76ers vs. Nets: Joel Embiid’s Playing Status Changes

Will Joel Embiid make his preseason debut against the Nets on Monday?

When the Philadelphia 76ers gathered for their final practice before heading out for their third preseason matchup of the year, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse mentioned he expected Joel Embiid to make his preseason debut against the Brooklyn Nets.

It turns out that won’t be the case.

On Monday morning, the Sixers participated in a shootaround session at Baruch College. Following the session, it was reported that Joel Embiid will not be present for Monday’s game against the Nets, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.

With that update, Embiid will miss his third-straight preseason game, pushing his debut back to Friday at the earliest.

Later this week, the Sixers will conclude their four-game preseason run with a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. Late last week, 76ers guard James Harden mentioned that he was targeting a return to the 76ers in that final matchup. Barring any setbacks, Embiid might be on the same page as him.

While it’s unfortunate the Sixers will have to wait another game before seeing Embiid in action against another squad in Nick Nurse’s system for the first time, the MVP big man doesn’t need to acquire many minutes in the preseason.

Just last year, Embiid averaged a career-high 35 minutes on the floor in 66 outings during the regular season. When he reached the playoffs, he played in all but two of the Sixers’ matchups, averaging 37 minutes on the court. Once again, he battled a knee injury throughout the postseason run.

The good news is that Embiid has remained healthy throughout the offseason and has been a full participant in the Sixers’ first couple weeks of practice. With how frequently the Sixers have been practicing, Embiid has consistently gained some rest when the Sixers battle it out in the preseason.