Updated: 5:36 p.m.
It's a shame Ben Simmons will miss tonight's game.
Simmons, who sat out just once as a rookie, is out for Tuesday night’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons with back tightness (see story). He exited Saturday’s 116-115 win over the Orlando Magic with 4:19 remaining in the first quarter and did not return.
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With the reigning Rookie of the Year sidelined, he'll miss a special anniversary in the Motor City. On this exact date last season, Simmons recorded the first triple-double of his career with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
Simmons’ absence will give Markelle Fultz a chance to operate more at the point guard spot. Perhaps that’s what the former No. 1 overall pick needs to find his mojo in the NBA.
• Beyond the obvious challenges of playing on the road, the Sixers will also get their first taste of suiting up on consecutive nights when they play the Pistons on Tuesday and Bucks on Wednesday.
While this is the first of 13 back-to-back sets for the Sixers this season, don’t expect the team to come out with any less energy for the two contests.
“I think if you had your druthers, you’d choose rest. You wouldn’t play back-to-backs,” Brett Brown said after Monday’s practice. “But having said that, I think there’s a little bit of those situations being overrated.”
NBA
• What’s a Sixers-Pistons matchup without a little chatter about Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond?
If you remember, the two big men had quite the war of words last season. Embiid initially said Drummond didn’t play defense and couldn’t shoot. Drummond followed that up by saying Embiid shouldn’t talk because he didn’t play back-to-backs.
The two eventually squashed the beef (see story), but not before Embiid got the upper hand on the court.
The Sixers’ All-Star center averaged 26.0 points (51.9 percent shooting) and 9.0 boards in three games against the Pistons last season.
Drummond was no slouch either as he put up averages of 12.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.5 blocks.
In the end, the Sixers had the last laugh as they swept the four-game season series between the teams.
Below are the essentials for Tuesday night’s matchup.
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Little Caesars Arena
Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia (Pregame Live starts at 6:30 p.m.)
Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com
Roster
Jerryd Bayless, G, 6-3/210, No. 0
Jonah Bolden, F, 6-10, 220, No. 43
Wilson Chandler, F, 6-9/225, No. 22
Robert Covington, F, 6-9/225, No. 33
Joel Embiid, C, 7-0/260, No. 21
Markelle Fultz, G, 6-4/200, No. 20
* Demetrius Jackson, G, 6-1/200, No. 11
Amir Johnson, F/C, 6-9/240, No. 5
Furkan Korkmaz, G/F, 6-7/185, No. 30
T.J. McConnell, G, 6-2/190, No. 12
* Shake Milton, G, 6-6/205, No. 18
Mike Muscala, F/C, 6-11/240, No. 31
JJ Redick, G 6-4/195, No. 17 13
Dario Saric, F, 6-10/250, No. 9
Landry Shamet, G, 6-5/190, No. 23
Ben Simmons, G/F, 6-10/230, No. 25
Zhaire Smith, G, 6-4/200, No. 8
* Two-way player
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