Sixers Opening Night Preview: The Nick Nurse Rotation Plan vs. Boston

Here we go again. The Sixers tip off the 2025-26 season Wednesday night in Boston, and Nick Nurse already has his hands full before the opening tip.

The Sixers will be without Paul George, Jared McCain, and Trendon Watford, meaning Nurse has to get creative with a short bench. Joel Embiid is trending toward playing after making it through a full, “heavy” practice on Monday, but it’s safe to assume they’ll manage his minutes early.

The Starting Five

Expect Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe in the backcourt. Nurse has already confirmed that pairing, and after Edgecombe’s impressive preseason, he’s earned it. Kelly Oubre Jr. will slot in on the wing, while the front court gets interesting.

The battle for the fifth starting spot came down to Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow, two guys no one expected to be in this conversation two months ago.

Bona’s physical presence has meshed surprisingly well with Embiid, but Barlow looks like the more polished option right now. Expect him to start, with Bona still seeing plenty of time next to Embiid in spurts.

The Bench Unit

With George out, Quentin Grimes becomes the de facto sixth man and maybe the most important player on the bench. He’s the only reliable two-way guard Nurse can trust behind Maxey. Grimes will handle backup point guard minutes and likely close games alongside Maxey and Embiid.

Behind them, Justin Edwards and Jabari Walker round out the rotation. Edwards needs to rediscover his shooting rhythm after a quiet preseason, and Walker’s role will depend on his ability to facilitate and defend in the short roll. Both will get opportunities simply because the Sixers don’t have many other healthy forwards right now.

We Already Know What Nick Nurse Is Thinking…

Heavy minutes for his stars. Maxey should play around 40 minutes a night until reinforcements return, and Embiid will hover around 30 depending on conditioning. Nurse isn’t shy about leaning on his top guys, and with a thin roster, it’s almost unavoidable.

The Sixers’ Maxey–Embiid two-man game will carry this team early. When one sits, the offense will run through Grimes and Oubre, with Bona or Barlow anchoring the frontcourt. Expect Nurse to mix in Embiid–Bona lineups as a defensive wall against bigger teams, even if spacing becomes a problem.

The rotation isn’t perfect, but it’s practical… for now

The Sixers need shooters, defenders, and someone who can keep the offense organized when Maxey takes a breather. That’s Grimes’ job now, and he might quietly be one of the most important players on the roster until George and McCain return.

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