Allen's Knee, Embiid's Night: Cleveland Comes to South Philly

0:04The host: Tonight Cleveland comes to South Philly for the home opener, on ESPN, and the whole night could come down to one knee: Jarrett Allen's right knee. He's carrying a tag on the Cavs' report. If he sits, Joel Embiid gets a very different evening.

0:20The analyst: Because there's nothing behind Allen. Khalifa Diop is out with a left knee. That leaves Evan Mobley, at 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds a game last season, as the only real big between Embiid and the rim.

0:35The host: Hang on, you're writing the box score already. Mobley is one of the best defenders in the East. One guy can be enough.

0:42The analyst: For 31.9 minutes a night, sure. That's what he played last season. The trouble is the minutes when he sits. Nae'Qwan Tomlin is out with a back injury too, so somebody smaller is guarding Embiid for stretches.

0:56The host: And Cleveland overall? Because I remember them being good.

1:00The analyst: They went 52-30 last season, with a 118.3 offensive rating and a 4.1 net rating. Ours was minus 0.1. They're 0-0, tonight is their first game, and they come in on 8 days of rest. They haven't played a game all week.

1:16The host: 8 days off. Is that fresh legs or rust?

1:19The analyst: Nobody knows that in October. What I do know is that we played in New York two nights ago and got 1 day off in between.

1:25The host: Then the matchup that scares me isn't the bigs. It's Donovan Mitchell, 27.9 points a game last season, next to James Harden at 23.6 points and 8.0 assists.

1:36The analyst: That's where VJ Edgecombe earns his $11.7M. He played 35.0 minutes a game as a rookie. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is 33 and takes the other one. Two Cleveland guards against two of ours, and nowhere to hide.

1:51The host: Okay. Who's actually available for us?

1:55The analyst: Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James and Edgecombe have all been cleared. Anfernee Simons and Adem Bona came off the list October 20, so both of those long-running tags are finally closed.

2:09The host: And the bad news.

2:10The analyst: Dominick Barlow is out with his back, estimated return November 2. Ariel Hukporti's Achilles has an estimated return of October 1, 2027, so that's his season. Tacko Fall is out with a left quad, targeting October 24.

2:25The host: Fall's tag changed three times yesterday: hip, hip again, then quad. I'll believe October 24 when I see him in uniform.

2:34The analyst: Fair. Then there's Dean Wade with the ankle, estimated return today. If he goes, he's the body you put on Mobley. If he doesn't, Jabari Walker and Justin Edwards eat those minutes.

2:47The host: Fine. Give me the number.

2:49The analyst: 100. That's what the Knicks scored on us in the opener. In preseason Boston put up 125 and 144. Same core, but a different defense showed up in New York.

3:01The host: And what if that's just one game? Because it is one game.

3:05The analyst: It is one game. It doesn't prove the defense is fixed. It proves this group can hold a full-strength Knicks team to 100 on the road. That's my whole claim.

3:15The host: Last time we said the question had moved to whether they can stop anyone. You're telling me that's answered?

3:21The analyst: Not answered, just started. And look at how they won. Maxey had 14 points, Embiid had 10, and it still finished 106-100. Neither star carried it.

3:33The host: That's either depth or luck. Maxey scored 28.3 a game last season. You don't build a season on him scoring 14.

3:41The analyst: Agreed, the evidence is thin: one night where the stars were quiet and everyone else held. I'm buying the trend. I'm just not engraving it.

3:49The host: Meanwhile the standings had us 2nd, then 6th, then 3rd inside a day. The power rankings jumped us from 18th to 12th. Off one win.

3:59The analyst: And the pace projects 82-0, which tells you exactly how much one game is worth.

4:05The host: Tip is tonight at Xfinity Mobile Arena, and ESPN has it. Then Milwaukee October 24 on NBA TV, and Detroit the next night. And LeBron is 41.

4:18The analyst: Which is why tonight's minutes matter. Cleveland is rested and we aren't. If Nurse leans hard on the starters to win the home opener, the bill comes due against Detroit.

4:28The host: Watch who meets Embiid on his first post touch tonight, Allen or Mobley.

4:33The analyst: The rest is in the 76ers section on Hoops Nightly.