Nick Nurse Explains Joel Embiid, James Harden's Preseason Absence

With half of the preseason in the books, Joel Embiid and James Harden have yet to make an appearance.

The Philadelphia 76ers have now gone through two preseason matchups in 2023 without a glimpse of their two stars on the floor in game action.

When the Sixers tipped off the preseason last Sunday against the Boston Celtics on the road, Joel Embiid and James Harden made the trip, but neither guy suited up at TD Garden for the matchup.

Nick Nurse gave his team a day off for the first time in a week on Monday after the matchup before scheduling a return to the practice facility on Tuesday morning. Once again, Embiid and Harden were considered full participants in practice.

But when the Sixers geared up for their preseason rematch against the Celtics on Wednesday night, the team decided to hold the two stars out once again.

Prior to tip-off, Nick Nurse was asked about the key absences to confirm whether or not Embiid or Harden are dealing with minor offseason setbacks. Quickly, the head coach pushed back on that idea.

“No… No,” Nurse told reporters when asked if their absences have anything to do with setbacks.

He then went on to explain the decision to hold them out.

“I just think this veteran, multi-year veteran guys and Simon and his crew getting guys ready to go for the opening night. This is what they’re doing.”

Typically, preseason serves two key focuses. For young players with inexperience, preseason offers some minutes they would unlikely receive during the regular season, along with a shot to win a spot in the rotation — or perhaps even the roster altogether.

When it comes to seasoned veterans, the preseason is simply a way to get their legs back under them. Harden and Embiid certainly fall under the latter category, as they combine for 16 All-Star appearances and two NBA MVP awards. They don’t need the preseason to earn minutes.

Which Sixers Stood Out in Rematch vs. Celtics

While it’s unfortunate the Sixers haven’t gotten a true look at the two most prominent players on the roster in the newly implemented Nick Nurse system, their time could be coming next week. The next time the Sixers take the floor will be on Monday, October 16. The Sixers will pay a visit to the Brooklyn Nets for their third preseason matchup of the year.

If Embiid and Harden don’t appear in next Monday’s matchup, then their final opportunity to compete in the preseason will be on Friday, October 20, when the team hosts the Atlanta Hawks for the preseason finale, six days before the regular season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks.