- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Team logos and player headshots via ESPN.
LeBron James opened at center for Philadelphia on Sunday against Detroit, filling in for sidelined MVP Joel Embiid in a 76ers defeat that marked their first loss of the season.
Embiid missed the contest due to plantar fasciitis management. The Sixers also were without Dominick Barlow, Jabari Walker and Tacko Fall. Ariel Hukporti is out for the entire year after tearing his Achilles.
Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said before tipoff that the team had only about three players left who could possibly play the 5. James, in his age-42 season, has logged 50 possessions at center this year, per Cleaning the Glass, with the team posting a -10 net rating in those minutes.
James acknowledged the temporary nature of the role, saying, "Well, shit, we got an MVP over there. I'm not here to have a sustainable role at the 5." He began playing center regularly in the 2021-22 season with the Lakers. Lineups featuring James at the position have typically produced strong offense but struggled on defense.
The Sixers face ongoing front-court depth questions given Embiid's injury history and Hukporti's season-ending absence.
Source: CBS Sports - Mon Oct 26, 10:47 AM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).