DES MOINES, Iowa — Paul George is set to make his 76ers debut in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night time on the Wells Fargo Arena. Meanwhile, the crew is with out Joel Embiid as they put together to play within the residence area of the Iowa Wolves, the Timberwolves' G League affiliate.
The Sixers then will face the Boston Celtics on Saturday and the Atlanta Hawks within the two remaining video games of their preseason highway journey.
» READ MORE: Nick Nurse, Iowa’s favourite son, returns to the state that formed him as a champion and citizen of the world
Coach Nick Nurse was requested after Thursday’s follow at Grand View University if Embiid will meet the crew on the highway journey.
“He’s not here,” Nurse mentioned. “He’s at a scheduled assessment of his knee. That was always on the schedule. We are still waiting for what’s next.”
The 7-foot-2 middle performed in simply 39 video games final season largely due to a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.
He mentioned he’s “slowly building back up” his knee this preseason.
Embiid and George missed Monday’s 139-84 exhibition victory over the New Zealand Breakers on the Wells Fargo Center.
But Tyrese Maxey and George participated in taking pictures drills, which included an array of acrobatic dunks, following Thursday’s follow.
George’s objectives for Friday’s preseason recreation with the mindset embody bettering and creating chemistry with teammates.
“But I think more so just get some conditioning,” he mentioned. “Try to really blow out my lungs, run the floor, all the intangible stuff. I think the talent, it will make its imprint as the season goes on and we get out of preseason. More so, I’ll be in my game. But it’s keeping up with [Tyrese Maxey], running the floor, giving him space. But like I said, it’s more so the intangibles this preseason.”
While George labored on the intangibles, Nurse loved training at his former stomping floor.
The 57-year-old was the pinnacle coach at Grand View for two seasons within the early Nineteen Nineties. He took over at 23 years previous in 1991 and on the time was the youngest head school basketball coach within the nation.
Thursday’s follow was on the Johnson Wellness Center and Dave Sisam Arena. It’s the place Grand View performed below Nurse. It’s additionally the place the Iowa Energy of the NBA D-League practiced when he coached them.
“It looks a lot nicer, a lot newer that it was back in 1990, whatever it was,” Nurse mentioned of the small area. “It’s been so long ago that I can’t quite look it up. … It was two stints using this gym. We were feisty today, a lot like I remember it being in this gym. It’s loud and it’s close. That kind of sets an environment for some competition and our guys certainly were competing today.”
The Sixers have been handled like rock stars as Grand View college students stood within the hallways to watch follow by way of glass doorways. Then they waited exterior of the constructing to take selfies with gamers afterward.
Green retires
Former Sixer Danny Green introduced his retirement on Thursday. He leaves the sport as a three-time NBA champion.
The 37-year-old swingman gained titles with the San Antonio Spurs (2014), Toronto Raptors (2019), and Los Angeles Lakers (2020). Green shot 40% on three-pointers throughout a 15-season profession with six NBA groups.
Green had two stints with the Sixers. He first performed for the Sixers through the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons earlier than being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Green re-signed with the Sixers on Sept. 13, 2023. However, he solely performed a complete of 18 minutes in two video games earlier than being waived on Nov. 1.
Blue x White scrimmage
The Sixers will maintain their annual Blue x White Scrimmage on Oct. 20 at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington.
The occasion is free to the general public. However, followers should acquire a ticket to enter the world, which is residence to the Sixers’ NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
Season ticket-holders can obtain tickets for the occasion through a hyperlink beginning at 9 a.m. Friday. Partial plan holders then might be eligible to declare tickets at 11 a.m. Tickets might be out there to most people at 1 p.m.
There are championship-or-bust expectations surrounding the Sixers after they reshaped the roster this offseason.
The most important transfer got here when George signed a four-year, $211.5 million contract to kind an enormous three with and Maxey and Embiid. But signing Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Guerschon Yabusele, and Eric Gordon, together with re-signing Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry, and Maxey has catapulted the Sixers into championship rivalry.
