When the Philadelphia 76ers closed out their 2026 NBA preseason with a second straight game against the Boston Celtics, the starting five missed one player: VJ Edgecombe.
The second-year guard was ruled out after the head coach, Nick Nurse, suggested that the projected starting five would finish the season with a three-quarter dress rehearsal. A sudden absence for Edgecombe, who isn't known to miss action, raised some eyebrows.
Nick Nurse noted that Edgecombe was being held out due to rest. The Sixers rolled out the young guard for the first three games of the preseason and held multiple practice sessions that were described as intense before the finale. A couple of days later, there was more to it, but it doesn't seem to be keeping Edgecombe out of the mix for Tuesday's opener in New York City.
VJ Edgecombe returns to the court at the right time
The Sixers held the first of two practice sessions before the season begins. When Nick Nurse met with reporters, he peeled the curtain back a little more regarding Edgecombe's recent absence. He noted that the guard was "sore" after an intense week of practice.
Fortunately, that soreness hasn't turned into a full-on injury. The Sixers considered Edgecombe a full participant at practice on Sunday, and he returned in the same capacity on Monday afternoon, as the Sixers reach the final stages of their prep period before taking on the champions.
Edgecombe is good, everybody else? Not so much
Barring any unexpected setbacks, it seems Edgecombe is going to be good to go on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Not everybody else is in the same boat as the second-year guard.
Several players could end up on the Sixers' injury report before Tuesday's game. The forward Dominick Barlow missed the entire preseason with a back injury. He hasn't been practicing. The center Tacko Fall is dealing with a hip injury and is slowly working his way back, currently going through individual work.
Anfernee Simons has a hamstring injury, which forced him to miss the entire preseason. Adem Bona has a foot injury and didn't play in any game action as well. They were recently deemed full participants in practice.
Lastly, the Sixers are unsure about the status of the forward, Dean Wade. During the Sixers' preseason finale, Wade went down with an ankle injury. He wasn't a part of any practice action on Monday.
Soon, the Sixers will release their official injury report. If all goes as expected, the 76ers shouldn't have Edgecombe listed.
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