Are The Sixers Actually One Of The Healthiest Teams In The East?
Injuries go with the Sixers like peanut butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, or cookies and milk. It is hard to remember the last time we could call the Sixers…
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 17: Joel Embiid #21 shakes hands with Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers during a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 17, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)Injuries go with the Sixers like peanut butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, or cookies and milk. It is hard to remember the last time we could call the Sixers healthy. But I found myself watching Get Up this week, and Brian Windhorst said something that had me floored. He said the Sixers might have the healthiest group of stars in the East.
The irony of the statement was not lost on him either. You could hear the shock in his words as they left his mouth. He also made sure to qualify them with "we will see if it lasts." Which is fair enough, given the last decade of Sixers basketball.
Joel Embiid started his career by missing 2.5 seasons. Ben Simmons missed his 1st season. Markelle Fultz missed most of his 1st season. Embiid has since dealt with injuries every single season. And of course, we had last year where the injured list was longer than the list of healthy players, and the group of 3 stars played just 15 games together.
But could it actually be that they enter this season looking healthier than any other team in the East? Jared McCain is already missing time with an injury that required surgery. But other than that, Joel Embiid looks the healthiest he has looked in a while. Paul George will miss game 1, but is practicing and expected back soon. Outside of the McCain injury, they look like a healthy team.
The Eastern Conference Is Beaten Up
Few other teams, at least not contending teams, can say that. Here is a rundown of what the Eastern contenders are dealing with.
- Boston Celtics- Jayson Tatum is out with an achilles injury. He might be able to return this season, but if he does, it will be late in the season. Jaylen Brown is questionable for game 1, but might be able to give it a go vs the Sixers.
- Cleveland Cavaliers- Darius Garland (toe) is out for the start of the season, though it sounds encouraging that he may return soonish. But Darius Garland and Max Strus sound further away.
- Indiana Pacers- Tyrese Haliburton is out for the season with an achilles injury. TJ McConnell will miss at least a month with a hamstring injury.
- Miami Heat- Tyler Herro is out for 8-12 weeks with an ankle injury.
- New York Knicks- Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson will miss the start of the season. Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable for Game 1.
The only team with a cleaner injury report is the Milwaukee Bucks, who have no injuries heading into game 1. And while the Knicks may be short-handed to start the season, they might get those guys back soon. But a lot of teams are dealing with long-term injuries to their stars.
Meanwhile, Jared McCain is the only Sixers player out long-term. And as much as we want to see him on the court, guard is one area where the Sixers may be well-suited to get by with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes all in the mix at Guard.
Again, mentioning it feels like I am putting a jinx out into the world. But the Sixers might be one of the healthier teams in the sport. Embiid looks ready. He looked like his old self in his 19 minutes of pre-season action. He enters the season with no injury designation. Maxey is healthy. By some stroke of luck, they got a rookie into the regular season healthy. And George is practicing and should be back within a few games.
Make sure to avoid ladders, mirrors, and black cats. No one should mess with the good luck the Sixers finally seem to have.
