Building momentum and constructing a consistent lineup could be tricky for Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse this year. When speaking on The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin suggested that Joel Embiid and LeBron James won’t always be available for back-to-backs, which will significantly reduce Nurse’s time to perfect his tactical blueprint for when the postseason arrives.
Embiid and LeBron must be managed carefully
Over recent years, Joel Embiid’s injuries have limited his availability for the Philadelphia 76ers, and evidence suggests this is unlikely to change unless he is managed sensibly. While LeBron James has remained relatively healthy throughout his legendary NBA career, Father Time waits for no man, meaning Nick Nurse can’t afford to overwork his superstar before the playoffs arrive.
When discussing questions surrounding the 76ers’ roster, Dave McMenamin highlighted, “Joel Embiid, it seems like, [he] will be unlikely to play back-to-back.” He then continued, “We’ll see where LeBron stands… Will they really push the pedal to the metal and try to have him play back-to-backs?”
Nick Nurse will have already factored this into his thinking for the upcoming season. However, it still leaves a question about how he handles load management for both stars. Philadelphia undoubtedly has the roster depth to chalk up victories without essential players in the rotation, and the head coach’s main priority must be keeping the squad’s core healthy for the postseason.
Unfortunately, even if the 76ers have enough weaponry in their reserves to clinch a postseason berth without fielding LeBron and Embiid for every game, there is still a major concern with this approach.
Chemistry can’t be created without players on the floor
The fact of the matter is, Joel Embiid will miss more games than back-to-backs. And while LeBron James’ health has been extraordinary throughout his career, sciatica did prevent the 41-year-old from being ready for the start of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2025-26 season. Frankly, both stars will miss a chunk of action at some point.
Consistency will be key for the 76ers this year, and certain players on the roster can’t provide Nick Nurse with that. There is a lot to work out for this team. Who will be the floor general? Who will the team turn to when they need a clutch basket? Which star will sacrifice their offensive ego to embrace a defensive role? It will be almost impossible to find this out if players are unavailable for long stints of the season.
There is always a counterargument that a squad this skilled and determined will find a way to win regardless of the system they are placed in. During the regular season, I can agree with this theory; once the playoffs commence, talent alone won’t be enough.
The Sixers’ head coach will need a set of players who have a telepathic connection on both sides of the ball. This won’t happen if LeBron and Embiid haven’t had an opportunity to iron out the teething issues the duo will inevitably have.
Lady Luck hasn’t blessed the Philadelphia 76ers or Joel Embiid in recent years, while LeBron James is coming to the end of his career. It would be a shocking turn of events if the pair don’t miss more than just back-to-back games. Without cohesion and understanding, the Sixers won’t win a championship, so Nick Nurse must figure out how to load-manage his superstars or face severe consequences.
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