VJ Edgecombe out vs. Jazz with lumbar contusion, to be reevaluated later in the week

Only missing a game or two here is probably far from the worst case scenario.

The Sixers announced that VJ Edgecombe has suffered a lumbar contusion and will miss their upcoming contest against the Utah Jazz. The team says that he’ll be reevaluated before their next game against the Atlanta Hawks.

This happened on the last play before halftime during a 40-point drubbing the Sixers received at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs. Edgecombe hit the deck hard when he was fouled by Carter Bryant attempting to block his shot from behind. Edgecombe made two of the three free throws he was awarded before being ruled out for the night at halftime. Here’s the play for anyone who missed it.

Missing any time is not ideal for a Sixers team that needs to stack wins, but walking away from this with just a contusion feels like a good outcome long term.

In the short term, the Sixers are still facing an uphill battle to get back in the win column despite being slated to take on the tanking Utah Jazz. On top of Edgecombe and Joel Embiid, Kelly Oubre Jr. will also be out for this one with an illness. Oubre was scratched the day of the Spurs game and will miss at least two games now with this illness. In related news, Tyrese Maxey might play all 48 minutes in this one.

Utah will of course be without Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler, as well as Lauri Markkanen, Jusuf Nurkic and Vince Williams Jr., all of whom they’ve tried to shut down for the season in one way or another.