76ers Reveal Joel Embiid, Paul George's Playing Status vs Pistons

What's the latest on Philadelphia 76ers stars Paul George and Joel Embiid?

Dec 15, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on during a break in action in the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Following a shaky start to the 2024-2025 NBA season, the Philadelphia 76ers ended week one on a high note with a thrilling overtime victory against the Indiana Pacers.

Are they headed in the right direction, getting key reinforcements as they begin week two with a matchup against the Detroit Pistons?

As expected, the Sixers returned to the practice court on Tuesday morning after getting the day off on Monday. The team hoped to have Paul George and Joel Embiid in the mix.

While Embiid and George practiced, they were not a part of scrimmage action. According to a team official, they only participated in "portions" of the session. The Sixers anticipate being without George and Embiid in Wednesday's game against the Pistons.

During the preseason, George debuted in the Sixers’ second game before getting another game off on the second night of a back-to-back set in Boston. After the Celtics matchup, George joined the Sixers for a game against the Atlanta Hawks. During the second quarter, he hyperextended his knee, giving the Sixers their first injury scare of the year.

Fortunately, George’s MRI didn’t reveal anything that would keep him off the court for long. An absence was still in the plans, though.

George was expectedly ruled out for the remainder of the preseason. When the Sixers debuted against the Milwaukee Bucks last Wednesday, George was ruled out in advance. It took some time before the Sixers officially ruled him out for the following two games as well.

As for Embiid, the big man hasn’t been experiencing any actual setbacks. Instead, the Sixers have the veteran center on a strict management plan. While that concept is not foreign to Philadelphia, the Sixers are taking a different approach this season as they are prioritizing getting Joel Embiid to the playoffs as healthy as possible.

Last season, Embiid went down with a knee injury midway through the year. Surgery put his season in danger. While Embiid made it back in time before the playoffs, the seven-time All-Star wasn’t the best version of himself from a physical standpoint after spending months rehabbing. The Sixers are doing all they can to avoid a similar situation this year.