LeBron James Makes Rare Start at Center in 76ers Loss to Pistons

LeBron James started at center for just the 15th time in his 24-year career during the Philadelphia 76ers' 106-93 defeat against the Detroit Pistons.

The Detroit Pistons defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 106-93 on Sunday, handing Philadelphia its first loss of the season. With Joel Embiid sidelined due to right foot plantar fasciitis management, 6-foot-9 LeBron James started at center for the first time in five seasons. James, who turns 42 in December, finished the contest with 18 points, five assists, and two rebounds while primarily matching up against Pistons big man Paul Reed.

Philadelphia entered the game with a severely depleted frontcourt, missing Jabari Walker (knee), Dominick Barlow (back), and Tacko Fall (quad). Adem Bona served as the only other available true center, recording six points and a team-high 13 rebounds in 25 minutes of play. The 76ers were also without guard VJ Edgecombe, who sat out with an abdominal contusion.

Rebounding struggles continued for the 76ers, who were outrebounded by 17 against Detroit following a 22-rebound deficit against Milwaukee on Saturday. Head coach Nick Nurse noted that the team had only three players remaining capable of playing the center position. While James has played spurts at the five in small-ball lineups this season, he stated he does not view the starting center assignment as a sustainable role given Embiid's presence on the roster. James previously started at center 14 times during the 2021-22 season with the Lakers.