After spoiling the defending champion New York Knicks' ring ceremony on Opening Night, the Philadelphia 76ers have their sights set on going 2-0 when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Their chances of doing so could be improved significantly given the official injury report.
Jarrett Allen is the big name on the list for both teams. The Cavs big man is listed as questionable to play due to right patellar tendinopathy. Meanwhile, Khalifa Diop and Nae'Qwan Tomlin are both listed as out.
For the 76ers, they have a trio of big men in Dominick Barlow, Tacko Fall, and Ariel Hukporti listed as out. Meanwhile, Dean Wade is listed as questionable due to a left ankle sprain.
Allen's potential absence would take his marquee matchup with Joel Embiid of the table, which would be a disappointment. Embiid had an inefficient offensive performance against the Knicks as he finished with just 13 points on 4-of-15 shooting. However, he performed tremendously well on the defensive end, grabbing 11 rebounds with three blocks and two steals.
Embiid has his sights on being an All-Defensive Team player this season. If Allen does miss out, Embiid could instead lock horns with Evan Mobley, who won Defensive Player of the Year in 2024-25.
On the Sixers' side, they were without Dean Wade for the opener against the Knicks, but they did not seem to need him. Kentavious Caldwell Pope and Anfernee Simons got most of the minutes off the bench as the starters played heavy minutes. With LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and VJ Edgecombe, the Sixers have more than enough size on the wings to fade Wade's absence once again.
Cavs Injury Report
Jarrett Allen – Questionable (Right Patellar Tendinopathy)
Khalifa Diop – Out (Left Knee Injury Management)
Nae'Qwan Tomlin – Out (Low Back Stress Reaction)
76ers Injury Report
Article Continues BelowDominick Barlow – Out (Low Back Stress Reaction)
Tacko Fall – Out (Left Quadriceps Strain)
Ariel Hukporti – Out (Right Achilles Tendon Tear)
Dean Wade – Questionable (Left Ankle Sprain)