Sixers injury list expands to six: Brown out, depth tested

Philadelphia Sixers fans face a season where health determines the ceiling. With only five games played, the team has already lost half its rotation to injury or load management. The roster includes star acquisitions Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, yet the squad is playing shorthanded. For viewers, this means a starting lineup that looks nothing like the one drafted and traded for in the offseason.

The injury wave began before the first tip. Dean Wade, signed as a key role player, sprained an ankle in late training camp. He missed the first three games and remains limited. Jabari Walker suffered a knee injury during the third game of the season and has been out since. Anfernee Simons missed all of training camp before joining the team for opening night.

The core stars have also taken time off. LeBron James and Joel Embiid were each sidelined once for load management. A second absence for either is possible on Saturday when the Sixers play in Charlotte. VJ Edgecombe sat out one game after taking a hit to the abdomen. Now, Jaylen Brown joins the list. He was ruled out hours before Friday's game due to left knee soreness.

The team's medical staff provided no clear timeline for Brown's return. Coach Nick Nurse avoided comparing Brown's injury to Walker's. "I think it’s certainly different for each of them," Nurse said. "I think it’s a timetable of treatment and time management and getting them to feel better. Hopefully they’ll both be back soon."

The early schedule offers little relief. The Sixers played the defending champion New York Knicks twice in their first five games. Friday marked the second meeting. On Saturday, the team faces Charlotte in the first game of a back-to-back. Next week brings three consecutive road games in Detroit, Cleveland, and Chicago.

Brown's absence hits the offense hard. He averages 20.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He shoots 44.2 percent from the floor and 41 percent from three-point range. Dean Wade is expected to start in his place. The Sixers' offense has struggled early in the season, and the loss of Brown's shooting and rebounding compounds that issue.

Coach Nurse believes the team will improve as players gain rhythm. He specifically addressed Embiid's shooting, which stands at three made on 17 attempts from beyond the arc. "I think he’s taken, for the most part, good ones," Nurse said. "Most of the time, he wants to take them fairly wide open or pretty wide open; he can do it. It’s hard to guard when you have a big who can go out and pop."

Nurse added that consistent shooting from Embiid would open driving lanes for other players. "I also think he’s a great shooter," he said. "I think if he consistently takes four or five a game, he’ll start making a high percentage."

The team can only improve if its players are on the floor. The current injury list includes Brown, Wade, Walker, Simons, James, and Embiid. The Sixers will test their depth against Charlotte on Saturday.