76ers' Doc Rivers: James Harden's Foot Injury Less Severe Than Initially Feared
Nov 4, 2022
Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden drives the ball in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden's right foot tendon strain is not as severe as originally feared, head coach Doc Rivers told reporters Friday.
Sixers coach Doc Rivers says James Harden’s injury actually was less severe than the team initially feared. “We just have to keep getting through the stuff we’ve gone through” to start the season.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday that Harden was set to miss a month with the injury, which appeared to have been suffered during the team's 121-111 loss to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
It's not clear whether Rivers believes Harden will return sooner than the reported timetable.
Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia gave more insight on the matter.
James Harden has a right foot tendon strain and is expected to miss a month, source confirms @wojespn.
After heading back to the locker room for a while, Harden returned in the fourth quarter last night vs. the Wizards and played the final 7:15. He was limping postgame.
Harden had been enjoying an excellent season despite the 76ers' slow 4-5 start. Through nine games, he has averaged 22.0 points, 10.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Without Harden, the onus falls on Joel Embiid to pick up more of the nightly burden, while Tyrese Maxey should primarily handle the backcourt responsibilities. Rivers also told reporters that forward Tobias Harris' usage should increase as well.
Look for Shake Milton and De'Anthony Melton to get more playing time off the bench too. Rivers projected Melton to start in Harden's place.
76ers Found Guilty of Tampering in Free Agency, Stripped of 2023, 2024 2nd-Rounders
Oct 31, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 10: A general view of the Philadelphia 76ers logo against the Detroit Pistons at the Wells Fargo Center on April 10, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Pistons 118-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The NBA announced Monday it stripped the Philadelphia 76ers of their second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.
The league determined the Sixers violated tampering rules while pursuing P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr. in free agency. The Sixers began negotiating with both players before the window to do so opened.
"The Philadelphia 76ers fully cooperated with the NBA’s investigation and acknowledge the league’s ruling," the Sixers said in a statement. "We’re moving forward, focused on the season ahead."
Meanwhile, the league confirmed the Sixers didn't run afoul of any rules when they re-signed James Harden to a two-year, $68.6 million deal.
Harden accepted less money in the short term—he declined a $47.4 million player option—and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in July that some around the NBA were wondering whether the two parties already had a "handshake agreement in place on a future contract."
Every NBA offseason, the running joke is always the number of deals that get reported moments after the free-agent negotiating window opens. Finding concrete evidence of tampering isn't easy, but it's something league officials have clearly identified as a priority.
The Sixers have become 4th team in the past 24 months to be hit with the loss of a second round pick as a result of tampering, joining the Bucks, Heat and Bulls, as the league has started to become more aggressive in penalizing these early contacts between teams and free agents.
The NBA and NBPA are expected to revisit the rules that punish teams discovered to have had discussions with player agents on pending free agents ahead of free agency's official start, sources said. The practice is rampant, but hard to police and largely impossible to eliminate.
Losing two second-rounders isn't a massive blow for Philadelphia. Draft picks, especially those outside of the first round, have limited value to a team with championship aspirations.
The penalty isn't so punitive that it incentivizes the Sixers to avoid tampering again to land their free-agent targets, either.
The current collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and National Basketball Players Association expires after the 2023-24 season, and either side can opt out by Dec. 15. With a new CBA in the offing as early as summer, this could be a topic of discussion at the negotiating table.
Joel Embiid Trolls Bulls with 'Aaron Rodgers' Post After Staying Undefeated vs. CHI
Oct 30, 2022
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 26: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the pre-game show before playing the Toronto Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena on October 26, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
Troel Embiid is officially back.
Fresh off a win over the Bulls on Saturday, the Philadelphia 76ers center took to Instagram and made a reference to Aaron Rodgers as he moved to 12-0 over Chicago in his career:
Joel Embiid posted this on IG and captioned it "Aaron Rodgers" following the Sixers win over the Bulls.
Rodgers has a career record of 23-5 vs. the Chicago Bears.
Joel Embiid has tweeted his support for Rodgers often in the past, and Rodgers has been outspoken about dominating the Chicago Bears over the years.
During Saturday's game, Embiid knocked down a go-ahead three with 18.1 seconds remaining to help spur the Sixers' 114-109 win in Chicago. The win moved the Sixers to 3-4 on the season as they try to right the ship after an 0-3 start.
Embiid has been stellar despite the Sixers' shaky start, scoring 25-plus points in five of six games while he and James Harden continue working on finding chemistry within the offense.
While it was a relatively meaningless game in the grand scheme of things, Embiid getting back to his trolling ways on social media might indicate the Sixers feel they have the ball rolling after their disastrous first three games.
76ers' Joel Embiid Hyped for Staying Undefeated vs. Bulls with Clutch Game-Winning 3
Oct 30, 2022
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 29: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers takes a breather on the bench in the first half against the Chicago Bulls on October 29, 2022 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers are inching closer to a .500 record following a 114-109 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night at United Center, and the team can thank Joel Embiid for helping secure the victory.
Embiid nailed the game-winning three-pointer with 18 seconds remaining to put Philly up 112-109 before Tobias Harris closed things out with two free throws to help the 76ers secure the victory.
Embiid finished the win with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists and one steal in 32 minutes.
Following the win, the veteran big man was praised for not only pulling off the game-winning triple, but for remaining undefeated (12-0) against the Bulls in his career:
Embiid was ruled out of Friday's game against the Toronto Raptors with a knee injury, so fans were understandably ecstatic to have him back on the court against the Bulls.
Entering Saturday's game, the five-time All-Star was averaging 27.6 points, 10 rebounds and 3.2 assists in five games while shooting 52.1 percent from the floor. Considering he's vital to the team's success, the Sixers need him healthy moving forward.
The 76ers are now 3-4 on the season and will be back in action on Monday against the Washington Wizards.
76ers' Joel Embiid Won't Play vs. Raptors Because of Knee Injury
Oct 28, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA - MAY 12: Joel Embiid of Philadelphia 76ers in action during NBA semifinals between Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States on May 12, 2022. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers will be without superstar center Joel Embiid against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night due to right knee recovery, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
It will mark the first absence this season for Embiid, who is averaging 27.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in five contests this season.
Since missing his first two seasons with foot and knee issues, injuries have been a storyline in Embiid's career.
He largely stayed healthy during the 2021-22 season, playing in a career-high 68 games. He finished as the MVP runner-up behind Nikola Jokić for the second straight year, averaging a league-best 30.6 points to go along with 11.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game.
However, injuries again reared their head in the playoffs. Embiid sprained his right thumb in Game 3 of the team's first-round series with the Raptors and fractured his face late in Game 6 of that series after taking an elbow from Pascal Siakam.
That injury cost him the first two games of the team's second-round series with the Miami Heat, which both ended in losses.
After the season, Embiid had surgery on both his thumb and on a previously unreported left index finger injury.
When asked about his fluke injuries in the 2021-22 playoffs, the 28-year-old told reporters:
"I don't regret it because it's life. It happens. You just got to deal with it. It sucks. Not, not looking for any excuses. But those are just the facts. It sucks. I don't think anybody will believe that I was 100 percent. So it does suck to get to the stage and not be yourself, not being able to do what you want and your body not allowing you to just be yourself. So it sucks, but I have no regrets."
Embiid is both Philly's best offensive player and its defensive keystone, so it is a concern any time he misses time, even though Friday's absence sounds more like load management than an injury.
The Sixers have struggled this season even with Embiid in the lineup, going 1-4, and beating the Raptors without him will be a massive challenge.
With Embiid out, the 76ers will turn to P.J. Tucker and Montrezl Harrell to eat up more frontcourt minutes alongside Tobias Harris.
76ers Rumors: Doc Rivers' Job Security Has NBA 'Chattering' After Slow Start
Oct 27, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 22: Head Coach Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 22, 2022 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Amid a disappointing 1-4 start to the season, there is reportedly some doubt regarding Doc Rivers' future as the Philadelphia 76ers' head coach.
According to ESPN's Zach Lowe on the Lowe Post podcast (h/t Jonathan Sherman of AhnFireDigital.com), people "in the league ecosystem" are "chattering" about the possibility of Rivers getting fired if things don't turn around soon.
While the Sixers have performed well below expectations thus far, Lowe admitted that he isn't sure how much of the chatter is reality and how much is pure speculation.
The 61-year-old Rivers is in the midst of his third season as head coach of the 76ers, and he has compiled an overall record of 101-58 with two playoff appearances thus far.
Philly hired Rivers in hopes of getting over the hump after struggling to get past the second round of the playoffs, but the issue has remained the same, as the Sixers were eliminated in the second round in each of Rivers' first two seasons at the helm.
Two years ago, the 76ers were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 49-23 record, but they were shocked by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round. Last season's second-round exit came at the hands of the Miami Heat in six games.
Despite their playoff shortcomings, the Sixers entered this season as a team expected to contend for an NBA Finals appearance and perhaps even a championship.
Key players like Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey returned from last year's team, as did perennial All-Star guard James Harden, who signed a new contract with the Sixers in free agency.
The 76ers also added some quality depth pieces in the form of De'Anthony Melton, P.J. Tucker, Montrezl Harrell and Danuel House.
For whatever reason, the team has not jelled as quickly as hoped. Their only win came against the Indiana Pacers, and three of their four losses have been by at least nine points.
Since first becoming an NBA head coach in 1999 with the Orlando Magic, Rivers has posted a 1,044-739 record and has been nearly automatic when it comes to leading his teams to the playoffs.
In 23 seasons with the Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers and Sixers prior to this season, Rivers-led teams had qualified for the playoffs 18 times.
Included in those 18 playoff trips are two NBA Finals appearances and one NBA championship as head coach of the Celtics.
Rivers has not made it past the second round of the playoffs since the 2011-12 season, though, and it is fair to wonder if the Sixers' potential may be capped with him at the helm.
Given all Rivers has accomplished during his career, he may be given some leash to right the ship, but the Sixers can't afford to let things get away from them too much and potentially squander one of the NBA's most talented rosters.
Trae Young, Bradley Beal, Tyrese Maxey Interested in Joining Team USA For World Cup
Oct 25, 2022
Trae Young
The Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young, Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal and Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey have all expressed interest in playing for Team USA in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup next summer.
Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported Tuesday all three stars confirmed their desire to help the American squad bounce back from a disappointing seventh-place finish at the 2019 World Cup while also using the tournament to help bolster their chances of being chosen for the 2024 Summer Olympics roster.
"Yes, I'm definitely open to it," Young told Vardon. "I mean, even since I was in high school, it's been my dream as a basketball player. I've tried out multiple times since I've been in high school. There's been a couple of times when I could have been on that team, and it kind of hurt my heart."
Team USA manager director Grant Hill
and head coach Steve Kerr have decided to abandon the program's
previous desire to get NBA stars to make a commitment to play
back-to-back summers, first for the World Cup and then the Olympics,
per Vardon.
Instead, they'll take each tournament
individually and build out the best possible roster from the players
willing to make the offseason trip.
The 2023 World Cup is being split
between Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines, while the 2024 Olympics
are taking place in Paris. The 2021 Olympics were in Tokyo.
Team USA management is
cognizant of the travel demands of that many overseas trips following
the long NBA seasons and understand players may not want to make a
full-time annual summer commitment.
"I've never gotten the opportunity to
do a World Cup," Beal told Vardon. "As long as I'm healthy,
injury-free, and there's a place for me on the team, yeah, I'll
probably be there in the Philippines."
Maxey added: "I would love to play
for the country. That would be cool. It's always a blessing to
represent your country, play with different guys, and go out there
and compete."
It will likely create a situation in which the World Cup team is filled with players who may end up on the
Olympic roster fringe, depending on whether LeBron James,
Stephen Curry and the rest of the American superstars opt to play in
Paris.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett
Allen told Vardon he's yet to hear from Team USA officials, but he'd
also “take a lot of pride in representing us on a stage in front of
the world.”
"I understand that there's not a lot
of traditional bigs like that in America, like the back-down bigs," Allen said. "Even I'm not even really like that typical, I guess,
European basketball big in terms of just banging down there. But I'm
here to fill a role, whatever they need, and I feel like I can fit
into any role."
Finding centers who can fit the more
European play style often on display in major international
tournaments has been an issue for the Americans in recent years, but
Allen's defensive prowess could bring a lot of value.
A lot of factors will come into play
when building the roster, including what teams make deep runs in the
NBA playoffs and which players are dealing with nagging injuries
they will want the summer to rest, but the early buy-in sounds
promising for Team USA.
The 2023 World Cup is scheduled to tip
off on Aug. 25.
76ers' Joel Embiid Says He Wasn't Active for Months Before Season Due to Foot Injury
Oct 23, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 22: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on before the game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 22, 2022 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
After Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers told reporters earlier this week that Joel Embiid dealt with a foot injury during the offseason that impacted his condition, the five-time All-Star addressed the situation on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters following the Sixers' 114-105 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Embiid said he "hadn't done anything in like two months" coming into training camp due to plantar fasciitis.
"Still trying to work my way back, and hopefully, everything goes back to normal," he added.
In the wake of Philadelphia's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, Rivers said Embiid got taken off of his conditioning program because of the injury.
Any injury to Embiid is going to be a cause for concern, especially one involving his foot. He missed the first two seasons of his career due to a broken navicular bone in his foot that took longer than expected to heal properly.
The fact that Embiid has been able to play in each of the first three games is a good sign about where the foot is at in the recovery process.
Embiid did struggle in Philadelphia's first two games of the season. He had 26 points and 15 rebounds in the opener against the Boston Celtics, but he also finished with a game-high six turnovers.
Things got even worse for Embiid against the Bucks. The 28-year-old had another double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, but his offensive output came on 6-of-21 shooting from the field.
The 15 points marked Embiid's fewest in a single game since Dec. 1, 2021. He had a strong rebound performance on Saturday with 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting and 13 rebounds in 36 minutes.
While the Sixers can feel better about Embiid after his showing against the Spurs, they have a lot of problems that need to be figured out quickly. They are off to an 0-3 start for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
If there's a reason to be optimistic going forward, Philadelphia finished that 2017-18 campaign as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 52-30 record.
Whatever the 76ers are going to do during the 2022-23 campaign, they need Embiid to play at the MVP level he's been at over the previous two years. Saturday was the first time he showed that form this season.
NBA Twitter Mocks Doc Rivers After 76ers Start Season 0-3 with Loss to Spurs
Oct 23, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 22: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers prepares to shoot a free throw during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 22, 2022 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
It's not time to hit the panic button just yet, but fans have to wonder what is going on with the Philadelphia 76ers after they fell to the San Antonio Spurs 114-105 on Saturday at Wells Fargo Center to drop to 0-3 on the season.
Star big man Joel Embiid notched 40 points, 13 rebounds and three assists, and Tyrese Maxey finished with 25 points, three rebounds and six assists, but the remainder of the team's roster was largely ineffective.
Tobias Harris, James Harden, P.J. Tucker, Danuel House Jr. and Georges Niang combined for just 40 points. Harden finished with a measly 12 points in the loss, though he put up nine rebounds and 11 assists.
The Spurs saw much more consistent scoring, with six players in double digits. Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson led the way with 22 and 21 points, respectively.
Following the Sixers latest loss, NBA Twitter took aim at head coach Doc Rivers, insinuating that the franchise must part ways with him if it ever wants to get over the hump and win a title with the current unit:
Stop me if youve heard me say this before but the Sixers will never do anything significant with Doc Rivers coaching them
Doc Rivers being a coach in the NBA in 2022 should teach you a lesson. There’s always hope for you in life, your dream of being an NBA coach isn’t very unrealistic!
The Sixers were expected to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference entering the 2022-23 season, but they have been anything but through the opening week.
If Philly's slide continues, it wouldn't be surprising to see the franchise part ways with Rivers, who has been head coach of the franchise since the 2020-21 season.
The Sixers will look to get back on track on Monday against the Indiana Pacers before facing the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.
