Philadelphia

76ers

It wasn’t much of a game as the 76ers were no match for the Cavaliers without Joel Embiid in the lineup. Maxey ended up hoisting 22 shots. He wasn’t efficient, but managed to pour in 27 points as well as knock down five 3-pointers. He just had three assists, but fantasy managers will take that scoring production from the 24-year-old point guard. Given the 126-99 final score, it could’ve been much worse.

George had just five points as he struggled mightily from the field against the Hornets Friday. Without Joel Embiid Saturday, though, George remains one of the 76ers key pieces and having him available avoids the domino effect his absence would have on their depth chart.

Martin will be back after missing the team’s last three games. With Paul George questionable, Martin could end up sliding right into the starting unit, though he should at least fill a few extra minutes off the bench.

George struggled mightily on Friday night, and he may end up missing the second night of the back-to-back. If that happens, Caleb Martin will likely see some extra minutes after missing their last game and should fill the open starting spot, though Guerschon Yabusele and Kyle Lowry could also take on larger roles.

George had a rough Friday night, missing nine of his first ten shots and finishing with five points. The good news for those who have him rostered is that there was solid production in other categories. George was effective in the rebound, assist, and steals categories, so he remains a quality fantasy asset despite shooting 42.2% from the field on the season. Also good for fantasy managers is 76ers coach Nick Nurse saying after Friday’s game that he expects PG to play in Saturday’s game against Cleveland.

A top-40 player in 9-cat formats over the past two weeks, Oubre has been one of the pleasant surprises in fantasy basketball this season. Friday’s point total was the highest for the Tsunami Papi since October 25, when he scored a season-high 28 against the Raptors. Rostered in 44% of Yahoo leagues, Oubre should be added to more standard league rosters. With Joel Embiid out Saturday, Oubre is worth considering for streaming in some shallow formats.

Maxey has scored 22 points or more in four straight games, his longest streak since the season’s first six games. The efficiency hasn’t been great this season, but the 76ers guard is shooting nearly 46% from the field over the past two weeks. Saturday’s matchup with the Cavaliers will be more difficult, especially with Joel Embiid (sinus fracture) already ruled out.

Embiid returned to the 76ers lineup earlier than anticipated, missing just one game. While he took a little time to adjust to playing while wearing a mask (which he has done before), the 2023 NBA MVP dominated the shorthanded Hornets. Seeing Embiid play this well was great for fantasy managers, but the joy will be short-lived as the 76ers visit Cleveland on Saturday. Following Friday’s game, 76ers coach Nick Nurse said Embiid will not play, which means Andre Drummond will start.

Embiid is back a little earlier than expected, having only missed Monday’s win over the Hornets in Charlotte. His return means Andre Drummond will come off the bench, but he is not worth streaming in most leagues. Philadelphia’s other four starters are unchanged.

Bona began on-court workouts last week and is now set to return from a knee injury. With Joel Embiid (sinus) questionable, Bona would have a chance to crack Philadelphia’s big man rotation if Embiid were to miss Friday’s game.