The Philadelphia 76ers hosted the Detroit Pistons at home today (26th), fighting for a 4th straight win to start the season. With franchise center Joel Embiid sidelined for the second leg of a back-to-back due to right plantar fasciitis management, the 76ers coaching staff announced that 41-year-old legend LeBron James would take over the starting center spot, marking the first time in his career he starts at center for the 76ers.
Embiid, fresh off a triple-double, is forced to rest; James returns from back injury to man the paint. In Saturday's 127-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Embiid notched a triple-double with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, leading the team to a 3-game winning streak. Though Embiid joked after the game that he wanted the media to pressure the front office to let him play consecutive games, the 76ers medical staff prioritized his long-term health and scheduled him to rest for the back-to-back.
Meanwhile, James, who missed the previous game due to lower back and sciatica management, returned from injury and immediately took on a new role in this game. The 76ers official starting lineup was: Tyrese Maxey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jaylen Brown, Dean Wade, and James at starting center. 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said in a pre-game interview that the team would split center duties between James, Adem Bona and Wade, and had full confidence in James: "I think he's totally fine at the five."
Extreme small-ball lineup activated, James orchestrates from the center spot to free up Maxey and Brown. Though James has spent most of his career as an offensive initiator on the perimeter, his elite size, passing vision and low-post footwork make him the most dangerous "invisible center" in a small-ball lineup. Nurse noted that the adjustment allows the 76ers to run high-post sets with James as the tactical hub, surrounded by multiple offensive players with perimeter and driving ability. When the Pistons try to collapse into the paint, James' pinpoint passes will create plenty of open looks for Maxey and Brown on the perimeter, and he can also defend opponents via switch on the other end. The only test is that James has to handle the high-intensity workload of boxing out, rebounding and battling in the paint for rim protection.
Pistons' Two Starters Out With Injuries Creates Opportunity, 76ers' Small Ball Gets Perfect Testing Ground. The 76ers' bold small-ball experiment is partly thanks to the opponent's injury crisis. Two of the Pistons' top starters are sidelined: starting center Jalen Duren, who just signed a 5-year, $200 million max extension, is expected to miss two weeks with a right hamstring strain, and All-Defensive Team wing Ausar Thompson is also out with a right ankle sprain. With the Pistons' paint height and perimeter mobility significantly diminished, the 76ers got a great chance to test their lineup in a real game. For the 76ers, who are title contenders, how to navigate the days without Embiid remains a big question; James' performance as a fill-in at the five will undoubtedly provide a possible solution for the team's future rotation adjustments.