Chiefs’ Mahomes among those trying to land WNBA team for Kansas City in 2028 expansion

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the ownership group of the Kansas City Current, who play in the National Women’s Soccer League, have been meeting with WNBA officials a bout bringing an expansion franchise to the city.

Mahomes confirmed the talks Thursday, saying that it was a “no-brainer” to try to bring women’s hoops to Kansas City.

“Obviously, we want to get basketball in Kansas City in general,” said Mahomes, who also has ownership stakes in the Royals and MLS club Sporting Kansas City. “You talk about the University of Kansas basketball, the Chiefs, whatever it is, the city is going to come out to the stadium. It’s cool we were able to get the women’s soccer team here and you see the support they have.”

The Current, who play in a $117 million purpose-built stadium near downtown Kansas City, have regularly sold out their home matches this season. They begin the NWSL playoffs as the No. 4 seed on Nov. 9 after losing just three times all season.

Mahomes and his wife, Brittany — a former soccer player — frequently attend Current and Sporting KC matches. The Chiefs quarterback was in a suite at Kauffman Stadium a few weeks ago to watch the Royals play the Guardians in the playoffs.

“I think more than anything, I know how much sports has given to me,” said Mahomes, whose unbeaten Chiefs play Tampa Bay on Monday night. “Whenever I’m done with football — whenever that is — and I have to venture into life after football, and chase kids around, I want to still be a part of it. Hopefully, we can get this WNBA team here, for life after football, so I can make an impact in sports, and show my daughter that you can chase your dream, whatever dream that is.”

The WNBA is expanding by three teams over the next two seasons with Golden State, Portland and Toronto pushing the total number of franchises to 15. And while league commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said the WNBA would like to add a 16th team by the 2028 season, Kansas City is expected to have competition from St. Louis, Philadelphia and several other cities.

The league has been buoyed by young stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, drawing its best attendance numbers in 22 years this past season. Game 5 of its championship peaked at 3.3 million TV viewers, the most-watched WNBA game in a quarter of a century, plus 22 telecasts during the 40-game regular season topped at least a million viewers across various networks.

Kansas City has long had the infrastructure for a professional basketball franchise, building the T-Mobile Center in 2007 with the hopes of luring an NBA or NHL club to town. Those teams never materialized, but the building has remained busy hosting concerts and other sports events, including the Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments each March.

Mahomes believes a WNBA franchise would be the perfect fit for the downtown arena.

“They want to expand. Just like any other business, you have to pick and choose how,” he said. “Obviously, you’ve seen the last few years the WNBA has grown. We feel like Kansas City is a great place to continue that growth, but we have to battle other cities to show them that this is the right place.”

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Sharks phenom Macklin Celebrini takes step toward return

Macklin Celebrini is back on the ice, but it remains unclear when he’ll be able to return to game action.

Celebrini took a whirl before the San Jose Sharks‘ morning skate on Thursday, with the team saying this year’s first-overall pick has been cleared to take part in team activities.

“As part of his rehabilitation plan, Macklin will return to team activities today,” Sharks GM Mike Grier said in a statement, per Max Miller of the Hockey News. “He has made positive progress over the past several weeks and this will be the next step toward returning to the active roster. We will continue to monitor his progress but no date has yet been set for his return to game action.”

Celebrini had a goal and an assist in the team’s season opener before he was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

The team said on Oct. 21 he was considered week-to-week and that he would be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Celebrini became the youngest player in NHL history to record two points in the first period of his debut, according to Sportradar, doing it at 18 years, and 119 days. Shane Doan held the previous mark of 18 years, 362 days, when he had two points for Winnipeg against Dallas in 1995.

He also scored the second-fastest first goal ever for a No. 1 pick, with his goal 7:01 into the opener trailing only Mario Lemieux, who scored 2:59 into his debut against Boston on Oct. 11, 1984.

Celebrini had 64 points in 38 games as a freshman at Boston University last season, when he won the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player.

— With files from the Associated Press

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Quebec City to host Montreal vs. Ottawa PWHL game

The Montréal Victoire will host the Ottawa Charge in a Professional Women’s Hockey League regular-season game in 2025.

The PWHL announced Wednesday the game will take place on the afternoon of Jan. 19 at the Videotron Centre.

The Sunday game is one of nine regular-season neutral-site contests scheduled for the upcoming PWHL season.

The announcement comes a day after Amy Scheer, the PWHL’s senior vice president for business operations, said the league was planning on adding two expansion teams for the 2025-26 season.

Quebec City already has announced its intention to be an expansion candidate.

The PWHL kicked off its inaugural season on Jan. 1 with teams in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, New York, Boston and Minnesota. The league’s second season starts Nov. 30.

The game will mark the PWHL’s first visit to Quebec City and the Videotron Centre, which has a capacity of over 18,000 for hockey.

The Victoire played three neutral- or alternate-site games last season at Scotiabank Arena (Toronto), the Bell Centre (Montréal) and PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh).

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How Canucks’ Pettersson is able to make a lot out of nothing

In this edition of Skill Session presented by Desjardins, Canucks superstar Elias Pettersson and his teammates and peers, take a look at his highlight reel individual effort vs. the New York Rangers.

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Flyers’ Garnet Hathaway fined for elbowing Wild’s Joel Eriksson Ek

The NHL fined Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway $5,000 on Sunday for elbowing Minnesota Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek.

The incident occurred early into the second period of Philadelphia’s 7-5 win at home Saturday.

Hathaway, who received a two-minute penalty for roughing, caught Eriksson Ek in the face as he was skating through the Flyers’ zone.

Eriksson Ek, who missed time earlier this month due to a broken nose, picked up a goal and an assist later in the period.

The fine is the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

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NFL Live Tracker: Cardinals vs. Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa returns as the Miami Dolphins host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8 Sunday. Follow all the action with our NFL Live Tracker.

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Maple Leafs’ Berube opts for towering Myers, veteran Pacioretty vs. Bruins

BOSTON — Craig Berube is bringing out the blender up front and on the back end as his Toronto Maple Leafs return to the site of last spring’s Game 7 playoff defeat amid a two-game losing skid.

Philippe Myers — the six-foot-five, 219-pound, right-shot defenceman — will make his long-awaited Leafs debut Saturday, slotting in on the third pair in place of Conor Timmins.

“He came in a camp and earned a spot,” Berube said, following morning skate at Boston’s TD Garden. “He played physical. He was good on the penalty kill. He was defending very well back there. He’s a big guy. Just a simple game, but hard to play against, is the best way I can put it.”

The 27-year-old Myers, who has 158 games of NHL experience, has been biding his time as a healthy scratch and his physical play will be welcome against an angry Boston Bruins group.

Up front, a healed-up Max Pacioretty is ready to go after missing Thursday’s loss to St. Louis with a lower-body injury.

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Pontus Holmberg will be scratched for the first time this season.

Berube is also juggling his top-four defence group, who have been dinged up for a whack of goals against this week.

Offensively gifted lefties Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson will link up, with the latter playing his off side.

And the more defensively sound and rugged Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev should be tasked for as many shifts against the dynamic David Pastrnak as possible.

The pairing tweak shifts lefty McCabe to his strong side.

“McCabe and Tanev, it’s a good shutdown pair,” Berube said. “They’re both good defensively and physical and hard to play against.”

“Honestly, throughout a game even, I’m hopping back and forth from right to left,” he said. “It’s pretty seamless at this point.”

The injured Jani Hakanpää and Connor Dewar have joined Toronto for this two-game trip to stay sharp. Both are nearing full health and will be eligible to return in November.

It’s interesting that righty Timothy Liljegren has been passed over by Myers. Liljegren will have appeared in just one of the Leafs’ first nine games and makes $3 million.

“Well, right now it’s a little bit of a numbers game. I know I threw him in there for a game, and it’s hard with one game,” Berube said. “He’s got to be patient right now. That’s just the way it is. We make decisions as a staff and an organization for what we feel is best at the time. So, he’s working on this game. He’s working, and he’ll get another opportunity.”

Just as the Maple Leafs have an opportunity to claw a small slice of revenge for what happened the last time they faced the Bruins.

“They’re going to come out hard. They always do,” Berube warned of the opposition. “They’re a very good team, and lot of history with these two teams, as you guys know. So, I expect a hard game from both teams.”

Anthony Stolarz gets the start for Toronto. Jeremy Swayman will be in the Boston net.

Maple Leafs projected lineup Saturday in Boston:
Knies – Matthews – Marner
McMann – Domi – Nylander
Pacioretty – Tavares – Robertson
Lorentz – Kämpf – Reaves

Rielly – Ekman-Larsson
McCabe – Tanev
Benoit – Myers

Stolarz starts
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Yankees’ Judge voted player of the year by fellow major leaguers

LOS ANGELES — New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was voted player of the year and the American League’s outstanding player for the second time by fellow major leaguers in the annual Players Choice Awards of the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani was voted the National League’s outstanding player, the union said Saturday.

Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers and 144 RBIs, hitting .322. He also won both awards in 2022.

Ohtani became the first player with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases, batting .310 with 54 homers, 130 RBIs and 59 steals. He was voted the AL’s outstanding player in 2021 and 2023 when he was with the Los Angeles Angels and won the overall player of the year in 2021.

Milwaukee first baseman Rhys Hoskins won the Marvin Miller man of the year award, given to a player whose leadership inspires others, and the philanthropist of the year award. Along with wife Jayme, Hoskins has raised over $1 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. 

Dave Winfield was given the Curt Flood Award for advancement of players’ rights and devotion to the union. Winfield, a longtime union leader, is special adviser to union head Tony Clark.

Atlanta’s Chris Sale was selected the NL outstanding pitcher and comeback player.

Detroit’s Tarik Skubal was picked as the AL outstanding pitcher and Boston outfielder Tyler O’Neill as the AL comeback player.

San Diego outfielder Jackson Merrill and Baltimore outfielder Colton Cowser were the outstanding rookies.

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Kyle Lowry on being called the GROAT: ‘It’s a pretty cool name’

Kyle Lowry smiled and laughed when asked what he thought about fans calling him the GROAT (Greatest Raptor of All Time).

The 38-year-old point guard is back in town with his Philadelphia 76ers taking on the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.

Lowry spent nine seasons with the Raptors and helped the team win its first NBA title in 2019. He holds several franchise records, including most assists, steals, three-pointers and triple-doubles and is second in points and games played.

“I like the name, it’s funny, but as long as the fans say it,” Lowry said. “For me, it just shows how much they loved me and they respect me and I gave pretty much everything: blood, sweat, tears, championship, losses, wins. I gave everything to this place and I continue to get the fruits of my labour by coming back up here, the fans and everybody around. It’s a pretty cool name.”

If not Lowry, then Vince Carter is definitely in the conversation as the GROAT. The Raptors plan to honour the recently inducted Hall-of-Famer by retiring his No. 15 on Nov. 2.

Lowry, who said there were conversations before the announcement, added it’s awesome for Carter to be the first to have his Raptors jersey hanging from the rafters and that he deserves the honour.

“It’s a blessing for me to be a friend of his,” Lowry said. “He shouted me out in his Hall of Fame speech and that shows the man he is to even think about me in that moment. … For him to have that opportunity to go up there and basically for a place that he kind of really put on the map and made people realize this place isn’t just hockey, it’s impressive.”

Could Lowry’s No. 7 jersey be next up? The six-time all-star said it would mean “the world” to him.

“Something that a kid can only dream about,” Lowry said, “but we’ll see if that ever happens.”

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Volkanovski breaks down Topuria vs. Holloway, makes UFC 308 prediction

There isn’t anyone on the planet more qualified to discuss the UFC 308 main event between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway than Alexander Volkanovski.

The former undisputed featherweight champion has spent more time competing against Holloway than any other fighter in UFC history, plus he was the most recent fighter to face Topuria when they met back in February and the title changed hands.

Volkanovski broke down the anticipated upcoming 145-pound championship matchup ahead of Saturday’s event in Abu Dhabi, which he will be attending in person, and gave some interesting predictions.

“You look deep into it, stylistically this is going to be a pretty difficult fight for Ilia,” Volkanovski said on his YouTube channel.

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One of the first things Volkanovski pointed out was to disregard the MMA math involved in the matchup and mostly discount the fact he beat Holloway thrice, yet Topuria finished him within two rounds.

Style matchups and proven longevity often matter more than who should beat who based on winning streaks or previous results and opponents, which is why Volkanoski said he was surprised to see Holloway listed as the betting underdog (+200 with Topuria a -250 favourite according to BetMGM) heading into the event at Etihad Arena. 

Topuria and Holloway are both coming off highlight knockout victories earlier this year. Topuria knocked out Volkanovski with punches at UFC 298 to become champion and Holloway knocked out Justin Gaethje in dramatic last-second fashion to win the BMF Title in a special UFC 300 lightweight contest.

“It’s a very exciting fight for the fans,” Topuria told Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter. “I was very happy when I saw that knockout because my thought process in that moment was ‘I have a new opponent. I have a new challenger.’ I felt very excited about the fact he got an exciting knockout.”

Volkanovski won the title from Holloway via unanimous decision in 2019, beat him by split decision seven months later in the rematch, and swept the scorecards in the trilogy bout in the summer of 2022.

Topuria said outright he plans on knocking Holloway out in the first round.

“I don’t like to compare myself with anyone (but) the only thing I know is I’m going to make it look much easier than Volk did,” Topuria proclaimed. “If (Holloway) stands in the middle of the Octagon in the first 10 seconds of the fight (like he did in the final 10 seconds against Gaethje) then the knockout will come in the first 10 seconds.”

Volkanovski won the opening round against Topuria at UFC 298 on all three judges’ scorecards before Topuria landed the finishing sequence midway through the second to improve to 15-0 in MMA.

“He caught me and he’s got powerful hands,” Volkanovski said. “I knew if I was ever going to be beat, it was him catching me. That’s just how it is and that’s how it’s going to be with Max Holloway. I think he has to catch Max Holloway to win.”

Volkanovski landed 283 total significant head strikes against Holloway during their three tilts but Holloway was still standing at the end of each final round.

“We know he’s got a great chin,” Volkanovski continued. “I think that Ilia needs to try and crack that chin and take him out because you know later rounds he’s going to get very tough for a guy like Ilia especially because Max is just going to keep going. Max can do it all day and we know Max has got a great chin so even if Ilia does crack him, does it put Max’s lights out?

“Man, I’ve tried, a lot of people have tried to take that chin out and it is tough.”

Holloway has been in the UFC since 2012 and faced some of the most successful knockout artists of his era from both the featherweight and lightweight divisions, withstanding all shots from the likes of Volkanovski, Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, Yair Rodriguez, Anthony Pettis, Charles Oliveira and many others.

Volkanovski described Holloway as “seasoned everywhere” with a layered skill set and sees a scenario where Holloway can eventually take over the fight with pace, output and sheer toughness the longer the fight goes, adding he thinks Holloway can become a two-time champ by either winning a decision or slowing Topuria down and getting a late-round finish.

The 36-year-old from Australia doesn’t only have history with the UFC 308 headliners. He also has a likely future date with the winner.

“I know I got next on that title,” Volkanovski added.

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Blues place Robert Thomas on injured reserve with fractured ankle

St. Louis Blues star Robert Thomas has been placed on the injured reserve with a fractured ankle, the team announced Wednesday.

The Aurora, Ont., native will be re-evaluated in six weeks.

During Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the 25-year-old blocked a shot by Jets defenceman Neal Pionk early in the third period. He slowly made his way to the bench but did not return.

Last season, Thomas was the Blues’ top scorer and All-Star. This campaign, he has suited up in seven games, posting one goal and six assists. Considering his stats and contributions, losing the forward is a big blow to the Blues and Thomas’s chances at making Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face Off.

Thomas was originally drafted by the Blues in the first round, 20th overall, during the 2017 NHL Draft.

So far in his career, Thomas has totalled 321 points (87 goals, 234 assists) in 403 regular-season games.

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NHL, Fanatics tease 4 Nations Face-Off uniforms

We now have a hint at what the best hockey players in the world will be wearing at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.

The NHL and jersey-partner Fanatics teased the new looks in a pair of posts of social media Wednesday.

The first look came when the NHL shared a graphic alongside the announcement that tickets for the event are going on sale next week.

In the photo, Connor McDavid (Canada), Auston Matthews (United States), Sebastian Aho (Finland) and Victor Hedman (Sweden) are seen modelling the new uniforms.

A short while later, the NHLPA released a video with some close-up shots of each jersey. You can check out both posts below.

The 4 Nations Face-Off is a new best-on-best international event taking place in February, the first best-on-best tournament to feature NHL players since 2016’s World Cup of Hockey.

The tournament will take place in Montreal and Boston from Feb. 12-20 with all games on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

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How Utah has become one of the NHL’s best teams in the first month

The Utah Hockey Club’s maiden season is off to a rousing start. The NHL’s newest team has points in five of its first six games (4-1-1), including a pair of overtime wins against the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.

The vibes are off the charts in Salt Lake City, but what about the numbers?

Utah’s offence, which has averaged 3.67 goals per game, is most effective off the cycle, generating 7.94 scoring chances per 60 minutes at 5-on-5. That ranks 12^th in the league.

Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz have set the tone. Utah’s top line has created 18 cycle scoring chances at 5-on-5 and allowed just five, which has helped the team generate 60.2 per cent of the expected goals during 71:03 of ice time. (Those 18 cycle chances have led to two goals.)

In particular, Hayton’s performance so far this season has been encouraging. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 draft has had an up-and-down start to his NHL career but seems to have found his footing as Utah’s No. 1 centre. Hayton has been a handful around the crease, sharing the league lead in deflections on net. His four inner-slot goals in all situations are also tied for most in the league.

“He’s a player who does a lot of unsung stuff, a lot of stuff people don’t talk about,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny told reporters. “But he makes others better by doing all the dirty jobs.”

Meanwhile, on Utah’s second line, Dylan Guenther is well on his way to a big breakout season. The 21-year-old forward, who has five goals in six games, is one of the league’s most dynamic skaters. Guenther averages 2.19 rush scoring chances per 20 minutes at 5-on-5 — first among 305 forwards who have played at least 50 minutes this season. Three of his goals have come courtesy of his rocket-like one-timer.

Guenther’s partner in crime, Logan Cooley, has been tearing it up as well with six assists. Cooley is 13^th out of 305 qualified forwards in offence-generating plays per 20 minutes at 5-on-5 (10.5). He and Guenther thrive when playing up-tempo; Utah has out-chanced opponents 9-4 at 5-on-5 off the rush during their shared minutes.

Unfortunately for Utah, though, its defence has already been decimated by injuries. Off-season acquisition John Marino missed all of training camp because of an upper-body injury, and Tourigny told reporters recently that Marino is “months” from returning. Last week, Sean Durzi suffered an upper-body injury that Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman said would sideline him for “four, five months.”

Durzi was playing on Utah’s top pair with Mikhail Sergachev, who now has taken on even greater importance for the first-year franchise. Sergachev has shown no signs of rust after missing nearly three months last season because of a broken leg. He is averaging a whopping 27:01 of ice time per game, trailing only perennial Norris Trophy candidate Roman Josi (27:11) league-wide. (In seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sergachev had an average of 20:25 per game.)

Sergachev’s passing ability has helped fuel Utah’s offence. He is completing 1.61 passes to the slot per 20 in all situations — eighth most out of 106 defencemen who have played a minimum of 100 minutes.

“I love playing a lot, so I feel great,” Sergachev told The Salt Lake Tribune. “It just expedites the process for me of getting back to the form of me playing with confidence and shooting the puck a lot and stuff. … I enjoy (playing big minutes), but it sucks that we have so many injuries.”

Young defenceman Michael Kesselring, 24, has stepped up in Durzi’s absence. He and Sergachev have found early success; Utah has not allowed a goal at 5-on-5 with them on the ice over the past two games.

Kesselring scored the overtime goal Saturday to defeat the Bruins. Three of Utah’s four wins have required overtime, where the club has been dominant. Utah has outshot opponents 8-2 and out-chanced them 11-5 in the extra period.

Utah started the season with one of the youngest rosters in the league. Its average age of 26.8 was third lowest, behind only the Buffalo Sabres (25.3) and Montreal Canadiens (26.0). That exuberance (not to mention a fully engaged market) has led to one of the league’s best stories in the opening month.

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Maple Leafs’ Ekman-Larsson fined for hit on Lightning’s Guentzel

Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson was fined for a penalty he took in Monday’s win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The $5,000 fine was handed down for interference. Ekman-Larsson took the penalty early in the third period when he threw a hit on Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel.

The money will go into the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Ekman-Larsson has four assists in six games this season, his first with the Maple Leafs.

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Joel Embiid, Paul George to both miss 76ers’ home opener

PHILADELPHIA — Paul George‘s debut with the Philadelphia 76ers is on hold and Joel Embiid is again set to miss time with an injury.

Embiid and George will miss Wednesday’s season opener against Milwaukee and could miss more games as the All-Stars expected to try to lead Philadelphia to its first championship since 1983 return from injuries.

George was scheduled to make his Sixers debut after he left the Los Angeles Clippers and signed a four-year, $212 million contract as a free agent this summer. The 34-year-old George got a bone bruise when he hyperextended his left knee during a pre-season game.

The Sixers did not say Tuesday how many more games George could miss; his return to play will be assessed later in the week.

A nine-time All-Star, George was injured when his knee buckled on a defensive play in the second quarter of a game last week against Atlanta.

George has dealt with injuries for much of his career before he played 76 games last season, the first time he played more than 56 since 2018-19.

He discussed the bone bruise this week on his “Podcast P with Paul George.” A six-time All-NBA selection, George said his knee was stable with no major damage, nor did it cause any long-term concern over his health.

“My leg literally just got stuck. I don’t even know what else to call it. Just my knee locked up, my leg locked up,” George said on his podcast. “When I went to go push off, all my momentum is going forward and my leg, it just caused it to go inwards. I know I’m thinking of when I seen it immediately I was like, ah, this don’t feel right, this don’t feel right.”

The Sixers’ schedule also includes games Sunday at Indiana and home games Wednesday and Saturday.

“I’m going to be good. I’m going to be good,” George said. “I should be back hopefully sooner than later, but it won’t be a long timetable I would imagine.”

The Sixers are down a familiar road with Embiid.

He did not play in the pre-season because of a sore left knee.

The Sixers said Embiid was “responding well” to his individualized rehab plan and was scheduled to scrimmage this week. Embiid also will miss Friday’s game against Toronto and will be reevaluated this weekend.

The 30-year-old, who won an Olympic gold medal in Paris with Team USA, signed a $193 million contract ahead of training camp. The 76ers have failed to advance out of the second round of the playoffs since 2001, in large part because Embiid has failed to stay healthy for an entire post-season.

Embiid has never played more than 68 games in a season and was limited to 39 last season in large part because of knee surgery. He tore the meniscus in his left knee on Jan. 30 and had surgery on Feb. 6.

“We’ve got to do whatever it takes to make sure that in the postseason I’m healthy,” Embiid said in September. “It’s whatever it takes to make sure I get to that point and I’m ready to go. Basically, every single year of my career I’ve been hurt in the playoffs. That’s the goal, doing whatever it takes to get there.”

The 76ers finished 31-8 last season season with Embiid — about a 65-win pace — and a woeful 16-27 without him.

Embiid revealed ahead of training camp that he dropped about 25 to 30 pounds over the summer to stay in better condition for the long grind of the season. That includes not rushing back from any further issues with the knee.

“Until I’m at that point where they feel like I’m ready to go, I’m sure they’re going to hold me back,” Embiid said at the team’s media day. “I believe with the guys that we have, and what I can bring to the table, we have a pretty good chance (at a title).”

He has five All-NBA Team honours, seven consecutive All-Star selections from 2017-24, three All-Defensive Team nods and twice has been the NBA scoring champion.

With George joining the 2023 NBA MVP in Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers were expected to boast one of the most formidable trios in the league as they try to put together a nucleus that can compete with NBA champion Boston.

Maxey is expected to play against his former coach Doc Rivers and the Bucks after the guard suffered a bruised right thumb in the preseason.

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