Embiid triple-double, Dean Wade start keep 76ers 3-0

With under 2 hours to tip, Nick Nurse still couldn't say who was starting in place of LeBron. Wade's left ankle was the holdup.

Dave McMenamin

@mcten

Dean Wade is cleared to play and will start tonight in his season debut in LeBron James' place, the 76ers announced.

Wade had missed the first 2 games with that ankle, and Nurse said before the game that the pain and his trouble moving side to side were what kept him out. LeBron sat the front end of the back-to-back for lower back pain management, and Nurse said James hadn't actually reported any pain beforehand. It's a schedule thing. Embiid had already said he wasn't playing both nights, so the weekend was always going to be split between the 2 stars.

Wade didn't need long. On the first play of the game he hit a corner 3 off a Tyrese Maxey feed, and the whole offense started firing from deep after that. Philly had shot badly from 3 in its first 2 games. With LeBron out the volume went way up, and so did the makes.

Chris Hine

@ChristopherHine

Three-point volume appears to be cranked up with Wade playing and LeBron out tonight. 15 threes attempted so far (8:56 left in 2Q) for the Sixers vs. 28 in the Cavs game. They shot 40 vs. Knicks.

There was a cost, though. LeBron is the guy who pushes the ball in transition, and without him the fast break was gone. Philly had 24 and 23 fast-break points in its first 2 games and none early in this one, while Milwaukee was up 17-0 in that department. Wade finished with 7 points in his debut. That stat line won't jump off the page, but the Sixers needed a body who could space the floor and they got one.

The bad news came in the second half. With Embiid on the bench, Nurse went with Wade and Jabari Walker up front, no Bona, and Walker got hurt. He wanted to come out but had to stay in and shoot his free throws first, then went to the locker room. Nurse first said it was the left knee and the team later corrected that to the right. There's no more information yet, and the frontcourt is already thin.

Then the late scare. A lead that had been 16 was down to 3 with 2:02 left, and VJ Edgecombe closed it out. In the next 93 seconds of game time he had a steal, a block, an assist and 2 rebounds, and Philly won by 11. Edgecombe finished with 17 points, 12 boards and 5 3s, Maxey had 26, and Jaylen Brown scored 27 on his 30th birthday. Embiid ran the whole thing.

NBA

@NBA

Joel Embiid records his 10th career TRIPLE-DOUBLE in Philadelphia's home victory! 🔔 28 PTS 🔔 11 REB 🔔 10 AST @sixers move to 2-0 at home and 3-0 on the season!

Embiid also got 12 of his 28 points at the line, going 12-for-14 on free throws. That's vintage Embiid. And now the guy who said he'd only play 1 game this weekend is trying to play both.

Dave McMenamin

@mcten

Joel Embiid on playing on the front end of the back-to-back against MIL instead of the back end against DET: “I actually want to play tomorrow, so can you guys put pressure on them?” (Referring to Sixers management/coaching staff) t.co/9zyGey8uRF

Nobody's committing to anything for Detroit on Sunday. Nurse said he's unsure about both Embiid and LeBron, though LeBron is expected back. If Embiid gets his way and plays the back end, the Sixers could have both stars on the floor while chasing 4-0. If he doesn't, it's LeBron's turn, and everyone waits on an update about Walker's knee. Milwaukee, meanwhile, is 0-3.