CAMDEN, NJ — Returning from a long road trip can do a lot of good for a team. While the initial game back historically has its difficulties, the days after often include a return to home practice habits that differ vastly from those on the road. For the Sixers, this return to practice is an opportunity to right the ship after a rough four-game stretch that has seen them go 1-3.
All three losses featured particularly frustrating performances by the Sixers, while their sole win was against a tanking Nets team so beat up that the Deleware Blue Coats could have beaten them by double digits. Simply put, the level that Philadelphia has played lately is not only not good enough, but it’s also concerning for the projection of the rest of the season.
If the Sixers continue to show inconsistent defensive intensity and a consistent lack of offensive performances, what hope do they have to turn this season around? Even if they were to have a healthy Joel Embiid?
Speaking of the big fella and his health, which is the reason for the season that is this article, this return to practice allowed for the media to meet with Sixers’ head coach Nick Nurse again and to receive an update on the health of Embiid and the rest of Philadelphia’s battered and bruised bunch.
When asked, Nurse went through the list with a flurry as it was the same answer for all in question.
“Joel, no practice. Drum, no practice. Kyle, KJ, no practice. No updates yet,” Nurse told reporters.
Embiid continues to recover from a foot sprain he suffered on Christmas Day, the day the Sixers faced the Celtics in Boston. While speculation would suggest a connection between Embiid’s injury and his pregame fall, a source close to the team stated that it could not be confirmed. Truly, the how doesn’t matter nearly as much as the fact that he is, once again, injured.
Embiid’s status heading into the game against Washington should be considered questionable at this time.
Andre Drummond continues to recover from a sprained toe, while Kyle Lowry is working his way back from a hip injury. KJ Martin was to be evaluated roughly two weeks after the announcement of the stress reaction in his left foot. There was no announcement today, but in the coming days, an update should be shared as it’s announced.
A non-update update on Sixers rookie Jared McCain
One final piece of injury, new, more non-news truly, a clarification, if you will, is about Sixers’ rookie Jared McCain. Two weeks ago, McCain shared a video on his YouTube channel that showed the off-the-court aftermath of his torn meniscus. During the video, McCain said that it has not settled in yet that he will not be playing the rest of the season.
This mere mention launched a shockwave of panic through many Sixers fans. While the possibility of a lost season was apparent, there was still a sliver of hope that McCain could return to the court at some point, perhaps even in the postseason. Many took McCain at his word at that moment as he lay playing Fortnite, but the Sixers have indicated at no point since that McCain is officially out for the season.
One source within the Sixers organization confirmed that McCain is not considered out for the season at this point in time, though they clarified that he is not guaranteed to return either. To conclude, this update again is more of a non-update, as McCain remains out indefinitely, just as the organization has listed him since the injury.
Many may have seen McCain with his teammates Monday night as he received his Rookie of the Month award for October and November shortly before the team’s matchup against the Suns. McCain clearly has a long road of recovery ahead of him, but there’s also still a long road until the final stretch of this season. It may only be the smallest glimmer of hope, but it has not yet been extinguished.
