Joel Embiid’s absence left the Philadelphia 76ers short-handed against the Detroit Pistons, forcing Nick Nurse to experiment with his frontcourt rotation. The adjustment, however, failed to deliver the desired results. Philadelphia suffered a 106-93 loss, while LeBron James finished with a game-worst -22 plus-minus after starting at center.
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The Pistons controlled the glass, collecting 54 rebounds to the 76ers’ 37. They also grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and turned them into 24 second-chance points. Bron understood the logic behind the head coach’s decision, but he made it clear that playing center was never supposed to become his regular assignment.
“Well, I mean, s—, we got an MVP over there,” LeBron James said after the game, pointing towards Joel Embiid. “I mean, I’m not here to have a sustainable role at the five. You got Joel Embiid on the team, you know? And so I don’t see it being a sustainable role, but it’s a role that we know we can tap into if we need it.”
Embiid was ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Detroit Pistons for right foot plantar fasciitis management as the 76ers manage his workload.
“And I know I can play one through five, you know, offensively and defensively if needed,” James continued. “But sustainable role of playing the five, I don’t think that’s If I was to say I was assigned here to have a sustainable role at the five, I don’t think that was actually one thing.”
Nick Nurse’s decision came as Philadelphia dealt with a shortage of available big men. Embiid was out, while Jabari Walker (knee), Dominick Barlow (back) and Tacko Fall (quad) were also sidelined. VJ Edgecombe, the team’s best rebounding guard, missed the game with an abdominal contusion.
That left Adem Bona as the 76ers’ only true center. He played a season-high 25 minutes and recorded six points and 13 rebounds, including five offensive boards. Despite his contribution, the Sixers could not match Detroit’s physical presence around the basket. LeBron James, meanwhile, made his first start at center in about five seasons.
His previous 14 starts at the position came during the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 41-year-old has the versatility to handle different assignments. But after the performance against the Pistons, LeBron James refused to describe the positional change as a challenge.
“Challenges? I wouldn’t say it’s a challenge. I mean, it’s basketball,” James said. “For me, I pride myself on being able to play in any role, whatever role that’s gonna help the team. And obviously, we’re all trying to figure it out. I look at it as just trying to have a growth mindset and doing whatever I can do to help the team win.”
His willingness to adapt gives the Sixers’ head coach another option when the team needs a different look. Nick Nurse had already explored a similar adjustment against the New York Knicks when Joel Embiid picked up his third personal foul late in the second quarter. The former MVP reportedly suggested that LeBron James take on more center responsibilities. That approach made sense as a situational adjustment.
Against Detroit, however, Philadelphia had to rely on Bron to fill the position without Embiid available. And the team struggled to compensate for its missing size. LeBron James finished with 18 points, two rebounds, and three turnovers. His minus-22 rating was the worst on either team, and the 76ers were outscored by 22 points during his time on the floor.
The team’s rebounding numbers added to the concern. The defeat also marked the second straight game in which the 76ers lost the rebounding battle by a significant margin. They had been outrebounded by 22 in Saturday’s win against the Milwaukee Bucks before falling behind by 17 against Detroit.
When asked how the 76ers could improve their rebounding, LeBron James responded with a humorous reference to his friend and former teammate Taurean Prince.
“In the great words of Taurean Prince, who tonight I saw on the bench, a good friend of mine, ‘so the ball goes up into the air, and then you go grab the ball.’ That’s what we’ve got to do.”
Tyrese Maxey offered a more direct assessment of what could help.
“If some of our tall guys come back. That would be great,” he said.
For now, LeBron James remains willing to take on whatever role the team needs. Bona provided a strong rebounding effort, but Philadelphia cannot expect one available center to cover for several injured frontcourt players.