What happened: Philadelphia ruled out Joel Embiid for right plantar fasciitis injury management and Jabari Walker with left knee soreness ahead of Sunday's 7:30 p.m. ET home game against Detroit. Embiid lobbied to play both legs of the back-to-back after posting a 28-point triple-double in Saturday's win over Milwaukee, while Walker exited late in the third quarter of that contest. LeBron James is set to return to the lineup after sitting out Saturday night.

Why it matters: The absences further deplete the frontcourt for undefeated Philadelphia (3-0), which already has Dominick Barlow (low back stress reaction), Tacko Fall (left quadriceps strain), and Ariel Hukporti sidelined with a right Achilles tendon tear. Adem Bona steps in as the next center available against an unbeaten Detroit club (2-0) missing starting big man Jalen Duren with a right hamstring strain. Former Sixers center Paul Reed is slated to absorb an expanded interior role for the Pistons in Duren's absence.

What to watch: Philadelphia hosts Detroit at 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday to close its back-to-back set, with Bona and Reed projected to anchor the paint.