With Joel Embiid out for the season, Andre Drummond is making the most of his playing time
“That’s what I set out to do on a nightly basis — [show] that I still am effective,” said the 31-year-old, who’s playing in his 13th NBA season.
After a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, Andre Drummond spoke of the next-man-up mentality needed for the depleted 76ers.
“It’s an opportunity for … guys to come in and step up and take that chance to really fill in that slot,” he said. “… We can’t do anything about injuries.
“We’ve still got a season to focus on. So hopefully those guys can get healthy soon, and the next man has to do his job.”
The 6-foot-11 center was referring to starters Paul George (left groin soreness) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (illness) missing the 119-102 loss and another — Tyrese Maxey (lower-back bruise) — leaving in the third quarter.
But Drummond has the biggest hole to fill. He’s taking over the starting center spot after the Sixers announced Friday that 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) would miss the remainder of the season.
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Drummond has taken advantage of the opportunities in the two games since Embiid was shut down. He finished with season highs of 25 points and 18 rebounds Monday to post his second straight double-double and fifth of the season. His 18 rebounds were the most by a Sixer since Embiid grabbed 18 against the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 22, 2024.
This also marked Drummond’s first game with at least 25 points and 15 rebounds since he finished with 25 and 22 as a Cleveland Cavalier against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 31, 2021. It was the two-time All-Star’s 39th such game, ranking seventh among active players.
Drummond also finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds Saturday in a 126-119 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
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“I mean, that’s what I set out to do on a nightly basis — [show] that I still am effective,” said the 31-year-old, who’s playing in his 13th NBA season. “Regardless of whatever minutes you give me and whatever chance that I get, I’m going to do what I’m supposed to do. And I still belong and I still can be efficient and help the team win the basketball game, despite tonight, obviously, I wish we won tonight. But you know, [we] have to move on and get ready for [Tuesday].”
Drummond is averaging 7.5 points and 7.9 rebounds in 36 games with 19 starts this season.
He won’t get an opportunity to see how he compares to Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert on Tuesday. Gobert, a three-time All-Star and four-time defensive player of the year, will miss the game because of injury maintenance on his lower back.
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But Drummond is still locked in as the Sixers (21-39) pursue their second win in three games.
“They’re a big team,” he said. “We have to block out offensive rebounds, [which] was a huge thing for us [against Portland], which kind of got the game away from us. A lot of second-chance points there for Portland. So, you know, we have to pay attention to details, block our guys out, and I think the rest will take care of itself.”