Joel Embiid out against Pacers due to non-COVID-19 illness

The Sixers will be without their superstar big man on their trip to visit the Indiana Pacers due to an illness.

Joel Embiid will not suit up for the Philadelphia 76ers in Friday night’s preseason game against the Indiana Pacers. The big man has been ruled out due to an illness, a team source told Sixers Wire’s Ky Carlin. The illness is not COVID-19-related, according to the source. With Embiid out, this leaves room for Dwight Howard to make the start at the five for Philadelphia.

Embiid logged 17 minutes in the Sixers’ 108-99 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. In that time, he scored 18 points, grabbed three rebounds and registered two assists. Howard also logged 17 minutes in the win over the Celtics. In his first game as a member of the Sixers, Howard scored five points and grabbed five boards.

Friday’s game against the Pacers is the Sixers’ last preseason game before their regular season slate kicks off on December 23 against the Washington Wizards. Philly and Indy tip-off at 6 p.m. on Friday.

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