The Sixer Sense
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Sixers are finally getting close to full strength

By Christopher Kline

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 7: Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts to a call late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Wells Fargo Center on December 7, 2017 in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 7: Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts to a call late in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Wells Fargo Center on December 7, 2017 in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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After dealing with a number of different injuries, it seems like the Philadelphia 76ers are finally getting close to full health.

These past few weeks have been up and down for the Philadelphia 76ers. Just as they were starting to make some noise in the Eastern Conference, a four-game skid put them back at .500 prior to Tuesday night’s win in Minnesota. That just serves as a reminder of how young this team is.

With that said, youthfulness isn’t the only thing at fault for the Sixers’ inconsistency. Injuries have played a significant role in many of their struggles this year, depleting their depth in a rotation that didn’t have much to begin with.

Over the past 10 games or so (and especially during the Sixers’ four-game losing streak) it seemed like there was an excuse for every off-night or bad mistake, valid or not.

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Joel Embiid missed a game with back soreness, Robert Covington missed one with a nasty-looking contusion, T.J. McConnell missed time with shoulder issues, Justin Anderson has missed three weeks with shin splints, Markelle Fultz has dealt with his own shoulder issues and Ben Simmons had a minor ankle injury with the flu.

It’s a long list.

While none of those are major issues long term, they’ve compounded on each other to become an issue now. Philadelphia is painfully thin on the wing, and dreadful play from Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Jerryd Bayless hasn’t helped much. Missing Covington also led to some funky lineups against the Wolves, albeit in a win.

With their depth dwindling, the Sixers have had some glaring holes that weren’t there at the season’s start. Luckily, those injury-plagued days seem to be coming to an end.

T.J. McConnell made his (final) return on Tuesday against Minnesota, while Robert Covington is set to play in Friday night’s battle against Oklahoma City. Embiid also got through his back pain to play Tuesday, while Simmons doesn’t have anything hanging over him for the time being.

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That means the starting lineup and McConnell will be in tact against OKC, leaving Brett Brown’s most important offensive pieces at his disposal.

They’ll (ideally) be joined pretty soon by Anderson and Fultz.

Anderson will be reevaluated in a week or two, while Fultz is 2-3 weeks away from being reevaluated himself. The latter is no longer feeling any soreness in his shoulder, to boot. Given the recent struggles for Philly’s wings, having Fultz’s shot creation and Anderson’s two-way toughness could be a big lift for the Sixers’ bench.

Any timeline that’s laid out in weeks always feels like a long time in the NBA, but keeping the right perspective is essential. The Sixers have played well enough to win games without Fultz and Anderson, and in Fultz’s case especially, it’s important that he’s healthy in five years — not five days.

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Nonetheless, things seem to be progressing well for Philadelphia. Even with their recent drop in the standings, the playoffs seem like a real possibility. Here’s to hoping they can stay healthy.