Wednesday, Joel Embiid and Paul George participated in "the majority of practice", per Derek Bodner of Phly Sports. That development comes precisely a week before an opening night clash between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden.
George has advanced to joining in on 3-on-3 drills, per Bodner. Barring a setback, that's an encouraging sign that he will be in the Sixers' lineup Oct. 22.
As for Embiid, in the summer of 2024, he won a gold medal with the United States men's basketball team. However, due to a knee injury, he appeared in only 19 games in the 2024-25 campaign.
Given that he went through most of the 76ers' practice, it appears that the former league MVP is also trending towards being in Philadelphia's lineup on opening night.
The Sixers' intriguing blend
Philadelphia's backcourt is at the heart of the team's youth movement. There's franchise cornerstone Tyrese Maxey. Joining him is the third overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, VJ Edgecombe. There's also the 76ers' first-round selection in 2024, former Duke Blue Devil Jared McCain.
That trio wants to play fast and push the pace. That suits a healthy Paul George. However, given where he is at as he ramps up for his return to the lineup, it's unclear if he can maintain that tempo on opening night against the Celtics, let alone sustain that as the season progresses.
Furthermore, that style certainly doesn't suit Embiid. Even when he's at his best physically, that's not how the seven-foot, 280-pound center plays.
How the Sixers balance that duality will be a fascinating and challenging dynamic for head coach Nick Nurse and the team to juggle during the upcoming campaign.
They're also about to kick off the 2025-26 season against a team in Boston that is shifting gears to a faster pace this year. The Celtics want to cater to the strengths of their reconfigured roster. That places a premium on pushing off of made baskets and running the floor in transition.
"If JT wants the ball at the top, JT's a top-five player, so you might as well give him the ball and let him work," said Payton Pritchard on the Celtics not playing as fast before. While Tatum was at the heart of a formula that produced a high level of success consistently, including an NBA title in 2024, Pritchard also cited Kristaps Porzingis's presence. Again, it's about tailoring an approach to the personnel on the roster.
Reinforcing that sentiment, Pritchard concluded about adapting to life on the court without Tatum, "We don't have him at the beginning of this year, so we have got to go to what benefits our team the most."