That Charlotte game is the first chance to see how Fernández uses his rotation, and it will shape what we see Thursday. If Randle and the vets play heavy minutes Tuesday, the Barclays crowd may get more of the young guys. If they sit, this could be Randle's first real run in black and white. Either way, the Sixers get to look at a team they have no preseason tape on, and Brooklyn has had a full look at how Philly's depth handled the Knicks.
The injury list is long for Philly, but most of it is rest. The real worry is at center. Ariel Hukporti left Monday's game with a lower-leg injury after 5 minutes, Adem Bona is dealing with a foot problem, and Tacko Fall has a left hip strain that will keep him out at least 2 weeks. If Embiid sits again, Nurse may have to get creative in the frontcourt against a Nets team that now has Randle and Day'Ron Sharpe.
Brooklyn has its own health questions, and they involve the young players the fan base most wants to see. Brown Jr. is nursing an ankle injury and was ruled out of the Charlotte opener, and Jefferson's lower back kept him out of it too. If both are still sidelined Thursday, the most interesting part of the Nets' rebuild stays in street clothes. If either one plays, that's the reason to watch this game in October.
Tipoff is 7:30 PM ET. The thing to watch is who's on the floor. Philly's depth already handled 1 opponent without its headliners, and Brooklyn is still figuring out what it has. That's enough to make a mid-October preseason game worth having on.