There were several reasons why LeBron James came to Philadelphia, but the chance to play center wasn’t one of them. However, the Sixers have been hit by a string of early-season injuries that forced James to start at that position Sunday night, writes Kris Rhim of ESPN.

It was the second night of a back-to-back, so Joel Embiid sat out due to plantar fasciitis management in his right foot. Jabari Walker (knee), Dominick Barlow (back) and Tacko Fall (quad) are all sidelined with various ailments, so the team didn’t have many options.

“We’ve only got about three guys left that can possibly play the five,” coach Nick Nurse told reporters prior to the game.

Rhim notes that it was James’ first start at center in five years, and the others all came with the Lakers in 2021/22. Nurse has used him in the middle occasionally during the first week of the season, but James doesn’t expect to see much time there.

“We got an MVP over there. I’m not here to have a sustainable role at the five,” James said. “You got Joel Embiid on the team. … If I was to say I was signed here to have a sustainable role at the five, I don’t think none of us would actually want that. I can do it, but… we have [Embiid].”​

There’s more from Philadelphia:

• Adem Bona, who has been dealing with a foot issue, turned in his best game of the season on Sunday, finishing with six points and 13 rebounds in 25 minutes, Rhim adds. The Sixers will likely count on Bona to be the primary backup to Embiid when the roster is healthier. “I thought he was amazing tonight: his energy, his effort,” James said. “For us, who weren’t rebounding well, he came in and gave us that spark on the rebounding offensively and defensively. So, I think his energy and his effort are going to be great for our team throughout the whole season.”
• The Sixers upgraded their roster over the summer, but Sunday’s game showed they still haven’t learned how to win without Embiid, David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer observes in a subscriber-only piece. Detroit opened the game on a 20-4 run, repeatedly taking advantage of Philadelphia’s lack of rim protection, and remained in control throughout the night. 
• Among the injured big men, Fall will likely be the first to return, per Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. Nurse said Sunday that the two-way center is “probably not too far away.”