Brett Brown knows he will start the season shorthanded when the Sixers tip off 2015-16 in Boston on Wednesday night, but he could get a bit of help at game time.
That’s because guard Nik Stauskas participated in a full practice on Tuesday at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for the first time since the first week of training camp.
According to Brown, Stauskas is a game-time decision for Wednesday’s game.
“I have 10 players for the next three games,” Brown said after practice. “Stauskas is still up in the air — he’s a game-time decision.”
Stauskas is recovering from a stress reaction in his right tibia, an injury brought on from playing for the Canadian national team in the FIBA Tournament of the Americas during the summer. Alongside teammates Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Olynyk, Stauskas was second on the team in scoring with 12.3 points per game.
“I went through the whole practice today. I feel good. I feel great,” Stauskas said.
“I’m super excited. I worked so hard this offseason to prepare myself for this moment. So whether it’s [Wednesday] or later, I’m ready. I’m just ready to go.”
NBA
Stauskas should be rested and a bit refreshed after his summer. The tournament ended on Sept. 12 and he continued to work out until training camp began at Stockton University on Sept. 29. Throw in the factors of going to a new team across the country where he would have new teammates, new coaches and a new place to live, the stress level could have been overwhelming.
So to take the time to step away and recover from everything — as well as rejuvenate his body — appeared to be the antidote for Stauskas.
“I wouldn’t say it was great, because I’d rather be on the floor, but my body was pretty beat up after the summer,” Stauskas said. “I over did it a bit at times even when I wasn’t playing for Team Canada, so it was good to get my body some rest and start the season healthy.”
After Wednesday’s game, the Sixers open up at home on Friday against Utah before hosting LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. After getting to know his new teammates over the last month, Stauskas could get some on-the-job training with them on the court.
“It’s getting there,” Stauskas said. “It’s going to take some time getting on the floor with the guys and getting comfortable with the plays and things like that. It will come with time.”