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The Philadelphia 76ers could be without a key reserve as they try to seize control of their opening-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets.
After Philadelphia won both home games to start the series, they shift to Brooklyn for Game 3 on April 20 and the chance to snatch what could be an insurmountable 3-0 lead. But the Sixers could be missing wing Jalen McDaniels, who was a surprise addition to the injury report on the eve of the game.
Sixers Wing Dealing With Illness
As Sixers reporter Ky Carlin noted on Twitter, McDaniels was listed as questionable for Thursday’s game with what was described as a “non-COVID illness.” There were no further details about the severity of the illness or whether McDaniels was expected to recover in time for the game.
McDaniels joined the Sixers at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Matisse Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers, and played a key role off the bench during the regular season. In February, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said he liked having McDaniels on the floor with big man Paul Reed together for the energy and defensive presence that the young players bring.
“Him (Reed) and Jalen, just their length together, the athleticism — not length because they’re not really tall compared to other guys — but it’s an athletic second group,” Rivers said, via USA Today’s Sixers Wire. “Both of them can run the floor, they create problems.”
McDaniels has continued to play a key role in the playoffs, averaging 19.5 minutes in the team’s first two games and notching 2.5 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists per game. Rivers even inserted McDaniels in the closing lineup for Game 2, moving veteran P.J. Tucker to the bench.
Sixers Look to Seize Control of Series
Though the Sixers looked dominant at times through the first two games of the series, Rivers is preaching patience as the series moves to Brooklyn for the next two. The Sixers coach told reporters on Wednesday that he wants the team to stay grounded and knows there are areas they need to improve, especially playing on the road.
“Our job is to make sure we stay grounded,” Rivers said, via Sixers Wire. “The goal is four and we’ve got two and the goal is way more than four, and we have to keep getting better. There’s a lot of things that we have to do to be a better basketball team and better in this series. So we go on the road, you got to anticipate them playing better and so we have to play better.”
The Sixers have been able to jump out to a 2-0 lead despite some rocky play from star guard James Harden, who is shooting just 32.4% from the field so far, Sixers Wire noted. But Rivers said he is confident Harden will turn it around and noted that some of his offensive woes were more of a team issue than a personal one.
“Just continue to create space,” Rivers said. “We showed it on film, our spacing was terrible the entire first half. So even if James did get in the paint, two of our guys were standing. In basketball, you get to the paint, it’s OK if two defensive players are there, but two of your guys shouldn’t be there as well because that makes it easier for them to help.”
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