76ers’ Star Joel Embiid Avoids Injury Report vs. Nuggets After Scare

Joel Embiid is on pace to play in Denver for the first time since 2019.

UPDATE: Joel Embiid has been ruled out.

When the Philadelphia 76ers faced the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, there was a scary sight for the visitors as Philly’s star center Joel Embiid went down while grabbing at his knee after an awkward landing.

Considering Embiid’s injury history, any fall is a cause for concern. Fortunately, Philly’s big man was able to move using his own strength and ended up staying on the court with his team after the incident.

Embiid couldn’t do much more to help his team on Thursday night as the Pacers pulled off a 12-point win. Considering it was clear the Sixers’ chances of putting together a comeback were low, Embiid was pulled off the court after a 31-minute shift. He finished the night with 31 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

This year, Embiid has shown a willingness to continue playing through setbacks. However, on multiple occasions, he would miss the next game and potentially more. Barring any unexpected changes, that won’t be the case on Saturday in Denver.

On the Sixers’ early injury report, Embiid’s name is absent, which is a sign he’s available to play. If the All-Star big man gets official clearance as he’s expected to, Embiid will compete in Denver for the first time since November of 2019.

Since that loss on the road against the Nuggets, Embiid has faced Denver on four occasions, including a matchup that occurred last week at home. Every time he went toe-to-toe with the NBA’s most recent champions since 2019, the Sixers were at home.

When Embiid and the Sixers hosted the Nuggets on January 16, the seven-time All-Star was participating in his second-straight game after a three-game absence due to knee inflammation. Embiid checked in for 38 minutes, draining nearly 60 percent of his shots from the field. As he collected 12 points off 15 free throws, Embiid produced 41 points for the second game in a row.

With his offensive dominance, the Sixers defeated the Nuggets with a five-point win at home. On Saturday, Embiid and the Sixers will search for the same results in the mile-high city.