Jabari Walker went from Out to Day-To-Day on Thursday with his left knee, and his projected return is Friday's home game against New York. Philadelphia plays at Charlotte the next night, the first test of how Nick Nurse splits minutes between Joel Embiid and a 41-year-old LeBron James on consecutive nights.
Will Jabari Walker actually play against the Knicks?
Maybe, but don't count on it yet. He moved from Out to Day-To-Day on Thursday, and his projected return is Friday. His status has flipped between Out and Day-To-Day four times since October 25, with entries for both knees and an ankle along the way. If he plays, he adds a body to a frontcourt missing Dominick Barlow and Tacko Fall until at least November 4 and Ariel Hukporti until October 2027.
What happened in that third quarter at Indiana?
Philadelphia scored 13 points in it. The Sixers led 62-52 at the half, gave up a 17-0 run in the first five minutes after the break and trailed 88-75 going into the fourth. They won with 39 points in the final quarter, 17 of them from Tyrese Maxey. Blowing a 15-point lead to a Pacers team without Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell, then needing a rally to win by five, is not something to brag about.
Is Anfernee Simons out of his slump?
For one night he was. He hit 6 of 10 threes for 20 points, finished a team-best +14 in 27 minutes and committed no turnovers. The bench scored 24 points, and Simons had 20 of them, so the second unit still depends on one shooter. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went 0-for-3 from deep. One hot game against a short-handed team proves little, and the Knicks on Friday are a better test.
How does Nurse handle Friday and Saturday?
Nobody knows yet. Embiid played 39 minutes in Indianapolis and was tagged Day-To-Day for rest on October 23 and 24. James was listed Out with a back issue on October 24 and was cleared the next day. Both of those histories run into the Knicks at home and the Hornets in Charlotte on back-to-back nights. A 4-1 start and second place give Nurse room to sit someone Saturday.
When do the 76ers play the Knicks?
Friday, October 30, at home, on Prime Video. They play at Charlotte the next night.
When will Dominick Barlow return from his back injury?
His projected return is November 4, the date of the game at Detroit.
