PHILADELPHIA — The side of P.J. Tucker’s knee inadvertently banged into Joel Embiid’s head as the 76ers’ All-NBA center fell to the ground late in the second quarter of Wednesday’s preseason finale against the Charlotte Hornets, a collision that resulted in Tucker taking an early visit to the home locker room.
Tucker was back on the floor a few minutes later, launching 3-pointers as the Sixers warmed up while clearly testing how his knee felt. The 37-year-old forward — and the Sixers’ prized free-agency acquisition — then began the second half with the rest of the starters, en route to a 99-94 victory at the Wells Fargo Center.
So, crisis averted. But it was the sign that it was time for the Sixers to power down the preseason and begin preparing for a marquee regular-season opener Tuesday night at the Boston Celtics, last season’s Eastern Conference representative in the NBA Finals.
