PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers will play a third consecutive game on Friday without the services of Joel Embiid. The big fella is dealing with a left knee issue that the team classified as inflammation.
Embiid missed the entirety of the four-game road trip over Christmas due to an ankle sprain. He returned for two home games with the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks but tweaked his knee in the loss to the Knicks.
He finished the game against New York, but has not played since. Coach Nick Nurse is hopeful he will return sooner rather than later.
“Not much other than what I keep sharing,” Nurse said of Embiid’s status. “Again, we still got it as day-to-day and we think he’s gonna be back in practice shortly meaning he’s gonna be playing shortly. Hopefully, that’s the next game.”
When Nurse was asked whether he is hopeful of Embiid’s return or what type of terminology he would use, he clarified.
“Certainly hopeful, right?” Nurse stated. “But yeah. We’re expecting him to.”
The Sixers will have two days off before they play host to the Houston Rockets on Monday for a matinee on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. That would give the big fella more time to get everything healthy again before returning to the floor.
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