Sixers’ Jaylen Brown (Left Knee) Ruled Out Friday

Sixers wing Jaylen Brown has been ruled out of Friday’s home game against the Knicks.

The two-time All-NBA member was originally listed as questionable due to left knee soreness and was subsequently downgraded to doubtful and now out — Brown’s new injury designation is left knee patellar tendinopathy, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (All Twitter links here).

Head coach Nick Nurse told reporters, including Neubeck, that Brown experienced knee soreness after Wednesday’s win in Indiana and was unable to participate in Friday’s shootaround because of the injury.

Nurse may turn to either Kentavious Caldwell-Pope or Dean Wade to take Brown’s spot in the starting lineup. Nurse suggested he was leaning toward using Wade in his pregame media session, Neubeck adds.

Brown, 30, has gotten off to a solid start in his first season with Philadelphia after spending the first 10 years of his career in Boston. Through five games (36.4 minutes per contest), the 2024 NBA Finals MVP has averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals on .442/.409/.783 shooting splits. The Sixers are currently 4-1.

The 76ers defeated the Knicks in both teams’ season opener on Oct 20. The second matchup between the two Atlantic Division rivals is the NBA Cup opener for both teams — and 18 other clubs around the league.

In addition to the Sixers and Knicks, East Group B also features the Cavaliers, Pacers and Heat, five teams hoping not just to make deep playoff runs but to win a title this season. New York defeated San Antonio last December in the final of last year’s NBA Cup and then the Knicks beat the Spurs in the NBA Finals several months later, claiming their first championship in 53 years.