Since Oct. 20, 8 of 10 Sixers players given the short-term tag missed the next game, against 58% across the league. Treat the Embiid and James listings for Bulls night as real doubt, not a formality.
Does a short-term injury tag on a Sixer mean he plays?
Not usually. By our count, 8 of 10 players on this club who got the tag since Oct. 20 missed the next game. Across the league it is 65 of 112, or 58%, rest days included. That is 22 points higher for Philly. Ten cases is a small sample, but it is the only sample this club has given us.
What does that mean for Embiid and James against the Bulls?
Both are listed with an estimated return of Nov. 2, after being moved up from Out on Sunday. Embiid has played 5 of the 7 games this season and James 5 as well. Chicago is 1-5 with a minus 15.7 net rating and a 121.6 defensive rating, so Philly can afford patience. Watch the pregame report, not the tag.
How thin is the rotation right now?
By our count, Philly has lost 712 minutes to injury since opening night, ninth most among the 30 teams. The worst single day cost 111 minutes. Today it is 33: Dominick Barlow at 23.8 a game and Ariel Hukporti at 9.2. Barlow's estimated return is Nov. 4 at Detroit. Hukporti's is Oct. 1, 2027.
Is there anything to cheer for besides the injury report?
Jaylen Brown is 22 assists short of 2,000 for his career. At the 4.2 he averages this season, that is about 6 games away, a projection and not a promise. The next five games on the schedule get him to roughly 21, a hair short, so the number lands the game after Boston on Nov. 10.
How often do Sixers players miss the next game after a short-term injury tag?
By our count, 8 of 10 on this club missed the next game since Oct. 20. The league rate over the same stretch is 58%.
When could Jaylen Brown reach 2,000 career assists?
He is 22 short, and at his 4.2 a game this season that is about 6 games away, a projection. Five games on the current schedule would leave him about one short.
