Philadelphia

76ers

With Edgecombe playing 24 minutes in each of his three prior appearances, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said before Sunday’s game that the rookie’s minutes limit would increase “soon.” Sunday must have qualified as “soon,” since Edgecombe played 38 minutes against the Lakers. While the stat line wasn’t great, this is a spot where the increased playing time should be the focus. And with the 76ers off until Friday, Edgecombe has some time to work on his conditioning.

Embiid had a rough night shooting the basketball. In addition to missing all six of his three-point attempts, the 7-footer shot 4-of-15 from inside the arc. Many of his attempts came in the mid-range, and explosiveness seems to still be an issue in the paint. However, fantasy managers should be encouraged by Embiid playing 30 minutes, the second time he’s hit that number this season. The 76ers are off until Friday; hopefully, that time off will help Embiid as he works to get back to full strength.

On a night when Joel Embiid and Paul George (12/6/3/1) combined to score 28 points on 7-of-29 shooting, Maxey did his best to keep the 76ers afloat. Unfortunately for him, another poor third quarter did in the 76ers, with the Lakers winning the period by a 34-24 margin. Maxey finished with another excellent stat line, and he continues to provide top-five value in eight- and nine-cat formats. The 76ers play games on Friday and Sunday during Week 8, starting with the Pacers at home.

Embiid and George are good to go after being listed as probable on the initial injury report. While the latter’s availability does not necessitate a change to the lineup, since he played in Friday’s win over the Bucks, Embiid’s return means Andre Drummond will come off the bench. Also of note, Edgecombe’s minutes restriction should be lifted soon, but it probably won’t happen on Sunday.

Embiid should reclaim his starting spot, which should push Andre Drummond back to the bench. Drummond should serve as Embiid’s primary backup with Adem Bona picking up any remaining enter minutes.

George has been a fixture on Philadelphia’s injury report throughout the season, and that will likely be the case for the foreseeable future. With George set to take the court, Justin Edwards could see a reduction in playing time.

George is back on the injury report as the 76ers look to manage his return from offseason knee surgery. If he’s unable to play on Sunday, Justin Edwards’ playing time would increase after logging just one minute in Friday’s win over the Bucks. However, Edwards would be worth the risk in fantasy leagues.

Embiid did not play in Friday’s win over the Bucks, so Andre Drummond started and Adem Bona slotted in as his backup. Expect the same rotation if the 76ers can’t get their starting center back for the team’s final game of Week 7.

Maxey had one of his least productive offensive performances of the season on Friday. He scored fewer the 20 points for the first time, due to inefficient shooting and relatively low volume, but also wasn’t as productive as a passer against the Bucks. The versatile combo guard made up for his lack of offensive output on the defensive end, however. Philadelphia ultimately didn’t need Maxey to be in top form, as the team cruised to a 15-point road win on the second night of a back-to-back. Maxey, one of the NBA’s top scorers, likely won’t have another performance like Friday’s for a little while. He should resume his offensive domination on Sunday against the Lakers.

Grimes had the hot hand on Friday and used it to finish as the Sixers’ leading scorer for the game. He was especially dialed in from deep, accounting for more than a third of Philadelphia’s 17 made three-pointers on the evening, while also making contributions on the glass and finishing as one of the Sixers’ most productive passers. Arguably, his only blemish was the five turnovers he committed, which were nearly half of Philly’s total. Still, Grimes was productive off the bench and continues to find ways to contribute.