One of the biggest storylines surrounding the Philadelphia 76ers right now isn’t a single game result, it’s the growing list of unavailable players.

The Sixers have recently been forced to navigate games with a significantly depleted roster, creating a major challenge as the team tries to stay competitive in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Injuries and absences have hit multiple key contributors at once, putting pressure on the rest of the roster to step up.

Most notably, Joel Embiid has been sidelined while recovering from an oblique injury, removing the team’s most dominant interior presence from the lineup. Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey is also dealing with a finger injury that is expected to keep him out for a handful of games and rookie sensation VJ Edgecomb is dealing with a back injury.

With those stars unavailable, Philadelphia has leaned more heavily on role players and younger contributors. Bench players like Quentin Grimes, Adem Bona, and Cam Payne (holy process, Batman!) have taken on larger offensive roles as the team tries to maintain some stability on both ends of the floor.  

The situation has turned roster depth and the ineffectiveness of general manager Darryl Morey into a key talking point. As the regular season moves closer to the postseason stretch, the Sixers’ ability to survive this difficult stretch could ultimately determine where they land in the playoff picture… if at all.