Philadelphia filled Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday night hoping to see LeBron James play his first minutes for the Philadelphia 76ers. Fans left without that moment. The LeBron James 76ers debut will have to wait.
James spent the preseason opener at the end of the bench, dressed in a maroon sweatsuit and a Phillies cap. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey also sat out. That left the 76ers without three of their biggest names against the defending champion New York Knicks, and fans who have waited all summer for this arrival had to settle for a cameo from the sideline.
Why the LeBron James debut is on hold
Coach Nick Nurse said the absences had nothing to do with injuries. He expects most of his key players to feature in at least two of the four preseason games, so the delay should be short. James did join a public scrimmage on Saturday, which he called a great first step.
The next opportunity comes Thursday, when Philadelphia visits the Brooklyn Nets at 7:30 p.m. ET. No one has confirmed whether the LeBron James 76ers debut will come then.
Brown and Edgecombe fill the gap
Jaylen Brown made the most of the spotlight. Acquired from the Boston Celtics in a summer trade, he scored 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting in about 17 minutes, all in the first half, during his first game in a 76ers uniform. Philadelphia cruised to a 120-97 win.
VJ Edgecombe added 12 points and seven assists in 19 minutes. He looked confident against a Knicks lineup that played its regulars for most of the first half.
The night did have a cost. Center Ariel Hukporti left early in the first quarter and did not return, with imaging to follow. Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow were already out, which leaves the frontcourt thin.
The real test arrives on Oct. 20, when James and Brown open the regular season against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. By then, Philadelphia hopes to see its new core on the floor together.
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