The Philadelphia 76ers have enjoyed a strong start to the season, but another injury concern has given Nick Nurse reason to worry. The Sixers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 127-116 on Saturday night to remain undefeated. However, the win came with a potential setback as Jabari Walker tweaked his right knee, leaving the team waiting for more information about his condition.

The head coach offered little clarity when asked about the 24-year-old forward’s injury. “He tweaked his left knee, so that’s that’s it. We’re going to check him out.” Chris Hine reported that the Sixers later clarified Walker had injured his right knee, correcting Nurse’s initial reference to his left knee. Nurse provided no timetable for Walker’s return and did not elaborate on the severity of the injury. For now, the 76ers are waiting for the results of his evaluation.

The sequence leading to Walker’s exit made the situation particularly concerning. In the third quarter, Walker began hobbling toward the locker room after appearing to hurt his knee. Halfway there, however, he turned around and jogged back onto the court to take two free throws. Once he finished, he resumed hobbling and headed back to the locker room.

As the 24-year-old forward left the floor for the second time, the broadcast crew praised the toughness. “It was one of the things that won us all over last year, he got that toughness and grit that we love here in Philly.”

Walker is not the only player dealing with an injury setback. Ariel Hukporti has been ruled out for the season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon, while Tacko Fall is sidelined with a left quadriceps strain. The two-way contracted player was out for the entire preseason and so far hasn’t featured in any of the three games.

So expectations around his return should be minimal. Those absences add to the challenge that Nick Nurse is facing when managing frontcourt depth. That’s why Walker’s uncertain status creates another issue for Philadelphia. Despite the concerns, the 76ers had plenty to celebrate against Milwaukee. Joel Embiid recorded 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to finish with a triple-double and help Philadelphia preserve its unbeaten start.

However, with the 76ers set to face the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, his workload has become another question heading into the next game. The 2023 MVP made it clear that he would prefer to play again.

“I have no idea. I actually want to play tomorrow, so can you guys put pressure on them?” Embiid jokingly said to add pressure to the team when asked about the possibility of facing Detroit. “I think, I don’t know, you don’t have to ask them, but obviously you get three days off. Could have been two, but you get three days off, but it doesn’t really matter. It’s all about, you know, beginning of the season. It’s going well, so I guess the more time you can get to recover the better, and then you get used to it. But yeah, I want to play tomorrow, so stop writing articles, put pressure on them, so they let me play.”

So far, Joel Embiid’s workload remains a consideration heading into Sunday’s game against Detroit. ESPN’s Shams Charania previously reported that Philadelphia hoped to keep both Embiid and LeBron James around 30 minutes per game during the opening weeks, not necessarily impose a strict cap. Separately, Embiid said he expected to play only one game of this weekend’s back-to-back. After starting Saturday against Milwaukee, he appeared likely to miss Sunday, although Nick Nurse had not confirmed that plan before Saturday’s game.

James missed Saturday’s win over Milwaukee with “low back/sciatica management,” and the available reporting had not confirmed his availability against Detroit. If he plays, Philadelphia could revisit using him at center or assigning him to defend opposing big men. Embiid suggested that adjustment after getting into foul trouble in the season opener against New York, though Nurse said the coaching staff had also considered it beforehand. Whether Philadelphia uses that approach against Detroit remains a tactical possibility rather than a confirmed plan.

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