Sixers Without Two Starters for Road Game Against Charlotte Hornets

The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid and Paul George for Monday's game in Charlotte against the Hornets.

They are both listed 'out' with left knee injury management. It is the first night of a back-to-back, so perhaps they'll be available for Tuesday's home game against the reeling Milwaukee Bucks.

Johni Broome and MarJon Beauchamp (Two-Way) are doubtful for the game because they're on G League assignments.

As for the Hornets, Collin Sexton is listed as 'probable' with left hamstring soreness.

Mason Plumlee is out after undergoing surgery on his right groin. KJ Simpson is out with a strained left hip flexor.

Liam McNeeley, PJ Hall and Antonio Reeves (Two-Way) are on G League assignments and will be unavailable for the game.

Meanwhile, due to weather conditions, the game has been moved up to a 3 p.m., Eastern time, tip-off. Given that it's a weekday in the aftermath of a massive snow storm and the home team is not very good, this game will probably feel like some of those post-COVID games in 2021. That is, the home team won't really have the advantage of a friendly crowd because it will likely be a low-attendance game. The Hornets will, of course, have the travel/rest advantage. Philadelphia had to circumnavigate the snowfall to reach Charlotte.

In other news, the NBA revealed that Tyrese Maxey was fouled by Landry Shamet with 8.6 seconds remaining in regulation on Saturday. With the Sixers trailing by three points, Maxey felt contact from Shamet and hoisted a wild three-point shot, looking for continuation on the foul and vying for a three-shot trip to the foul line. According to the league's Last Two Minute Report, "Shamet (NYK) extends his arms forward and initiates illegal contact with Maxey's (PHI) body in attempt to commit a take foul".

That they're calling it a take foul, to me, suggests that they're ruling that Maxey should've been at the line for two foul shots with 7.9 seconds remaining. It's unclear whether the report determined that Maxey should've been rewarded three shots to tie the game or two shots to cut the deficit to one.

At any rate, the whistle was silent, and Maxey airballed the three-point shot. This is the second game in less than 48 hours in which Philadelphia was on the short end of controversial officiating.

The league found that Maxey should've been rewarded two points on a goaltending violation that went uncalled at the end of regulation in Philadelphia's overtime victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

Nick Nurse and Maxey took the high road when asked about the controversial non-call after the game.