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Whatever you do, do not look now. But… the Sixers are playing like an awfully good team right now. They have won three games in a row.
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Adam Aaronson
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Whatever you do, do not look now. But… the Sixers are playing like an awfully good team right now. They have won three games in a row.
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Adam Aaronson
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Joel Embiid (right knee injury management; right ankle sprain) will miss the Sixers’ road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon, according to the team’s initial injury report for the game unveiled on Saturday, which also lists Paul George (left knee injury management) as probable:
The Sixers have an injury report for tomorrow’s game @ OKC:
Joel Embiid – right knee injury management; right ankle sprain – OUT
Paul George — left knee injury management — PROBABLE
Kelly Oubre Jr. – left knee sprain – OUT
Trendon Watford – left adductor strain – OUT
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) December 27, 2025
Embiid, whose right knee issue led to him missing eight consecutive games earlier in the season, has experienced multiple scares there over the last two games, including Friday’s game in Chicago in which he surpassed 32 minutes for the first time in 2025-26. This is the first mention of any right ankle issue for Embiid this season.
Also out for the Sixers are Kelly Oubre Jr., whose absence due to a left knee LCL sprain has officially reached the six-week mark, with no substantive information available about his potential timeline to return; and Trendon Watford, who has now been out for more than a month with an adductor strain and similarly has no timetable to be back on the floor.
Both players are limited to individual on-court work; Oubre seems a bit closer to ramping up than Watford though it is unclear if either one is anywhere near close to that point
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Hunter Sallis made seven appearances for the Sixers before being replaced by former first-round pick MarJon Beauchamp.
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Adam Aaronson
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Joel Embiid (illness; right knee injury management) is doubtful for the Sixers’ home contest against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night, according to the team’s initial injury report for the game unveiled on Saturday afternoon. The report also lists Paul George as out on the second leg of the team’s back-to-back:
The Sixers have an injury report for tonight’s game vs. Dallas:
Joel Embiid – illness; right knee injury management – DOUBTFUL
Paul George – left knee injury management – OUT
Kelly Oubre Jr. – left knee sprain – OUT
Trendon Watford – left adductor strain – OUT
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) December 20, 2025
Embiid, initially listed as questionable for Friday’s game in New York due to an illness, was later ruled out with the additional tag of right knee injury management applied. It was the first time Embiid’s right knee has been officially reported as an issue in over two weeks, when he returned from a nine-game absence. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse provided the following comments on Friday evening:
George, meanwhile, has yet to play in both legs of any back-to-backs this year. The nine-time All-Star logged 33 minutes for the third consecutive game on Friday at Madison Square Garden; he only shot 2-for-10 from the field but was a team-best +16, largely because of his continued defensive impact.
The expected absences are the same: Kelly Oubre Jr., who has been out for well over a month with his left knee LCL sprain and still does not have a timeline to return, and Trendon Watford, who is coming up on a month-long absence due to a left adductor strain and also does not have a timeline to return.
For Dallas, Anthony Davis is probable with an illness and Klay Thompson is questionable due to left knee soreness.
MORE: VJ Edgecombe meets the moment in Madison Square Garden debut
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When the Sixers and Knicks face off at Madison Square Garden, chaos and intensity typically ensue. That was no different on Friday night.
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Adam Aaronson
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Third-Quarter Woes and Late-Game Struggles
Another heartbreaking loss for the Philadelphia 76ers, this time a 120-117 thriller against the Atlanta Hawks on December 14, 2025, left fans reeling from familiar frustrations. A controversial missed backcourt violation in the closing moments sealed the defeat, but the issues run deeper than one call. As of December 17, 2025, the Sixers sit at 14-11, a respectable record on paper with a potent offense ranking among the league’s top 10 in points per game. Yet, subtle flaws continue to undermine this talented roster, problems that don’t always show up in the stat sheet.
Early in the season, third-quarter collapses plagued Philadelphia, with the team routinely outscored coming out of halftime. Adjustments seemed to pay off recently—they won the third quarter in their victory over the Indiana Pacers—but lapses persist. Defensive miscues, struggles to control the pace, and late-game execution have cost them in tight contests. The recent Hawks game highlighted over-reliance on hero ball down the stretch, even as Paul George erupted for a season-high 35 points on efficient 11-of-21 shooting, including 7-of-10 from three.
Integrating Joel Embiid and Paul George back into the lineup has been a process. Both stars are flashing vintage form: Embiid dropped a season-high 39 points against the Pacers, while George has looked increasingly explosive. But health remains a concern. Tyrese Maxey missed the Hawks game with an illness, and Kelly Oubre Jr. continues recovering from a knee issue, though he’s progressing with on-court activities. Depth players like Trendon Watford are also working back, thinning the rotation at times.
On the surface, the Sixers look fine—loaded with talent, high-scoring, and rebounding well. Their young core, including standout rookie VJ Edgecombe, adds athleticism and potential. But chemistry is still building around Embiid, George, and Maxey. Roles are being defined, and the transition from individual brilliance to cohesive team play takes time, especially with a mix of veterans and youth.
Too often, the offense devolves into isolation plays that work in spurts but falter when opponents clamp down. Defensively, rotations lag, and pace control slips, allowing runs that flip momentum. These intangibles—execution under pressure, defensive communication, and halftime adjustments—are the hidden drags on this team’s ceiling.
Embiid and George are turning back the clock with high-level performances, and as health stabilizes, the Sixers should climb the Eastern Conference standings. If they iron out third-quarter woes, sharpen late-game poise, and let chemistry gel, this group has championship upside.
It’s been a rollercoaster start—ups highlighted by dominant wins, downs marked by agonizing close losses. The talent is undeniable; now it’s about clarity and consistency. With the core intact and emerging youth contributing, Philadelphia has everything needed for a strong second half and a legitimate playoff push.
Trust the process—again—but this time, the payoff feels closer than ever.
Categorized: Sixers
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Jake Mayson
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Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) is questionable to play when the Sixers face the Hawks in Atlanta on Sunday night, according to the team’s initial injury report for the game unveiled on Saturday afternoon, which also lists Tyrese Maxey as doubtful due to the illness responsible for him missing the team’s win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday:
The Sixers have an injury report for tomorrow’s game @ Atlanta:
Joel Embiid – left knee – QUESTIONABLE
Tyrese Maxey – illness – DOUBTFUL
Kelly Oubre Jr. – left knee – OUT
Trendon Watford – left adductor – OUT
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) December 13, 2025
Embiid, who has yet to appear in two games during any three-day span during the season, said he felt “great” after posting his strongest performance of the season to lead the Sixers to victory on Friday night, intimating he was eager to play again on Sunday. However, Embiid acknowledged that to this point the team’s plan to manage his left knee has included multiple days off in between all games. With four-day layoffs before and after this potential first try at playing two games in three nights, perhaps the Sixers feel the time is right to give it a shot.
Maxey was not in attendance as Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe led the Sixers to their 14th victory of the season; he went from probable to questionable to out due to an illness. It was Maxey’s first absence of the season. It is unclear whether or not he traveled with the team to Atlanta on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Sixers remain past due on substantive updates about the statuses of Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee), who has been sidelined for a month, and Trendon Watford (adductor), whose absence has lasted multiple weeks. The latest information on both is that, according to Sixers head coach Nick Nurse on Thursday, neither player is doing live on-court work, only individual activity.
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Potential Deadline Additions to Bolster the Sixers’ Roster
The NBA trade rumor mill is buzzing, with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee dominating headlines. While a superstar like Giannis remains a long shot, the heating market gives the Philadelphia 76ers opportunities to upgrade for a playoff push.
Coming off a frustrating 112-108 loss to the Lakers—where they blew a double-digit lead in the fourth—the Sixers sit at 13-10, sixth in the East. Tyrese Maxey (31.6 PPG) is carrying the offense, and Paul George adds two-way stability. Still, third-quarter slumps, Embiid’s load management, and occasional depth issues highlight areas to address.
As we pass the quarter mark of the season and the February 5 trade deadline approaches, here are five realistic targets (and one dream) that could fit Philadelphia’s timeline and needs:

A proven rim-runner and shot-blocker (8.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.4 BPG), Gafford would be ideal insurance behind Embiid and a complement to Andre Drummond. Dallas is reportedly open to moving veterans, and Gafford’s affordable extension makes him attainable for second-round picks and salary filler. Low-risk depth with lob-threat upside alongside Maxey.
With the Pelicans mired in a 3-20 disaster, Jones—an elite 3-and-D wing and 2024 All-Defensive selection—has surfaced in trade talks. His ability to guard 1-through-4 would bolster Philly’s perimeter defense and let George play more off-ball. A package built around Kelly Oubre Jr.’s expiring deal and a protected first could get it done.
The bigger swing from the same struggling Pelicans roster. Murphy, 25, is averaging 20.5 PPG with strong three-point shooting and athleticism. He’d provide spacing and scoring punch off the bench or in the starting lineup, addressing third-quarter lulls. It would cost a first-rounder plus assets, but he’s a win-now and long-term fit.
A low-cost, high-upside bench spark. The 25-year-old undrafted guard shoots 38.5% from three, defends tenaciously, and can handle secondary playmaking. Sacramento’s rough start makes him available for seconds and a minimal salary match. Perfect for stabilizing second-unit offense without breaking the bank.
The blockbuster dream. If Memphis pivots into a rebuild—especially with ongoing Ja Morant questions—Jackson (DPOY 2023, 22+ PPG, elite rim protection) could become available. Pairing him with Embiid would create a terrifying defensive frontcourt while adding spacing. It would require Paul George or significant assets, but landing a 26-year-old two-way star in his prime would vault Philly into true contention.
The Sixers need consistency and health more than anything, but a smart deadline addition could solidify them as Eastern Conference threats. They return to action Friday against a shorthanded Indiana Pacers squad—a prime bounce-back spot before a tough December stretch. – Get your cheap tickets at Ticketx
Trust the Process: one calculated move could make all the difference.
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Jake Mayson
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Philadelphia has always been crazy about its sports culture, but recent shopping suggests fans there are a different breed of loyal altogether.
A recent study found that Philly sports fans spend more on supporting their favorite teams than the average American consumer does on holiday shopping and Christmas gifts.
This highlights just how deeply entrenched the city’s love of sports actually goes.
The study took a look at how much people tend to spend on Christmas gifts across the nation. It found that, on average, consumers spent around $870 per person. While not a meager sum by any stretch, Philadelphia sports fans generally exceed that figure through team-related spending, regardless of which sport they enjoy most. On average, Philly fans were willing to fork over approximately $944 each year to follow and support their favorite teams. That figure was generally split between gear, tailgates, trips to catch live games, and other related entertainment like online sports betting.
Sports betting alone has become a major driver of sports-related entertainment for local fans. With Pennsylvania boasting one of only seven fully regulated iGaming markets (online casinos included), local fans have plenty of digital platforms to turn to. The market has also branched out considerably over the years, and many fans now regularly use niche options like the best Bitcoin betting sites.
The appeal of these sites comes from their use of cryptocurrencies as a payment method. While Bitcoin is the most popular and widely used option, other tokens like Ethereum and Solana also feature regularly on these specialized sites. By exploiting the benefits of blockchain technology, crypto betting sites offer more private experiences, instant payouts, and a wide range of sports and markets to bet on.
For those who can’t regularly make it to games, online sites like these and other modern options like streaming services and social media help fans engage with their favorite teams in a variety of ways. This has translated into a democratization of sorts that now helps sports fans feel closer to their favorite teams and players. The fact that they can interact with and even directly reply to posts on social media pages has resulted in a surge of new avenues for fans to spend on sports, and Philly fans have embraced all of them.
The gap in Philly fans’ spending habits for sports teams vs. holiday shopping shows how much weight sports carry for locals. Many fans attend several games a year across the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, and Flyers. Special events like playoff runs, rivalry games, or stadium visits boost yearly totals. These costs climb once food, jerseys, travel, and parking enter the mix.
Some fans start spending early in the year. Others build their budgets around key dates like opening day or major matchups. High-demand games often draw higher prices. Families who attend games together may spend hundreds in a single outing. The survey placed Philadelphia among the highest spending markets in the United States, trailing only a few cities with strong football and baseball cultures.
Philadelphia fans often describe themselves as part of an extended sports community. This mindset surrounds each team with a shared sense of identity. When teams succeed, the city lights up. When teams struggle, people stay committed. Despite holiday shopping already surging this year, this emotional link helps explain why local fans spend more than the national holiday shopping average.
Season ticket holders make up a portion of this spending. Some fans keep their seats for decades. They treat renewals as part of yearly planning, much like household bills. Season ticket packages run far above casual single-game purchases, which pushes the average higher.
Travel adds more weight. Fans often take trips to see away games in nearby states. Washington, New Jersey, and New York each host teams that face Philadelphia clubs regularly. These trips often include hotel stays, meal,s and transportation. Some groups turn these events into long weekends, which adds to the total yearly outlay.
The study that produced these figures compared spending habits across major US cities. Philadelphia ranked near the top not only for total dollars spent but also for consistency across all four major sports. Many cities show strong spending in one sport. Philadelphia maintains strong spending across the board.
Even during the off-season, the spending does not fade. Many fans keep buying shirts, hats, and jerseys during roster moves or draft announcements. Preseason excitement sparks new purchases. Sports radio stations and local news outlets keep stories active, which keeps fans thinking about their teams year-round.
Philadelphia’s position near the top of the spending chart shows how deep the bond between fans and teams runs.
The yearly totals reflect long traditions passed across generations and the high-energy sports culture that shapes daily life in the region.
Categorized: More PHL WegENT Blog
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Joel Embiid (right knee injury management) will miss his ninth game in a row when the Sixers face the Nets in Brooklyn on Friday night, according to the team’s injury report for the game issued on Thursday evening, while Paul George (right ankle sprain) is questionable, Adem Bona (right ankle sprain) is probable to return and VJ Edgecombe remains out for the third consecutive contest:
The Sixers have an injury report for tomorrow’s game @ Brooklyn:
Joel Embiid — right knee — OUT
Paul George — right ankle — QUESTIONABLE
VJ Edgecombe — left calf — OUT
Adem Bona — right ankle — PROBABLE
Kelly Oubre Jr. — left knee — OUT
Trendon Watford — left adductor — OUT
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) November 27, 2025
Embiid has not played since Nov. 8, when he posted season-highs in points and minutes in a victory over the Toronto Raptors. Embiid had a scripted absence the following night as the Sixers managed his left knee, the subject of an arthroscopic procedure in April and other work in recent years. Embiid seemed to be making considerable progress.
But on the morning of Nov. 11, Embiid came to the team’s pregame shootaround and reported soreness in his right knee. Of his eight consecutive absences, the last seven have been caused by the right knee issue. He has mostly been practicing fully during his absence, and for more than two weeks the Sixers have been adamant that the former NBA MVP was still merely day-to-day. He was initially questionable for Tuesday’s blowout loss to the Orlando Magic, but was ruled out a handful of hours before tip-off. He did not practice on Wednesday, instead going through what the team called an “individual strength and conditioning session.”
George, who missed the first 12 games of the year due to his own left knee surgery recovery, went from probable to out on Tuesday due to a right ankle sprain. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said that night that it was not yet clear whether or not the nine-time All-Star was going to miss more time, but George was a full participant in the team’s practice on Wednesday.
Edgecombe also participated in that practice, a positive sign after the rookie missed his second game in a row due to a left calf issue. His designation on both injury reports for those absences was “left calf tightness,” but Nurse referred to it as a “strain” on Tuesday. Edgecombe had imaging come back clean, and Nurse acknowledged that the team is inclined to be especially cautious given the links between calf injuries and Achilles injuries. Now he is out once again, but this time a designation of “left calf injury management.”
Bona told PhillyVoice earlier this week that he was “feeling great” as he recovered from a right ankle sprain which has sidelined him for five games. On Wednesday, Bona said that being available to return on Friday was his “big goal,” and he felt like he was “right there.”
The expected absences: Kelly Oubre Jr., whose re-evaluation for a left knee LCL sprain is about a week away, and Trendon Watford, out for at least two weeks due to a left adductor strain the 25-year-old suffered on Tuesday.
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Tyrese Maxey’s sixth NBA season is quickly becoming historic.
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Adam Aaronson
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PHILADELPHIA – It was probably not the season debut that Paul George would have drawn up on paper, but for the nine-time All Star, getting back into NBA action for the first time in over eight months was enough to create some relief.
Getting a win against his former team is a nice bonus.
The Sixers defeated the Los Angeles Clippers on their home floor on Monday night, erasing another double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to come back and win. They did it despite a middling performance from George, who scored the first five points of the game and then struggled to find any sort of scoring groove.
George totaled nine points, seven rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes, shooting 2-for-9 from the field and 1-for-4 from beyond the arc while on a pretty tight minutes restriction. “Not bad,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said after the game, but everybody knows George has much more to give.
In the latest edition of Sixers soundbites, hear from George at his locker after his first appearance of the 2025-26 season:
• George on how it felt to finally get back on the floor:
“It felt great. It felt great to finally play basketball again. It’s been, like, eight months since I’ve played. So it was a long journey, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of hiccups, but it felt good to finally get out there and I felt good. Just rusty, but I felt good.”
• George on the difficulty of playing shorter stints:
“It’s the balance of letting the game come to you and then trying to – I’ve got to push it a little bit from a cardio and conditioning standpoint, but then before you know it five minutes is up and you’re getting subbed out. I’ve always let the game come to me. I thought today I was a little rushed trying to make the most of that five minutes every quarter. A lot of possessions were kind of uncomfortable… I’ve got to kind of do that a little bit, just to get the cardio and conditioning back.”
• George on what he knows about the plan to handle his minutes moving forward:
“I’m sure it’s just as my body tolerates it… This is the most I’ve done up until this point, so we’ll see how I feel tomorrow and just gradually build on it.”
MORE: Sixers-Clippers recap
• George on how it felt to see his first shot go down:
“It felt great. It felt great. Man, I watched it and there were so many emotions inside, there was zero emotion outside. I was just trying to focus on the game, staying locked in and engaged. But it felt great to make the first shot, and just do it for this city.”
• George on how he felt moving his feet defensively:
“It was definitely a trust factor when I first went out there to see what all I can do. And right away, it was like, ‘Alright, I’m ready for this, I can react, I can move, I can play physical, I can beat a guy to a spot, I can rebound.’ So that was, I think, a huge [item on the] checklist for me personally, that I was able to slide my feet, stay in front of guys, and just fly around, be reactive.”
• George on how he believes he can help this Sixers team the most:
“Just try to take pressure off Tyrese [Maxey]. As I get comfortable settling in, being someone that can create shots… Whether I make a play for someone, or I can break someone down to get a shot off, just trying to take pressure off him. He’s doing a lot. But we’ve got a lot of guys… That’s really why our team is special and so versatile, so just trying to fit into what the guys are doing now.”
• George on his takeaways from playing with VJ Edgecombe for the first time:
“Good. Great. He can hoop. He always seems to make a timely, timely basket in the fourth quarter. It’s been like that every game… He’s got a tremendous confidence and clutch factor to him. He reminds me of me in letting the game come to you and picking and choosing when to attack and be aggressive. And you don’t see that a lot for guys, to be comfortable that soon and know when to assert themselves that early into their careers. A lot of guys are chaotic and all over the place, but he just has a veteran kind of poise and clock when to be assertive. It’s special.”
• George on what the last month has been like as he was unable to play:
“It was challenging. It was challenging. I want to be out there with the guys, I watched days go by, games go by, where I couldn’t compete. It’s tough to want to compete and play and be a part of something that we’re trying to do, it’s hard to just watch. It was challenging, because there were ups and downs. There were days where I couldn’t participate, but there were huge breakthroughs where my body started to get stronger. And once that happened, it was enough to kind of piggyback off that. And here I am.”
• George on what the most significant breakthrough was for him in his recovery:
“I think the quad was just weak from being shut down for so long. That was the challenge, trying to get the quad strong, equal to the right, and the breakthrough came a couple days ago, where the numbers were equal. That was kind of the stamp, to go along with how I felt on the court, to be clinically cleared to go out and play.”
MORE: Edgecombe changes speeds, Andre Drummond changes minds and more
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Nine-time All-Star Paul George appears to be primed to make his season debut for the Sixers on Monday night against his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers listed George as questionable to play on their injury report unveiled on Sunday evening. Meanwhile, Joel Embiid remains out due to a right knee issue:
The Sixers have an injury report for tomorrow’s game vs. LAC:
Joel Embiid — right knee — OUT
Paul George — left knee — QUESTIONABLE
Kelly Oubre Jr. — left knee — OUT
Adem Bona — right ankle — OUT
Jared McCain is AVAILABLE after his two-game G League assignment.
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) November 16, 2025
George had multiple left knee injuries during his debut season with the Sixers, only logging 41 appearances while also being derailed by ailments related to his finger and groin. The nine-time All-Star injured his left knee again during the offseason, requiring an arthroscopic procedure in July. George has not yet played in 2025-26 despite fully participating in Sixers practices for a month now, causing significant frustration among fans. The latest substantive update on George’s status came on Tuesday, when the Sixers said his final step before returning was strengthening his left quadricep.
Embiid, who has played in half of the Sixers’ dozen games to begin the season, has not appeared in a game since Nov. 8, his best and longest performance of the campaign to date. The next day came his fourth absence of the season; all four of those missed games came as planned rest days as the team managed his troubled left knee. But he has missed the Sixers’ last two games because of soreness he reported in his right knee, though imaging confirmed there is no structural damage. His designation has changed from “right knee soreness” to “right knee injury management.”
Elsewhere, the Sixers said on Sunday afternoon that Kelly Oubre Jr. and Adem Bona would both be out for Monday’s game. Oubre suffered a left knee hyperextension during the team’s loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday, missing the second half of the game. The Sixers said on Sunday that Oubre’s injury involved his LCL and his return timeline was unclear. His official designation on the injury report: “left knee sprain.”
Bona, meanwhile, suffered a right ankle sprain in Detroit and will miss at least three games, beginning with Monday’s contest. The earliest Bona could return is on Thursday night in Milwaukee, the second leg of the team’s next back-to-back.
Jared McCain, who missed the Sixers’ last game because he was on assignment in the G League, has been recalled to the team, practiced with the group on Sunday and, according to Nurse, is going to be part of the rotation on Monday. He is officially available.
MORE: McCain makes progress with Delaware Blue Coats: ‘I’m getting there’
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