The NBA preseason is firmly underway. After losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Iowa, the Philadelphia 76ers are Boston-bound for a matchup against the Celtics in the second game of a preseason back-to-back. Several Sixers are expected to miss the matchup, so it will be a good opportunity to observe the team’s depth.
Sixers game information
Who: Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics
When: 8:00 p.m. EST
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia (thankfully), NBA League Pass
Latest on the Sixers
Philadelphia may not have left Iowa with a victory over the Wolves, but what they did walk away with was a sense of positivity around their offseason additions. Paul George scored an efficient 23 points, Andre Drummond looked like a significant upgrade over Paul Reed—and that’s no slander to Reed, and rookie Jared McCain continued to impress.
Against Boston, the team is likely to look drastically different. According to Alan Horton, the radio voice of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse stated that the plan heading into the back-to-back was to rest most of the team’s vets in Boston.
That likely means no Paul George, Caleb Martin, Kelly Oubre, and Andre Drummond. It could also mean no Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon, or Reggie Jackson.
Joel Embiid is also expected to miss tonight’s game. Embiid did not make the initial trip to Iowa as he had a previously scheduled checkup on his knee. This appears to be more of a follow-up than a potential current issue. After helping to lead Team USA to a gold medal this summer, it seems that Embiid’s knee has healed, but it’s wise to continue to observe it and to hold him out of an especially pointless back-to-back.
Latest on the Celtics
While the Sixers are playing the second night of a back-to-back, the Celtics have not played a preseason game since Oct. 6, when they finished a two-game series against the Denver Nuggets in Abu Dhabi.
The only expected absence for Boston is Kristaps Porzingis, who is out with a foot injury.
