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Joel Embiid to make preseason debut vs. Nets

James Harden won't play until Friday's home game vs. Atlanta. Furkan Korkmaz, recovering from a hamstring injury, is still out.

The Sixers held their annual Blue/White scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington on Saturday. Before the game, Joel Embiid (left) and Coach Nick Nurse shared a laugh.
The Sixers held their annual Blue/White scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington on Saturday. Before the game, Joel Embiid (left) and Coach Nick Nurse shared a laugh.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer

Nick Nurse feels the 76ers’ spacing and ball movement took a half-step back in the second preseason game Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics. That came after the coach was shocked at how far ahead the Sixers were in those areas in the first exhibition, also against Boston.

“So let’s see what happens tomorrow,” Nurse said of Monday night’s game against the Nets at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

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“As far as that goes, that’s probably one thing that we’re doing a decent job of [is] just moving more in general,” he added about being ahead of schedule with spacing and ball movement. “I do think, too, we made a big effort in rebounding, defensive rebounding.

“And I think for the most part, the main guys have been pretty solid.”

The Sixers (0-2) lost 114-106 and 112-101 to the Celtics in their first two exhibitions. But they’ll have a different look Monday night with Joel Embiid making his preseason debut. The reigning MVP sat out the first two contests while “ramping up” his conditioning.

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Furkan Korkmaz (hamstring strain) was a full participant in Sunday’s practice. However, he is unlikely to make his preseason debut against Brooklyn (1-1). James Harden (ramping up) is expected to make his debut in Friday’s preseason finale against the Hawks at the Wells Fargo Center.

“I feel much better,” said Korkmaz, who injured his hamstring Oct. 3, the first day of training camp. “It’s really like day to day. I’m really close to [playing.] I will be happy to see myself on the court.”

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Korkmaz, who is trying to earn a spot in the Sixers’ rotation, was sidelined after what felt like a little cramp. The Sixers want to get a look at him this preseason.

“We still have a couple weeks here, right?” said Nurse, whose team will open the regular season at Milwaukee on Oct. 26. “There’s nothing you can do. You can’t necessarily penalize somebody because of a legitimate injury.

“So we’ll do the best we can and go live as much as we can leading into the next game [on Friday]. And we’ll certainly give him a good look in the next game.”

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Korkmaz averaged 3.8 points and 9.5 minutes in 37 appearances last season. He requested a trade due to lack of playing time under former coach Doc Rivers. He looks at this season under Nurse as a new opportunity to get playing time.

“When I get back, I will take those playing minutes [he’s allotted],” he said, “and I will show everybody what I’m capable of. So I’m really motivated by it.”