Joel Embiid Post-Break Update After 76ers Practice

Joel Embiid and the 76ers returned to practice on Tuesday.

Feb 11, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) holds his arm after falling against the Toronto Raptors in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Getting consistent minutes from Joel Embiid has been a challenge for the Philadelphia 76ers throughout the 2024-2025 NBA season.

Although Embiid planned to have a strict injury management plan throughout the year, he missed a lot more time than the team anticipated. Returning from the NBA All-Star break, the star big man has appeared in just 17 of the team’s 54 games.

From January 6 to February 2, Embiid missed 15 games in a row. Some of those absences were due to a sprained foot, while the others were related to the common knee swelling.

Feb 9, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) shoots over Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

On February 4, Embiid was back in action before getting the second night of a back-to-back off. He appeared in the next three games and was sidelined for the matchup against the Brooklyn Nets before the break.

On Tuesday night, the Sixers returned to the practice court in Camden to prepare for their Thursday night battle against the Boston Celtics. Fortunately, Embiid was a participant and looked good in the eyes of the head coach, Nick Nurse.

“He was a full participant,” Nurse told reporters regarding Joel Embiid, according to Sixers Wire.

“We went at it pretty hard, pretty long. I guess we always gotta wait to see how it turns out. Probably in the mornings, usually the first checking point, but he seemed OK today. He seemed like he was moving good and practiced very hard today."

back in the lab. 🧪😤@PennMedicine pic.twitter.com/cp7z02wSqD

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 19, 2025

The response by Embiid’s knee has been key throughout the year. Plagued with setbacks all year long, Embiid hasn’t played more than four games in a row. He only exceeded three straight appearances on three occasions throughout the season.

On Wednesday, the Sixers will hold another practice session and will get a better idea of how Embiid is feeling before the team returns for the final stretch of the year. After a tough start, the Sixers are looking to make a Play-In push. They are currently 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 20-34 record.

In Embiid’s 17 appearances, the big man has posted averages of 25 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.

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