CAMDEN, N.J. — Tyrese Maxey, cradling his record-setting game ball Thursday night, lauded a win over Miami as the kind of signature home victory that has been lacking for the Philadelphia 76ers. There will be opportunities for more in a hurry this week. But they will come without Joel Embiid. The 76ers ship off to Boston Sunday for the first of two national-television affairs against playoff teams. First, it’s the Celtics at 8 p.m., then Tuesday’s visit from Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs, the second place team in each conference inside of three days. “We’re obviously playing to two really good teams who are really hot,” coach Nick Nurse said Saturday at a practice in Camden. “So, I think it’s certainly a good chance for us. I think it’s a good time for us to get tested like this and see what we’ve got.” Embiid won’t be part of either, with an MRI Saturday revealing a strained right oblique suffered against Miami. He will miss three games and be reevaluated after Wednesday’s game against Utah. Embiid returned Tuesday in Indianapolis after five games out with right knee/shin soreness. He played 31 minutes against the Heat, with 26 points and 11 rebounds plus a 3-pointer in the final minute to ice the game. But he labored after getting a knee to the ribs from Kel’el Ware. Embiid didn’t practice Saturday after reporting increased soreness in his right side. The 76ers, who have won three straight, improved their home record to just 16-15 on Thursday. They haven’t been to Boston since opening night, when Tyrese Maxey scored 40 points and VJ Edgecombe debuted with 34 points in a 117-116 win. The teams split a pair of games in Philadelphia early in the season and haven’t played since Nov. 11. The 76ers haven’t seen the Spurs yet this season. Winners of 11 straight, their visit to Philly ends a five-game road trip that includes a 1 p.m. Sunday tipoff at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. • • • Embiid’s status opens the possibility of more Dominick Barlow as a small-ball center, something Nurse has been curiously resistant to. The 6-9 forward has been great next to Embiid, and he’s coming off a game against the Heat in which he shot 4-for-4 for nine points after 20 minutes without a shot attempt against Indiana. Barlow’s minutes at center could come with or without Embiid, depending on Nurse’s trust in Andre Drummond in certain matchups. Barlow offers more defensive switchability and more offensive dynamism and floor stretching. But the drawback is in the rebounding department where the 76ers already struggle. “I think there’s some positive upside there, and there’s obviously some concerns as well,” Nurse said. “Obviously it probably gives us Q (Quentin Grimes) on the floor, so there’s a little more shooting and scoring. Obviously I think he also does a pretty good job of handling the ball, Barlow. So if there’s ever a blitzing scenario going on, we think we can trust him to make good plays out of that offensively.” “I’ve kind of got to be an anchor on defense a little bit more,” Barlow said. “But a lot of times, when I’m at the 5, they usually have a smaller lineup in or not a (Nikola) Jokic-type big, one of those guys. I don’t think it changes that much.” Bona, meanwhile, has solidified his role as the preferred second center in most matchups. In 11 games this month, he’s averaging 17.3 minutes per game, averaging 6.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per outing. Drummond has tended to either play in Embiid’s absence or not at all. He’s played in seven of the 11 games this month, logging 21 or more minutes in five. The next three games will be a runway for the veteran to see the court more. • • • Even before the trade deadline departure of Jared McCain, reserve guard play has been a question. Quentin Grimes, who snapped out a slump by hitting five 3-pointers in Minnesota last Monday, was a big part of it. He’s averaged 13.6 points in his last five games. But Cam Payne is also settling in to restore more calm to those reserve point guard minutes. Shooting was a struggle for Payne, who usually has no compunction about letting fly. Signed two weeks ago after spending the season in Serbia, the NBA veteran was 2-for-14 on 3-pointers before hitting two against Miami. His outing of six points and three rebounds in 16:29 against the Heat was his most productive yet in his second go with the 76ers. “It’s actually been a little bit different for me, because playing overseas, I had 30 minutes to play,” he said. “Before I went overseas, I knew I was just like, quick points, quick everything, fast, fast. And when I went overseas, it kind of changed. So I’m kind of trying to get that feel back, being straight to it as soon as I get out there.” ...read more read less