The Philadelphia 76ers cannot seem to catch a break with their frontcourt.
One day before opening the regular season against the defending NBA champion New York Knicks, Philadelphia announced another setback involving forward Dominick Barlow.
The 76ers revealed Monday that imaging showed a lumbar spine bone stress response in Barlow, who has been dealing with back problems throughout training camp.
He has been ruled out of Tuesday’s opener at Madison Square Garden and will be reevaluated in two weeks, according to the team’s medical update shared by Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports.
The announcement adds another name to an injury list that has already forced coach Nick Nurse to reconsider his frontcourt rotation before the season begins.
It also means Barlow, one of Philadelphia’s more dependable role players last season, will have to wait to make his 2026-27 debut.
Dominick Barlow Injury Compounds 76ers’ Frontcourt Problems
Barlow’s absence is more significant than his modest scoring numbers might suggest.
The 23-year-old forward enjoyed the most productive season of his NBA career in 2025-26, averaging 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists across 71 games.
He made 59 starts and shot 53.9% from the field, establishing himself as a valuable contributor through his rebounding, activity around the basket and defensive versatility.
His emergence helped stabilize Philadelphia’s rotation during a season marked by injuries and lineup adjustments.
But Barlow has been unable to participate consistently in training camp this fall.
He missed the 76ers’ preseason opener against New York on Oct. 5 because of a back issue and remained sidelined through the team’s remaining exhibition schedule.
The latest imaging results explain why his recovery has taken longer than initially hoped.
Philadelphia did not provide a definitive timetable for his return, saying only that he would be evaluated again in two weeks.
For Nurse, the challenge is finding someone to replace the energy and versatility Barlow provides while managing an already depleted frontcourt.
Sixers Face Another Test After Ariel Hukporti’s Season-Ending Injury
Barlow’s setback comes two weeks after Philadelphia lost center Ariel Hukporti to a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon.
Hukporti suffered the injury just five minutes into the Sixers’ preseason opener against the Knicks, eliminating one of the team’s primary candidates to back up Joel Embiid.
As The Philadelphia Inquirer previously reported, the injury left Philadelphia searching for reliable size behind its franchise center.
Adem Bona, who has been recovering from a foot sprain, remains an important part of those plans.
The 76ers also signed 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall to a two-way contract, although he missed the preseason because of a hip issue.
With Barlow unavailable, Nurse could lean more heavily on smaller frontcourt combinations involving Jabari Walker and Dean Wade.
Philadelphia will need that depth immediately against a Knicks team featuring Karl-Anthony Towns and a physical frontcourt.
The Sixers enter Tuesday’s opener with considerable expectations following an offseason that brought LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia alongside Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
But while their star-studded lineup has attracted much of the attention, the frontcourt injuries remain an unresolved problem.
Barlow is the latest casualty.
And with his return uncertain, the 76ers must find a way to navigate the opening weeks without another player they expected to rely on.
76ers Dealt Another Injury Blow Ahead of Knicks Opener