Around the midway point of the season, the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers are clearly trending in opposite directions.
The Pacers eye their eighth win in nine games Saturday in Indianapolis when they host the scuffling Sixers, who will continue to take the court without their best player.
Philadelphia announced Friday that Joel Embiid, who has missed the last six games with a foot sprain, is now dealing with continued discomfort in his left knee.
“While the foot sprain has healed, Embiid experienced an increase in swelling in his left knee following (Thursday’s) workout,” the Sixers said in a statement. “After consulting with team medical staff and external doctors, Embiid will receive treatment in the coming days to address the swelling.”
The former NBA MVP is going to miss Saturday’s game — and the Sixers’ entire three-game road trip — and will be re-evaluated in 7-10 days, according to the team.
Naturally, that leaves the Sixers without a dynamic presence on both ends of the court. Tyrese Maxey will continue to carry much of the load offensively, as he has over his last five games (30.4 ppg), although his shooting has been inconsistent over that stretch — not to mention that the team has lost each of its last four games.
Veterans like Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. have experienced strong stretches at times with Embiid out, while youngsters such as Justin Edwards and Jeff Dowtin Jr. have given the Sixers good minutes of late.
“If we didn’t have guys out — six guys, seven guys out — we don’t know what Justin would be doing,” Maxey said. “Just every single night when guys take advantage of the opportunity, at the end of the day, it’s fun, man. We’re playing the game that we love, the game that we asked to play, the game that we work our tails off to play every single day.”
The Pacers are playing hard lately, as well, as they are coming off a 111-100 victory over the Detroit Pistons — a win in which Myles Turner matched his career high of eight 3-pointers.
“He was in a groove for sure,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “But more than the shot-making, I loved his attitude, the way he played the game.”
Aaron Nesmith returned from a two-month-plus absence due to a sprained ankle and recorded nine points in nine minutes.
“I felt good,” said Nesmith, who added that “going into the next game, it’s going to be even easier to flow right into it.”
Nesmith will continue to complement Pacers stars Tyrese Haliburton (17 points, eight assists against Detroit), Turner (28 points) and Pascal Siakam (26 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, four steals).
“We’re glad to get him back,” Haliburton said of Nesmith. “We know it’s going to be a progression as far as his minutes and what he’s available to do, but we’re excited to have him on the floor.”
This is the third of four meetings between the Pacers and Sixers this season. Philadelphia posted a 118-114 overtime victory in Indiana on Oct. 27 before the Pacers returned the favor with a 121-107 triumph in Philadelphia on Dec. 13.
