The Philadelphia 76ers will host the visiting Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center.
The 76ers dominated the series this season, and with both teams trending in opposite directions as the season comes to a close, they’ll be glad to be at home to kick off the weekend right.
Latest news on Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and James Harden
The 76ers are only the third seed in the Eastern Conference, but they are one of the teams capable of making a big impact in the coming month.
With a 29-12 record at home, they have been difficult to beat and will carry that confidence into Saturday’s opener. It helps that they haven’t yet lost to Brooklyn this season, but they can’t afford to relax in this one.
They would have preferred to finish stronger with a 5-5 record in their last ten games, but with rest as a priority, they’ll be relieved to see a number of players return.
However, there are still some reservations about some players’ availability, which will need to be monitored as the game’s start date approaches.
- Joel Embiid – Questionable
Joel Embiid (calf), who is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game, is the most notable name in the league heading into the postseason.
His inability to play in the opener would be devastating as a favorite for MVP. The rest of the 76ers roster is expected to be available, which may be sufficient, but will put a lot of pressure on the backcourt.
While having Embiid will put the 76ers over the top, they will be successful even without him.
- Related: The latest injury status Joel Embiid
Philadelphia has one of the league’s best defenses and the height to compete with the Nets on the glass even without Embiid.
The back court is electric on offense, and having the league’s best three-point shooting will certainly help. James Harden and Tyrese Maxey both have 20-point games for the 76ers.
- Tyrese Maxey – Active
Maxey (rest) is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game against the Nets.
Maxey rested for the final three regular-season games to prepare for the playoffs, so he should be in good shape as the Sixers begin their playoff run.
He’ll play a key role in Philadelphia’s postseason plans and should reclaim his starting spot.
- James Harden – Active
James Harden (Achilles/rest) feels “great” ahead of Saturday’s Game 1 against Brooklyn, according to SI.com’s Justin Grasso.
Harden missed back-to-back games at the end of the season to recover from an Achilles injury that had kept him out for four games at the end of March. However, his most recent absences were merely precautionary, and the dynamic point guard should be ready for playoff action.
In 58 regular-season games, Harden averaged 21.0 points, 10.7 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 36.8 minutes per game.
