76ers Catch Major Break With Pistons' $200 Million Star Ruled Out

The Philadelphia 76ers (7-1) are looking to avenge their only loss as they take on the Detroit Pistons (6-1) Wednesday night at 7:00 PM ET.

This is their second meeting, and Detroit already has a perennial blueprint on how to defeat the 76ers. This time, though, both teams' lineups will look a bit different, something that could benefit Philadelphia. 

Here is the injury report for the 76ers-Pistons:

76ERS

Dominick Barlow - Out: Low Back Stress Reaction

Ariel Hukporti - Out: Right Achilles Tendon Rupture / Tear

PISTONS

Jalen Duren - Out: Right Hamstring Strain

Elijah Harkless - Questionable: G League - Two-Way

Isaiah Joe - Out: Right Hip Contusion

Isaac Jones - Questionable: G League - Two-Way

Ugonna Onyenso - Out: G League - Two-Way

When these two teams faced off last time, Joel Embiid was on the sidelines while Jalen Duren was dealing with a hamstring injury. Now things will be a bit different, as the 76ers have their big man after he missed two of the last three due to a plantar fasciitis injury, while Duren, who inked a $200 million contract last offseason, remains out due to a hamstring injury. Another player who’s going to miss this matchup is Isaiah Joe. While Duren was expected to be out against the 76ers, Joe only played four minutes before exiting with a hip injury.  

The Pistons were able to exploit the lack of big men, as they were dominant in the paint with John Collins and Paul Reed. Both were able to abuse the offensive rebounding and provide the Pistons with numerous opportunities at second chance points. With Embiid back, that should not only neutralize the rebounding threat but also allow for more spacing on the offensive end. Jaylen Brown also struggled in this game, and coming off of a 25-point game, Brown should be in rhythm against this hard-nosed defense of the Pistons.

There were two other players who missed this first matchup, VJ Edgecombe and Jabari Walker. Now that this 76ers team is at full strength, we can truly see what they can do against a top five Eastern Conference opponent. Edgecombe should make a major difference as he shows up night in and night out on the defensive side of the ball. The 76ers missed his hustle and inept ability to get out in transition with Tyrese Maxey. Edgecombe could assume the role of defending Cade Cunningham, and that could be the key to controlling this Pistons offense.

The 76ers defense is in high regard, and they will look to regain that stature against one of the better three-point-shooting teams in the NBA. With Embiid back in the fold, this team could cause serious problems for Detroit.