Breaking down Sixers injuries and the impact they've had this season
At the quarter point of the 76ers’ 2024-25 regular season, only three players – Jared McCain, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Guerschon Yabusele – have logged minutes in all 20 games. The team’s bevy of injuries is a significant reason for their rough 5-15 start.
Those have squashed the Sixers’ ability to build continuity among their most talented offensive weapons. The much-ballyhooed All-Star trio of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George has play has played less than six minutes together. Here is a breakdown of those injuries, and how they have impacted the Sixers.
Joel Embiid: Knee management
Entering this season, the Sixers said they had a long-term plan to manage Embiid’s knee, which has undergone multiple surgeries including last February’s meniscus procedure. But that has already been derailed.
Joel Embiid: Knee management
The 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player has appeared in only four games so far this season (also partially due to a suspension). The latest twist: The superstar big man has been sidelined since Nov. 20, after totaling 35 points and 11 rebounds at the Memphis Grizzlies in his best performance of the season. It is now worth pondering how this ongoing condition will impact not just the rest of the 2024-25 season, but the rest of Embiid’s career and life.
Paul George: Knee bone bruise
George was supposed to be the Sixers’ flashy free-agency signing as an ideal wing complement to Embiid and Maxey. But his injury-riddled past has already popped up with the Sixers, on the same left knee.
Paul George: Knee bone bruise
He initially hyperextended it during an Oct. 14 preseason game at the Atlanta Hawks, sidelining him for the regular season’s first five games with what was officially diagnosed as a bone bruise. Then, he sustained the same injury early in the second half of a Nov. 20 loss at Memphis.
George missed three more games, but returned for last Saturday’s win at the Detroit Pistons. He is coming off his best game of the season, with 29 points on 6-of-9 shooting from three point range and eight assists in Tuesday’s win in Charlotte. But after playing 37 minutes in that down-to-the-wire victory, he sat out Wednesday’s game against the Orlando Magic to help that knee recover.
Tyrese Maxey: Hamstring strain
The Sixers’ dynamic point guard missed six consecutive November games with a strained right hamstring, but has been back since Nov. 20 with no noticeable issues beyond a minutes restriction.
Tyrese Maxey: Hamstring strain
That is good news, considering how hamstring issues can linger or reappear. Maxey is averaging 25.5 points, but without his fellow stars consistently alongside him, his shooting numbers are down while shouldering a significant workload.
Andre Drummond: Ankle sprain
Drummond, who has started 11 games in Embiid’s place, is currently out with a sprained ankle. He will be out through at least Friday’s game against Orlando. Without their two centers, the Sixers have turned to Yabusele and rookie Adem Bona.
Caleb Martin: Back soreness
Martin missed two games last week with back soreness, but returned for Tuesday’s win in Charlotte. He has also played recently with medical tape strapped to his shoulder. He acknowledged he sometimes plays through injuries “to a fault.”
Kyle Lowry: Hip strain
The veteran point guard just missed five games with a hip strain. But he was also back (in limited minutes) for Tuesday’s win at the Hornets. The 38-year-old sat out Wednesday against the Orlando Magic, on the second night of back-to-back.
Reggie Jackson: Knee soreness
Jackson sat out Saturday’s win at the Detroit Pistons with right knee soreness, which pushed standout rookie Jared McCain into a reserve role so the Sixers could more directly distribute the ballhandling minutes between him and Maxey.
Worth noting
Bona, KJ Martin, Ricky Council IV, and Eric Gordon have not missed any games due to injury, but also have not played in all 20 games because Nurse did not have them in the rotation for a particular game.