Apr 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) drives against Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Brooklyn Nets Injury Update Could Impact Philadelphia 76ers

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Mar 1, 2025 5:22 PM ET

The Philadelphia 76ers are officially on tank watch. While the team will continue to compete for the final Play-In position, the decision to shut down Joel Embiid for the remainder of the season could surely affect the Sixers, as they are better off with their big man on the floor.

Many are pounding the table for the Sixers to tank. With their first-round pick only protected through the top six, there is a chance the Sixers could miss the playoffs and be out of the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

The standings matter, and the Brooklyn Nets are one of the teams to keep an eye on down the stretch. Currently, the Nets are ahead of the Sixers in the Eastern Conference and recently welcomed one of their key players back to the lineup.

On Friday night, the Nets cleared their standout guard Cam Thomas against the Portland Trail Blazers. It was the first time Thomas played since January 2, when he checked in for 22 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks on the road.

WELCOME BACK CAM THOMAS! pic.twitter.com/8jDxoLMAW4
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) March 1, 2025

Thomas’ presence on the floor didn’t allow for Brooklyn to climb out of their current losing streak. In a matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Nets came up short by 19 points. Thomas was on a restriction, seeing the court for just 21 minutes. He scored 16 points on 41 percent shooting.

Even with the loss, the Nets maintain their position in 11th place. With one more win than Philly, Brooklyn has a 0.5-game lead over the Sixers. Brooklyn will be back on the court on Saturday night to take on the Detroit Pistons. With Thomas just returning, he’ll get the night off to manage his setback.

As for the Sixers, they will host the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. A loss would be their 10th in a row and could drop them to 20-39 on the year. They place a few games ahead of the 18-42 Toronto Raptors.

Currently, the Sixers have a 37.2 percent shot at a top-four selection, according to Tannkathon. Their chances of getting the top pick (Cooper Flagg) sit at just nine percent.

Being that the Nets braced for a rebuild, the return of one player won’t make a major difference. However, it’s clear that Brooklyn is better when the likes of Thomas and D’Angelo Russell are on the floor.