Joel Embiid Participates in Shootaround With Status vs. Mavericks in Question

When the Philadelphia 76ers took the court for the second night of a back-to-back on Monday, they hosted the Denver Nuggets following an overtime win against

When the Philadelphia 76ers took the court for the second night of a back-to-back on Monday, they hosted the Denver Nuggets following an overtime win against the Orlando Magic.

Considering Sixers center Joel Embiid appeared on the court for 40-plus minutes in Orlando, many wondered whether the team would offer the big man a rest day on Monday or not.

Embiid revealed weeks ago that he intends to take some games off down the stretch to feel refreshed heading into the playoffs. His head coach Doc Rivers also mentioned that there is a plan in place to rest Embiid at times.

However, Monday wasn't one of those nights. Embiid checked in for over 35 minutes on against the Denver Nuggets. After his 34-point outing in the four-point loss to Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, Embiid admitted that fatigue was beginning to set in.

But that didn't guarantee the big man would miss the next game. With a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, Embiid was listed as questionable going into the matchup with back soreness after taking a hard fall earlier in the week.

Despite being a game-time decision on Wednesday, Embiid was cleared for action following his pregame warmup session. The five-time All-Star checked in for 34 minutes in his 18th straight game. As the Sixers went on to defeat the Cavaliers, Embiid scored 35 points and collected 17 rebounds.

Now, he's on pace to play in his 19th game in a row -- but the big man's status is once again in question. Per Philly's Thursday night injury report, Embiid is still dealing with back soreness. Therefore, there is a chance he could miss Friday's game against the Dallas Mavericks.

However, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Embiid participated in the team's shootaround on Friday morning.

For those wondering, #Sixers center Joel Embiid participated in this morning’s shootaround despite being listed as questionable for tonight‘s game versus the #Dallas #Mavs. https://t.co/flbDenLP6B

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) March 18, 2022

While Embiid's participation in the morning shootaround doesn't guarantee he'll play on Friday, it's a positive sign for the big man.

As usual, Embiid will likely be viewed as a game-time decision since he's questionable. And barring any unexpected setbacks during his pregame warmup session, the big man has a good chance of playing on Friday night.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.