76ers vs. Rockets: Joel Embiid’s Playing Status on Monday

Will Joel Embiid face the Rockets on Monday?

The Philadelphia 76ers are set to return to the court on Monday afternoon. They’ll host the Houston Rockets for the first and final time this season.

In the days leading up to the matchup, the Sixers had hope that their All-Star center Joel Embiid would make his return to the lineup.

Fortunately, that’s the case as Embiid has been upgraded to available. 

Lately, Embiid’s been battling multiple injuries, resulting in several absences over the last few weeks. After going down with an ankle injury on December 22, Embiid faced a four-game absence. During that time, the Sixers went 2-2, with all of their games being on the road.

Embiid didn’t get to close out 2023 with his team, but he opened up 2024 with a 31-minute shift against the Chicago Bulls. Coming off of a 13-point loss against the Bulls, the Sixers returned the favor with a 13-point win of their own. Embiid came back with a triple-double performance by producing 31 points, 15 rebounds, and ten assists.

The veteran big man didn’t see any setbacks or playing time restrictions in the following outing against the New York Knicks. However, during his 36-minute shift, Embiid twisted his knee. Suddenly, his ankle setback was no longer the primary concern for the big man.

Knee swelling took Embiid off the court for the January 6 matchup against the Utah Jazz. Four nights later, the Sixers went toe-to-toe with the Atlanta Hawks and did so without Embiid in the fold once again.

The matchup last Friday against the Sacramento Kings was no different. Although Embiid was progressing in the right direction, he couldn’t get cleared for action against Sacramento. 

Without Embiid this season, the Sixers have won just three of ten games. Clearly, the big man’s impact is unmatched in Philadelphia as they pose one of the biggest threats in the Eastern Conference when he’s healthy.