pieces-scattered-sixers-team-195017535.html

Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia

Publish date : 2025-01-17 19:50:00

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