LeBron James is expected to play tonight when the 76ers host the Celtics at 8 p.m. ET. The Sixers left James off today's injury report ahead of Jaylen Brown's first game against his former team.
We'll be tracking James' injury status and availability throughout the season with regular updates during his potential farewell campaign, including the team's load management strategy and how Nick Nurse manages his minutes in Philadelphia's star-studded lineup.
Is LeBron James playing tonight?
Yes, James is expected to play tonight. Neither James nor Joel Embiid is listed on the NBA's injury report this morning. The Sixers ruled out Adem Bona (neck sprain), Dominick Barlow (low back stress reaction), and Ariel Hukporti (torn right Achilles tendon) for today's game.
Two days after the Cavaliers held him to eight points, James scored a season-high 22 points in Sunday's 127-121 win over the Bulls. He went 8-for-16 from the floor and added five rebounds and five assists in 33 minutes. His first-quarter 3-pointer moved him past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most career regular-season points against the Bulls.
James has started four straight games since his last absence. The Sixers have rested him twice for low back/sciatica management, both times on back-to-backs. He sat the opener against the Bucks on Oct. 24 and the second game against the Hornets a week later. The Sixers had yesterday off.
How to watch 76ers vs Celtics
- Date: Nov. 10, 2026
- Tipoff: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia
- TV/streaming: NBC and Peacock
LeBron James' next game and 76ers schedule
The 9-2 Sixers open a three-game homestand tonight against the 8-2 Celtics. They'll host the Raptors on Nov. 12 and the Pacers on Nov. 15 before visiting the Nets on Nov. 16 for the second half of a back-to-back.
| Date | Opponent | Tipoff (ET) | 76ers win probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 10 |  vs. Celtics |
8 p.m. | 48% |
| Nov. 12 |  vs. Raptors |
7 p.m. | 81% |
| Nov. 15 |  vs. Pacers |
1 p.m. | 80% |
| Nov. 16 |  at Nets |
7:30 p.m. | 70% |
| Nov. 18 |  at Magic |
7 p.m. | 70% |
Win probabilities via Polymarket. Prices are subject to change.
Brown scored 29 points in Chicago to help the Sixers finish their road trip 2-1. Paul George also gets a look at his former team tonight after hitting five 3-pointers and scoring 27 in the Celtics' 117-97 win over the Bucks.
LeBron James stats this season
James enters today's game averaging 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in nine starts for the 76ers.
| Points | Rebounds | Assists | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15.6 | 7.1 | 6.7 | 32.9 |
LeBron James' last five games played
One of tonight's Polymarket props asks whether James will score at least 20 points. He's done it twice in his last five starts, scoring 20 against the Knicks and 22 against the Bulls.
| Game | MIN | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
at  Bulls (Nov. 8) |
33 | 22 | 5 | 5 |
at  Cavaliers (Nov. 6) |
32 | 8 | 7 | 3 |
at  Pistons (Nov. 4) |
33 | 13 | 10 | 8 |
| vs. Bulls (Nov. 2) |
31 | 15 | 7 | 9 |
vs.  Knicks (Oct. 30) |
34 | 20 | 9 | 8 |
Regular season only. Stats through the Nov. 8 win over the Bulls. Games missed are not included.
LeBron James injury history
Here's a look at James' most notable injury absences across his entire NBA career. Sciatica kept James out of the first 14 games last season, and the 76ers listed low back/sciatica management for his absences against the Bucks on Oct. 24 and the Hornets on Oct. 31.
| Period | Team | Injury | Games missed |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 |  LAL |
Elbow injury | 3 |
| October-November 2025 | LAL |
Sciatica | 14 |
| March 2025 | LAL |
Groin strain | 7 |
| February-March 2023 | LAL |
Right foot tendon injury | 13 |
| February 2023 | LAL |
Left ankle soreness | 3 |
| November 2022 | LAL |
Left adductor strain | 5 |
| March-April 2022 | LAL |
Left ankle sprain | 7 |
| January-March 2022 | LAL |
Left knee swelling/soreness | 7 |
| November 2021 | LAL |
Abdominal strain | 8 |
| March-May 2021 | LAL |
High right ankle sprain | 26 |
| December 2018-April 2019 | LAL |
Left groin strain/soreness | 24 |
| December 2014-January 2015 | CLE |
Left knee and lower back strains | 8 |
| March-April 2013 |  MIA |
Right hamstring strain/soreness | 5 |
| November-December 2007 | CLE |
Sprained left index finger | 5 |
| January 2004 | CLE |
Sprained right ankle | 3 |
How many games has LeBron James played this season?
James has started nine of the Sixers' first 11 games. He played all three games on their road trip against the Pistons, Cavaliers, and Bulls. His two absences came in wins over the Bucks on Oct. 24 and the Hornets on Oct. 31.
Last season, he played 60 of the Lakers' 82 games, his fewest appearances since 2022-23. Here's how this season compares with his previous five.
| Season | Games played | Games missed |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 9 | 2 |
| 2025-26 | 60 | 22 |
| 2024-25 | 70 | 12 |
| 2023-24 | 71 | 11 |
| 2022-23 | 55 | 27 |
| 2021-22 | 56 | 26 |
Regular season only. The 2026-27 totals are through the Nov. 8 game. Games missed include all absences, not just injuries.
How many games has LeBron James missed this season?
James has missed two games in the 2026-27 season. He sat out the Oct. 24 win over the Bucks and the Oct. 31 win over the Hornets with low back/sciatica management. The 76ers are 7-2 with James and 2-0 without him through their first 11 games.
James missed 22 regular-season games last year in his final season with the Lakers and has missed double-digit contests each of the last six seasons. The last time he missed fewer than 10 games in a season came in 2019-20, when he played 67 of the Lakers' 71 games. In his final year with the Cavaliers in 2017-18, he played all 82 games and led the league in minutes per game (36.9).
How many playoff games has LeBron James played?
James has played an NBA-record 302 playoff games. That includes 10 appearances in the 2026 playoffs, when he played in every game of the Lakers' postseason run.
What happens if LeBron James is out?
Even in the twilight of his career, James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds for the Lakers last season to earn his 22nd All-Star appearance. The Sixers' first game without him showed how they can spread that responsibility across their other stars, with Embiid, Brown, and Tyrese Maxey combining for 81 points against the Bucks.
Who benefits if LeBron James sits?
Maxey's scoring is the first area I'd look at when James sits, especially if Embiid is also out. Maxey scored 38 points on 23 shots against the Hornets with both veterans sidelined, while Anfernee Simons added 19 points and Brown finished with 16.
The assists have been less predictable. Embiid had 10 in James' first absence against the Bucks, while Dean Wade dished out 10 against the Hornets. Maxey finished with four assists in each game, so James sitting doesn't automatically mean Maxey takes over all of his playmaking when evaluating Polymarket props.
If James is a late scratch tonight, I'd look first at Wade's minutes. Wade started for him against the Hornets, and with Embiid expected to play, the Sixers would only need to replace one starter up front.
How would his absence affect the 76ers' odds?
Polymarket gives the 76ers a 48% implied chance to beat the Celtics tonight with James expected to play. Covers analyst Jon Metler gives the Sixers a 53% chance to win in today's NBA moneyline picks. A late scratch would leave Brown and Maxey to pick up more of the playmaking for James, who leads the Sixers with 6.7 assists per game.
With Bona out, Jabari Walker is another name to watch up front. Walker grabbed 11 rebounds off the bench against the Bulls, one more than Embiid had in the starting lineup.
Polymarket gives the Sixers a 13.4% implied chance to win the title, third behind the Spurs and Thunder.
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