By Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Philadelphia 76ers open their preseason on Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics at the University of Massachusetts. The team had their first full workouts in their new practice facility on Sunday and Monday and Brett Brown indicated that he's leaning towards starting Dario Saric and Joel Embiid in the front court tomorrow night.
Brown sounds as if he's leaning towards starting Dario Saric tomorrow night. Wants Saric to keep doing what he did with Efes, Croatia.
— Brian Seltzer (@brianseltzer) October 3, 2016
#Sixers Brown: Not 100% sure of starters. Leaning toward starting Embiid. 'I feel like I'm going to spend my money quick.'
— Tom Moore (@tmoore76ers) October 3, 2016
Saric is dealing with a sore back, but should be good to go. Meanwhile, Joel Embiid is eager to get on the court after working his "ass off" to get to where he is now. What Brown means by spending his money quick is that Embiid is on a minutes restriction and rather than spread it out over four quarters, he'll likely run him in spurts during the first half.
Philadelphia will be without one of their three centers on Tuesday night as Jahlil Okafor will not play. Brett Brown doesn't believe the second-year big man out of Duke is ready just yet after returning from a knee injury.
Brett Brown says Jahlil Okafor will be held out of Sixers pre-season opener tomorrow. Wants him to get more real-time prep on court.
— Brian Seltzer (@brianseltzer) October 3, 2016
Veteran point guard Jerryd Bayless is nursing a sore wrist and has been wearing a brace over the last few days. While there's no definite indication of his status for Tuesday, don't be surprised if Sergio Rodriguez starts for the Sixers at point guard with T.J. McConnell backing him up on the bench.
If the Sixers play it safe with injuries, it looks like the starting lineup will be Sergio Rodriguez, Gerald Henderson, Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Joel Embiid. Coming off the bench would be T.J. McConnell, Hollis Thompson, Jerami Grant, Richaun Holmes and Nerlens Noel. Timothe Luwawu-Cabrrot also has the opportunity to get valuable minutes off the bench. As the game moves along, expect the Sixers to see what Cat Barber, Shawn Long and Brandon Paul have to offer.
