16 thoughts on the 2024-25 Sixers at the All-Star break

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16 thoughts on the 2024-25 Sixers at the All-Star break originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers have finally reached the All-Star break.

As the NBA world takes a breath, let’s dive into 16 thoughts on the 20-34, All-Star-less Sixers:

1. We’ll start with head coach Nick Nurse’s perspective. He’s given a plethora of injury updates this year and used 33 starting lineups.

“At the top of my mind is getting as healthy as we can, obviously,” Nurse said Wednesday night after the Sixers’ loss to the Nets. “Getting back to maybe some Square 1 things … and getting to work. You’ve got to kind of not look back. It’s been as difficult a season as it can be on a lot of fronts, but we can’t focus on that.

“We have to focus on what’s in front of us, and what’s in front of us is trying to figure out how to play well together, play harder, play better (defense), play better (offense). Just try to get some focus back. Hopefully, the break will give us a chance to digest some things and understand we’ve still got a lot of basketball to play. And go from there.”

2. Every NBA team tries to play it somewhat safe when it comes to stars’ injury management and sitting out select back-to-backs.

For the Sixers, there’s been quite a few players who have aimed to get off the sidelines as soon as possible and then dealt with recurring injuries. That suggests excessive caution isn’t the core issue here. Players lacking desire or urgency to return to the floor is certainly not the problem either.

3. Joel Embiid’s played in 17 games and missed 37.

Health is inherently unpredictable, as the Sixers have shown us all, and the doctors who have treated Embiid are obviously the experts. Still, it’s valid to wonder whether Embiid’s situation would be brighter if he hadn’t pushed to come back last season following a procedure on his left lateral meniscus. Before his choice to play in the Olympics, that was an important decision.

“I had surgery in February … and I did come back early to fight for the team and to play, try to give us a chance,” Embiid said on Nov. 1.

4. If the Sixers were…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/16-thoughts-2024-25-sixers-151543871.html

Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia

Publish date : 2025-02-16 15:15:00

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