With injury issues up and down their rosters, the Philadelphia 76ers and visiting Brooklyn Nets will need some role players to step up in Saturday afternoon’s game.
The Sixers have lost five of their last seven games while playing the last three contests without All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey (finger). Joel Embiid (oblique) is not ready to return either, not to mention long-term absences for Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow) and Paul George (suspension).
Philadelphia also was missing Embiid’s two primary backups — Andre Drummond and Adem Bona — in Thursday’s road loss against the Detroit Pistons. With a small and inexperienced roster, the Sixers struggled to contain the best team in the Eastern Conference in a 131-109 defeat.
“We just couldn’t protect the rim and that was leading to all types of chain reaction things,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said. “So hopefully one or two of our big guys can get back in there (Saturday).”
Another issue for the Sixers was 3-point shooting. They made just 8 of 35 from beyond the arc, while Detroit swished 14 on the same number of attempts.
“You just can’t have that disparity in shooting percentage from the 3,” Nurse said, adding, “they just kept hitting them and we kept missing.”
MarJon Beauchamp led Philadelphia with 17 points off the bench, while fellow reserve Jabari Walker chipped in with 16 points on 6-of-6 shooting. The team’s starting guards, VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes, combined for 24 points on 8-of-28 shooting, including 1-of-13 from long distance.
“Our starting guards now, VJ and Q, they have to get rid of this one and be ready to be who they are on Saturday,” Nurse said, “and they’ve got to be good.”
The Nets could use a boost from their own starting guards.
The team is currently starting Ben Saraf and Drake Powell in the backcourt.
Saraf had 10 points Thursday in a 108-97 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, but he also committed five of the team’s 20 turnovers.
Powell scored 11 points, although he shot just 4-of-13 from the floor and missed 5 of 6 attempts from 3-point range.
Still, coach Jordi Fernandez was pleased with the performance of his team, which took the court without Michael Porter Jr. (ankle), Egor Demin (foot) and Day’Ron Sharpe (thumb), among others.
“I’m very proud of the whole group — the way they competed and how connected they were the whole time,” Fernandez said, noting that he “thought everybody played the right way, even though I put them in different spots.”
Josh Minott scored a career-high 24 points for Brooklyn, which has lost 12 of its last 14 games.
“It was great,” Fernandez said of Minott, who chipped in with three steals, three blocks and three rebounds. “He was aggressive. … (I hope for) a little bit more rebounding, because that’s where we struggle, and he provides size. Not just for him — but for everybody. Rebounding is important.”
This is the fourth and final meeting between the Nets and Sixers. Philadelphia won the first two matchups before Brooklyn notched a 114-106 road victory in the last encounter on Dec. 23.
