76ers vs. Kings: Joel Embiid's Playing Status vs. Kings
As the Philadelphia 76ers prepared to take on the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, the team anticipated heading into their matchup without the All-Star big man, Joel Embiid.
Last week, the star center returned to the Sixers’ lineup after a four-game absence, which was a result of a sprained ankle. During the Sixers’ blowout loss to the New York Knicks, Embiid dealt with some discomfort in his knee.
The initial reaction from the MVP-winning big man was that he believed he would be fine moving forward. While Sixers head coach Nick Nurse figured Embiid was on pace to play the following night to complete the back-to-back set against the Utah Jazz, the Sixers ruled out the star center due to knee swelling.
Two days later, the Sixers held a practice session as they had three days off in between games. While Embiid was spotted getting up shots after practice while sporting a knee wrap, the team revealed that he was not a participant in the session.
The Sixers had a second-straight practice on Tuesday, and once again, Embiid was not a participant. When the Sixers left Philly for Atlanta on Tuesday, Embiid did not make the trip. For the second straight game, he was ruled out due to knee swelling.
Will Embiid Return Soon?
The Sixers don’t seem overly worried about Embiid’s recent setback. When discussing the state of the center’s setback before Wednesday’s game in Atlanta, Nurse noted that Embiid is still viewed as day-to-day.
“We thought [he] was close to making this trip and playing today,” Nurse told reporters, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. “I would assume a few more days should get us even closer.”
After the Sixers’ matchup against the Hawks on Wednesday, the Sixers used Thursday as a travel day to get back home. On Friday, they’ll host the Sacramento Kings for the first and only time this season.
Unfortunately, Embiid won't make his return to the lineup just yet. According to the team's injury report, Embiid is slated to miss his third consecutive game. His status against the Houston Rockets next week is yet to be determined.
