76ers and Bucks Stumble Out of Gate

Life comes at you fast in the NBA. We have not yet reached the middle of November, but nearly 12% of the regular season is already behind us. Sure, there are a lot of games to go, and the uncertainty of injuries pretty much ensures that things will change between now and April 13th. That said, some teams have dug themselves in a deep hole already and surprisingly two of those teams were considered contenders in the Eastern Conference.

I am talking about the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Milwaukee Bucks. Contending is the farthest thing from their minds at the moment. They are a combined 4-15 at the time of this article, with two wins each. Neither team is going in the right direction but for different reasons.

Philadelphia has not been healthy. Joel Embiid, the 2022-2023 league MVP, has yet to play a game due to “left knee management”. The result of lingering effects from a torn meniscus last year that was re-aggravated during the playoffs. There was a chance that Embiid could have returned last week but was then suspended for three games after getting into a physical altercation with reporter Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer. His suspension is now over, and he could potentially return against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. But it is unknown if Embiid will be physically ready to finally suit up.

The 76ers did get Paul George back a week ago, but he has struggled out of the gates. Averaging just 14 points per game on 41.7% shooting, including 18.8% on three-pointers, it is clear George is going to need more time to recover from the bone bruise in his left knee. Staying on the court was not something that he managed to do in his recent stint with the Los Angeles Clippers. Only time will tell if George, now 34-years-old and in his 15th season, can bounce back soon enough to help right the ship.

But that has now become more complicated as Tyrese Maxey went down with a hamstring injury last week against the Clippers. Early estimates are that Maxey is going to miss several weeks. Hamstring injuries also have a way of lingering and usually carry an increased chance of re-aggravation. None of that bodes well for a team that is built to win now and made major moves over the summer to do so.

With that as the backdrop, much more is now required of journeyman Kelly Oubre Jr. and 19-year veteran Kyle Lowry. Oubre Jr. is now a top two scoring option on the team, a position that he may thrive in. Lowry is still an effective and efficient player, but his days as a consistent double-digit scorer have been over for quite some time. He last averaged double-figures (11.2 points per game) in 2022-2023 for the Miami Heat.

After turning down a five-year, $65 million contract with Miami, hoping to sign a more lucrative deal, Caleb Martin ultimately signed a four-year, $32 million contract with Philadelphia in July. The new CBA did not do Martin any favors, but it did work out for the 76ers. That said, he was meant to be a complementary piece and not a focal point of the offense by any means. In short, Philadelphia is going to struggle to score and will be testing the limits of their roster depth for several weeks even with Embiid and George finally on the court together.

Milwaukee has also been dealing with an injury. They are feeling the effects of not having Khris Middleton as he continues to recover from surgery on both ankles in July. It would be hard for any team to weather the loss of a potential 20-point scorer, but the Bucks seem to have bigger issues. Damian Lillard has added an offensive spark to their backcourt, but the departure of Jrue Holiday has left them lacking in quality perimeter defenders. There also seems to be questions about the team’s culture and whether Lillard really wants to be in Milwaukee. He made it known that the Heat were his preferred destination when exiting his time as a member of the Portland Trailblazers. Holiday never seemed to have an issue being a Buck.

Bobby Portis will likely be brought up in Sixth Man of the Year conversations. Portis has been steady, although not very efficient. Speaking of inefficiency, Brook Lopez has finally shown his age. Never known as a plus or even an average rebounder, Lopez is still a quality rim protector but is struggling from the field. He is shooting 39.7% from the floor, the lowest mark of his career (yes, it is only nine games) and 26.2% on triples which is his lowest mark since the 2014-2015 season.

The reality for Milwaukee is that they are not very good and are a little long in the tooth in terms of players they rely on. Yes, Giannis Antetokounmpo is in the prime of his career. But Lopez and Middleton are past their physical primes to varying degrees and for different reasons. Their role players are not exactly spring chickens either and I would not consider Lillard young at 34-years-old.

For the 76ers, it is still early. If and when everyone is healthy and on the floor together, they have a very high ceiling. The Bucks on the other hand already seems tapped out with few movable assets that they can use to improve their roster.

Both have head coaches that have won NBA Championships. If you are Nick Nurse, you need your stars on the court and to stay healthy. Admittedly, that is easier said than done. If you are Doc Rivers, you must find a way to win with what looks like an older and flawed roster. While the Eastern Conference is not as strong top-to-bottom as the Western Conference, it is hard to see a flawed roster getting past the Boston Celtics or the red hot Cleveland Cavaliers.