Adem Bona planned to walk into the gym the same time he always does Wednesday night, keep his pregame nap in place and treat the night like any other — even as the 76ers prepare for a Play-In game with a large hole to fill.
On Wednesday morning, Bona said changing his routine was not the smart move. He said he was excited about the opportunity in front of him, especially the chance to play huge minutes in a Play-In game, and called it a big one for him as a year-two player.
For Bona, the assignment is plain. Joel Embiid's absence leaves the team short inside, and Bona said he understands he is being asked to help absorb that loss. The first task, he said, is the physical side of it. The 76ers need to impose their will and avoid letting an opponent push them around.
That mindset matters more in postseason play, where Bona said the margins shrink and every possession demands more detail, more focus and more attention to the little things. He said the team will need to study the other side a little more and lock in on the details that can swing a game.
For now, Bona is not changing much at all. He said the routine that carried him here is still the one he trusts, and Wednesday night will begin the same way it always does.
