Sixers want to develop chemistry with starting lineup heading into playoffs, but also must get their stars healthy

The 76ers would like to enter the playoffs, with their top lineup playing well together, but before Thursday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center, coach Brett Brown talked about treading that line between fine-tuning for the postseason and getting healthy.

Counting Thursday’s game, the Sixers played 25 games since acquiring starting forward Tobais Harris from the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 6. The starting lineup has only played 10 games together in that span, going 8-2.

The lineup wasn’t intact against Milwaukee, with Jimmy Butler out due to back tightness.

It’s the second time in three games Butler has been out with back tightness. He also missed Monday’s 122-102 loss at Dallas.

The Sixers were also without forward James Ennis III against Milwaukee. Ennis suffered a bruise of his right quadriceps in the third quarter of Wednesday’s 130-122 loss in Atlanta. He is will be reevaluated in approximately two weeks, according to the team.

The Sixers did have Joel Embiid return to the lineup after missing the previous three games due to load management. He had been a game-time decision.

After Thursday, there were just three games left in the regular season.

Brown was asked pregame if the Sixers will be able to flip the switch once the postseason begins.

“I hope so because if we all felt that wasn’t possible then you would be not as excited as you want to be really,” Brown said.

When talking about flipping the switch, he added, “That is not how I want to do it, but given the circumstances, what other choice do you have?”

The Sixers made official what was reported on Wednesday, that they have signed veteran center-power forward Greg Monroe, who will be eligible to compete in the playoffs.

The 6-foot-11 Monroe is a nine-year veteran who has appeared in 17 playoff game, all coming in the last two years. He appeared in six games during the 2016-17 postseason with Milwaukee and 11 last year with Boston.

“I mean, that's huge,” he said before the game about the chance to compete in the playoffs. “I know for everybody, that's the goal. You want to have a chance to compete for a championship. So obviously it's a great feeling, heading to the playoffs.”

With 2 minutes, 57 seconds left in the first quarter on Thursday, first-round draft choice Zhaire Smith made his home debut for the Sixers. (Smith was drafted 16th overall by Phoenix and traded on draft night to the Sixers.)

Smith was originally expected to return in December after being sidelined with a broken bone in his left foot. He remained out, however, due to the negative effects from an allergic reaction to something he ate in September.

Smith had played in two previous road games for the Sixers. Before that, the 6-4 Smith had appeared in 11 games for the Sixers G-League team, the Delaware Blue Coats.