With the Toronto Raptors in town, the Philadelphia 76ers approached the game with the option of letting two players (LeBron James and Joel Embiid) sit.
Neither player experienced a new setback before Thursday's game, despite both having minor scares against the Boston Celtics earlier in the week. Embiid turned his ankle before halftime and limped back to the locker room at the intermission.
LeBron was hit in the face, which kept him down for a moment. Both players finished the game and didn't have any new designations on the injury report. For LeBron, the Sixers placed him as questionable due to sciatica management.
When the Sixers went through their morning shootaround session, LeBron was present and considered an active participant. That was a good sign for his potential playing status on Thursday, but the Sixers didn't wait all day to make their final decision. Philly ruled out LeBron well before the Sixers and the Raptors tipped off. But no worries, James didn't suffer any setbacks on Thursday morning.
Playing the long game
At 41, LeBron James' workload needs to be handled with care. While he's far from injury-prone, the 76ers don't want to see their star center suddenly fall under that category due to pushing him to play as much as possible in early November. There is too much time left to go.
Naturally, Nick Nurse was asked about LeBron's planned absence. The head coach made it clear that the "long-term picture" is the priority in this case. The medical team made the call to give LeBron a rest night, so the star forward watches the Sixers take on the Raptors from the side. It's far from a big deal.
The 76ers knew when LeBron James signed with them, there would be planned absences. Back-to-backs might be out for James this season, but clearly, the quick turnarounds aren't the only rest opportunities for James, as the Sixers won't play again until Sunday afternoon, following Thursday's action.
Hopefully, with some rest, James will be able to get refreshed after a tough stint. Last week, the 76ers hit the road for a three-game road trip that started in Detroit. James nearly posted a triple-double in 33 minutes with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
When the Sixers got to his home state in Ohio, James had a tough night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He bounced back against the Chicago Bulls before having another struggle-filled matchup against the Boston Celtics at home. This week is serving the Sixers' star forward a notable break, as James will have at least four days off.
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