This would have marked just the second time Philly fielded its entire starting five. But after playing in all three of the Sixers’ other three preseason tilts, VJ Edgecombe is getting the night off.
Although his absence is a bummer, his fit with the core fivesome remains the simplest. He has shown a willingness to cut, get out in transition, shoot off the catch and defend no matter who’s on the floor.
If any wrinkles need to be ironed out, it’s with the LeBron-Brown-Embiid trio. Balancing that could get finicky for stretches. For our sake, it at least gives us plenty to continue monitoring throughout this one.