STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The defending Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers are almost as banged up at the start of training camp as they were in last year's NBA Finals.

The three remaining starters from last year's opening-day lineup -- league MVP Allen Iverson, Eric Snow and George Lynch -- and NBA Sixth Man award-winner Aaron McKie are recovering from off-season surgeries and didn't participate in the first day of workouts Tuesday at Penn State.

Iverson and McKie were operated on last week to have bone chips corrected. Snow had six screws and a plate inserted to stabilize his ankle on June 19. Lynch had his fifth metatarsal repaired May 13 after breaking a bone during the Sixers' second-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors.

All four are questionable for the Oct. 30 season opener at Minnesota.

Iverson and McKie aren't in practice; Snow and Lynch are limited to drills, conditioning and light running.

Matt Harpring, the best player the Sixers acquired in an Aug. 3 trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, is recovering from an operation to remove bone spurs from both feet. He is only able to participate in conditioning drills.

"It's definitely a concern," said Snow, the starting point guard for the past three seasons.

"It makes it tough," coach Larry Brown said.

Brown was coach of the year last season for guiding the Sixers to a 56-26 record, despite having to rely on unproven players Raja Bell and Jumaine Jones due to injuries to Snow, Lynch and others.

Jones and former starting power forward Tyrone Hill were sent to Cleveland in the deal for Harpring, Cedric Henderson and Robert "Tractor" Traylor.

The Sixers started 10-0 a year ago and held the top spot in the division and conference for nearly the entire season. A schedule featuring 12 of their first 21 games on the road, coupled with the injuries, could make a repeat performance difficult.

"You have to be ready to play, no matter what," Snow said. "You want to win games early, especially with the schedule we have. If we do get off to a good start, we'll have a lot of tough road games out of the way."

Hill's departure leaves the power forward position wide open. Matt Geiger, Traylor and perhaps Lynch, a natural small forward, are the leading candidates for playing time opposite Dikembe Mutombo inside.

Perhaps the only good news about the status of Iverson, Snow and McKie is guard Speedy Claxton will have an opportunity for significant preseason minutes.

The Sixers' first-round pick in 2000, Claxton tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in a preseason game and missed his entire rookie season.

"I'd rather have all of them ready to go, but we don't," Brown said. "It's been the character of this team to play well when guys are hurt. That's the only way we can be successful."