Andre Drummond and Adem Bona shared the center minutes for the 76ers in Wednesday’s play-in tournament win over Orlando, and for one night at least, the team got exactly what it needed from a spot that had been a problem for much of the season. Drummond finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Bona added two points, three rebounds and three blocks.
Nick Nurse said it was as good as the team had handled that position in some time. For a club headed into a first-round series against the second-seeded Boston Celtics, that mattered because Joel Embiid remains sidelined after an April 9 emergency appendectomy and was ruled out for Sunday afternoon’s Game 1 in Boston.
The timing leaves the 76ers leaning on a center rotation that has changed constantly. Drummond, a 32-year-old four-time NBA rebounding champion, and Bona have both spent stretches as starters, bench pieces and, at times, outside the rotation entirely. Against Orlando, they were steady enough to push Philadelphia through to the matchup that now defines its postseason.
Bona said the moment set up what comes next, and Drummond called sharing the floor with him a boost after a season that had not always gone smoothly. Bona said sharing minutes with Drummond has been great for his development and experience, and that Drummond has been a huge support. For his part, Drummond said he had been focused on finding a way to muck the game up down the stretch of an inconsistent season.
The Celtics already showed what that can look like when the teams met on March 1. Boston beat the 76ers behind Neemias Queta’s 27 points and 17 rebounds, collected 19 offensive rebounds and turned them into 30 second-chance points, and attempted 49 three-pointers. Philadelphia’s big men were part of the answer on Wednesday, but they also know Boston can punish any lapse around the glass or in the paint.
Drummond said the Orlando win felt like one of those frustrating games where everything the team tried seemed to come up just short, even as the result went their way. He also recalled the simple joy of the moment, saying those are the kinds of situations you live for as a kid in the backyard, counting down and making the shot. The next question is whether Philadelphia can get enough from Drummond and Bona to make Boston pay for the same second chances it created earlier this month, especially with Embiid unavailable and his status beyond Game 1 still unclear if the series extends.
