The Philadelphia 76ers look to extend their season-opening winning streak to four games as they host the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. With the Sixers playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Joel Embiid (Right Plantar fasciitis injury management) has been ruled out, leaving the frontcourt very shorthanded. LeBron James, however, should return after sitting out Saturday night's victory over the Bucks.
Who: Detroit Pistons (2-0) at Philadelphia 76ers (3-0)
When: Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia
Watch: NBC Philadelphia, NBA League Pass
With Embiid out, the Sixers will have a tough time, as he's shown on both ends of the court that he's approaching this season differently. Against the Bucks, and with James missing the game, Embiid finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his 11th career triple-double.
With the team finally getting Dean Wade back from injury, there is some relief in the frontcourt. However, Jabari Walker has also been ruled out with left knee soreness, leaving Wade and Adem Bona to help fill the void while James returns to his usual position. Regardless of who is available, head coach Nick Nurse can use these early-season games to shore up his rotation for the games Embiid will miss.
While Embiid still has to tighten up his shooting from everywhere on the floor, shooting just 8-for-20 from the field against the Bucks, the team has been improving. The trio of Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe combined to shoot 48% on their three-pointers against Milwaukee.
Edgecombe finished the night with 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Maxey and Brown combined for 53 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. The team has been coming along as a group instead of relying on the two-man games that have been featured in years past.
Wade returned with just seven points, but the Sixers also got 12 points from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope off the bench. They'll need a complete team effort against a Pistons team that is as good as they come in the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons are 2-0 to start the season, but they really set the tone during their opening game. At one point, Detroit trailed the Celtics by 22 points, and things didn't look good. But the Pistons held their ground, locked in on defense and wound up beating Boston 121-113.
The team that led the Eastern Conference last season has remade itself with the goal of competing for an NBA title.
Detroit lost Tobias Harris in free agency and traded away Isaiah Stewart, replacing them with John Collins at power forward while adding Taurean Prince, Gary Harris, Isaiah Joe and Duncan Robinson to the mix.
The new faces, combined with Ausar Thompson, Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, give the Pistons the ammunition they feel they need to compete in the East, especially with several teams having remade themselves during the offseason.
So far, it's worked out through the first two games, as Detroit has looked good in wins over the Celtics and Heat.
The Pistons will be without center Jalen Duren as he battles a hamstring injury, which should help the Sixers' smaller lineup tonight.
With Embiid and Walker sidelined, Philadelphia will need to move the ball, ramp up the tempo and use a pressure-heavy defense to keep Detroit's shooters from getting good looks.
While Maxey and Brown should both fare well, Edgecombe could see a few more open looks and driving lanes as he continues his development this season.
With the Sixers forced to play more of a small-ball style in Embiid's absence, Nurse could use the opportunity to rotate in players like Caldwell-Pope, Anfernee Simons and rookie Labaron Philon, who should all get minutes against a Pistons team that can get up and down the court in a hurry.
Philadelphia could be in for a LeBron triple-double to follow up what Embiid did Saturday night, but look for Brown and Maxey to both score more than 30 points.
Sixers 119, Pistons 114
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