Joel Embiid’s Official Playing Status for Nuggets-76ers

Could Joel Embiid return to face the Nuggets on Friday?

Jan 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) walks off the court after a victory against the Denver Nuggets at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Friday night marked another opportunity for the Philadelphia 76ers to potentially welcome back their star center, Joel Embiid.

For the time being, the Sixers will continue to roll without the big man as they take on the Denver Nuggets.

According to the official NBA injury report, Embiid has been ruled out due to knee injury management. The absence marks Embiid’s 14th in a row.

Joel Embiid (injury management) listed out for Friday.

— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) January 30, 2025

It remains unclear when the Sixers are planning for Embiid’s return to action.

At one point during the stretch, Embiid was ramping up to potentially get back out on the court at some point during a three-game road trip. However, he dealt with another setback.

Dating back to Christmas Day, Embiid battled a foot sprain after the matchup against the Boston Celtics. He played in four games with it, but missed the January 6 action against the Phoenix Suns.

After spending six games sidelined due to a sprained foot, Embiid participated in a private workout to see where he was at. Although he was cleared from a foot sprain, the veteran experienced swelling in the knee once again.

The Sixers ruled Embiid out for the next three games, which took place on the road. He missed an additional two games against the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers late last week and did not participate in the team’s practice session this past Monday.

Ahead of Tuesday’s action against the Los Angeles Lakers, Embiid was ruled out for two more games. Without an official update, the Sixers ruled out Embiid against the Nuggets.

Lately, Philadelphia has been on a tear. They’ve won their last four games. However, when they faced the Nuggets 10 days ago, the suffered a 35-point beatdown. Without Embiid on the floor, the Sixers will certainly have their hands tied with Denver in South Philly on Friday.

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